Communism was called a haunting ghost more than a century and a half ago, and few believed the Communist Party of China (CPC) could survive when it was founded in 1921. Now, the world is watching the largest ruling party in the world march toward its first centenary goal.
The CPC is celebrating its 96th anniversary on Saturday and the 19th National Congress will be held in the latter half of this year. The congress will elect the leadership for another five-year term, the critical period for a goal of completing building a well-off nation by the Party's 100th anniversary.
Once the goal is realized, nearly one fifth of the world's population will live in a "moderately prosperous society in all respects," or "xiaokang" in Chinese.
The CPC is confident and determined in achieving that.
Since its founding, the Party has been faced with doubts, misunderstanding and even hostility. Yet, the CPC has emerged as one of the world's most successful and exciting stories.
China was a poor nation scarred by foreign aggression and civil war. It is now the world's second-largest economy and a major international player.
The CPC has evolved from a small group of around 50 members to a 89-million member strong party, more than the population of Germany, with 4.5 million Party grassroots organizations.
"Political legitimacy comes from competence and prosperity," said Zhang Weiwei, director of the Institute of China Studies under Fudan University. "The CPC experience shows that the ultimate test of a good system is how well it ensures good governance as judged by the people of that country."
China is in better shape than at any time in living memory. There is every reason to believe the CPC is leading China back to the center of the world stage, Zhang said.
THE CORE
Last year, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, was endorsed as the "core" at the sixth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. Analysts said the position is key for the Party and the country to keep on the right track of development.
The Chinese need to unify around a core figure, a central leader, as their influence can unite the people and collect wisdom to formulate and implement suitable policies, said Professor Liu Dongchao with the Chinese Academy of Governance.
For the first 14 years of the CPC, the Party was without a strong, core leader, which resulted in repeated setbacks of the revolutionary cause. The Party was almost on the verge of dissolution.
In 1935, leader Mao Zedong established his authority within the CPC Central Committee and the military. Since then, the CPC leadership has been integral to the Party in overcoming difficulties.
Now, Xi is determined to lead China toward the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, having drawn up a plan to promote all-round socialist economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development.
He has proposed the strategic layout of the "Four Comprehensives" and the philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development at a time when sustaining fast growth is becoming increasingly difficult.
Marxism is and must remain the fundamental, guiding principle of the Party. Xi's thoughts on state governance are often called Marxism in modern China, said professor Xin Ming with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.
