China’s new ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Zheng Zeguang, hosted an online meeting from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China on Tuesday, June 22, to mark the Centenary of the CPC.
Opening a symposium on the Centenary and China’s Future Development, he reviewed the modern history of the country and its struggle against imperialist occupation and domination which culminated in the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in Russia had made possible the arrival of Marxism-Leninism in China and the formation of the CPC in 1921. The ambassador then described how the ruling Communist Party’s change of strategy from the late 1970s enabled great advances to be made in industry, technology and science leading to China becoming the world’s biggest industrial country. He summarised the achievements of the latest Five Year Plan and the abolition of extreme poverty in the course of 2020. China had taken the socialist path and was sharing its gains with other peoples most in need, not least through the provision of free Covid vaccines to 80 nations around the world. His address was followed by the Communist Party of Britain’s general secretary Robert Griffiths. His speech was as follows: “Comrade Ambassador Zheng, comrades and friends,
I am delighted to bring greetings from the Communist Party of Britain, its Executive Committee and its growing membership.
We are honoured to join you in celebrating the centenary of the Communist Party of China.
The history of the CPC has indeed been the history of the trials, tribulations and achievements of the Chinese people. National and popular sovereignty has been won at great cost, and is now being used to the great benefit of the Chinese people.
The Communist Party in Britain has been proud to stand in solidarity with the Communist and people of China since the foundation of the CPC. We opposed the aggressive interventions of British imperialism in China and campaigned against the Japanese invasion and occupation. We welcomed the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949 and condemned the imperialist war in Korea which threatened China’s new-found sovereignty.
Communists, socialists and progressives around the world can draw inspiration from the heroic struggles of the CPC and the Chinese people to defeat imperialist occupation, achieve mass literacy, secure equal status for women and national and ethnic minorities, develop modern industry, make great advances in education and science, and – most recently – score the biggest victory over poverty in human history.
Now our Chinese friends and comrades are embarking on the 14th Five-Year Plan, and we share your confidence that it will build upon the phenomenal successes of the past five years.
In the finest internationalist tradition of the communist movement, China is also assisting other countries and peoples to accelerate their own economic and social development through the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative.
Comrades, I have been fortunate enough to have visited China six times since 2006, as a member of British, Western European and other international Communist delegations. We travelled extensively, visiting villages, towns and cities from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in the west to Ningbo on the east coast, from Beijing to Shenzhen next to Hong Kong. Far from making me feel like an expert on China, these experiences have taught me how much I have still to learn about the country and its peoples. Nonetheless, I have learned enough to know that the scale of economic and social development across China has been epoch-making.
I have also learned not to trust any reports in the West about Xinjiang and its Uyghur people, having witnessed for myself how the Uyghur language can be seen and heard everywhere and how most of the top state and Party personnel there are themselves Uyghur-speaking Uyghurs.
China is on course to achieve a level of development in 50 years what took Britain, for example, 200 years to achieve – and to do so without an international system of slavery and colonial plunder.
Most recently, China’s development has included spectacular transformations in environmental quality, urban transport, sustainable energy and regional equalisation.
This has been made possible by the planned nature of economic and social development, with key industries and services under public ownership or control, directed and led by the Communist Party of China through its mass organisations and the established institutions of state.
The achievements of the CPC are undeniable and are there for all to see.
Internationally, China remains a voice of sanity and a source of hope for many millions of people around the world. Jealous of China’s achievements, ruling class circles in Britain, the US, Australia and EU member states are trying to whip up a new Cold War.
The CPC and our many Chinese friends and comrades in Britain can rest assured that Britain’s Communists are doing all in our power to combat the lies and distortions being peddled by Western politicians, military chiefs and the mass media.
Long live friendship between the peoples of Britain and China!
Long live the Communist Party of China! Long live the international communist movement!”
