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Providing a powerful ideological weapon for comprehensively deepening reforms

Ren Lixuan

People's Daily (July 17, 2024, Issue 1)

 

"The development of practice is endless, the liberation of thought is endless, and reform and opening up is also endless." In November 2013, the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which had epoch-making significance, was convened, and the magnificent and vigorous comprehensive deepening reform was thus launched. When the historical process began here, the ideological process also began. The historical process and the ideological process interact and complement each other.

 

"This is a profound transformation of ideology and theory. We adhere to the guidance of ideological and theoretical innovation to lead the innovation of reform practice, and to promote the enrichment and development of ideological theory by summarizing practical experience." General Secretary Xi Jinping defined the comprehensive deepening reform from the level of "ideology and theory." A series of important ideas and major conclusions with breakthrough, strategic, and guiding significance interpret the ideological content of the comprehensive deepening reform, and fully demonstrate the truth and practical power of the Party's innovative theory.

 

The comprehensive deepening reform, which aims at the overall goal of improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and capacity, is to achieve a transformation of reform from local exploration and breaking the ice to systematic integration and comprehensive deepening. Its breadth and depth are unprecedented, and the difficulty is imaginable. General Secretary Xi Jinping, starting from the general trend of world development, the trend of the times, and the requirements of Chinese-style modernization development, adheres to the people-centered approach, focuses on promoting the well-being of the people and enabling the people to live a better life, and plans and promotes reform from the overall, fundamental, and long-term interests of the people. He has conducted profound thinking on the comprehensive deepening reform, put forward a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and conclusions with originality, timeliness, and guidance, and fully demonstrated the extraordinary theoretical courage, outstanding political wisdom, strong sense of mission, and deep feelings for the people of a Marxist politician, thinker, and strategist. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reform constitute a scientific theoretical system that is rich in connotation, systematic, and logically rigorous. It not only has the common characteristics of Marxist theory such as political nature, popular nature, and practicality, but also many new theoretical characteristics. These theoretical characteristics profoundly reflect the essence, value pursuit, and practical requirements of this important exposition, which are the manifestation of its worldview and methodology, and the reflection of its standpoints, viewpoints, and methods, guiding the comprehensive deepening reform to achieve historical, revolutionary, and pioneering achievements. To further comprehensively deepen reform and promote Chinese-style modernization, we must thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reform, firmly grasp the theoretical characteristics of this important exposition, and use it as a powerful ideological weapon.

 

A Strong Sense of Historical Initiative

 

"Time waits for no one! History waits for no one!" At the Spring Festival group gathering in 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping called on the whole Party and the entire people to "race against time and keep pace with history." "I will have no self, and I will not let down the people." In the magnificent journey of the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always held a deep sense of urgency and a strong sense of historical initiative, holding high the banner of reform and opening up.

 

"The world is developing, society is progressing, and not implementing reform and opening up is a dead end, and carrying out 'reform and opening up' that negates the socialist direction is also a dead end." On December 31, 2012, shortly after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the theme of the second collective study of the 18th Central Political Bureau was to unswervingly advance reform and opening up. This important exposition made by General Secretary Xi Jinping when presiding over the study is full of a deep sense of urgency. The general trend of development in the world today is that those who do not advance will retreat. Reform is the driving force of development. If we dare not reform, are unwilling to reform, or are not good at reform, development will lose its momentum, society will stagnate or even regress, so we must "unswervingly push forward reform and opening up." In April 2013, after in-depth thinking and research and widely soliciting opinions from various parties inside and outside the Party, the Central Political Bureau decided that the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee would study the issue of comprehensively deepening reform and make a decision, grasping the issue that most concerns the whole society and also mastering the historical initiative of the development of the Party and state's cause.

