Party Members Must Forever Trust And Love The CCP: Xi

President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members to “forever trust, love, and contribute to the CCP”, as he presented medals of the highest honour to 29 party members.

The "July 1 medal", announced in 2017 and given out for the first time on Tuesday, is part of Xi's efforts to shore up the image of the party.

Recipients included soldiers, community workers and professionals in the arts and science.

The awards ceremony took place at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People with much fanfare and was broadcast live on national television.

During the event, the Chinese leader said all party members need to maintain their integrity, conduct themselves in a “clean and honest” manner, and be forever loyal to the party.

"We must aim to be clean people and do clean deeds. We must devote ourselves to public duties and maintain the political nature of the party to be clean," Xi said.

“All comrades must have complete faith in Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, and make that their lifelong aspiration. They must forever trust and love the party… keep the people close to their hearts, and dedicate everything to the party and the people."

On Thursday, a major ceremony will be held to mark the 100th year since the CCP’s founding, when Xi is expected to make a longer speech to outline his vision for the party’s future.