A Magnificent Upsurge in a Century of Splendor

Song Tao

Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee

A century of stormy weather attests to our splendid spring flowers and solid autumn fruits. In 2021， we will celebrate the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China （CPC） and commemorate the centenary of CPC international relations. Over the past 100 years， CPC international relations has accompanied the Party all the way from its birth to growth and to fruition， playing an important role in Chinas New Democratic Revolution， in the socialist revolution and construction， and in the reform， opening up and socialist modernization， and making important contributions to Chinas national independence， liberation of the Chinese people， rejuvenation of the Chinese nation， world peace and human progress.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012， under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core， CPC international relations has pressed ahead in the new era in an all-round way by interacting with world political parties， studying international situation and issues， building a global circle of friends， and presenting the CPCs true image. To the international community， we have expounded in-depth on the profound connotations and global significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era， resolutely safeguarded the ruling position of the Party and the institutional security of socialism with Chinese characteristics， and promoted the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind with continued new results. To date， the CPC has established all kinds of relations with more than 600 political parties and organizations in over 160 countries and regions. A global political party partnership network has been in place featuring all-round， multi-channel， wide-scope and in-depth party-to-party exchanges. The CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting was a success and has become a platform of high-end political dialogue with broad representation and international influence. CPC visions， CPC stories and CPC contributions are well received and gain traction internationally. In an unprecedented way， the CPC is approaching the center stage of world political parties， contributing ideas and concepts to global development and prosperity， and rendering strength and confidence for world peace and stability.

The underlying attribute to the above achievements is General Secretary Xi Jinping acting as the navigator and helmsman of the entire Party， the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core， the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era， and Xis series of important instructions on CPC international relations which stand for our fundamental guideline. Looking back to the historic achievements of CPC international relations over 100 years in the past， and especially since the 18th CPC National Congress， we recognize that to do well with CPC international relations in the new era， it is necessary to uphold and strengthen the centralized， unified leadership of the Party， which consists of the fundamental political underpinning and political advantage. It is necessary to go by the basic essence and definition of CPC international relations as a critical front of the Partys work， an important component of Chinas overall diplomacy， and a crucial embodiment of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics， and as such， we must make our plans and advance our work closely relating to the Partys central task， serve the overall interests of the Party and the country， and always take the Partys stand and needs for our point of departure. Leveraging our unique advantage， it is necessary to deepen political guidance for the international community， resolutely safeguard Chinas sovereignty， security and development interests， and promote the construction of a new type of party-to-party relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. It is necessary to emancipate the mind， seek truth from facts， advance with the times and constantly deepen our understanding of the regular patterns of CPC international relations in order to carry on the essence while pursuing innovations in theory and practice of CPC international relations.

As General Secretary Xi Jinping observed， “for a party which fights for the eternal well-being of the Chinese nation， the centenary only ushers in the prime of life”. At the historic crossroad of the Two Centenary Goals， CPC international relations in the new era is like a ship in high spirits hitherto unseen， carrying the glory and dream of generations of the Chinese people， taking on the mission and duty of serving the national rejuvenation and promoting human progress， riding the wave， persevering， and sailing to the other shore for a community with a shared future for mankind. Serving both Chinas internal and international imperatives， we shall earnestly study， implement and communicate Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. As part of the Party， we shall persist in behaving as the Party does， striving for the Party， and prospering the Party. We shall maintain political integrity， think in terms of the big picture， follow the leadership core， and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; strengthen confidence in the path， theory， system， and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the entire Party， and the authority and the centralized， unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. We shall carry forward the cause， break ground and make innovations， and make fresh contributions to embarking on a new journey to build a thoroughly modern socialist country， and to achieving the Partys second centenary goal.