 

"Further grasp the laws and trends of historical development and always grasp the historical initiative of the development of the Party and state's cause." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to grasp the historical initiative. The most prominent manifestation of grasping the historical initiative is to proactively plan and promote the comprehensive deepening reform, continuously enhance the awareness of opportunities, responsibility, and urgency in grasping reform, and improve the initiative and self-consciousness in grasping reform. More than a month after the closing of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, the Central Political Bureau held a meeting to decide to establish the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the group leader. Since then, General Secretary Xi Jinping has presided over more than 70 meetings of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform and the Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, scientifically planning and deploying the comprehensive deepening reform.

 

History always moves forward, and history never waits for any hesitant, wait-and-see, slack, or weak people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Although the road is still long, time waits for no one, and there can be no slack." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted investigations and research in various places, and whether in the pioneering areas of reform and opening up in the east or in the inland areas of the west, he has repeatedly emphasized the comprehensive deepening reform. From May 25 to 27, 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted investigations in Zhejiang and required Zhejiang to "take a faster step in promoting reform and opening up and socialist modernization construction, continue to play a pioneering and exemplary role," emphasizing that "reform is the winning magic weapon for promoting development. There are always roads, and the roads are under our feet. The key is to open up roads through transformation." From March 29 to April 1, 2020, when General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted investigations in Zhejiang, he required Zhejiang to "deeply advance reforms in important areas and key links, increase the intensity of reforms, improve reform measures, and accelerate the achievement of more substantive, breakthrough, and systematic results, exploring paths and contributing experience for national reforms." From September 20 to 21, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping again conducted investigations in Zhejiang, emphasizing that Zhejiang "should write a new chapter in deepening reform and expanding opening up." The consistent requirements reflect a sense of historical urgency and even more a sense of historical initiative. This is the requirement for Zhejiang, and there are also clear requirements for other regions.

 

The strong historical initiative is based on a profound understanding of historical laws, viewing the cause of the Party and the state with a grand historical perspective, ensuring that we advance in the logic of historical progress and develop in the trend of the times' development. "From the perspective of forming a more mature and more stereotyped system, the first half of China's socialist practice has already passed." "In the second half, our main historical task is to improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, providing a more complete, stable, and useful system for the development of the Party and state's cause, for the happiness and well-being of the people, for social harmony and stability, and for the long-term peace and stability of the country." On February 17, 2014, this important exposition made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the seminar for provincial and ministerial-level leading cadres on studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee and comprehensively deepening reform profoundly clarified the main historical task of the comprehensive deepening reform to complete the "second half" of promoting the socialist system with Chinese characteristics to become more mature and more stereotyped. This is a strong historical responsibility, historical consciousness, and historical initiative that follows the laws of historical development and focuses on the long-term development of the Party and state's cause, ensuring that the cause of the Party and state always keeps pace with history and wins a brighter future.

 

"Modernization will not fall from the sky, but must be achieved through the spirit of historical initiative." To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reform, we must deeply grasp its strong theoretical characteristic of historical initiative, firmly determine to carry out the reform to the end, and further comprehensively deepen reform and promote Chinese-style modernization with greater self-consciousness and initiative.

 

Firm Adherence to Innovation While Upholding Fundamental Principles

 

Reform and opening up are the organic unity of upholding the right principles and making innovations; only in this way can we ensure that the cause of reform and opening up will steadily advance far. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "Our reforms are reforms that continuously advance on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; we will neither follow the old path of closure and rigidity, nor the evil path of changing our banners and flags." "What should be reformed and what can be reformed, we will resolutely reform; what should not be reformed and what cannot be reformed, we will resolutely not reform." These important statements all demonstrate the organic unity of upholding the right principles and making innovations.

