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A lithograph that reads “Public Proclamation of July 3 and July 24 are Chairman Mao’s Great Strategic Plans! People’s Republic of China.” The Chinese Communist Party was officially founded July 1921.

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art/University of Oregon

In 1921, Mao Zedong and 12 other young men met in Shanghai to found the Chinese Communist Party. In a recently published book, “From Rebel to Ruler: One Hundred Years of the Chinese Communist Party,” Tony Saich recounts the improbable story of how the party rose to power, maintained its rule through tumultuous times, and today is poised to lead the nation toward possible global dominance. The Daewoo Professor of International Affairs and director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School spoke to the Gazette about the party and its prospects.

GAZETTE: You suggest that the most remarkable accomplishment of the Chinese Community Party is its mere survival. Why is that?

SAICH: Generally Leninist party systems are not seen as being flexible or adaptable, but instead become ossified, resulting in their decline. By contrast, the Chinese Community Party has been very flexible, adaptable over time. And that relates to a second point: If you think about the challenges the party has faced over 100 years, its continued existence has been really impressive. It was almost destroyed in 1927 when its Nationalist partner turned on it. It did not look as if it would be victorious in the civil war, and of course it came through the split with the Soviet Union, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the demonstrations of 1989, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. And despite all those various challenges, it has survived to the present day.

GAZETTE:  Apart from its longevity, what would you point to as the most compelling achievements of the party?

SAICH: One was winning a civil war where the odds looked stacked up against them. The Nationalist Party had a much superior military force and controlled much more of the territory of China, and yet due to a mixture of mistakes made by the Nationalist armies and smart military maneuvering by Communist Party military leaders, they were able to turn the tables and win against insurmountable odds. I think the second achievement, fast-forwarding to the present period, is that it has overseen a period of extraordinary, strong economic growth, which lifted most if not all the population out of the absolute poverty that many of them suffered from as late as the late 1970s. And that I think is something that creates the higher levels of satisfaction amongst many people in China that are providing the Communist Party with a source of support.

GAZETTE: You note how even major setbacks sometimes served the party in the long term.

SAICH: Yes, when they came together to form the party in 1921, there were only just a small number of members, and the party really didn’t look as if it had much of a future. But by forming an alliance with the Nationalists, it was able to protect itself under the umbrella of the Nationalist military. Of course that base was destroyed in 1927 when the Nationalists turned on the Communists. But that misfortune pushed the Communists to bring their party to the countryside — a significant shift for a party supposedly representing the proletariat — and made them realize that their own military force would be essential moving forward. That’s one example where a disaster eventually turned out in ways fortuitous for the Chinese Communist Party.

“While the party talks frequently about Marxism, Maoism, Leninism, socialism with Chinese characteristics, you find very few people in China who either know what that means or really believe in Marxism,” says Tony Saich.

Photo by Martha Stewart

GAZETTE: With China’s growing emergence as an economic superpower, it would seem the party’s future is secure. But you say that is not necessarily so. What are some of the major challenges it faces?

SAICH:   I think there are three different sets of challenges China faces that may limit its future status as an economic superpower. First, we know that Chinese economic growth is slowing. One challenge is whether it can improve its economic performance in terms of total factor productivity and ensure that investment goes to those parts of the economy that produce more effective rates of return. To date they have struggled with that challenge. The state sector continues to dominate, and it tends to be more inefficient. Also, many of the factors that led to China’s rapid economic growth have either declined in importance or no longer exist. The demographic dividend is gone. Foreign direct investment, while strong, is unlikely to increase significantly. Trade can’t really expand much more than it is.

Secondly, much of China’s projected power globally is dependent on how other nations respond to its external activities. Many countries don’t see it as a threat, but it’s quite clear that in recent years negative opinions about China in most of the Western countries have increased significantly. And China does still need global engagement. In the political realm, there are two issues. In the reform period, China was extremely successful by allowing local initiative and permitting the non-state sector to grow. But now we’re seeing clear recentralization across the board. The question becomes: If the recentralization is pushed ahead, does that kill some of the initiative and innovation, which has been a hallmark of Chinese economic reform? Then there is the issue of the centralization of political power and whether having one single leader seemingly intent on staying in power for the foreseeable future is a stabilizing factor, as it is portrayed. I think it is destabilizing because the party has never really been very good at the politics of succession. And now we introduce the degree of uncertainty of not knowing when the succession might take place or who that successor might be.

GAZETTE: How optimistic or pessimistic are you about seeing democratic reforms in China?

SAICH: If the current regime stays in power I don’t think there is much possibility for movement in a democratic direction such as we might find in the West. All the signs at the moment are that the party is doubling down in its control over the state and over society, and that Xi Jinping certainly sees the party as the force to drive China forward. That means that as long as the party stays in power, the potential for democratic movement is extremely limited, and perhaps the best hope is for a shift from a harder authoritarianism to a softer form. Additionally, it does seem levels of satisfaction with the party and its performance are relatively high. The new middle class that is often associated with moves toward democracy doesn’t seem to be pushing for more democratic systems. And I think as long as the party is dealing with what it sees as the day-to-day material challenges of trying to get to grips with the problems of environmental degradation, they seem relatively satisfied.

“From its origins, the Communist Party has invested a lot of energy and effort into not only writing the official history but having that history accepted by members of society.”

GAZETTE: Are there insights from looking at the long view of the history of the Chinese Communist Party that might help today’s U.S. policymakers?

SAICH: Yes, I think knowledge of the history is important in a number of ways. The founders of the Chinese Community Party, while they believed that global proletarian revolution was the answer, essentially came together because they wanted to restore China’s wealth and power. From the very beginning to the present, the Chinese Community Party has always been intent on restructuring the global order to reflect better China’s national interest. That doesn’t mean it wants to overthrow the global order, but it does want to shape it so it is more conducive to China’s interests.

Additionally, from the party’s founding, there has always been ambivalence toward the foreigner’s role in China. Even in his first of July speech this year, Xi Jinping focused on China’s century-long “humiliation” at the hands of the foreigners. That plays into a basic nationalism, which is also now at the core of the Chinese Communist Party. That narrative of humiliation at the hands of the foreigners leads them to basically an attitude of distrust of foreign motives and foreign actors. Looking at the history, there is a similar ambivalence to the non-state, or private, sector. When the party was founded it was dedicated to eradicating capitalism, and in the 1950s it completely destroyed the private sector. Now the party needs it, but it has also made it very clear that it will dictate policies for the private sector and will keep bringing enhanced control over the development of that sector.

