100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party
Part of the Two Centenaries | |
Native name | 中国共产党成立100周年庆祝活动 |
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Date | 1 July 2021 |
Location | Chang'an Avenue, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China |
Coordinates | 39°54′26.4″N 116°23′27.9″E / 39.907333°N 116.391083°E |
Also known as |
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Type | mass pageant, music and dance gala |
Motive | Commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in July 1921[1] |
Organised by |
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Participants | Chinese Communist Party, Government of China, National leaders, international organization leaders, PLA, PAP, Militia, and other formations |
Website | Official event page (English) |
100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party | ||
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Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó gòngchǎndǎng chénglì yībǎi zhōunián | | |
Wade–Giles | Chung-kuo kung-ch'an-tang chʻêng-li yi-pai chou-nien |
Celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (Chinese: 中国共产党成立100周年庆祝活动), or the Centennial of the Chinese Communist Party (Chinese: 中国共产党成立一百周年), were held on 1 July 2021 in
served as the official host of the event.Similar celebrations were scheduled nationwide in
Background
The CCP was founded in 1921 by
Preparations
Leading up to the centenary celebrations, the Chinese government has been promoting Xi Jinping's outlook on history as the new orthodoxy.[1] Internet censorship was stepped up while museums across the country curated exhibitions related to history of the CCP.[6] The Guardian reported that the CCP has been assiduously pushing the official narrative and its official history across the entire country since the beginning of 2021. Adulatory messages such as "Listen to the party, appreciate the party, follow the party" adorned banners and billboards, foreign journalists were given tours to spread the official narrative, and Buddhist temples held special anniversary events.[1] The National Film Administration mandated local film authorities, film and cinema companies and production firms to screen and promote, starting 1 April, "outstanding films" – works "closely focused on the themes of loving the party, loving the nation and loving socialism," and "sing the praises of … and eulogise the Party, the motherland, its people and its heroes".[7] China Central Television (CCTV) produced a patriotic television series, called The Awakening Age, glorifying Chinese revolutionary history from 1915 to 1921;[6] a collection of 100 rappers produced a 15-minute track praising the Party called "100%".[6]
In preparation for the Centennial, efforts at suppressing and tailoring the Party's history were stepped up. The Party uses manufactured historical memories to legitimize the Party's place in society. The highlighting of the Party's centenary followed the CCP's general pattern of periodizing history. It is contrasted with the century of humiliation trope.[8]
The first full rehearsal for the festivities took place on 13 June 2021.[9] Security was strengthened leading up to the celebrations, with an increase in the number of officers of the People's Armed Police and officers of the state security police in Beijing.[10] The first press conference hosted by the Press Center took place on 27 June 2021.[11]
Hong Kong
Although the Civil Human Rights Front, traditional organisers of the annual march, announced that it was cancelling its plans, three other pro-democracy groups stepped in with an application to hold a demonstration, but the request was refused by police on the grounds of COVID-19 restrictions.[12] Thousands of police were mobilised to prevent any possible protests, one day after the first anniversary of the implementation of the national security law in the territory. Victoria Park, the traditional starting point of the annual march, was declared off limits due to public order concerns, and all occupants were banished.[13][6]
Light shows and television extravaganza
Throughout June 2021, light shows took place in celebration of the anniversary in multiple Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.[14][15]
An extravaganza produced by China Central Television was held at the Beijing National Stadium on 28 June 2021. It starred over 90 celebrities.[16] The gala evening concluded with a huge fireworks display and a rendition of "Without the Communist Party, There Would be No New China".[6]
Tiananmen Square ceremony
A national ceremony and rally of 70,000 took place on
The events began with a flag raising ceremony by the
Military flypast
In March 2021, General Li Jun, assistant to the director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, had said at a news conference that the expected military parade would not occur.[19][20] The traditional military parade was replaced by a flypast of Chinese aircraft. Seventy-one People's Liberation Army Air Force fighters flew over Tiananmen Square, with helicopters and fighter jets forming the numbers "100" and "71".
