On July 1st, the Communist Party of China (CPC) marked the 105th anniversary of its founding. For the Chinese people, it is an important occasion to reflect on the nation’s journey of struggle and achievement while looking ahead to the bright prospects. For our African friends who are interested in China’s development, it also offers an important opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the key to China’s development.
Over the past 105 years, the CPC has grown from a small group of just over 50 members into the world's largest governing party with a membership of more than 100 million and tremendous global influence. Under its leadership, the Chinese people founded the People's Republic of China, a state where the people run the country, and achieved a historic transformation in living standards—from basic subsistence to moderate prosperity, and then to moderate prosperity in all respects. The Party has also led the Chinese people through an industrialization process that took only a few decades to accomplish what developed countries achieved over centuries, creating the twin miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that the fundamental reason why the CPC has been able to continuously forge glories over 105 years of struggle, and why history and the people have chosen the Party, lies in its unparalleled fine qualities.
These fine qualities are reflected primarily in six aspects:
First, the Party remains steadfast in pursuing truth and always steers the right course. It has consistently integrated the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with its fine traditional culture, while continuously adapting its theories to guide new practices.
Second, the Party is deeply rooted in the people and always rests on a solid foundation. It is dedicated to serving the public good and exercising governance for the people, and remains committed to its fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly.
Third, the Party bravely shoulders its historic mission and always holds the strategic initiative. It combines long-term objectives with phased goals and defines its central tasks in light of the evolving principal contradiction facing Chinese society.
Fourth, the Party keeps pace with the trend of development and always stands at the forefront of the times. It always proactively identifies, responds to, and steers changes, advancing with the course of history and growing with the progress of the times.
Fifth, the Party dares to struggle and excels in it, and always maintains full confidence in victory. It remains confident of ultimate success and never wavers or retreats in pursuing the interests of the people, the country and the nation, or in upholding its ideals and convictions.
Sixth, the Party focuses on self-strengthening and always brims with vigor and vitality. It gives high priority to self-improvement and self-governance, continuously reinforcing its capacity and resilience through self-reform.
These fine qualities hold the key to the CPC's enduring success. They also constitute an important source of China's development achievements and offer valuable insights into the country's continued progress.
The CPC is committed not only to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It is also dedicated to human progress and world harmony. The Party has always stood on the right side of history and on the side of human civilization and progress. Chinese modernization has opened up a new path to modernization and created a new form of human advancement, offering developing countries broader options for pursuing modernization suited to their own national conditions.
China has actively promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global governance Initiative, contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions and Chinese strength to addressing common challenges facing humanity, while bringing greater stability and positive energy to a world undergoing profound transformation and turbulence.
China-Africa friendship and cooperation stand as a vivid testament to this vision. The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries, and has also been designated the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
Over the past seven decades, China and Africa have remained committed to the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, as well as the approach of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, forging a path of mutually beneficial cooperation. Bilateral trade reached US$348 billion in 2025, and China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years. From the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway and cross-border telecommunications networks to the promotion of Juncao technology and numerous "small yet beautiful" projects such as water wells and rural water supply systems, China-Africa cooperation has delivered tangible benefits to the lives of African people.
On May 1st, China started granting zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines to all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, further opening its market and sharing development opportunities with Africa. More recently, following the outbreak of a new Ebola epidemic, China promptly provided emergency humanitarian assistance to the affected countries and the African Union, once again demonstrating the true meaning of the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
At present, under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people are steadily advancing toward the goals of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035 and building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of the century. On this new journey, China-Africa cooperation enjoys even broader prospects. China will continue to support Africa in implementing Agenda 2063 and deepen cooperation in such areas as industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure development, green energy, the digital economy, public health and youth development, helping Africa achieve independent and sustainable development. China will also continue to work with Africa and other developing countries to promote greater representation and a stronger voice for the Global South in international affairs, and to make the international order more just and equitable.
History has shown that solidarity is the key to overcoming challenges, while independence is essential to shaping one's own future. The CPC's 105 years of struggle have also demonstrated that any country can achieve development and national rejuvenation by staying true to its founding mission, remaining firmly rooted in its people, and pursuing a development path suited to its own national conditions.
China and Africa share similar historical experiences and common aspirations for development. More than ever, we should stand together, firmly keep our future in our own hands, and work to deliver even greater outcomes through the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era—bringing greater benefits to our peoples and making new contributions to the progress of humanity.