GAZETTE: Has the centennial been an occasion for the party to update its story?

SAICH: From its origins, the Communist Party has invested a lot of energy and effort into not only writing the official history but having that history accepted by members of society. And if we look at the current narrative, it glosses over those episodes where the party clearly made errors. Xi Jinping has stressed that there really is an unbroken line of continuity through Chinese Communist Party history that leads to him being the pre-eminent figure in the present. So the Cultural Revolution, which in the 1980s and 1990s was referred to as the decade of chaos that brought untold losses to Chinese society, is now seen as a period of experimentation, and that while mistakes were made it really was trying to deal with corruption, with bureaucratism. The purges and class struggles that went on during that time are glossed over. It’s really to present a much more unified history, one not broken by what would be termed or seen as unfortunate events by the party.

GAZETTE: How surprising is it to see the party in recent times draw on Confucianism and other Chinese cultural traditions?

SAICH: The interesting thing is that it has not done so for most of its history. From its origin, the party defined itself as representing a radical break with China’s past. So this reinvention of itself as being a part of a longer history has really only been forming over the last 15 years or so, and more particularly under the rule of Xi Jinping. He has stressed that it is the inheritor of the fine traditions of Chinese civilization. Why? I think it’s part of the Chinese Communist Party’s search for deeper forms of legitimacy. While the party talks frequently about Marxism, Maoism, Leninism, socialism with Chinese characteristics, you find very few people in China who either know what that means or really believe in Marxism. So I think by drawing that line of continuity to China’s past, they see that as enhancing its legitimacy in the present.

Interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.

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Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Communism — The History Of China: GuoMinDang And The Chinese Communist Party

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The History of China: Guomindang and The Chinese Communist Party

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Published: Sep 19, 2019

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Preamble  

The Communist Party of China (CPC), founded in 1921, has just celebrated its centenary.

These hundred years have been a period of dramatic change—enormous productive forces unleashed, social transformation unprecedented in scale, and huge advances in human civilization. On the other hand, humanity has been afflicted by devastating wars and suffering.

These hundred years have also witnessed profound and transformative change in China. And it is the CPC that has made this change possible.

The Chinese nation is a great nation. With a history dating back more than 5,000 years, China has made an indelible contribution to human civilization. After the Opium War of 1840, however, China found itself plunged into a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society. It endured intense humiliation, its people were pushed into darkness, and the ancient Chinese civilization lost its way.

The Chinese people fought with indomitable spirit against repeated setbacks to save the nation from subjugation.

The salvoes of Russia's October Revolution in 1917 sent Marxism-Leninism to China, and the CPC came into being. The Chinese people were awakened, and a torch was lit for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The founding of the CPC was an epoch-making event which profoundly changed the course of China's history, delivered a new future for the Chinese people and nation, and had an enormous impact on the rest of the world.

During its endeavors over the past century, the CPC has developed a great spirit and carried it forward—upholding truth and ideals, staying true to its founding mission, fighting without fear of danger, and meeting the people's expectations.

This spirit has continuously inspired the CPC to forge ahead.

As a Marxist party, the CPC, unlike previous political forces, has no special interests of its own to pursue. From the outset, the CPC has made happiness for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation its abiding goals. Like a beacon, it has illuminated the way forward for the Chinese people.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has grown from a small party with just over 50 members into the largest governing party in the world, with more than 95 million members in a country of more than 1.4 billion people. It is a party of major international standing.

It has governed the world's largest socialist country for more than seven decades. It has led the Chinese people onto the path towards national rejuvenation and modernization, and it enjoys extensive support from the Chinese people.

Over the past hundred years, all the struggles, sacrifices and efforts made by the CPC and by the Chinese people under its leadership have been directed to one goal—the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

China's Communists, with Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping as their chief representatives, have adapted the basic tenets of Marxism to China's realities and its traditional culture, and they have gone from victory to victory on their journey towards national rejuvenation.

To realize national rejuvenation, the CPC led the Chinese people in fighting with unyielding determination, achieving great success in the New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949).

Fighting as armed revolutionaries through the Northern Expedition, the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation, they defeated the counterrevolutionaries, shattered the three mountains of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism, and founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. They secured the independence of the nation, liberated the Chinese people, and put their future in their own hands.

Victory in the New Democratic Revolution brought an end to China's semi-feudal and semi-colonial status and the disunity that plagued the country. All the unequal treaties imposed on China by imperialist powers and all the privileges they had accorded themselves were abolished. This created the fundamental conditions for realizing national rejuvenation.

By engaging in this tenacious struggle, the CPC and the Chinese people sent a powerful message to the world: The Chinese people had stood upright. The time of oppression and humiliation was over, and it would never return.

To realize national rejuvenation, the CPC led the Chinese people in a dedicated effort to build a strong China, and they achieved great success.

By carrying out the socialist revolution in China, they brought to an end several thousand years of feudalism—a system exploitative and repressive by its very nature—and established socialism as China's fundamental political system. In the course of building socialism, they overcame subversion, sabotage, and armed provocation by imperialist and hegemonic powers, and brought about the most extensive and profound social changes in the history of the Chinese nation. This great transformation of a poor, backward and populous country in the East into a modern socialist China created the fundamental political conditions and laid down the institutional foundations necessary for realizing national rejuvenation.

By succeeding in their tenacious struggle, the CPC and the Chinese people showed the world that they were equally capable of changing the old China and building a new one. They showed the world that only socialism could save China, and that socialism could deliver development to China.

To realize national rejuvenation, the CPC led the Chinese people in freeing their minds and forging ahead, achieving great success in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.

The CPC led the people in making a great transition after the founding of the People's Republic by laying down its general guidelines for the primary stage of socialism. It advanced reform and opening up with resolve, overcame risks and challenges from every direction, and founded, upheld, and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics.

This enabled China to transform itself from a highly centralized planned economy into a socialist market economy full of vitality, and from a largely closed country to one that is open to the world on all fronts. It also enabled China to achieve a historic leap—from a country constrained by backward productive forces to the world's second largest economy—and to make a historic transformation by raising the living standards of its people from bare subsistence to general prosperity.

These achievements fueled the push towards national rejuvenation by providing robust institutional conditions and the material base for rapid development.

