OPINION: 2026 is a year of special and far-reaching significance for China

It marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and the first year of the implementation of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.

Standing at this historic juncture connecting the past, the present and the future, I would like to share with you how the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in overcoming challenges, achieving remarkable development.

Since the Opium War of 1840, China endured repeated invasions, internal turmoil and national humiliation. Constant warfare devastated the country and plunged its people into immense suffering. The founding of the CPC in 1921 changed the course of Chinese history.

Over the past 105 years, the CPC has stood shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people, leading the revolution and development of the country through four major historical periods. From 1921 to 1949, the Party led the Chinese people in a 28-year struggle marked by immense sacrifice.

It overthrew oppressive forces, ended China’s semi-colonial and semi-feudal status, and secured national independence and people’s liberation.

Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese people embarked on a new journey of nation-building. We worked with determination and dedication to establish the basic socialist system, which fundamentally transformed China’s underdeveloped condition and laid a solid political, institutional and material foundation for the country’s long-term development and modernisation.

In 1978, China ushered in a new era of reform and opening-up. We actively integrated into the global economy and unleashed the vitality of development, gradually achieved a historic transformation from widespread poverty to moderate prosperity.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have eliminated absolute poverty nationwide and completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

China’s comprehensive national strength and global influence have grown significantly. After more than a century of hard work and dedication, the CPC has grown into the world’s largest political party in power.

By the end of 2025, its membership had exceeded 101 million. The Party has established 5.43 million primary-level organisations nationwide, covering urban and rural communities, villages, government institutions, enterprises and social organizations.

Looking back on the CPC’s century-long journey, China’s development achievements speak for themselves. It has led China in achieving remarkable progress and historic accomplishments across all areas.

In 2025, China’s GDP surpassed 140 trillion yuan, or around 20 trillion US dollars, ranking second in the world. China has also made remarkable advances in industrial development and technological innovation, built the world’s most complete industrial system.

Major breakthroughs have been achieved in key technologies, including artificial intelligence, manned spaceflight, quantum information, new energy and high-end manufacturing. China has ranked first globally in the production and sales of new energy vehicles for 11 consecutive years.

China has achieved a historic victory in eradicating absolute poverty, built the world’s largest education, social security and healthcare systems, bringing significant improvements to people’s living standards.

China pursues a more proactive strategy of opening-up. The Belt and Road Initiative has become a widely welcomed international platform for cooperation.

China firmly upholds multilateralism and puts forward four major global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative.

China will continue to work with all countries to promote peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and make greater contributions to building a better world.

Reflecting on the CPC’s 105-year history, we can identify the fundamental experiences and insights that have enabled the Party to led China to achieve successive landmark achievements.

First, adhering to the guidance of sound theories. Since its founding, the CPC has taken Marxism as its fundamental guiding ideology. We remain committed to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture, while continuously advancing theoretical innovation.

We have developed Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which represents a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

Guided by this theory, we have embarked on a path of Chinese modernisation suited to China’s national conditions and maintained confidence in our socialist path, theory, system and culture.

Second, remaining committed to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly. Serving the people is the fundamental purpose of the CPC, and exercising power for the people have always been our governing philosophy.

We regard delivering tangible benefits to the people as our greatest political achievement, and remain committed to a people-centered development philosophy, taking the people’s satisfaction, support and participation, as important criteria for evaluating development.

Third, upholding the principle of seeking truth from facts and advancing self-reform with courage. Seeking truth from facts is the CPC’s fundamental way of thinking and approach to work, enabling us to make sound decisions and pursue pragmatic development.

The courage to engage in self-reform is the most distinctive political character of the CPC. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have taken the implementation of the eight-point rule on improving Party and government conduct as a starting point, steadily improved work conduct, resolutely addressed undesirable practices, advanced full and strict Party self-governance, and continuously promoted clean governance within the Party and the government.

These efforts have enabled the CPC to remain a dynamic and progressive party, always capable of responding to challenges, correcting itself and advancing with the times.

Fourth, maintaining long-term strategic commitment. Guiding economic and social development through medium and long-term planning is a distinctive governance approach of the CPC.

Since the launch of the First Five-Year Plan in 1953, China has formulated and implemented fourteen consecutive five-year plans, steadily advancing toward the long-term goal of national rejuvenation.

This approach has enabled China to maintain policy continuity, pursue long-term development goals, and achieve sustained progress amid changing domestic and international circumstances.

Since the restoration of diplomatic ties between China and Grenada, the two countries have deepened cooperation across various fields on the basis of the one-China principle.

China-Grenada bilateral trade has maintained six consecutive years of double-digit year-on-year growth, hitting USD 34.4363 million in 2025, a 25.7% rise.

China expands exports of mechanical, electrical and new energy products, while advancing market access talks for Grenadian fishery and agricultural goods.

The Embassy supports Grenadian enterprises to participate in the Canton Fair and CIIE under the China-CELAC Development Initiative.

Multiple landmark China-aid projects have been completed, including Phase II low-income housing, cricket stadium renovation and airport upgrading with new passenger boarding bridges.

The two countries have successively implemented eight phases of agricultural technical cooperation projects, the Phase 9 was officially launched on July 1.

New pipelines include electric bus project appraisal, medical specialist dispatch and upcoming table tennis cooperation with coach training and youth exchange camps in China.

Human resource cooperation also thrives: 579 Grenadians attended training in China in 2025, with over 400 participating so far this year. Nearly 80 Grenadian students’ study in China via government scholarships, with five new scholarship recipients set to enroll this September.

Small-scale livelihood projects funded by China have benefited local communities nationwide, covering schools, sports facilities, roads, pedestrian bridges and community centers, with more works underway.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, the Embassy has rolled out the “China in My Eyes” short video and article competition open to all Grenadians, especially youth, with submissions accepted from June through early September.

Several local primary and secondary schools will receive China-Grenada Friendship Classrooms equipped with learning facilities and Chinese language courses run by the TAMCC Confucius Institute.

Party-to-party exchanges constitute an important component of China-Grenada relations. As our bilateral ties continue to forge ahead, the CPC will further strengthen inter-party exchanges with all political parties in Grenada.

We stand ready to share governance experience, exchange views on climate resilience, digital transformation, healthcare and other fields, and consolidate the political foundation of China-Grenada friendship through sustained dialogue and mutual understanding.

Such party-to-party interactions will inject lasting impetus into our comprehensive cooperation, and jointly promote common development of our two countries.

Written by H.E. Yang Shu is Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Grenada

Editor's note: The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of Sino-Carib News. We do not own any rights to this article.

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