China Communist Party Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Posted July 1st, 2011 at 3:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Chinese President Hu Jintao marked the 90th anniversary of China's Communist Party Friday, by telling thousands of party officials and members that the party must ensure economic growth, while controlling civil stability.

In a 90-minute televised speech at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Mr. Hu singled out corruption as a clear and present danger to the party's ruling legitimacy. He warned that corruption will cost the party the support and trust of the people.

The Chinese leader said the party had learned from its mistakes and managed to correct them. He did not specifically mention policies during the first few decades of the party that led the deaths of millions of people.

In the months leading up to Friday's celebration, the party has conducted a propaganda blitz, including museum exhibitions, singing of “red” songs from Communist China's early years and the release of a film glorifying the party's past.

The CCP was founded in July of 1921 an Shanghai by a handful of intellectuals and took power in 1949 after defeating the rival Nationalists in a long and bloody civil war.

After the death of leader Mao Zedong in 1976, Deng Xiaoping took over and launched a period of reforms that transformed China into the world's second-largest economy.

But the party's small group of elite leaders continues to crush dissent, control the media and deprive the populace of basic rights under the constitution.