Transformation and the road ahead

The Party continues to play an enduring and irreplaceable role in shaping China’s modernization trajectory

The 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in 2026 offers an occasion not only for commemoration but also for reflection on more than a century of political struggle, national transformation and institutional evolution.

The anniversary provides a meaningful moment to revisit the historical trajectory of the Party and its enduring role in shaping Chinese modernization.

The story begins in 1921, in a modest setting in Shanghai, where the CPC was founded under difficult and uncertain conditions. At the time, China was fragmented, weakened by internal division and external pressure, and searching for pathways toward national renewal. The early founders of the Party were a small group of intellectuals and revolutionaries driven by the belief that China required a fundamental transformation to regain sovereignty, stability, unity and dignity. From these humble beginnings, the CPC would gradually grow to become the central force in Chinese political life.

The early decades of the Party were marked by struggle and survival. Among the most defining episodes was the Red Army’s Long March (1934-36), a remarkable and arduous military feat that has since become a foundational narrative in the Party’s collective memory. Covering thousands of kilometers across some of China’s most difficult terrain, it symbolized endurance, cohesion and ideological commitment under extreme pressure. Though a military maneuver, it became politically and symbolically a consolidation of leadership and resolve.

This period was followed by another existential struggle. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was a decisive chapter in modern Chinese history, during which the CPC expanded its influence and legitimacy through both military resistance and the mobilization of rural populations. The experience of national survival against external aggression deeply shaped the Party’s understanding of sovereignty, unity and national strength.

In 1949, after years of civil war, the People’s Republic of China was founded. This marked a fundamental turning point in Chinese history. For the CPC, it represented the transition from a revolutionary movement to a governing party. For the country, it signaled the beginning of a new State-building project aimed at restoring territorial unity, rebuilding institutions and addressing widespread poverty and instability.

The subsequent decades were complex, marked by ambitious social and economic experiments, periods of rapid mobilization and significant internal challenges.

A particularly decisive turning point came in 1978 with the reform and opening-up policy initiated under Deng Xiaoping. This moment reshaped China’s development trajectory. Economic reforms introduced market mechanisms, encouraged foreign investment and gradually integrated China into the global economy. Over the following decades, China experienced one of the most rapid and large-scale transformations in modern history, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty and becoming a central actor in global trade and industry.

From the perspective of governance, the CPC has progressively developed a distinct model of political and economic organization. This model emphasizes long-term planning, strong State capacity and adaptive policy experimentation at local levels. It is also closely linked to China’s pursuit of what it terms “Chinese-style modernization”. This concept refers to a modernization path that seeks to combine economic development and technological advancement with social stability, common prosperity, cultural continuity, ecological sustainability and national sovereignty. Unlike modernization models historically associated with Western industrialization, Chinese-style modernization is presented as a development framework rooted in China’s own historical experience, political system and civilizational traditions while remaining open to global economic integration.

Over time, the Party has placed increasing emphasis on institutional coherence, anti-corruption campaigns, technological modernization, environmental policy and national rejuvenation. These priorities reflect both domestic imperatives and China’s evolving position in the global system. In this sense, the CPC is not only a governing body but also the core institutional framework through which China articulates and implements its strategic objectives.

Looking forward, China has set out a series of ambitious long-term goals, including the realization of national modernization objectives and the strengthening of technological self-reliance, economic resilience and global influence. The coming years are viewed as a critical period during which these objectives will be further defined and pursued.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has put forward a series of new ideas, new thinking and new strategies for governing and strengthening the Party in response to the major questions of the times. Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building articulates several core principles: the CPC’s leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics; the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee must be upheld; and full and rigorous Party self-governance must be advanced unwaveringly.

Understanding contemporary China requires an in-depth understanding of the CPC itself. The Party is deeply embedded in the country’s institutional structure, development strategy and political culture. The 105th anniversary, therefore, is not merely a historical marker. It is an opportunity to revisit the long arc of Chinese political development — from revolutionary beginnings in Shanghai, through war and State formation, to economic transformation and global integration. It also invites reflection on the continuity of objectives that have persisted across generations: national sovereignty, development, stability and modernization.

At the same time, it is an occasion to recognize that China’s path remains dynamic and evolving. The challenges of economic transition, demographic change, environmental sustainability and international relations continue to shape policy debates and strategic thinking within the country.

In this sense, the anniversary is both retrospective and forward-looking. It connects a century of history with the uncertainties and ambitions of the future. As China moves further into the 21st century, the CPC remains a central actor in defining the direction of that journey. For the international community, engaging with China inevitably involves engaging with the Party’s historical experience, institutional logic and strategic vision.

The 105th anniversary thus serves as a reminder that China’s contemporary identity is deeply rooted in its historical trajectory and that its future will continue to be shaped by the evolving relationship between its past, its governance system and its aspirations on the global stage.

The author is a specialist in global affairs, a sinologist and the founder of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.