Today is the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, an event that is celebrated officially all over China. The Communist Party of China, commonly known as the CPC, is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China and the largest political party in the world, with a membership of nearly 92 million. 

President Xi Jinping, who is also Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Monday to review two sets of regulations on Party-building in the military and the election of primary-level Party organizations.

The meeting stressed the unswerving upholding of the absolute leadership of the CPC over the military and focused on enhancing combat capabilities, and called for efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the regulations. The meeting also emphasized the strict enforcement of the rules on the Party's electoral system, urging efforts to improve intra-party elections and safeguard Party members' rights endowed by the Party Constitution. He encouraged CPC members to build firm ideals and convictions and strive to fulfill the Party's original aspiration and mission.

One of the most significant achievements of the CPC was to unite the Chinese people on one platform. Chinese society was scattered and divided into various groups and interest-based factions before 1949. However, the CPC united the whole nation on an equal footing with equal rights, creating a classless society. It took almost three decades under Chairman Mao to rectify the community and create political awareness among the masses.

Then the economic reforms were launched under the great leader Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s, which transformed China into an economic power. Today, China is the second largest economy in the world, just behind the US. Roughly 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty. This significant achievement is the only example of its kind in the modern history of the world, and no other country has ever been able to eliminate poverty to this extent. China has planned to reduce poverty absolutely in the year 2020. It is believed that the CPC has a strong will, rich experience, and sufficient resources to achieve this goal, and produce a moderately prosperous society in all aspects around China.

Since President Xi came into power after the 18th CPC national congress in 2012, China has emerged as a global player. He has improved China's international image and enhanced the country’s role in geopolitics.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the CPC leadership made the right decisions and right policies, and strictly implemented them, which resulted in China's victory against the virus. The CPC leadership decided that human lives were their priority, and saving lives was their goal. The government pooled resources from all over the country and mobilized teams, experts, and the PLA to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. Although the implementation of strict lockdowns and comprehensive isolation caused significant economic losses, the CPC preferred human life over economic benefits. It believed that financial losses could be recouped through hard work and the right policies, but the damage done to human beings is irreversible and irrecoverable.

China was the first country to become a victim of the outbreak, but due to the CPC’s correct approach and the public’s hard work, it became the first country to bring COVID-19 under control. Now, China is helping many countries in fighting the pandemic.

The CPC has changed the fate of the Chinese people and raised their standard of living. Today, Chinese people enjoy the highest purchasing power in the world, convenient public transport systems, advanced infrastructure, affordable and quality health care compared to the rest of world, and the best public security system in the world.

A political system or political party is considered a good one if it keeps the common man happy and satisfied. The CPC cares for its people and thinks about the welfare of the common man. It is hoped that the CPC will deliver more and continue to meet the expectations of the general public. We wish the CPC all the success in the future. 

The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to People's Daily Online.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a senior fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]