Consul & Head of Post of the Chinese Consulate in Laoag Li Xiaoyan Publishes an Article Titled “CPC at 105: The Key to Reading China Today”

On July 6, 2026, Consul & Head of Post Li Xiaoyan of the Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag, published an article titled CPC at 105: The Key to Reading China Today in Filipino media The Ilocos Times and Northern Light in the Northern Luzon of the Philippines.

CPC at 105: The Key to Reading China Today

This July 1, the Communist Party of China (CPC) turns 105. Back in 1921, in the early days of the Party, hardly anyone would have bet that, more than a hundred years later, it would have lifted a poor and struggling country all the way to become the world’s second-largest economy. As the 8th Consul & Head of Post of the Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Laoag, I would like to share with my friends across Northern Luzon the stories of the CPC through the decades using real data and hard facts, and why it matters not only for China, but for the entire world.

I. The CPC’s Historic Achievements as Told by Real Data

Over the past 105 years, the CPC has led the Chinese people through a remarkable journey -- from standing up, to growing rich, to becoming strong. This historic milestone can be best captured through the following set of figures.

Continuous increase of party membership: From just over 50 members at its founding, the CPC now has more than 100 million members from all ethnic groups across China -- making it the world’s largest political party over the past century. It has also become a key driver of international exchanges and cooperation among political parties. Today, the CPC maintains regular contacts with more than 700 political parties and organizations in over 170 countries.

Steady growth of the economy: In 2025, China’s GDP reached 140.2 trillion RMB (approximately US$19.3 trillion) -- close to the combined GDP of the world’s 3rd through 7th largest economies. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China has realized leapfrog increases in its total economic output for consecutive years, with an average growth rate of 5.4% -- outperforming all other major economies. For years, China has contributed about 30 percent to global economic growth, cementing its role as the most stable and reliable engine for the world economy.

Complete eradication of absolute poverty: The CPC launched and carried out the largest-scale anti-poverty campaign in human history. Under the current standard, nearly 100 million rural poor people have been lifted out of poverty, and all 832 impoverished counties have been removed from the poverty list. China’s poverty reduction accounted for more than 70% of the global total over the same period, and the country met the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development poverty reduction goal a full decade ahead of schedule. China’s agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents have been given a completely new look across the country.

Remarkable advances in science and technology: China has risen to 10th place in the Global Innovation Index, maintaining its top position among the 36 upper middle-income economies. In 2025, China’s research and development intensity reached 2.8 percent, exceeding the average level of OECD countries for the first time. The value-added of China’s manufacturing sector has ranked first globally for 16 consecutive years. From the Tiangong space station and C919 large passenger aircraft to AI, China has produced a host of world-class innovations across multiple frontier fields.

Steady upgrading of infrastructure: China has built the world’s largest modern infrastructure network, serving the greatest number of people. Nowhere is China’s infrastructure transformation more evident than in the taming of its great rivers, and in the rise of its ports that now connect to all oceans. The total length of China’s high-speed rail network has exceeded 50,000 kilometers (70% of the global total), and 82% of China’s prefecture-level cities are now linked by high-speed rail, with an average of over 9.36 million passenger trips delivered daily. Crossing the country in one day is no longer a dream, and lightening speed is no longer an exaggeration.

Continued improvement of international image: According to Global Survey on Impression and Understanding of China (2025), more than 80% of foreign respondents gave positive evaluations of China’s current economic growth, and nearly 90% expressed confidence in China’s economic growth over the next decade. Nearly 70% of foreign respondents hold a favorable view of China. These figures make it clear that China’s development achievements under the leadership of the CPC are there for the world to see.

II. Why the CPC Matters

Having seen the achievements above, our Filipino friends might ask: What role has the CPC played in China’s development? And why does it matter so much? I would like to offer three perspectives.

First, the CPC is the choice of both the history and the people. 105 years ago, the Party was born at a time when the country was in peril and the very survival of the Chinese people was at stake. From that very moment, it set its original aspiration and founding mission as pursuing happiness for the its people and rejuvenation for the its nation. For over a century, the CPC has united all Chinese people through hardship and toil, laying a solid foundation for the country’s progress. In such a vast country, with its complex national conditions and a huge population, without a strong and cohesive leadership core like the CPC, it would have been impossible to make the historic leap from poverty and backwardness to the world’s second-largest economy. History has proven that only under the strong leadership of the CPC can China overcome all the difficulties and challenges on its road ahead.

Second, the CPC has created two miracles, namely rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. The Party has led the Chinese people not only to achieve economic takeoff, but also to maintain enduring social harmony. Behind this lies the people-centered development philosophy that the CPC has always adhered to. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping emphasized, “this country is its people; the people are the country”. Every endeavor of the Party is aimed at fulfilling the people’s aspiration for a better life.

Third, the CPC is a strong guarantee for China’s future path. Having the courage to reform itself is the Party’s most distinctive trait. Today, China is advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. Facing transformation unseen in a century, the CPC has constantly improved its leadership capacity and governance. 2026 marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Keeping pace with the times,the CPC  is steadily answering new questions posed by the era and leading the Chinese people on a new Long March.

To get to know and understand China, one cannot do without understanding the CPC. As a 105-year-old political party with over 100 million members, the CPC has not only transformed the the future of one country, but also made important contributions to world peace and development.

China and the Philippines are friendly neighbors across the sea. Since I took office last December, I have visited all 15 provinces and 3 independent cities within our consular district. I have discussed with local government officials the possibilities for cooperation between our two countries in different fields, and also interacted with people from all walks of life. What impressed me most is the profound public support for China-Philippines friendship, and the vast prospects for sub-national exchanges and cooperation between our two sides.

June 9, 2026 marks the 25th China-Philippines Friendship Day. Twenty-five years ago, our two countries jointly established this day in the hope that we would turn our neighbors into family, and our dialogues into heart-to-heart exchanges. The CPC is ready to share development experience with political parties from all over the world, including major parties in the Philippines, and to jointly explore modernization paths suited to our respective national conditions. Together, we can work toward building a community with a shared future for mankind and create an even brighter future for the more than 1.5 billion people of China and the Philippines.