 

To comprehensively deepen reforms, we must first uphold the right principles. There was once a period when some hostile forces and people with ulterior motives waved flags and shouted slogans, created public opinion, and confused the public. Some people defined reform and opening up as changing towards Western "universal values" and Western political systems; otherwise, it would not be reform and opening up. In response to this, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly stated his position: "This is a misrepresentation of concepts and a misinterpretation of our reforms." "Our reform and opening up have direction, position, and principles." General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that our continuous advancement of reforms is "not to cater to the 'applause' of certain people, and we cannot blindly apply Western theories and viewpoints to ourselves." "On the issue of direction, we must be very clear-headed, continuously promoting the self-improvement and development of the socialist system, and unswervingly following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

 

Upholding the right principles requires strengthening the Party's leadership over reform. Reform will inevitably involve adjustments to deep-seated interest structures and transformations of the institutional system, and will inevitably face various risks and challenges. How can we ensure that the position and direction of reform remain unchanged, and that it always advances towards the overall goal of improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and capacity? "The most crucial aspect here is to uphold and improve Party leadership and uphold and improve the socialist system with Chinese characteristics; deviating from this will lead to going in the opposite direction." At the 30th anniversary celebration of Hainan's establishment as a province and special economic zone, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "No matter what we reform or how far we reform, we must uphold Party leadership, ensure that the Party sets the direction, plans the overall situation, and formulates policies, and ensure that the Party always takes overall charge and coordinates various parties."

 

Upholding the right principles means upholding the fundamentals and roots; upholding the right principles can prevent us from losing our direction and making subversive mistakes. "No matter how reforms are carried out, the fundamental aspects such as upholding the Party's overall leadership, upholding Marxism, upholding the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and upholding the people's democratic dictatorship must not be shaken; otherwise, it will be self-destructive." This important statement by General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly clarifies what fundamental aspects our reform and opening up must uphold, providing a fundamental guideline for us to firmly grasp the direction of reform and opening up.

 

On the basis of upholding the right principles, we must innovate; only through innovation can we grasp and lead the times. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that "we must dare to innovate, and improve and implement what should be reformed and what can be reformed, and resolutely implement what we have identified." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has spoken extensively and thoroughly about innovation. "Only those who reform can advance, only those who innovate can be strong, and only those who reform and innovate can win." "Innovation is the soul of a nation's progress, an inexhaustible driving force for a country's prosperity and development, and also the deepest national endowment of the Chinese nation." "Grasping innovation is grasping development, and planning innovation is planning the future." These words of General Secretary Xi Jinping are resounding, raising our Party's understanding of innovation to a new height.

 

In October 2015, at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the development concept of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing. The new development concept clarifies major political issues of our Party regarding the political stance, value orientation, development model, and development path, with "innovation" placed at the forefront of the five development concepts, demonstrating the importance attached to innovation.

 

For the comprehensive construction of a socialist modern country and the realization of the second centenary goal, innovation is a decisive factor. "Deeply advancing reform and innovation, unswervingly expanding opening up, focusing on resolving deep-seated institutional and mechanism obstacles, continuously demonstrating the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, continuously enhancing the driving force and vitality of socialist modernization construction, and better transforming our institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness." This important statement by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China profoundly clarifies the important role of reform and innovation in better transforming our institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness.

 

Just after the beginning of spring in 2023, the first provincial and ministerial-level cadre training session after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held, focusing on "Chinese-style modernization." Addressing the newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee and the main leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels, General Secretary Xi Jinping called for "placing innovation in a prominent position in the overall national development, responding to the requirements of the times, focusing on solving major theoretical and practical problems, actively identifying, adapting to, and seeking change, and vigorously promoting theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects." Only by emancipating our minds, reforming, and innovating, resolutely breaking down the ideological concepts and institutional mechanisms that hinder the advancement of Chinese-style modernization, and focusing on resolving deep-seated institutional and mechanism obstacles and structural contradictions, can we "inject an inexhaustible source of power into Chinese-style modernization."

 

"Upholding the right principles and making innovations is an important ideological method of our Party in governing and administering the country in the new era." To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important statements on comprehensively deepening reforms, we must deeply grasp its firm theoretical characteristics of upholding the right principles and making innovations, and in the process of further comprehensively deepening reforms and advancing Chinese-style modernization, both uphold the fundamentals, roots, and soul, and vigorously promote theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects.

