Editor's note: John Gong, PhD, is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics and a research fellow at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

From a meeting of 13 people on a small boat in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, on a rainy day of July 1921 to becoming the political party governing the world's second-largest economy with a membership of over 95 million, the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrates its centennial anniversary today.

After a grandiose performance at Tian'anmen Square, which also featured a flypast by the world's most sophisticated jet fighters ingenuously made in China, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a nearly hour-long speech.

His speech covered many aspects, from a solemn declaration that China has achieved its first centennial goal of establishing a moderately prosperous society, totally eradicated absolute poverty, and is currently embarking on a journey to fully building a modern socialist country.

This is indeed something to be celebrated after a long history of economic deprivation in China. He then provided a brief overview of the CPC's history in different stages of the revolution before 1949 and its leadership role in economic development after 1949. He then moved onto several central tasks that the CPC is charged with.

My biggest takeaway from the speech is how the president described the relationship between the CPC and the people in China. He termed the people the true heroes, for it is they who create history.

This issue is particularly important against the backdrop of the Sino-U.S. competition. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo once proffered an American foreign policy that proclaims to separate the CPC from the Chinese people on advice of his China expert Miles Yu. The following paragraph of President Xi's speech at the grand gathering on the occasion of CPC's centenary is the best response to the malicious rhetoric.

"This country is its people; the people are the country. As we have fought to establish and consolidate our leadership over the country, we have in fact been fighting to earn and keep the people's support. The Party has in the people its roots, its lifeblood, and its source of strength. The Party has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese people; it stands with them through thick and thin and shares a common fate with them. The Party has no special interests of its own – it has never represented any individual interest group, power group, or privileged stratum. Any attempt to divide the Party from the Chinese people or to set the people against the Party is bound to fail. The more than 95 million Party members and the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people will never allow such a scenario to come to pass."

China neither has nor believes in the kind of adversarial democracy as in some Western countries. Nevertheless, the democratic trait of the CPC's rule in China stems from the above paragraphs, as historically the Party's track record has been mostly in line with this fundamental political tenet. 

This is particularly true when it comes to President Xi's inclusive, people-centered political agenda, including but not limited to the recent poverty alleviation campaign.

And speaking of the rebuttal of U.S. criticism of the CPC, President Xi's words immediately stoked a round of loud applause: "We are also eager to learn what lessons we can from the achievements of other cultures, and welcome helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. We will not, however, accept sanctimonious preaching from those who feel they have the right to lecture us." 

It is clear that the Chinese President was speaking directly to Pompeo-like American politicians.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)