Speech by Xi Jinping
Later, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an hour-long speech in which he specifically declared the realization of the first of the Two Centenaries' goals.[21]
In his speech, Xi coined the phrase "whole-process people's democracy" and tied the concept to "common prosperity."[22]
While Xi warned during his speech that "any foreign force who attempted to bully China would find their heads broken and bashed bloody against the great wall of steel forged by the blood and flesh of 1.4 billion Chinese people",[6][21][23] the official translation used the analogy "on a collision course with a great wall of steel".[13][23][24] Xi praised the Communist Party, saying that there would be no new China without it, and it had "profoundly transformed the advancement of the Chinese nation ... [being] ... the foundation and lifeblood of the party and the country, and the crux upon which the interests and wellbeing of all Chinese people depend."[13]
With respect to Taiwan, he stressed the need to "crush any Taiwan independence", reiterating the adherence to the
Incidents
Hong Kong suicide attack
Amidst heavy police presence in Causeway Bay aimed at stopping demonstrations along the traditional march route in Hong Kong, a 50-year-old man stabbed a police officer in the back with a knife at 10 pm, and then turned the knife on himself. The police officer was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but survived, while the alleged assailant was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.[29][30] Hong Kong's newly appointed Security Secretary, Chris Tang, declared it a "terrorist act" committed by a "lone wolf", but blamed "many people who have encouraged violence and incited hatred toward society and the country".[29] After mourners started laying flowers at the location where the suspect fell, police warned against mourning, amounting it to "supporting terrorism".[31]
Twitter incident
Anne-Marie Brady, a Sinologist at Canterbury University in New Zealand and prominent critic of the CCP, saw her Twitter account temporarily suspended as a result of her tweets mocking Xi Jinping and the lack of international validation of the centenary. A columnist for The Times said that the block was probably an algorithmic response to the number of complaints from CCP agents that would have been received by Twitter. Her account was subsequently restored.[32]
Symbols
Commemorative coins
On 21 June 2021, the People's Bank of China issued a set of nine commemorative coins for the anniversary.[33]
Medal
Since June 2021, the "Glorious 50 Years in the Party" Commemorative Medal has been awarded, and the award will continue until 1 July. It consists of the party emblem, a five-pointed star, the flag, a monument, a sunflower, and other elements.[34] The CCP award ceremony to present the 1 July Medal to outstanding CCP members took place on 29 June 2021.[citation needed]
Gallery
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Z-8L carrying the flag of the Chinese Communist Partyflying over Beijing on 1 July 2021.
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29Z-19's forming the number "100".
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10Z-10's forming the number "71".
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The first of three groups of 5 J-20 fighters.
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10 JL-8's formation.
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2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event
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2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event
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2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event
See also
- 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
- 100th Anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution and Republic of China
- Two Centenaries
- Xi Jinping Administration
References
- ^ a b c "'Making China great again': pomp and propaganda as CCP marks centenary". The Guardian. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ a b Xinhua, ed. (23 March 2021). "CPC to hold a series of events for centenary celebrations". Beijing. Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ CoconutsHongKong (23 June 2021). "All aboard: Trams, buses celebrate 100th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party | Coconuts Hong Kong". Coconuts. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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- ^ a b c d e f g Davis, Rebecca (1 July 2021). "China's Entertainment Industry Bolsters Communist Party's 100th Anniversary Celebrations". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ Davis, Rebecca (2 April 2021). "China's Film Authority Orders All Cinemas to Screen Propaganda Films at Least Twice a Week". Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ Ross Smith, Nicholas; Fallon, Tracey. "How the CCP Uses History". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Analysis: G-7 and the Chinese Communist Party have no chemistry". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "China Mounts Massive Security Operation in Beijing Ahead of Centenary". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ The first press conference of the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
- ^ "From partner to pariah: how the Hong Kong gov't attitude to July 1 protest organiser soured over the years". Hong Kong Free Press. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Xi Jinping warns China won't be bullied in speech marking 100-year anniversary of CCP". The Guardian. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ EPIC! Six-minute Bund light show invites you all to believe in Shanghai miracles, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
- ^ Light shows celebrating CPC's 100th anniversary held in Jinan, Changchun, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
- ^ Davis, Rebecca (2 July 2021). "Jackie Chan, Andy Lau Celebrate China's Communist Party Anniversary as Hong Kongers Are Arrested". Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
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- ^ a b c Ben Westcott; Steven Jiang (July 2021). "Foreign countries that 'bully' China will meet a 'great wall of steel,' says Xi". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
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- ^ a b "At Communist Party centenary, Xi says China won't be bullied". AP NEWS. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Xi says Chinese people will never allow foreign bullying, oppressing, or subjugating – Xinhua". English.news.cn. Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Taiwan tells CCP to 'pick something else' for its birthday". Taiwan News. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "MAC calls for democracy in China on CCP's 100th anniversary". Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "CCP threatening global democracy, MAC says". Taipei Times. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Taiwan pits peace, democracy against Xi's 'one China' principle". Taiwan News. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Hong Kong police officer's condition improves after stabbing". ABC News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ Grundy, Tom (1 July 2021). "Man dies after stabbing Hong Kong police officer and himself in Causeway Bay". Hong Kong Free Press.
- ^ "Hong Kong police warn residents against mourning man who stabbed police officer". CNA. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Twitter restricts account of expert who mocked China leader". AP NEWS. 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "建党100周年纪念币来了,共9枚含10元、50元、100元三种面额". Sina Corp. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ "CPC to award July 1 Medal for first time". npc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.