The Upsurge of the First Labor Movement

After its founding, the Communist Party of China made leading the workers' movement its main task. Under the leadership, organization and promotion of the CPC, the first culmination of the workers' movement in China took place from the Hong Kong Seamen's Strike in January 1922 to the Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers' Strike in February 1923. In 13 months, there were more than 100 strikes in China, including the Hong Kong Seamen's Strike, the Anyuan Road Mine Workers' Strike, the Kailuan Five Mine Workers' Strike and the Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers' Strike.

The climax of this workers' movement began with the Hong Kong Seamen's Strike, a general strike of Hong Kong seamen in January 1922 demanding wage increases that lasted 56 days and forced the British Hong Kong authorities to capitulate. It was the first time that the Chinese working class fought directly against the imperialist forces in an organized battle. The victory of the strike strengthened the courage of the working class in its struggle and promoted the development of the national workers' movement.

In September 1922, more than 17,000 workers of Anyuan Road Mine, under the direct leadership of Liu Shaoqi and Li Lisan, held a general strike to protect their rights and improve their living conditions, forcing the road mine authorities to recognize most of the conditions proposed by the workers, and finally won. The victory of the strike enhanced the prestige of the Party organization among the workers and expanded the influence of the Party. This strike was the first workers' struggle independently led by the CPC and achieved complete victory, a feat in the history of the Chinese workers' movement.

On February 4, 1923, more than 30,000 workers of the Beijing-Hankou Railway held a general strike, which was brutally suppressed by imperialism and reactionary warlords. The general strike of Beijing-Hankou Railway workers was the culmination of the first workers' movement led by the Party. This general strike further demonstrated the power of the Chinese working class and expanded the influence of the CPC among the people of China. Although it was defeated, it further awakened the Chinese people with the lives and bloods of the workers and made them realize more clearly that imperialism and the feudal warlords were the implacable enemies of the Chinese people of all races and must have been fought to the end.

The first culmination of the workers' movement, which took place under the leadership of the CPC, demonstrated the Party's ability to organize and mobilize, and the power of the Chinese working class in its struggle. However, it also clearly told the Chinese Communists that the Chinese revolution could not achieve ultimate success by only relying on the proletariat. All possible opportunities must have been used to win over all possible allies.