By succeeding in their tenacious struggle, the CPC and the Chinese people showed the world that reform and opening up has been critical in making China what it is today. China has made great strides and caught up with the times.

To realize national rejuvenation, the CPC has led the Chinese people in carrying out their great struggle, launching a great initiative, advancing their great cause, fulfilling their great dream, and achieving great success for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

The 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012 marked a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics. In this new era, the Party has strengthened its overall leadership, coordinated the implementation of the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy, upheld and improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernized China's system and capacity for governance.

It has adopted a full range of intra-Party regulations and exercised rule-based internal management. It has overcome significant risks and challenges, achieved the First Centenary Goal, and adopted a strategic plan to fulfill the Second Centenary Goal. All these efforts have provided robust institutional conditions, strong material foundations, and a source of inspiration for advancing the cause of national rejuvenation.

By succeeding in their tenacious struggle, the CPC and the Chinese people have shown the world that the Chinese nation has achieved the tremendous transformation from standing upright to becoming prosperous and growing in strength, and that China's rejuvenation is an unstoppable historical force.

At the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC held on July 1, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping declared that thanks to the continued efforts of the whole Party and the entire nation, China has realized the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This means that it has put an end to absolute poverty in China, and is now marching in confident strides towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country. This is a glorious achievement for the Chinese nation, for the Chinese people, and for the Communist Party of China.

Finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects means realizing a millennia-old dream and a century-old hope of the Chinese nation and fulfilling the solemn promise the CPC made to the people and history. In substantially reducing the world's poverty-stricken population, China has made an outstanding contribution to human progress.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has led the Chinese people in ending the humiliation and misery inflicted on them in the modern era. Without the CPC, there would be no new China and no national rejuvenation. This is a fact that is clear to the Chinese people based on China's achievements in revolution, reconstruction, and reform.

The leadership of the CPC is the choice of history and the people. This leadership is vital for the future of the country, the nation, and the Party itself.

Over the past hundred years, through its dauntless efforts to create a new China, the CPC has led the Chinese people in writing the most magnificent chapter in the millennia-long history of the Chinese nation. The great path they have embarked upon, the great cause they have undertaken, and the great achievements they have made over the past century will go down in the annals of the Chinese nation and humanity.

I. Serving the People Wholeheartedly  

The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of China's working class, the Chinese people, and the Chinese nation. Serving the people wholeheartedly is its abiding mission. The country is the people and the people are the country. The Party's struggle to found a new China and develop it is for the people. Of the people, by the people, for the people—this is what has guided the CPC from victory to victory over the past century.

1. Putting the People First

The CPC is dedicated to the people and forever puts their interests first. It follows the underlying trends of social development and respects the people's principal role in making history. It pursues the lofty goal of working for the wellbeing of the Chinese people; and does everything in the interests of the people.

The CPC is rooted in the people. It was born in 1921 in the great struggle against feudal rule and foreign aggression, at a time when Marxism-Leninism became integrated with China's workers movement. From the very day of its creation, the CPC has represented China's working class, the Chinese people, and the Chinese nation. It has no special interests of its own, nor does it represent any interest group, establishment group, or privileged social group. Its only goals are to deliver happiness for the people and achieve national rejuvenation.

The CPC shares the same goals as the people, and it shares a common stake with the people. Drawing support and strength from the people, the Party has grown in strength in the fight to overcome every challenge.

Members of the CPC are ordinary people. They love life and are hard working. They are sincere, open and compassionate. But they are also vanguards and role models in daily life, work, and public activities. They are the first to step forward in case of challenges and dangers, fearless and ready to give their all for the country and the people. They emerge from the people and lead them to go forward. They are Communists—citizens of China both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.

From its very beginning, the CPC has striven to serve the people and won their support and endorsement. It represents the fundamental interests of all the Chinese, and everything it does is to realize, safeguard and advance their interests. Meeting the people's expectation for a better life is its goal.

The people's interests are behind everything the Party does—leading revolution, building the armed forces, developing political institutions, boosting the economy, carrying out reform and opening up, developing culture, and exploring better ways of running society.

In China, the state founded by the people under CPC leadership is called the People's Republic of China; its government is called the people's government, the armed forces are called the People's Liberation Army; and Party officials are people's servants. The Party Central Committee's newspaper is the People's Daily, and China's central bank is called the People's Bank. The people are the lifeblood of the Party; indeed, they are the inexhaustible source of inspiration giving the Party all the strength it needs to fulfill its mission.

The CPC makes decisions and adopts policies in the fundamental interests of the people. At different stages of China's revolution, reconstruction and reform, and at historical junctures critical to the future of the Party and the country, the Party has always acted to advance the people's interests and oppose any action that harms them.

The Party has taken sound development as its top priority in governance. It has unleashed and developed the productive forces to meet the people's expectation for a better life.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has followed a people-centered philosophy; it has launched a full range of initiatives to achieve common prosperity and uphold fairness and justice.

It has delivered initial prosperity for all. It has fought Covid-19 and saved lives no matter the cost. It has eradicated absolute poverty in the country, implemented the rural revitalization strategy, and promoted a new people-focused urbanization strategy. The vision that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets inspires the drive to protect the environment.

Determined that housing is for living in, not for speculation, the CPC has taken clear steps to keep the housing market under control. It sees that the capital market is properly regulated. It also sees that justice is served in every judicial case. All of this has enabled the people to fully share the country's development gains.

Over the past century, through all the changes in the domestic and international environment, whether in good times or bad, the CPC has always put the people first. It has never wavered in fulfilling this commitment.

The CPC has made great sacrifices for the people. From the founding of the CPC in 1921 to the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, more than 3.7 million identified members of organizations under Party leadership gave their lives to liberate the country. Of the six family members of Mao Zedong who died for the revolution, five were Party members.

In peaceful times, too, during disaster relief efforts after earthquakes, floods and other emergencies, Party members have rushed to the scene and risked their own lives to save the lives of others. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, close to 400 Party members and officials have lost their lives in the line of duty. More than 1,800 Party members and officials also gave their lives in the battle against absolute poverty.

Among all those who have died were rank and file Party members, senior officials, and family members of top Party leaders.

Panel 1 The Fight Against Covid-19

After China was struck by Covid-19, the CPC and the Chinese government responded swiftly, putting people's lives before all else. It organized massive nucleic acid testing and inoculation, made every effort to identify every case of infection and did everything possible to save patients and protect the people's health.

Treatment of Covid-19 patients is free of charge in China. All Covid-19 patients, both confirmed and suspected, have received government financial aid to pay for any medical bills not covered by basic medical insurance, serious disease insurance, or the medical assistance fund. As of June 2021, all medical expenditure of inpatients with confirmed infections had reached a total of RMB2.8 billion (with RMB1.6 billion paid by basic medical insurance), or RMB20,000 per person. The average cost of treating each Covid-19 patient in critical condition was more than RMB150,000. The individual cost for some patients in critical condition exceeded RMB1 million, all covered by the government.

Free nucleic acid testing and inoculation have been conducted nationwide. As of July 25, 2021, tests had been conducted on 2.2 billion nucleic acid samples, and more than 1.5 billion Covid-19 vaccines had been injected, with all costs covered by the government.

2. From Victory to Victory with the People

The CPC works in the service of the people. It trusts and relies on the people and mobilizes them to fight for their interests. It follows the mass line, a principle of "from the people, to the people". It has shared good times and hard times with the people, and it has led them in surmounting all obstacles and making great strides forward.

By relying on the people, the CPC rose and grew strong. It gained the strength it needed to beat powerful enemies, both inside and outside China, and to win victory in the New Democratic Revolution.

During this revolution, in the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the CPC galvanized extensive public support and defeated the first four Kuomintang (KMT) encirclement and suppression campaigns. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party mobilized the people and overwhelmed the enemy with a vast people's war. During the War of Liberation, with supplies transported in wheelbarrows and on people's shoulders, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) secured decisive victories against the KMT troops in the three major campaigns.

In these contests between progressives and reactionaries and between justice and injustice, the KMT forces shielded themselves in ironclad fortresses, and the Japanese invaders put their faith in their military superiority. However by relying on the people, the CPC defeated them all.

By relying on the people, the CPC founded the People's Republic, carried out socialist revolution, and engaged in rebuilding the country from scratch. The founding of the People's Republic marked the ultimate moment of freedom for the Chinese people from the yoke of slavery and oppression. Now masters of their own country, the people threw themselves into reconstruction to create a bright future for the country and the nation.

In just a few years, an independent and substantial industrial and economic system took shape in China. Groundbreaking successes were achieved in nuclear technology, satellites, carrier rockets and other cutting-edge technologies, and major advances were made in China's overall development.

By relying on the people, the CPC carried out reform, opening up and socialist modernization, pioneering a path of socialism that is distinctively Chinese.

The reform and opening-up initiative launched by the CPC in 1978 freed people's minds, inspiring them to boldly explore new frontiers. The household contract system was introduced in rural areas, and village and township businesses flourished. The setting up of special economic zones connected China to the world, enabling it to introduce foreign technology and capital and export Chinese products. Waves of reform swept across the country, powering China's development. With dedication and resolve, the Chinese people achieved great success in modernization, completing the greatest social and economic transformation the world has ever seen.

By relying on the people, the CPC has ushered Chinese socialism into a new era. Since its 18th National Congress, the Party has galvanized the whole nation to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation and boosted economic vitality with further reform. Its successful internal initiatives to improve Party conduct have boosted public morale.

The Chinese people have given of their best and fully released their power of creation in pursuit of their shared dreams. They have carried out further reform and achieved all-round initial prosperity. They have eradicated absolute poverty. They have fought side by side in the battle against Covid-19. They have reined in environmental pollution. And they have succeeded in keeping systemic risks at bay. Their hard work has made it possible for China to turn its blueprint for development into reality. Together, the Chinese people are creating miracles that stun the world. Proud and confident, they are pressing ahead on the path of Chinese socialism.

Over the past century, hundreds of millions of Chinese have dedicated themselves to realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Their contribution will go down in the annals of history; their epic deeds will be remembered by posterity. The people have created history, and they are the source of the Party's strength. The Chinese are a great, glorious, and heroic people—this is a fact fully borne out by the 100-year history of the CPC.

3. The People as Masters of the Country

The people should run their own country—this is an abiding commitment of the CPC. Over the past hundred years, it has led the people in realizing people's democracy in China, a country with a feudal history dating back several thousand years that descended into a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society after the Opium War.

Under the CPC's leadership, democracy has been practiced in the whole process of the country's revolution, reconstruction and reform, in all aspects of governance, and in every field of economic and social life. Democracy, a shared value, has taken root in China as a political institution and mechanism of governance, and the Chinese people now truly hold in their own hands the future of the country, society and themselves.

The CPC has made unremitting efforts to explore new ways of realizing people's democracy.

During the New Democratic Revolution, the Party committed to developing workers' and peasants' democracy and people's democracy, and set up Soviet congresses of workers, peasants and soldiers, assemblies of representatives, and representative conferences of people from all sectors.

When the People's Republic of China was founded, the people's democratic dictatorship was adopted as the governing system, and the system of people's congresses was instituted as the governing structure, thus enabling the people to run their own country.

Since the launch of reform and opening up, the CPC has worked to ensure the Party's leadership, the people's position as the masters of the country, and law-based governance, which have become fundamental principles of democratic socialism with distinctive Chinese features.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has set Eight Criteria to ensure that China's political system is a democratic one that delivers, and these criteria underpin the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party takes the development of democracy as a matter of comprehensive and far-reaching significance. To ensure the people's principal position, improve the performance of the Party and the state, and arouse the people's enthusiasm, the Party has expanded socialist democracy, advanced electoral democracy, and developed consultative democracy.

Instituted by the CPC, the system of people's congresses is China's fundamental political system. The Party fully solicits the views of the people and heeds their voices, and formulates its policies accordingly.

In a framework under which the Party exercises leadership over the law-making process, and the National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee exercise the power of legislation, the Party's core beliefs have, through proper legal procedures, been written into the Constitution, the law, and codes of conduct for all the people, state institutions, the armed forces, political parties, social organizations, enterprises and public institutions. The system of people's congresses ensures the CPC's leadership, the people's position as masters of the country, and law-based governance, and it gives full expression to the guidelines of the CPC, the will of the state, and the expectations of the people. This system has been further consolidated and developed since the 18th National Congress of the CPC. The mechanism to ensure that deputies to people's congresses engage with the people has been strengthened, enabling them to better perform their duties, and enabling the people's congresses and their standing committees to better play their roles.

In addition to practicing and improving the system of people's congresses, the CPC has led the people in establishing and developing a number of other political systems, including the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of community-level self-governance. These systems ensure that the people run their country.

