China’s Communist Party goes back to the future in centenary curtain-raiser

Xi Jinping’s leadership highlighted in three-hour show at the ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium

Notable absentees include Xi’s two presidential predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao

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Performers celebrate the Communist Party’s centenary in a three-hour show at the National Stadium in Beijing on Monday night. Photo: Simon Song

Published: 10:00pm, 29 Jun 2021Updated: 1:45am, 30 Jun 2021

The Communist Party sought to present itself as a beacon for the future at mass centenary celebration at Beijing’s National Stadium on Monday night.

President Xi Jinping, the party’s general secretary, was front and centre at the three-hour event at the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, which was the backdrop for the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games 13 years ago.

Also among the more than 20,000 people watching on were all seven members of the party’s inner circle, the Politburo Standing Committee; retired Politburo members Li Ruihuan and Jia Qinglin; and Zeng Qinghong, a former top aide to former president Jiang Zemin.

But Jiang and Hu Jintao – Xi’s two predecessors – and former premier Wen Jiabao were conspicuously absent, although news footage of them was shown as part of the programme.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her Macau counterpart, Ho Iat-seng, were among the invited guests.

Monday night’s performance at the National Stadium was called the “Great Journey”. Photo: Simon Song

China’s Communist Party goes back to the future in centenary curtain-raiser

Xi Jinping’s leadership highlighted in three-hour show at the ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium Notable absentees include Xi’s two presidential predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao

Xi Jinping’s leadership highlighted in three-hour show at the ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium

Notable absentees include Xi’s two presidential predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao