Yes, in the conventional political sense: China is a Communist Party-led state. However, this describes its governing party and political system, not the achievement of communism as the party's ultimate ideological goal.
China's Constitution identifies the country as a socialist state and establishes Communist Party leadership as a defining feature of its system. An independent Congressional Research Service analysis describes China as a Leninist party-state in which the party dominates political institutions.
Economically, the Constitution recognizes private businesses as part of a socialist market economy. The party's own constitution describes communism as an ultimate goal. Calling China communist is therefore accurate political shorthand, but it should not imply that private enterprise has been abolished or that the party claims to have completed the transition to communism.
China is governed by a communist party, while its officially socialist market economy includes private enterprise.
Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China
Article 1 identifies China as a socialist state and establishes Communist Party leadership as a defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Based on: Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China
Congressional Research Service
The report describes China as a Communist Party-led Leninist party-state, with the party occupying the dominant position over government institutions.
Based on: Congressional Research Service, reproduced by EveryCRSReport
Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China
Article 11 recognizes private businesses as an important component of the socialist market economy. Communist Party rule does not mean the absence of private enterprise.
Based on: Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China
Communist Party of China
The party constitution describes the realization of communism as its ultimate goal, distinguishing its ideological objective from the present system.
Based on: Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China / Xinhua
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