Inside the plans for the Chinese Communist Party’s 100th anniversary

China is gearing up for a nationwide display of patriotism to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Officials across the country have gone into “overdrive to make sure commemorations go off without a hitch”, with planned events to include “patriotic films, history lessons and mass weddings”, The New York Times(NYT) reports. As well as celebrating a centenary of the CCP, President Xi Jinping’s government intends to “hammer home the message that the party alone can restore China to what Beijing considers the country’s rightful place as a global power”, the paper adds.

Records show that the first CCP congress was held in Shanghai on 23 July 1921. However, 1 July was later designated as the “anniversary of foundation”, because party founder Mao Zedong “merely remembered that the first party congress had been convened ‘in July’ when the CCP decided” on that date in the 1930s, Nikkei Asia reports. “A celebratory mood is growing in China” ahead of the celebration, which is being advertised with the slogan “follow the party forever”, the magazine adds. According to the state-owned Global Times, the festivities will kick off with a “grand ceremony” during which “outstanding party members will be awarded with ‘July 1 Medals’ for the first time”.

The medals will be awarded to individuals “who made extraordinary contributions to the party”, the paper continues, with plans in place for “other outstanding party members, party affairs workers, community-level party organisations and senior party members who have been members for 50 years” to also receive awards.

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