July 1 Holiday: China Celebrates the Founding Day of the Communist Party
Every year on July 1, China celebrates the Founding Day of the Communist Party of China. For over a century, this political force has shaped the country’s development and remains the sole ruling party of the People’s Republic of China. For the Chinese government, this is one of the most important commemorative dates of the year, marked by ceremonial events, official speeches, and themed activities across the country.
On July 1, the People’s Republic of China commemorates the Founding Day of the Communist Party of China (CPC). While it is not a national holiday with an official day off, it holds great political and historical significance for the country. It is the CPC’s activities that are associated with China’s modern history, its economic growth, and its transformation into one of the world’s most influential powers. The history of the Communist Party of China began in 1921. The party’s first congress took place in late July in Shanghai with only thirteen delegates in attendance. Due to the threat of arrest, some of the sessions even had to be moved to a boat on Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing. This moment is now considered the beginning of the CPC’s history.
Despite this, July 1 was chosen as the official date of celebration. This decision was made in 1941. According to one of the most widely accepted accounts, the exact date of the first party congress could not be definitively established at the time, so the party leadership designated July 1 as a symbolic date. Since then, this date has been observed annually as the CPC’s Founding Day. Over more than a century, a small political organization has grown into the world’s largest political party. Today, according to official figures, it has over 100 million members. It governs all key areas of the country’s life—from the economy and public administration to defense, education, and the development of modern technologies.
Government agencies, local authorities, educational institutions, and large enterprises are preparing for the celebrations. Various cities host solemn gatherings, themed conferences, exhibitions, concerts, and award ceremonies. Festive installations featuring the party’s symbols appear in central squares, and state television channels broadcast documentaries about the party’s history and China’s development.
On this day, special attention is paid to historical sites associated with the party’s founding. Thousands of people visit the museum in Shanghai, where the first CPC Congress was held, as well as the memorial complex on Nanhu Lake. For many party members, such trips have become a tradition. In some regions, new party members take a solemn oath on July 1. At monuments or in museums, they recite the text of the oath and pledge to faithfully fulfill their duties. For party members, this is one of the most important symbolic moments of the year.
Every year, the country’s leadership also delivers addresses in which they summarize their work and outline plans for the future. In their speeches, Chinese leaders emphasize economic development, the modernization of the state, the fight against poverty, the advancement of science, and the strengthening of China’s international standing.
Among the interesting facts: during the first CPC Congress, one of the delegates was a young Mao Zedong, who later became the founder of the People’s Republic of China. In 1949, it was the Communist Party that emerged victorious in the civil war and proclaimed the establishment of the PRC. Since then, it has remained the country’s ruling political force without interruption.
Another interesting fact is that the CPC’s Founding Day is not an official holiday. Despite this, it is widely covered by state media, and most of the celebrations involve government officials, military personnel, students, and party members. In various years, new museums, monuments, and memorials have been unveiled to mark the CPC’s founding anniversaries, and special stamps, coins, and commemorative publications have been issued. To mark these milestone anniversaries, large-scale concerts, television programs, and historical exhibitions dedicated to the development of modern China are organized.
As noted in China, the Communist Party’s Founding Day is not only an occasion to reflect on the organization’s history but also an opportunity to highlight its role in the country’s development. That is why July 1 remains one of the most important political dates on the country’s calendar.
