Between chaos and control: Chinaâs communists and a century of revolution As the Chinese Communist Party turns 100, its leaders are still struggling to find the balance between growth and stability, repression and reform. An art exhibition to celebrate 100 years of the Communist Party in China reflects the central position in society of Xi Jinping. Getty Save Share In 35 years of reporting on China and its emergence as a global power, perhaps the most perceptive and certainly the most genial person I met was Cao Siyuan. He was by no means grand. His face looked as if it had been moulded by laughter. He laughed frequently, often at his own jokes and sometimes at himself. He had once, before a dramatic fall from grace, been an adviser to Chinaâs top leader. But when asked about his time among the ruling elite, he would demur, describing himself as no more than a âseventh-grade, sesame seed-sized officialâ.