Q: In the relationship between reform, development and stability, why does China always emphasize stability? How should these relationships be handled? How did China manage to realize rapid social and economic developments while maintaining social stability?

A: Properly handling the relationship between reform, development and stability is a basic experience in China's reforms. In the relationship between the three, the reform is the motivation, the development the aim and the stability the precondition.

Without the reform, we cannot find a correct way to construct socialism with Chinese characteristics; without development, we cannot realize modernization and keep national security over a long time; without stability, neither the reform nor the development could be implemented or achieved.

Hence, we should coordinate the extent of reform, the speed of development and the bearing of the general public. The reform and development could only be promoted in a socially and politically stable environment, while conditions to ensure long-term social and political stability could only be created through the reform and development.

Practice in China has demonstrated that social stability is a precondition for successful economic restructuring and development. Pictured is picturesque Qingdao City in Shandong Province.