Consultative democracy is a distinctive feature of China's socialist democracy. It means consultation among political parties, people's congresses, government departments, committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), people's organizations, communities, and social organizations. It has enriched democracy by expanding its forms and channels.

The system of regional ethnic autonomy provides an institutional base for all ethnic groups to run the country together. It fully protects the equal rights of all 56 ethnic groups and the power of self-governance in ethnic autonomous areas, underpins development in ethnic minority areas, and reinforces ethnic unity.

Under the system of community-level self-governance, urban and rural residents directly exercise their democratic right to manage community affairs and programs for public benefit. Community-level governance in China is a dynamic, harmonious and orderly process.

The system of democratic management by employees congresses in enterprises and public institutions plays an active role in protecting the lawful rights and interests of the employees. It ensures they run their own affairs, enhances vitality of these organizations, and helps them to flourish and prosper.

The CPC conducts whole-process democracy. This practice is supported by public consultation, under which public issues are discussed by all those involved to reach extensive  consensus.  

Under whole-process democracy, the people exercise their democratic rights through a variety of channels—in regular elections, and through involvement in decision-making on major public affairs that are important to the economy and people's lives. This democracy is conducted not only by means of elections, but also through democratic consultation, decision-making, management, scrutiny, and other mechanisms of governance. It is not only a political activity; it also relates to economic, cultural, social and other fields. Indeed, it has become an integral part of daily life and work.

The Chinese people enjoy extensive democratic rights. The days of isolation are gone in China, and democracy is the order of the day. The Chinese people now live in contentment, and Chinese society is full of vitality.

Panel 2 Whole-Process Democracy

Whole-process democracy, including democratic election, consultation, decision-making, management and scrutiny, operates across all of China's governance mechanisms.

By April 2021, more than 2.6 million people from various ethnic groups, sectors, social groups, and political parties, including a large number of workers and farmers, had served as deputies to people's congresses at all levels. Since 2016, more than 1 billion registered voters have elected close to 2.5 million deputies to county and township level people's congresses.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, public opinion has been solicited on 187 draft laws. Over 3 million submissions have been made by 1.1 million people, and many important proposals from these submissions have been adopted. During the compilation of the Civil Code, 10 rounds of public opinion were solicited, and more than 1 million proposals were collected from 425,000 people.

Since 2012, the CPC Central Committee has held or entrusted its relevant departments to convene more than 170 consultative meetings to hear views and proposals from the eight non-CPC political parties and from public figures with no party affiliation (non-affiliates) on major issues, such as the 14th Five-year Plan, and the formulation of the reports to be delivered by the general secretary to the CPC National Congress and plenary sessions of the CPC Central Committee.

Non-affiliates and the central committees of the other parties have submitted more than 730 written proposals, many of which have been incorporated into major policy decisions. From its first session in March 2018 to April 2021, the 13th CPPCC National Committee received 23,049 various proposals.

During the critical battle against poverty, the CPC Central Committee asked the central committees of the other political parties to each supervise poverty alleviation efforts in one of eight poor provinces and autonomous regions in central and western China. More than 36,000 people from these parties were involved in this work. They made more than 2,400 proposals to the Party committees and governments of these provinces and autonomous regions, and submitted more than 80 reports to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Democracy is a shared value; it is not something to be claimed by any one country. There is no fixed model of democracy; it comes in many forms. In judging whether a particular form of democracy works, one needs to see whether it is adapted to a country's history and culture, whether it conforms to its conditions, whether it can deliver political stability and social progress, whether it can improve people's lives, whether it can win public support, and whether it can contribute to advancing the progressive cause of humanity. Democracy as practiced in China is rooted in China's history and culture. It fits the country's conditions and enjoys popular support. The CPC is committed to developing socialist democracy with distinctive Chinese features. It will continue to enrich China's model of democracy and ensure its sound development.

4. A Good Life for the People

Everything the CPC has done in revolution, reconstruction and reform is designed to ensure a good life for the people. Over the past century, China has undergone tremendous changes turning itself from a poor and war-torn country into a dynamic and prosperous one. It is now the world's second largest economy, growing in composite strength and international standing. It has thriving cosmopolitan cities, beautiful and harmonious countryside, advanced infrastructure, a safe and convenient transport network, a dynamic market, and a stable and orderly society. Its people are leading a comfortable life to which they have aspired for several thousand years, and they are working towards common prosperity.

The people's lives have greatly improved. They have shaken off absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity in all respects. Their rights to existence and development are well protected, and they feel happier, safer and more secure. With a per capita gross national income surpassing US$10,000, China has joined the ranks of upper-middle income economies, and is on its way to become a high-income country. The urban-rural income gap is steadily shrinking, and China has a middle-income group of 400 million people, the biggest in the world.

The employment market in China is stable. At the end of 2020, almost 751 million people in China were in employment.

China has built the world's largest social security network, with basic medical insurance covering 1.3 billion people by the end of June 2021. During the same period, 1 billion people were covered by basic old-age insurance, 222 million by unemployment insurance, and 274 million by work-related injury insurance. The people have better access to childcare, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance.

The cultural sector is flourishing, and the Chinese people enjoy colorful and enriching cultural activities. China has done much to protect its environment; across the country there are more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters. China maintains long-term social harmony and stability, and its people live in peace and contentment in a country widely recognized as one of the safest in the world.

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The mindset of the Chinese people has changed profoundly. They have strong faith in the path, theory, system and culture of Chinese socialism. They now view themselves as the equals of any other in the world. They celebrate the CPC, socialism, reform and opening up, the motherland, and the unity of all ethnic groups in China. Patriotism, reform, innovation, and hard work have taken root in their minds. Core Socialist Values are practiced, and traditional Chinese culture is full of vitality. All of this fills Chinese society with positive energy and confidence.

The Chinese people value and uphold freedom. They enjoy true, comprehensive and extensive freedom. While pursuing their own individual freedoms, they also work to promote common prosperity, development, social harmony and stability. United as one, they face difficulties head-on, rise to challenges, and strive for success. They regard all the world's peoples as one big family, and wish peace and a better life for everyone.

Energetic, passionate young Chinese are dedicating themselves to the cause of the CPC and the people, and they are at the forefront in working to rejuvenate the Chinese nation.

While China has achieved remarkable successes as a result of a dedicated effort made over many years, it is still in the primary stage of socialism and will long remain so. China is still the largest developing country in the world. There is still a long way to go before China can resolve the principal challenge it faces—the gap between unbalanced and inadequate development and the growing expectation of the people for a better life—and deliver prosperity to all its 1.4 billion people.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has won the heartfelt support of the people, not with rhetoric, but with actions and outcomes and by meeting repeated challenges. This support has never wavered since the Chinese people first chose the CPC to lead them. The Party and the people work together and share weal and woe, and there is an inseparable bond between them. No attempt to sever that bond will ever succeed, and any attempt to shake the people's faith in the Party's leadership is doomed to fail.

II. Realizing the Ideals of the Party  

Struggle is a distinctive attribute of the CPC. In a complex domestic and international environment, China has encountered unprecedented difficulties and challenges in its revolution, reconstruction, and reform. Since it was founded a hundred years ago, the Party has never given up on the struggle, whatever hardships, existential trials, or bitter sacrifices it faced. These hundred years have seen the Party fight on, guided by Marxism, and buttressed by firm convictions, an enterprising spirit, and unyielding determination.

1. Upholding Marxism

Marxism is the single guiding ideology, the very soul of the CPC, and the banner under which it strives. Fundamentally, the strength of the Party and the strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics are attributable to the fact that Marxism works. The Party's history of struggle is a process of continuing to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and to explore creative and innovative ideas.

Inscribing Marxism on its own banner. Marxism reveals the universal laws of the natural world, human society, and the human mind, pointing the direction for humanity and human civilization to progress. The communist and socialist ideals expounded in Marxism tally with Chinese cultural values such as a people-centered orientation, harmony, and unity in diversity. They are consistent with the dream pursued by noble and idealistic Chinese for generations—to build a strong and prosperous nation. And they accord with the aspiration of Chinese progressives, dating back to the Opium War, to rescue the nation from subjugation. A key feature of Marxism is that it not only defines the ideals of communism, but also specifies the ways and means by which they can be achieved.

When Marxism was introduced to China, the founders of the CPC first reflected on it and conducted careful analysis, then gained hands-on experience, and finally chose to embrace it wholeheartedly. Since China's Communists chose Marxism, they have remained firm in upholding and developing it. Never have they wavered in their commitment, deviated from its goals, or abandoned it in favor of other options.

Using Marxism as a powerful ideological weapon to seek the truth, understand the world and its laws, and transform it, rather than applying rigid dogma. Respecting reality and combining with the people are the characteristics and strengths of the CPC.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has continued to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era are the results. The Party has thus devised well-conceived theories for its own and the people's guidance, and made an enormous and original contribution to enriching Marxism.

At the fundamental level, the CPC's successes can be attributed to its mastery of powerful theoretical weapons to correctly understand, scientifically analyze, and effectively solve problems by applying the Marxist stance, viewpoint and methodology. Experience has proved that the CPC's choice of Marxism is correct. On the journey ahead, considering China's realities in contemporary times the Party will continue to adapt the basic tenets of Marxism to the best of China's traditional culture, and use Marxism to observe, understand, and steer the trends of our times in the 21st century.

2. Firm Ideals and Convictions

From the outset, the CPC has championed the cause of socialism and communism. Over the past hundred years, standing firm in its ideals and convictions, it has led the people to press forward towards these goals. It has established, upheld and developed socialism, upheld the principles of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and demonstrated the vitality and bright prospects of socialism. The Party has remained true to socialism, and socialism has proved its worth to China.

Rising through adversity and failures. In the years of revolutionary war, the CPC was repeatedly confronted with difficulties and setbacks, to the extent that its very survival was threatened. After the failure of the Great Revolution (1924-1927), the membership of the Party fell from around 60,000 to just over 10,000. After defeat in the fifth encirclement and suppression campaign by the KMT in 1934, the Party and the Red Army were seriously weakened. The Battle of Xiangjiang soon after the beginning of the Long March cost the Central Red Army more than 50,000 of its 86,000 troops. But for all that the situation was bleak, the CPC remained unshaken in its convictions. It shook off its pursuers, rose above adversity, and emerged stronger from the setbacks.

After the founding of the PRC, the country faced testing military and economic challenges and hostility from abroad. Led by the CPC, and fearless of hardship and death, the people overcame these challenges. A new socialist China soon stood firm in the East.

From the late 1980s to early 1990s, when the tide of world socialism was on the ebb, the CPC led the people to press forward on the path of Chinese socialism, heedless of all obstacles.

In the new era, faced with the formidable tasks of reform, development and stability, and confronted by an unpromising external environment, the Party has led the people to continue the great historic struggle and to champion the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Difficulties, failures and setbacks in the past hundred years have never prevented the CPC from forging ahead; they have only made it stronger and helped it mature. At critical historical junctures and in times of crisis, the Party has stood firm in ideals and convictions, rising undaunted to face challenges. This has demonstrated its strength, increased the people's trust and confidence, transformed its own prospects and those of the country, and advanced the cause of socialism.

Fighting in both favorable and unfavorable circumstances. After securing victory in its military campaigns, the CPC maintained its fighting spirit and strove to avoid complacency. After becoming the governing party of China, it continued to remain modest and prudent, never arrogant or impetuous. In leading reconstruction in the cities in peace time, it preserved the style of plain living and hard struggle and never fell victim to the desire for creature comforts. In the process of reform and opening up, the CPC endeavors to guard against the erosive influence of feudalist and capitalist decadence.

Entering the new era, the CPC has never allowed itself to be carried away by the successes the Party and the state have achieved. It has warned all its members that they must never surrender to complacency or sclerotic thinking, never falter, never waver; rather, they must remain alert to dangers in times of peace and keep fighting.

Over the past hundred years the Party has never rested on its laurels, slackened its efforts, or allowed flattery and praise to dilute its spirit and will to fight.

Being firmly grounded while aiming high for the future. Every generation of Party members has fulfilled its respective missions and kept pressing forward. The ideals of communism can only be realized by the Party based on fully developed and highly advanced socialism. Communists in China believe that if they keep fighting for this with sufficient effort over generations it can be achieved. In the battle to realize national rejuvenation, the Party and the people will pass on the torch from one generation to the next, with each generation fulfilling its duties for the benefit of the next.