 

A Clear Problem Orientation

 

Problems are the voice of the times, and adhering to a problem orientation is a prominent characteristic of Marxism. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "Problems are the starting point of innovation, and also the driving force of innovation." "Our Party's leadership of the people in revolution, construction, and reform has always been for the purpose of solving China's practical problems." "Reforms are driven by problems and are deepened in the process of continuously solving problems." These important statements by General Secretary Xi Jinping reflect a clear problem orientation. The comprehensive deepening of reforms in the new era is aimed at addressing problems and reforming with problems in mind; the "problem list" is also the "reform list."

 

Entering the new era, both the domestic and international environments are undergoing extremely extensive and profound changes, and China's development faces a series of prominent contradictions and challenges, and there are still many difficulties and problems on the road ahead. In November 2013, in the "Explanation on the Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms," General Secretary Xi Jinping listed many difficulties and problems on the road ahead, emphasizing that "solving these problems depends on deepening reforms." The Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms is guided by urgently needed major problems, highlighting important areas and key links, and responding to the voices and expectations of the people.

 

Problems are manifestations of contradictions in things, and contradictions are universal. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Our emphasis on enhancing problem awareness and adhering to a problem orientation is to acknowledge the universality and objectivity of contradictions, and to be good at using the understanding and resolution of contradictions as a breakthrough point to open up the work situation." "In the process of understanding and transforming the world, new problems will arise after old problems are solved, and systems always need constant improvement; therefore, reforms cannot be accomplished overnight or once and for all." A clear problem orientation determines that reforms must follow problems; wherever new problems arise, reforms will follow suit. This is why reforms are ongoing and never completed.

 

Adhering to a problem-oriented approach requires accurately identifying existing prominent problems. This is the foundation for implementing effective reform measures and improving reform efficiency. At last year's National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, while participating in the Jiangsu delegation's deliberations, mentioned a document concerning the "cultivation of a batch of key bases for 'one county, one industry'" that he had reviewed: "After reading it, I frowned. It's not a good idea to set targets for this. Whether a county should rely solely on one industry for development requires in-depth investigation. One cannot simply make a sweeping decision, allocate funds, and designate this place to specialize in raising chickens, that place in growing mushrooms, and another in textiles. That would surely lead to failure." These simple yet profound words highlight the importance of addressing practical problems through investigation and research. Therefore, adhering to a problem-oriented approach and conducting comprehensive and in-depth investigation and research are closely intertwined. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to investigation and research, emphasizing the need to "listen to the truth, observe the real situation, truly study problems, and study real problems; we cannot engage in performative research, bonsai-style research, or superficial research."

 

"I proposed the precision poverty alleviation strategy based on in-depth investigation and research." How to tackle the hard nut of deep poverty and win the battle against poverty? General Secretary Xi Jinping insisted on visiting the truly impoverished, inquiring about their true hardships, and traveling to all the contiguous impoverished areas across the country. He identified the main causes of deep poverty and adopted targeted poverty alleviation measures. Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has adhered to a problem-oriented approach, with his research footprint spanning the length and breadth of the country, from the south to the north, and from the inland to the border regions. He has visited communities, enterprises, schools, and research institutions... understanding the thoughts, concerns, and aspirations of the grassroots people, identifying the pain points, difficulties, and bottlenecks of problems, and finding ways to overcome difficulties and navigate risks, thus promoting continuous breakthroughs in comprehensive and profound reforms.

 

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has drawn a grand blueprint for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization. In the face of new strategic opportunities, tasks, stages, requirements, and environments, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC the need to "adhere to a problem-oriented approach" and "enhance problem awareness." At the first plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, he called for focusing on "new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, problems concerning the urgent needs and concerns of the people, major problems in the international situation, and prominent problems facing Party building, continuously answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times."

