Making a New China

Title card for the series

Making a New China is a 24-part documentary series from 2021 and produced by CGTN about the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party.

Episodes

Episode 1: The Birth of the Party

A century ago something remarkable happened in Shanghai. At the time, it was doubtless an obscure event: even if it hadn't been held in strictest secrecy few would have attributed much significance to this gathering of intellectuals and radicals.

But they would have been wrong.

Inspired by new ideas that heralded a world of new possibilities, these young men – the first members of the Communist Party of China - were about to begin a political movement destined to throw off the shackles of imperialism and feudalism and rejuvenate a great nation.

Episode 2: From a Single Spark to a Prairie Fire

The early years of the Communist Party of China were not easy. Small, but ever-growing, this new political force soon threw itself into the task organizing miners and factory workers in China's big cities into a revolutionary force.

But was the support of the Chinese working class enough on its own? Answering that question would lead this young party into an alliance and a struggle for survival that would not just see the party survive but witness the rise of one of history's greatest personalities - Mao Zedong.

Episode 3: The Long March

Every great movement must overcome challenges. One of the greatest challenges ever faced by the Communist Party of China (CPC) was the Long March; an extended series of maneuvers made to evade defeat at the hands of its enemy, the KMT.

Beginning in Jiangxi in 1934, thousands of Red Army officers and soldiers ended up trekking more than 9,000 kilometers, across some of China's most difficult terrain before it was over. Many did not survive the arduous journey. But those who did were imbued with a stronger sense of destiny and belief in their cause.

Episode 4: The Mainstay

Among the different conflicts that made up World War II, the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression lasted longest.

During the 14 years in which the Chinese people fought bravely against their country's invaders, the Communist Party of China's contribution was decisive. Final victory was glorious, yet it was achieved at the cost of many millions of Chinese lives.

Episode 5: Duel of Destiny

From a quiet mountainside village called Xibaipo, the Communist Party of China (CPC) commanded three brilliant campaigns of the Liberation War that saw them overcome the might of their American-armed opponents and secured a peaceful liberation of Beiping, present-day Beijing, where they would move its Central Committee to and give the order for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) men to cross the Yangtze River and liberate the whole country.

Episode 6: The Founding of the People's Republic

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong stood atop of Beijing's Tian'anmen and solemnly declared to the world that the People's Republic of China (​PRC) was founded, and the Chinese people had stood up.

Great efforts had been made to prepare for this grand moment. It was the end of an unhappy 100-year period in history that had seen the nation poor, weak and bullied by foreign powers. With the Communist Party of China (CPC) in power, China was now free to embark on its own path of national rejuvenation.

Episode 7: Solidifying the Foundation

Before the Communist Party of China (CPC) could rebuild the war-ravaged country and construct the socialist political and economic system that would power China's future development, the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea had to be won.

Thanks to the victory in this war, China secured the peace and stability necessary to develop the newly founded People's Republic.

Episode 8: An Arduous Journey of Exploration

China's socialist revolution had been won, and the main task confronting the Party was building a socialist society. To find out how to do so, many long, uncharted and arduous exploratory journeys lay ahead.

Episode 9: A Historic Turning Point

In a historic move at the end of the 1970s, China shifted the country's focus to economic construction and adopted the policy of reform and opening-up. This marked a turning point of historical significance for the CPC and nation. It launched China on the path to economic reform, opening to the outside world, and socialist modernization. At that moment, the country faced a great challenge of further developing and building socialism.

Episode 10: Reform and Opening-Up

In 1978 in the small village of Xiaogang in east China's Anhui Province, 18 villagers agreed in a secret contract over individual responsibility for their farmland and agricultural output, in violation of the rules set by the country's collective farming system at the time. The contract was signed behind closed doors as the villagers feared to be severely punished if the experiment was exposed. However, their basic responsibility system ended up being widely adopted by rural areas across the country.  

Today those villagers' secret contract is recognized as marking the beginning of China's epoch-making period of reform and opening-up.