Forging a fighting spirit in hard work and working hard to keep that spirit. Carrying forward its founding spirit, the CPC has fought hard and persevered. It has developed a set of inspiring principles which are manifested in the ranks of its revolutionary martyrs defiant in the face of death, its hard-working heroes, and its selfless and devoted models. This invaluable spirit has been distilled into the lifeblood of the Chinese nation, boosting the Chinese people's morale, and creating longer, fuller and stronger support for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Over the past hundred years, led by the CPC, the Chinese people have changed the face of the country through their arduous efforts, and more importantly, reshaped China's national psyche.

3. Breaking New Ground

China's revolution, reconstruction and reform are unprecedented undertakings, with no previous examples to serve as a guide. Facing new situations and new problems on the way forward, and employing indomitable courage and determination, the CPC has succeeded in blazing a new trail from the unknown to the realms of freedom. All its endeavors have advanced the cause of socialism in China.

Recognizing the prevailing trends in the world, seizing and making the most of historic opportunities. There is an essential logic to the progress of human history. Over the past hundred years, the CPC has developed with this logic and kept pace with the trends of the times, constantly adjusting its strategies and policies in accordance with changing circumstances.

The founding of the CPC, the founding of a socialist people's republic, and the launch of reform and opening up all followed underlying global trends. Based on its belief that peace and development were the themes of the times, the CPC pressed ahead with its plans for reform, opening up and modernization. It seized the opportunity of rapid advances in science and technology around the world, and applied the important proposition that "science and technology constitute a primary productive force". It mobilized the resources of the whole country in a series of key national science and technology research and development programs such as the 863 Program and the 973 Program. All of this strengthened China's capacity for original innovation and resulted in significant progress in high-tech and key industries.

The CPC followed the trend of economic globalization and initiated a set of major reform and opening-up measures, for example, creating special economic zones, opening up Shanghai Pudong New Area, implementing the strategies of "bringing in" and "going global", and acceding to the World Trade Organization, all of which helped the Chinese economy to integrate with the international economy.

At the turn of the century, the CPC seized the first two decades as an important period of strategic opportunity to focus on development and promote more rapid growth.

In the new era, the CPC has implemented the strategy of national rejuvenation within the context of global changes of a scale unseen in a century. It has judged that "China remains in an important period of strategic opportunity for development", and that "both opportunities and challenges are unprecedented in scale, with more opportunities than challenges in general".

To tap into the trends of peace, cooperation, multi-polarity, economic globalization, and democracy in international relations, the Party places greater emphasis on the quality of growth. To this end, it has introduced and is implementing a new development philosophy and a new development dynamic as the country enters a new development stage. In external relations, the CPC pursues high-standard opening up and promotes win-win cooperation with more countries in more areas, on a larger scale, and in greater depth. The CPC is willing to contribute more to the world while promoting China's own development.

Following an independent path. To carry out revolution, reconstruction and reform in a poor and backward country with a large population, it is fundamental to choose the right path.

During the New Democratic Revolution, the CPC initially opted to follow the Soviet example of insurrection in key cities. But that proved unsuccessful. It then reviewed the lessons learned, summarized the experience gained, and embarked on the correct path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power with military force.

After the founding of the People's Republic, the CPC applied itself to learning from the Soviet Union. Encountering problems with the Soviet model, it began to explore its own path for building socialism. Since the beginning of reform and opening up, it has led the people in identifying, upholding, broadening, and committing to the path best suited to China's actual conditions—socialism with Chinese characteristics.

In economic development, the Party has always adhered to the principle of self-reliance. To ensure that robust development continues amid mounting instability and uncertainties in the international environment, the Party has made the major strategic decision to accelerate the fostering of a double development dynamic, with the domestic economy and international engagement reinforcing each other, and the former as the  mainstay.  

In the field of science and technology, the Party has led the people in independent and self-reliant development. With their own strength, the Chinese people have put in place a complete and independent system of academic disciplines and a comprehensive program of scientific research, paving the way for independent innovation with Chinese characteristics.

All of this has carried forward the country's scientific and technological strength and capacity for innovation in leaps and bounds. In the early days of the People's Republic, even matches and iron nails had to be imported. China now leads the world in quantum communication, artificial intelligence and 5G technology. Its Shenzhou manned spacecraft and Tiangong space lab are orbiting the earth. The rover Zhurong has landed on Mars and is engaged in scientific exploration. Its manned submersible, Jiaolong, dived to the deep sea. All of these serve to demonstrate how China has significantly improved its independent scientific and technological  capabilities.  

In the process of socialist modernization, the Party has led the people in realizing coordinated material, political, cultural, social and eco-environmental progress, pioneering a new and distinctively Chinese path to modernization, creating a new model for human progress, and refuting the myth that modernization can be achieved only by following the capitalist model.

One of the basic reasons for the Party's success is its adherence to the principles of independence and self-reliance. It follows its own path in managing China's affairs in accordance with the country's own realities and characteristics. The Chinese people have the courage, confidence, and ability to manage their own affairs well.

Emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts and moving forward with unrelenting courage. In all of its endeavors in revolution, reconstruction and reform, the CPC has always proceeded from reality rather than placing its faith in books or established authority. It has constantly explored new paths, free from hidebound restrictions and proscriptive models.

In its long-term leadership of economic development, the Party has adopted the basic principles of Marxist political economics and applied them in China's realities, shifting from a model of pure public ownership to a model where public ownership plays the dominant role alongside economic entities under diverse forms of ownership. It is committed to consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy, and to encouraging, supporting, and guiding the non-public sector of the economy. The economic system has been reformed from a traditional planned economy to a socialist market economy, so that the market can play a decisive rather than a supportive role in resource allocation, while the government can fulfill its role better. This has ensured that the lifelines of the Chinese economy remain firmly in the hands of the Party and the people, and that economic development serves the interests of the people and the country. Market entities can be more innovative, and the productive forces have been unleashed and allowed to develop.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China's reform has entered uncharted waters and encountered new problems. The Party has shown tremendous political courage, enacting more than 2,400 measures to remove deep-rooted obstacles, and promoting further comprehensive reform. This has achieved decisive results in key areas and boosted the driving forces of development. In pursuing reform, the Party encourages bold experiments and innovation while making sure that progress continues in the right direction. The basis of reform has always been upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing the country's system and capacity for governance. Pressing ahead with reform and development while maintaining the stability of the country, it has rejected both the old and rigid closed-door policy, and any attempt to abandon socialism in favor of some erroneous path.

