BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is striving to achieve the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It will be a milestone both for a country with nearly 1.4 billion people and for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to remember its founding mission.
When it was established in 1921, the CPC had only about 50 members, but its original mission is grand: to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. This mission is what has been inspiring Chinese Communists to advance.
As the Party is turning 99, many of its achievements are noteworthy: founding a new China, lifting more than 700 million people out of poverty in four decades, governing an economy with a GDP of nearly 100 trillion yuan (about 14.37 trillion U.S. dollars), and transforming an isolated nation to an open one with diplomatic relations with 180 countries.
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 2019, the Chinese nation is proud that its days of being weak, bullied and humiliated since the Opium War 180 years ago are gone.
In times of peace and prosperity, however, it is not easy to be alert to dangers, to maintain the spirit of hard work, to strictly govern officials, to prevent corruption and extravagance, or to respond to the people's demands efficiently and effectively.
Neither the Party's advanced nature nor its governing status is permanent. The bitter lessons of some big and old parties in the world have warned that if a Party deviates from its original mission, it will change its nature, lose its followers, and eventually decline.
That is why the CPC keeps reminding its 90 million members of retaining the Communist ideal and always putting the people in the highest position.
In an education campaign themed "staying true to our founding mission," which has been carried out nationwide since it was launched on May 31, 2019, all CPC members and officials are required to bear in mind the original aspiration and act accordingly.
The education campaign gives the Party the power and courage to move forward, and gives the people confidence in their future -- no matter what difficulties lie ahead, there is always a Party representing their fundamental interests.
The Party has no reason to take comfort in its past successes. It is clear about the challenges it faces: the economic downturn pressure, an income gap despite a per capita GDP of 10,000 U.S. dollars, an aging population, and the tough battle against pollution. China is still the world's largest developing country.
The Party must sharpen its capacity to lead the country in transforming the economic growth model for high-quality development. Most importantly, the Party must harbor its most distinctive character: self-reform.
The CPC cracks down on malpractice of Party officials, particularly those losing faith in the Party, taking bribes, leading extravagant lives, and being autocratic.
Supervisory commissions have been set up at all levels across the country, to ensure "all public servants exercising public power" are subject to supervision.
Fearless to launch a revolution against itself, the CPC carried out a massive institutional reform involving a wide range of entities of the Party and state. The reform is revolutionary in breaking vested interests and in ensuring development.
The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is not at the expense of other nations. The CPC advocates building a community with a shared future for humanity. It is eager to join world efforts to cope with uncertainties and destabilizing factors including protectionism and unilateralism.
History moves forward. There is no time to stop on the way to fulfill the original mission.
When the CPC realizes the first centenary goal, it will shift its focus to the second. The top leadership has laid out a two-step approach for China's development: from 2020 to 2035, working to basically realize socialist modernization; from 2035 to the middle of the 21st century, developing China into a great modern socialist country.
CPC's efforts will pay off. By keeping its promise, the CPC will not only amaze the world but also inspire everyone in the world to never forget why they started.