 

"Further comprehensively deepening reforms should highlight a problem-oriented approach." To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms, we must deeply grasp its distinct problem-oriented theoretical characteristics, focusing on solving the most prominent problems, resolutely eliminating ideological concepts and institutional mechanisms that hinder the advancement of Chinese-style modernization, and working to resolve deep-seated institutional obstacles and structural contradictions, continuously injecting strong impetus into Chinese-style modernization and providing strong institutional guarantees.

 

Systematic Strategic Layout

 

Those who fail to plan for the overall situation cannot plan for a single region. Strategic layout is related to the overall development of the Party and the country's cause. "Now that the reforms have progressed to this point, it is necessary to propose a top-level design and overall plan for comprehensively deepening reforms, as well as the strategic goals, priorities, order of priority, main direction, working mechanisms, and methods of reform, and to propose an overall reform plan, roadmap, and timetable, all based on in-depth investigation and research." During an inspection tour of Guangdong in December 2012, General Secretary Xi Jinping made such requirements for the strategic layout of comprehensively deepening reforms. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms," adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, reflects this important requirement of General Secretary Xi Jinping.

 

Strengthening top-level design and forming a systematic strategic layout first requires clarifying goals. Goals are like lighthouses; clear goals guide the direction of progress. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee clearly defined the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reforms as improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and capacity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made profound expositions on this overall goal of comprehensively deepening reforms: "Comprehensively deepening reforms—'comprehensively' means promoting reforms in all fields in a coordinated manner. This requires an overarching goal, and it also needs to answer the question of what the ultimate purpose of promoting reforms in various fields is and what overall results should be achieved." Focusing on the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reforms, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made deployments for reforms in the economic, political, cultural, social, ecological civilization, national defense and military, and Party building systems. This is both an objective requirement for the advancement of the reform process and a reflection of our Party's deepening and systematization of its understanding of reform.

 

In October 2019, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing to specifically study the major issue of upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and capacity. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Major Issues Concerning Upholding and Improving the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing the Modernization of the National Governance System and Capacity," adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, focuses on upholding and improving the fundamental, basic, and important systems supporting the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and deploying major institutional and mechanism reforms that need to be deepened and key tasks that need to be advanced. This is a further deployment of the work of comprehensively deepening reforms, making the comprehensively deepening reforms more systematic in strategic layout around the overall goal.

 

"The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee are historically and logically consistent, theoretically supportive, and practically interconnected, with consistent goals and successive deployments." General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on the relationship between the two plenary sessions and emphasized the need to "take upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and capacity as the main axis, enhance the awareness of promoting national institutional and governance system construction through reform, highlight the main line of institutional construction, and continue to comprehensively deepen reforms." The "main axis" and "main line" are closely linked, with the main axis guiding the main line and the main line revolving around the main axis, clearly presenting the focus and key tasks of comprehensively deepening reforms, and making the strategic layout more systematic and scientific.

 

In comprehensively deepening reforms, there are priorities within the comprehensiveness. This is indispensable for a systematic strategic layout. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We also emphasized the need to prioritize economic development and the leading role of economic system reform. This means that we must grasp the main aspect of the basic contradiction in our society at the present stage, which is development." While emphasizing priorities, other aspects are also taken into account. General Secretary Xi Jinping provided a profound analysis of the reasons: "This is because to solve the prominent contradictions and problems we face, relying solely on reforms in a single field or at a single level is ineffective. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning and enhance the relevance, systematicity, and synergy of various reforms."

 

"With accurate strategic judgment, scientific strategic planning, and strategic initiative, the cause of the Party and the people will have great hope." To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms, we must deeply grasp its systematic strategic layout theoretical characteristics, focusing on comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization, closely focusing on the overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reforms, further emphasizing top-level design, highlighting institutional construction, and paying attention to the systematicity, integrity, and synergy of reform measures.

