Seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation has been the aspiration and mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) since its founding, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday. 

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the gathering marking the centenary of the CPC in Beijing.   

Xi outlined that over the past 100 years, to realize national rejuvenation, the Party united and led the Chinese people in achieving a great success in the new-democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening-up, socialist modernization, as well as achieving a great success for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.  

Through tenacious struggle, he added, the Party and the Chinese people showed that only socialism could save China, and only socialism with Chinese characteristics could develop China.