China’s communist party has survived where others have failed - a testament to its capacity to adapt and reinvent itself with the times. Mao’s successors put ideology aside and focussed instead on economic growth.  Yet today, under Xi Jinping’s leadership, there is much lip-service paid to the ideology of the communist past, even while key communist principles like collectivism are actively undermined. With a slowing down economy, communist propaganda and nationalist fervour are Xi’s attempts at distraction from China’s reality, writes Niranjan Sahoo.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrated its centenary day on July 1. President Xi Jinping opened the centenary celebration with an hour-long speech dotted with nationalistic rhetoric and grand vision for the country and the party. The grand event comprised of 70,000 delegates cheering, singing and waving in magical unison with great fanfare symbolised a confident nation that China has become. A massive nation-wide celebration was organised to send a message to the world that the party and the state was strong, unified and confident of challenges.

A centenary celebration is not a small achievement. Most communist regimes including the mightiest Soviet Communist Party disintegrated like pack of cards. The CCP’s century-long survival speaks a lot about the capacity of the regime adapt, reinvent and to stay in power despite huge challenges. But Xi’s sharp speech during the celebrations,  warning adversarial nations they would face a “Great Wall of steel” in case they try to intimidate China, hints at the nationalist turn the party took under his leadership.  And even 100 years after its founding members were inspired by Marx and Lenin, the party is returning to communist practices and principles in order to regain a sense of its identity, and retain its grip on power.