Episode 11: Doubt vs. Determination

In the middle to late 1980s, with the deepening of opening up and reform, many deep-seated domestic contradictions began to surface in China, and socialism suffered serious setbacks in Central and Eastern Europe as the Soviet Union disintegrated.  

In China, some people doubted the country's ongoing reform and opening-up policy. Yet Deng Xiaoping and a new generation of leaders were determined to carry on building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Episode 12: Home Coming Journeys

The handover of two special administrative regions (SAR)--Hong Kong and Macao---  to China was a great stride forward towards the reunification of the entire nation. Since then, a series of constructive dialogues between leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Straits have moved China closer towards the CPC's ultimate goal: reunifying the entire nation.

Episode 13: The Scientific Outlook on Development

During the early 21st century, successful reforms led to conditions never before experienced in China's history. In response to this new environment, the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by General Secretary Hu Jintao, stepped forward with new innovative theories to guide their work and the development of the country as it entered an age of never-before-seen hi tech development. A brand new age of scientific development was dawning!

Episode 14: For the Well-Being of the People

For the people-centered Communist Party of China, improving the people's quality of life is a long-term task, because the people's well-being is prioritized above everything else.

To eradicate absolute poverty in China as a whole, the Party has made major strides forward in establishing systems that guarantee the people's well-being. These include systems for universal healthcare, universal education and social security, and the abolition of China's 2,600-year-old agricultural tax.

Episode 15: The Chinese Dream

While economic development is doubtless important, there's also no doubt that any great country must live and breathe inspiration if it is to thrive. China is no different. That is why the Communist Party of China has been trying so hard to crystallize and fulfill the age-old dreams and ambitions of the Chinese people!

Episode 16: Critical Battles to Deepen Reform

As socialism with Chinese characteristics advances into a new stage, there remain tougher challenges that require greater determination to solve. Chinese President Xi Jinping has made clear the determination of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to press ahead, to continue making gains and breakthroughs for China to achieve national rejuvenation.

Episode 17: The Rule of Law

As China's development powered ahead and diversified, challenges increased for the country's legal authorities. With its long-term commitment to legality and the rule of law, the CPC, under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been pioneering ever-more innovative ways to ensure that the Chinese people govern themselves on sound legal principles.

Episode 18: Targeted Poverty Alleviation

Eradicating poverty, a millennium vision of the Chinese nation and its people, has been at the heart of the Communist Party of China's agenda since its inception. By 2012, China's poverty elimination effort had entered a critical stage, when the most difficult challenges would have to be confronted. Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the "targeted poverty alleviation" strategy to lift the remaining nearly 90 million poverty-stricken people out of poverty.

Episode 19: Cultural Confidence

Economic growth and development are not enough on their own to ensure "the good life". For that reason, the CPC has also invested in much effort to improve matters in the cultural field. Only with a healthy culture can it be said that the CPC has achieved the mission of national rejuvenation and bringing prosperity in the widest sense of the word.

Episode 20: Building a Beautiful China

China's rapid economic development has in the past created problems with pollution. Under the leadership of the CPC with Xi Jinping at its core, however, environmental protection is now a priority. Xi Jinping has made it clear that ecological civilization is fundamental to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

Episode 21: A Shared Future for Mankind

At the cross-roads, China has proposed to promote peaceful development for all nations by building a community of a shared future for mankind.

Episode 22: Strengthening the People's Military

Creating a military strong enough to guarantee the security, independence and territorial integrity of the country has long been a vital component of the dream of Chinese national rejuvenation. It's precisely for this reason that the Communist Party of China has devoted so much attention to ensuring that the Chinese army is a force to be reckoned with. Thus, it has equipped it with the best cutting-edge technology and made sure that it is well trained in all aspects to use it properly.

Episode 23: Self-reform

In recent years, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has engaged in the far-reaching self-reforms with refocus on its original mission, powering it to further success.

Episode 24: Eternal Great Cause

By overcoming obstacles, the Communist Party of China is remaining true to its original vision, and will continue pursuing its eternal great cause of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

External links

• The entire series is available to watch on YouTube, here at this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSJPgosvaZ0nyy7W-lUJmZdkZLS62jJag