* Overseas political leaders, scholars and policy researchers pointed to the CPC's long-term strategic vision, people-centered governance and capacity for constant self-improvement as key drivers of China's development as the CPC marked its 105th founding anniversary on Wednesday.BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A gathering marking the 105th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held in Beijing on Wednesday, where Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech.Reflecting on Xi's remarks and the CPC's achievements over the past 105 years, overseas political leaders, scholars and policy researchers pointed to the CPC's long-term strategic vision, people-centered governance and capacity for constant self-improvement as key drivers of China's development. China's experience, as they observed, has enriched global discourse on modernization by showing there is no single model for achieving it.Tourists take photos at a tourism area along the Yangtze River in Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Fu Zuoqiao/Xinhua)EPIC ENDEAVORReviewing the Party's 105-year journey at Wednesday's gathering, Xi said that the endeavors over the past 105 years have fundamentally transformed the future of the Chinese people, opened up the right path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and demonstrated the strong vitality of Marxism.For many overseas observers, the CPC's 105-year trajectory stands as one of the most sustained political and development transformations in modern history.Vivian Balakrishnan, chairman of the External Relations Committee of Singapore's People's Action Party and minister for foreign affairs, described the anniversary as "a significant milestone in the CPC's remarkable journey.""From the CPC's founding in 1921 with just over 50 members, the Party has grown into the world's largest governing party, leading a nation of more than 1.4 billion people," he said.He noted that over the past 105 years, the CPC has led the struggle for national independence, lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty, and is steering the country's modernization."These achievements have improved the lives of countless Chinese citizens and contributed significantly to global development," he added.Balakrishnan said China's ongoing modernization, rural revitalization and efforts to improve people's well-being reflect "a long-standing commitment to national development and the well-being of the Chinese people."The CPC has led China toward liberation and remarkable development, and promoted common prosperity while making it one of the world's top economies over the past century, said Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shaaban, secretary-general of the Egyptian Socialist Party(ESP).A gathering in celebration of the 105th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)GOVERNANCE AND RENEWALAddressing the gathering, Xi said that the CPC courageously rises to its historic missions and always keeps a strategic initiative in hand, and that the CPC focuses on constant self-improvement and is always full of vitality.China's development trajectory has been widely attributed to a governance approach characterized by long-term planning, a people-centered philosophy and an ability to adapt and renew itself.Bahtier Hamdamov, head of the Information Support Department of the Center for Strategic Research under the President of Tajikistan, said understanding China's transformation required looking beyond statistics.Reflecting on his visit to the site of the First National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai, he marveled that such a modest structure could birth a political party that would reshape the future of China.While visiting enterprises, communities and villages, he repeatedly asked how a country with such a large population had achieved such rapid development within just a few decades.Hamdamov came to understand that China's success stems not only from the diligence, resilience and creativity of its people, but also from the CPC's unwavering commitment to pursuing a development path suited to China's national conditions, putting the people first, and maintaining long-term strategic consistency.From a European perspective, Stefan Jovanovic, deputy president of Serbia's Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development, depicted the CPC's defining feature as its ability to combine political continuity with strategic adaptation.He said China has moved "from a period of fragmentation, poverty and foreign pressure to becoming one of the world's leading economic, technological and industrial powerhouses.""This did not happen overnight. It required state-building, reform, modernization, and the ability to adapt to changing historical circumstances," he added.Neema Peter Majule, chairperson of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi's Women Wing for Tanzania's Dodoma Region, said China's transformation shows "the importance of strategic planning, effective governance, and commitment to national development goals.""The most successful aspect of the CPC is its ability to maintain a clear long-term vision while continuously improving the lives of its people," she said.Kawa Mahmoud, president of the Iraq-headquartered Global Civilization Initiative Research Center and former secretary-general of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party of Iraq, said the CPC's achievements stem from its ability for constant innovation in theory and practice, adapting Marxism to China's realities while remaining responsive to people's needs.He said that the CPC has developed a unique Chinese model of governance characterized by "close ties between the Party and the people," and that development should be measured by improvements in people's lives.Sithembiso Bhengu, director at the Chris Hani Institute, a research think tank of the South African Communist Party, said the CPC's whole-process people's democracy has delivered "real results in human development," describing the Party's theory of "self-revolution" as key to sustaining governance capacity and public trust.A drone photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows a high-speed train running in Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo by Yang Tingrong/Xinhua)GLOBAL RESONANCEAt the gathering, Xi hailed the 105-year history of the CPC as the "most magnificent epic" of the Chinese nation and urged the Party to press ahead to build China into a modern socialist country on schedule. He called on Party members to remain steadfast in their convictions and work tirelessly to fulfill the Party's missions in the new era and on the new journey.China's development experience has been increasingly referenced in discussions on modernization and independent development paths.Anastasia Savinykh, analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research, said China has become an important source of reference for national governance. She said China's initiatives promote "multilateral cooperation, respect for diverse development paths, and enhanced connectivity."ESP chief Shaaban said the CPC offers important experience for developing countries, branding it as a model for transforming backward and limited realities into modern development paths.He said the Party successfully combined the basic tenets of Marxism with China's historical, cultural and social conditions, creating a development model rooted in national conditions."China's development demonstrates that there is no single path to modernization. It offers valuable inspiration for developing countries seeking their own road to modernization," Hamdamov said.(Video reporters: Hu Yousong, Jia Fan, Li Haiwei, Guo Peiran, Xiong Maoling, Sun Qing and You Zhixin; Video editors: Liu Xiaorui, Li Qin, Shang Yang, Hong Ling and Hui Peipei) ■