Setting the course
- By Lan Xinzhen
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E-mail China Today, November 27, 2017
China once again came under the global spotlight on October 18, when the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened in Beijing.
In a report delivered at the opening session, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the 18th CPC Central Committee, painted a promising outlook for the future of the world's second largest economy. He spelled out a two-stage development plan for the country.
Tourists take photos of Shanghai's skyline on October 20, 2017. [Photo/China Today]
From 2020 to 2035, the CPC will basically realize the first stage of socialist modernization. In the middle of the 21st century, it will complete the second stage which aims to develop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.
"China is now the world's second largest economy with increasing influence on the world stage. Its future development affects not only China itself, but also the world at large, as China is committed to shared development and the building of a community of shared future for humankind," said Shi Taifeng, a delegate to the 19th CPC National Congress.
New era thought
Theories come from practice which, in turn, guides practice. This has been the law throughout the course of the development of Chinese society and humanity as a whole.
A main function of the CPC national congress is to summarize and advance the Party's theory of development. At this year's congress, the combination of the Party's new theories are defined as the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Xi's report clarifies certain issues, including the overall goal and the plan of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. More importantly, it specifies the leadership of the CPC as the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the greatest strength of the system, calling the Party "the highest force for political leadership."
Xi said the thought should act as a guide to action for all Party members and all Chinese people to achieve national rejuvenation, and be adhered to and steadily developed on a long-term basis.
What deeply impressed Shi was Xi's remark that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. "This is a new historic juncture in China's development," Xi said.
"The judgment is a historic contribution made by the 19th CPC National Congress, as it is about the direction and path of China's future development," said Shi, who is also secretary of the CPC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee. "Based on this, the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era delivers new theories, new thoughts and new strategies for China's development in all aspects. During the process, the strong leadership of the CPC is especially important."
In fact, the content of the thought can be seen in previous speeches by Xi. It has already benefited China and beyond.
Xian Hui, a delegate to the 19th CPC National Congress and chairwoman of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, sees the thought as a summary of the governance concepts, thoughts and strategies put forward by Xi in the past five years, as well as a development of the CPC's guiding ideologies of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development.
New mission
A correct understanding of the connotations of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is important in order for China and other members of the international community to perceive the direction of China's development and seize opportunities arising from it.
Xi said in his report that this new era will be one of building on past successes to further advance the cause of the CPC and the country, and of continuing in a new historical context to strive for the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics. "It will be an era of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and of moving on to all-out efforts to build a great modern socialist country. It will be an era for the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to work together and work hard to create a better life for themselves and ultimately achieve common prosperity for everyone. It will be an era for all of us, the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, to strive with one heart to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. It will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to humankind," said Xi.
His remarks indicated that China will adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC; it will realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and China's peaceful development, prosperity and revival will be beneficial to humanity.
But the new era also brings challenges. The CPC has clearly realized that, as socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved to that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, while previously it was the gap between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and underdeveloped social production.
The main reason for the CPC to redefine the principal social contradiction is that scientific and technological progress is transforming China from a big manufacturing country to a manufacturing power, whose productivity is no longer "backward," said Zhou Tianyong, deputy director of the Institute for International Strategy at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.
In his report, Xi explained the change. He said China has met the basic needs of more than a billion people, basically made it possible for people to live decent lives, and will soon bring the building of a moderately prosperous society to successful completion. The needs to be fulfilled in order for the people to live a better life are increasingly broad. Their material and cultural needs have grown, and their demands for democracy, the rule of law, fairness and justice, security and a better environment are increasing.
Xi said that while China's overall productive capacity has significantly improved and in many areas leads the world, the problem that remains is that the country's development is unbalanced and inadequate. This has become the main constraining factor in meeting the people's increasing needs for a better life.
In the eyes of some Western media outlets and individuals, the CPC has always restricted the development of democracy, the rule of law, and fairness and justice; yet Xi's report demonstrates that these values are constantly pursued by the CPC.
The Party is aware of the changing social contradiction, and is trying to address it. That is why it was written into the report to be deliberated at the Party congress.
As the principal social contradiction has changed, so will the CPC's historical mission. The report notes that realizing the great dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the CPC's historical mission in the new era. The mission, according to the report, demands a great struggle with many new historical features, a new great project in Party building, and a great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
To carry out the great struggle is to safeguard the security and interests of the country and the people, maintain social stability, and promote economic development. The report emphasized that all Party members must do more to uphold Party leadership and the Chinese socialist system, and resolutely oppose all statements and actions that undermine, distort or negate them.
More must be done to protect the interests of the people and firmly oppose all moves that damage their interests or create a divide between the Party and the people. The Party must also devote its energies to the contemporary current of reform and innovation, and resolutely address deep-rooted problems, Xi said.
He also called for efforts to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and to staunchly oppose all attempts to split China or undermine its ethnic unity, social harmony and stability. This includes guarding against all kinds of risks, and working diligently to prevail over every political, economic, cultural, social and national difficulty and challenge.
The report also stressed that the Party as a whole must continue to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.
"The great struggle, great project, great cause and great dream are closely connected and mutually reinforcing. We must see that as history progresses and the world undergoes profound changes, the Party always remains ahead of the times; that as history progresses and we respond to risks and tests at home and abroad, the Party always remains the backbone of the nation; and that as history progresses and we continue to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party always remains a powerful leadership core," said Wang Yongkang, secretary of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
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