Xi touts China Communist Party’s global influence in speech marking 105th anniversary

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday emphasized the global influence of the ruling Communist Party of China as he marked its 105th anniversary, striking a more outward-looking tone than in previous speeches.

The remarks, which lasted about 40 minutes, contrasted with Xi’s prior speeches on similar occasions that had a domestic focus on China’s “national rejuvenation.”

The Chinese Communist Party has “deeply changed the trend and trajectory of the world’s development through relentless struggle,” Xi said, according to a CNBC translation from Mandarin.

Xi, who is also the party’s general secretary, described the CCP as “the world’s largest ruling party with significant global influence.” He said the CCP enabled China to overthrow imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism, paving the way for industrialization.

The CCP was founded on July 1, 1921, and established the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949. The economy began to open gradually to foreign investment and trade only in the last few decades and became the world’s second-largest economy in 2010.

China now accounts for about 28% of goods manufactured globally despite U.S. and EU tariffs.

Building on his frequently used phrase “changes not seen in a century,” Xi said Wednesday that those shifts were accelerating, and that “the world has entered a new era of turbulence and transformation.”

Against that backdrop, Xi said China would “promote the building of a new type of international relations,” but did not identify specific countries.

Xi is scheduled to visit the U.S. in September following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing in May.

“A strong country must have a strong military, and only a strong military can ensure national security,” Xi said on Wednesday.

China will raise defense spending by 7% this year, the slowest increase in its annual military expenditure since 2021, according to a budget plan released in March by the Ministry of Finance. The country ranks second to the U.S. in military spending.

Xi, now serving an unprecedented third term as president, also used the speech to bolster confidence in long-term national goals.

The Chinese leader reiterated opposition to “Taiwan independence” efforts and “external interference” in the issue, adding that “resolving the Taiwan issue and realizing complete reunification with the motherland is the party’s unwavering historical responsibility.”

On Hong Kong and Macau, Xi called for “promoting the long-term prosperity and stability,” while noting the need to support the integration of the two regions into serving China’s overall development.