The Art of the Party: The West Era

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"The Art of the Party" series shows you the historic moments of the Party in the run-up to the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding.

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Back in the 50s, the young People's Republic of China faced a turbulent regional environment, an international military threat and a nuclear power monopoly.

The Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao Zedong decided China would make self-reliance in these technologies a top priority.

Scientists and engineers returned from abroad to help.

They found themselves in the vast Gobi Desert in West China, starting from scratch.

Artist Luo Genxing was one of them, who recorded this special chapter of Chinese history with brush and color.

His painting - The West Era - showcases four of the major decision-makers.

April 24, 1970 was the day China successfully launched its first self-developed satellite - Dongfanghong-1.

It also marked the completion of the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" mission - atomic bomb, ballistic missile, and artificial satellite.

The spirit of the mission – self-reliance, ever-innovative and hard-work – lives on till today.

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