 

Profound Humanistic Concern

 

Chinese civilization, which has come from the depths of history, has endured through storms and vicissitudes, remaining vibrant and ever-new. It is a unique spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation and the foundation of contemporary Chinese culture. To promote Chinese-style modernization through comprehensively deepening reforms and allow Chinese civilization to regain its glory and create a new form of human civilization, we must draw nourishment and wisdom from the depths of Chinese civilization's history. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms are a major achievement that combines the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture. They demonstrate a profound humanistic concern and are filled with a strong Chinese flavor and deep Chinese sentiment.

 

In September 2014, the International Academic Symposium Commemorating the 2565th Anniversary of Confucius' Birth and the 5th Member Congress of the International Confucian Association were held in the Great Hall of the People. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the opening ceremony: "Chinese Communist Party members are Marxists, upholding the scientific theories of Marxism, adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. However, Chinese Communist Party members are not historical nihilists, nor are they cultural nihilists." Subsequently, General Secretary Xi Jinping made a series of important statements on the relationship between socialism with Chinese characteristics and excellent traditional Chinese culture. In March 2021, at Zhu Xi Garden in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Without 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, where would there be Chinese characteristics? And without Chinese characteristics, how could we have such a successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics today?" In June 2022, at the Sansu Shrine in Meishan, Sichuan Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must be good at drawing on the concepts and thinking of governance from excellent traditional Chinese culture." In June 2023, a symposium on cultural inheritance and development was held in Beijing, where General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "the key to Chinese characteristics lies in 'two combinations'," and profoundly expounded on the "second combination." This is General Secretary Xi Jinping's scientific attitude towards excellent traditional Chinese culture, and it also determines that the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reforms must inevitably draw nourishment and wisdom from excellent traditional Chinese culture.

 

At the study session for provincial and ministerial-level leading cadres on comprehensively deepening reforms to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 18th Central Committee's Third Plenary Session, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The choice of governance system for a country is determined by the country's historical inheritance, cultural traditions, and level of economic and social development, and by the people of that country. China's current national governance system is the result of long-term development, gradual improvement, and endogenous evolution based on China's historical inheritance, cultural traditions, and economic and social development." This closely links China's national governance system with its historical inheritance and cultural traditions. Similarly, on October 13 of the same year, the 18th Central Committee Politburo held its 18th collective study on China's historical national governance, and General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during the study: "To govern China well today, we need an in-depth understanding of China's history and traditional culture, and we also need to actively summarize the explorations and wisdom of China's ancient governance."

 

On October 31, 2019, at the second plenary session of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping made requirements on studying and implementing the spirit of the plenary session. When discussing "strengthening confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on the profound historical background of the system and national governance system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, emphasizing that "the system and governance system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a system and governance system guided by Marxism, rooted in Chinese soil, with a profound foundation in Chinese culture, and deeply supported by the people." In the process of comprehensively deepening reforms, much of our institutional development has drawn nourishment and wisdom from excellent traditional Chinese culture.

 

"Excellent traditional Chinese culture is the 'root' of our Party's innovative theories, and the fundamental approach to advancing the Sinicization of Marxism in the new era is the 'two combinations.'" To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms, we must deeply grasp its theoretical characteristics of profound humanistic care, always adhere to the "two combinations," uphold the soul of Marxism, and inherit the root of excellent traditional Chinese culture.

 

A Profound Global Perspective

 

The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opened the curtain on reform and opening up, precisely to enable China to catch up with this era and the world. In the new era, China's interaction with the world is unprecedentedly close. China's influence on the world has never been as comprehensive, profound, and far-reaching as it is today; the world's attention to China has also never been as widespread, deep, and focused as it is today. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Today's China is a China closely connected with the world." "China's development cannot be separated from the world, and the world's prosperity also needs China." In the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized "embracing the world" and "adopting a global perspective."

