Xi Jinping the star of Chinese Communist Party show

President Xi Jinping oversaw a triumphant celebration of the Communist Party at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, with HK chief executive Carrie Lam clapping along patriotically.

An artistic celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. Picture: Getty Images

President Xi Jinping oversaw a triumphant celebration of the Communist Party at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, with Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam clapping along patriotically in the masked audience.

Demonstrating the responsiveness that has allowed the party to reach its 100th anniversary, the event was brought forward one day to Monday night to avoid rain in China’s capital.

The four-part extravaganza gave a celebratory – and not ­entirely accurate – account of the party’s first century, which ended with what state newsagency Xinhua called the “magnificent” Xi era. “At the end of the theatrical performance, the whole audience stood up and sang ‘There would be no New China without the Communist Party’,” Xinhua ­reported.

Continuing the week’s festivities, General Secretary Xi on Tuesday gave out “July 1” medals to 29 outstanding cadres.

China’s leader said during a ceremony at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People that the recipients were ordinary heroes who fulfilled their duties and made quiet contributions. “Their deeds can be followed and their spirit can be pursued,” Mr Xi said.

The evening before, Mr Xi was joined by the other six members of the Communist Party’s standing committee to oversee the gala at the venue built for the 2008 Olympics, which got a mention in the show’s third act.

The night began with songs about the then guerrilla party’s 1920s struggle against the Nationalists, its fight in the War of ­Resistance Against Japanese ­Aggression and the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Tributes to the PRC’s Mao era filled the second act, including a number – “The War Flag is Beautiful and Picturesque” – about fighting America in the ­Korean War.

Xi Jinping on a large screen above a gala dance performance. Picture: Getty Images

The Mao era’s horrendous famine and the carnage of the Cultural Revolution were airbrushed, along with other events Mr Xi has deemed “historical ­nihilism”.

The 60-odd members joining Ms Lam in the Hong Kong entourage watched the handover of the city they are now nominally in charge of in the show’s third act.

Before “Moment of Return” – a number about the handover of Hong Kong and Macau back to the motherland – the performers celebrated the economic opening up overseen by China’s paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping.

The night’s final act praised the Xi-era and China’s “splendid future”. In the party’s official notes to the show, Xinhua said the finale celebrated the years since Mr Xi’s elevation in late 2012 with “Comrade Xi Jinping at the core of the Party Central Committee”.

A special dedication was given to the “People’s War” against Covid-19, with performers in PPE and soldiers wearing masks.

Songs in the Xi act also included “The Battle Song of the Strong Army”, a musical tribute to “the heroic attitude of the People’s Army in striding forward under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s thought”.