“Not only the future and wellbeing of the Chinese people but also the destiny and fate of world socialism and the very future of humanity depend to a huge extent on everything going well with the Communist Party of China and on its leadership,” states Keith Bennett on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of that Party’s foundation.

Institute Patron Keith Bennett delivered a speech on behalf of the organisation Friends of Socialist China on the morning of July 6, 2026, at a symposium held by the Chinese Embassy in the UK entitled “The Communist Party of China and the World”, marking the CPC’s 105th founding anniversary.

The event was chaired by Minister Zhao Fei and Ambassador Zheng Zeguang delivered a keynote speech entitled ‘Reviewing the Glorious Journey, Creating New Historic Success, and Jointly Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity’.

Following the ambassador’s keynote report, contributions to the discussion were made by the following representatives from the UK’s political, business, academic and other sectors:

Alex Gordon, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB)

Andy Brooks, General Secretary of the New Communist Party of Britain (NCP)

Daniel O’Brien, Vice Chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (CPGBML)

Stephen Perry, Honorary President of the 48 Group

The Right Honourable Lord (Neil) Davidson KC, Baron of Glen Cova, Labour Member of the House of Lords

Sir Mark Hendrick, Labour Member of Parliament and Vice Chair of the China All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

Professor Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute, King’s College London

Keith Bennett, Co-editor of Friends of Socialist China

Kevan Nelson, International Secretary of the CPB

Dr Ali Al Assam, Committee member of Friends of Socialist China

Dr Francisco Dominguez, Committee member of Friends of Socialist China

George Korkovelos, Culture Secretary of the CPGBML

A report on the meeting on the website of Friends of Socialist China includes an outline of the Ambassador Zheng Zeguang’s keynote speech, as well as the full texts of the speeches of Keith Bennett and the other two representatives of Friends of Socialist China, Ali Al Assam and Francisco Dominguez.

Text of the speech by Keith Bennett

Report on the meeting on the website of Friends of Socialist China.

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