 

China is a China that is part of the world; for China to develop, it must consider both itself and the world. In November 2014, the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference was held in Beijing, where General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Understanding the general trend of world development and keeping up with the times is an extremely important and constantly evolving task. For China to develop, it must follow the trend of world development." With a profound global perspective, accurately assessing and understanding the changing landscape of the world today, discerning the essence from the myriad appearances, General Secretary Xi Jinping made the major judgment that "the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century." Based on this, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Leading cadres must bear in mind two major situations: one is the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the other is the major changes unseen in a century in the world. This is the basic starting point for our planning." Bearing in mind these two major situations means embracing both China and the world, and adopting a global perspective.

 

To advance comprehensive deepening reforms with a profound global perspective requires promoting high-level opening up. The major changes unseen in a century in the world are accelerating, the tide of deglobalization is rising, and unilateralism and protectionism are clearly on the rise, but China will never close its doors to development. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Reforms will not stop, and opening up will not stop." "China's doors to opening up will only become wider." This is a global perspective that conforms to the trend of world historical development and the trend of the times. Since the new era, China has steadily expanded institutional opening up, promoting a better combination of "bringing in" and "going out," using expanded opening up to promote deepening reforms, and using deepening reforms to promote expanded opening up.

 

To advance comprehensive deepening reforms with a profound global perspective requires actively responding to the common concerns of people around the world and contributing to solving the common problems facing humanity. "The Communist Party of China is a party that strives for the happiness of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and it is also a party that strives for human progress and a community with a shared future for mankind." This important statement by General Secretary Xi Jinping demonstrates a broad and inclusive world view. By adhering to a global perspective, Chinese-style modernization will have an incomparably vast stage, and will be able to make significant contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind. In the autumn of 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, an initiative that connects the past and the future, and reflects a profound global perspective. Today, the Belt and Road Initiative has injected new impetus into world economic growth, opened up new space for global development, and created a new platform for international economic cooperation. From the Belt and Road Initiative to the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative...China is developing itself in the process of comprehensively deepening reforms, and also benefiting the world.

 

With a profound global perspective, there will be a broad and inclusive mind. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We never reject any experience of national governance from other countries that is beneficial to China's development and progress, but instead adhere to the principle of taking the lead and using it for our own benefit, discarding the dross and selecting the essence." With a profound global perspective, one can see through the pale ineffectiveness of a linear historical view. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "China's practice has shown the world that there is not only one path to governing a country and promoting its modernization, namely the Western institutional model. Countries can fully choose their own paths." This is indeed the case. The historic achievements made in comprehensively deepening reforms, the advancement and expansion of Chinese-style modernization, have expanded the path choices for developing countries to move towards modernization, and "have provided a Chinese solution for humanity's exploration of better social systems."

 

"China's development benefits the world, and China's development cannot be separated from the world." To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms, we must deeply grasp its theoretical characteristics of a profound global perspective, deeply understand the major changes unseen in a century in the world, develop China while integrating into the world, and benefit the world with China's development, actively learning from advanced governance concepts and experiences from the international community, and providing a Chinese solution for humanity's exploration of better social systems.

 

The comprehensive deepening of reforms in the new era is all-round, profound, and fundamental. Looking at the whole world, no country or political party has been able to promote such extensive, large-scale, and vigorous reforms in such a short period of time. The reason why the comprehensive deepening of reforms has been able to achieve historical, revolutionary, and pioneering achievements lies fundamentally in the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reforms, with their distinct theoretical characteristics, have demonstrated powerful truth in the process of Chinese-style modernization.

 

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China focused on further comprehensively deepening reforms and advancing Chinese-style modernization. Further comprehensively deepening reforms is both a continuation of the practice of comprehensively deepening reforms since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and a new chapter in the era of advancing Chinese-style modernization on a new journey. Illuminating the path of reform with the light of thought, we are full of confidence in writing a successful continuation and a new chapter, and we are full of confidence in the future of China.