A PUBLIC meeting was organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at New Delhi to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on June 30 evening. The meeting was attended by large number of CPI(M) workers and leaders. The Charge de Affairs of the Chinese Embassy Somg Tao participated in the meeting as head of a large delegation of Chinese officials. Prakash Karat, CPI(M) polit bureau member presided over the meeting.

The resolution passed by the CPI(M) Central Committee, congratulating the people of CPC for the remarkable progress made by the country was read out.

Prakash Karat in his address recalled how 80 years back in 1921, in a house in Shanghai the first congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) took place which was attended by a modest 12 delegates, one among whom was Mao Zedong. Today it has grown to be such a large party and has achieved so much, it would fill the hearts of all communists the world over with pride, he said. The way the Chinese economy has become so strong was remarkable, he observed. Prakash Karat informed the audience that it was his privilege to even visit the historic building where the CPC was founded.

He said that the manner in which the CPC was able to unite the people of China to remove the shackles of imperial powers like Japan, the US, Britain, France etc showed the political maturity of the party.

The Charge de Affairs of Chinese Embassy Somg Tao in his speech underlined the excellent relationship between the CPC and the CPI(M). He said that the Chinese people had great faith in the communist movement and had participated whole heartedly in the programmes of the Party which led to the development of the nation. He recalled the contribution made by the leaders like Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin.

Somg Tao said that the CPC founded on July 1, 1921 is the ruling Party in China and it represents the interest of the entire Chinese people. After 28 years of intense struggle the CPC led the Chinese people belonging to various nationalities to achieve victory in the Democratic Revolution and founded the Peoples Republic of China. Somg Tao said that he looked forward to the growth of excellent relations between India and China.

Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) polit bureau Member, in his speech said that the history of the CPC was a great lesson in the revolutionary socialist movement of the world. He said it was also a great achievement that the CPC was able to rectify its own shortcomings from time to time and develop the Chinese economy to make it one of the best in the world.

He cited how the CPC changed direction in 1978, and launched new reforms. From time to time the Party had been fighting corruption and rethinking its own thought process to become a engine of change for the better. It was an example of how the CPC was able to relate to the aspirations of the people and to change itself to give these aspirations an outlet. It is this which has made China an economic giant, which as per the IMF figures, may overtake even the most developed nation by 2007.

He felt that the example of China must be followed by the communist movement around the world. Even the people of India must emulate the success of the CPC, he said. Hoping that the relations between the people of two countries would grow, Sitaram Yechury congratulated the people of China and the CPC on the 80^th anniversary.

M K Pandhe general secretary of CITU said that the leadership of Mao Zedong led to the establishment of the CPC and that in the Long March undertaken by him he was able unite the people. Pandhe recalled how India had sent a team of doctors and the tremendous contribution made by Dr Kotnis in China. He greeted the people of China and the CPC on behalf of the trade union movement.