Xi pays tribute to Tibet, Xinjiang officials while the Communist Party turns 100 | Another Story

The Chinese president has praised the ‘ordinary hero’ of the country’s growth as the centenary celebrations begin.

Xi Jinping, President of China, has launched a celebration of the last 100 years of the Chinese Communist Party with a ceremony honoring 29 people for their “significant contribution to the party”.

Recipients of the newly established July 1 Tuesday included several soldiers and officials from the rest areas of Tibet and Xinjiang, where the United Nations has reported that millions, mostly Muslims, Uighurs are being held in camps that China has called technical training centers.

Katrina Yu of Al Jazeera, speaking from Beijing, said the district administration was honored “for what the Communist Party speaks as a struggle for secession and to promote party loyalty”.

The ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing is the beginning of the “pride and tradition” of the CCP century, says Yu.

Speaking at the medal ceremony, Xi said the recipients of the July 1 medal were “ordinary heroes who fulfill their duties and give money quietly”, Xinhua’s reporters said. He added that the CCP had written “an excellent theme in the history of China’s development and social development in recent years”.

The CCP was established in Shanghai in July 1921, at a time when the great nation was experiencing war and poverty. The Communist Party eventually overthrew the Chiang Kai-shek government in 1949 and is one of the most influential communist parties in the 21st century.

Yu’s Al Jazeera said the CCP is planning a “massive demolition” on July 1.

“Most of the secrets are kept confidential as is the style of the Communist Party, but we know that during the day there will be events in Tiananmen Square, where President Xi Jinping is expected to speak,” he said. He said. “And on that day, there will be a big celebration of theater, music and firefighting at the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium right here outside the city.”

Xinhua said the CCP performed a masterpiece, dubbed “The Great Journey” on Monday night at Bird’s Nest Stadium, showing how the Chinese people “under the auspices of the CPC have made changes, constructions and reforms over the past 100 years”.

“It commended the fact that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and Comrade Xi Jinping since the 18th CPC National Congress, Chinese socialism has entered a new era, and China is embarking on a new journey to completely build a modern socialist state,” journalists said.

Xi and other party leaders joined nearly 20,000 people watching the celebrations.