Understanding, grasping and following the laws of development. The ability to grasp and follow the objective laws of development is an important skill for a progressive Marxist party. The CPC has continued to expand its understanding of governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society, and to apply them in practice as a guide for action.

In developing socialism, the Party has constantly asked and answered a series of key questions, such as:

• "What is socialism?"

• "How should we build socialism?"

• "What kind of a political party should the CPC be?"

• "How should we build the CPC?"

• "What kind of development should we pursue?"

• "How should we pursue this development?"

• "What is socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era?"

• "How should we uphold and develop this socialism?"

It has given a series of new answers that have enriched and developed scientific socialism, and gained a much deeper understanding of the essence and nature of socialism, such as:

• "Poverty is not socialism. Development that is too slow is not socialism, either."

• "The nature of socialism is to release and develop the productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and achieve common prosperity."

• "Achieving common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism."

The CPC has also gained a much deeper understanding of the process of building a socialist system, from establishing the basic socialist system in the early days of the PRC, through creating socialism with Chinese characteristics after the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy, to upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics since the 18th CPC National Congress. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has matured with the completion of an overall framework of systems for state governance.

The CPC has also come to a deeper understanding of the laws of economic and social development, as reflected by its shift from "fast and sound growth" to "sound and fast growth", from "economic growth" to "economic development", from "high-speed growth" to "high-quality development", from "accelerating development" to "equal emphasis on development and security", from "the vision of comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development" to "the vision of innovation-based, coordinated, green, open and shared development". Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has initiated the Five-sphere Integrated Plan, the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy, the Eight Clarifications and the Fourteen Imperatives", which exemplify the Party's new understanding of the nature of governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society.

Socialism can solve problems that other social systems cannot, and can achieve sustained, well-rounded human development and common prosperity. After several decades, socialism in China is still at the primary stage. The Party's understanding and practical experience of socialism with Chinese characteristics is still very limited, with many more questions to answer and many more problems to solve. The Party will continue to explore how best to advance socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era by building a deeper understanding of its nature and laws.

4. Defusing Risks and Overcoming Challenges

China has carried out its revolution, reconstruction and reform against a backdrop of both conventional and exceptional risks and challenges, from both inside and outside the Party, from both within China and abroad, and from both human society and nature. The CPC has led the people in defusing these risks and meeting these challenges with courage, confidence and resilience, while promoting the cause of socialism. It has secured and consolidated its position as the governing party, guaranteed national security, and ensured continuous and consistent development.

The Party is always ready to protect against potential dangers even in times of peace. Founded in years of trial and tribulation and maturing in adversity, the CPC always keeps in mind the ancient wisdom that "One should be mindful of potential danger in times of peace, the risk of downfall in times of rise, and potential chaos in times of stability."

In the years of revolutionary war, the CPC maintained a high level of vigilance during a life-and-death struggle, and grew in size and strength despite being menaced by formidable enemies.

During reform and opening up, faced with frequent social conflicts and disputes, and major setbacks to world socialism, the CPC made it a priority to increase its ability to fend off threats, and successfully dealt with various risks and challenges.

After its 18th National Congress, the CPC was fully aware of the major changes in the domestic and international environment. One of its major principles of governance is to be always on guard against potential dangers in times of peace. It has made national security its top priority in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Always alert to the worst possible scenarios, the Party adopts proactive strategies and strives for the best results.

In every historical period, the CPC has remained vigilant and clearheaded about the situation, seizing the initiative on every occasion and ensuring success in defusing risks and overcoming challenges.

The Party meets major risks and challenges head-on. It never hesitates in taking resolute action to address risks and challenges that threaten its position as the governing party, or endanger the stability of state power, the core interests of the country, the fundamental interests of the people, or the  rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.  

Shortly after the founding of the PRC, in the face of threats and provocation by American imperialism, the CPC had the courage to resist US aggression and aid Korea, in defense of the motherland and at the cost of its own economic development. Victory in this war foiled the aggressors' attempt to suffocate the new-born PRC, and established a firm foothold for the country.

After the launch of reform and opening up, the Party led the people through the political turbulence in 1989, the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the global financial crisis in 2008, and a succession of unprecedented natural disasters. It emerged victorious from the fight against the SARS epidemic in 2002 and the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008. It adopted resolute and lawful measures to quell the riots, robbery, arson and vandalism in Lhasa and Urumqi. It also resisted attempts to isolate, suppress and contain China by external political forces.

Since 2012, faced with a sensitive and volatile international situation, and challenging tasks related to domestic reform, development and stability, the Party has placed equal emphasis on development and security, pursued a holistic approach to national security, and led the people in an effective response to major risks, challenges, obstacles and conflicts by exploring new opportunities and breaking new ground.

It has promoted supply-side reform to stave off economic risks. It has implemented effective countermeasures in the economic and trade friction provoked by the US. It has won a strategic victory in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic. It has taken a series of resolute measures to restore order in Hong Kong and ensure a turn for the better in the region. All of these actions have contributed to social stability in China and sound and sustained economic development.

The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not be easily achieved. It cannot be achieved merely by beating drums and clanging gongs. There will be all kinds of foreseeable and unforeseeable difficulties on the way forward. The CPC is a major political party that has accumulated rich experience in the long-term struggle over the last hundred years, which has enabled it to withstand risks and address complex issues. No matter the difficulties, the Party will lead the people to final victory.

On its centennial journey, the CPC has tempered its character with the courage to vanquish formidable enemies, defuse risks, and overcome challenges. This has become the Party's defining quality. All of its achievements are the results of the hard work of generations of Party members, and the base on which the cause will continue to prosper. The success of the Party in the past equips it to face the future with full  confidence.  

III. Robust Leadership and Strong Governance  

China is a huge country with a large population and complex national conditions. In order to achieve independence, development, and prosperity it must have robust and decisive leadership. It is the CPC's solidarity and unity, its firm leadership, and its strong governance capability that have rallied and united hundreds of millions of the Chinese people and overcome a multitude of difficulties and crises.

1. A Strong Central Committee

The CPC is a mature Marxist political party organized in accordance with the principle of democratic centralism. Upholding the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized leadership has always been one of the Party's fundamental operational principles. Democratic centralism involves Party members deferring to Party organizations, the minority deferring to the majority, lower-level Party organizations deferring to higher-level organizations, and the whole Party deferring to the Central Committee. This and upholding the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized leadership are strengths the Party has built from valuable experience gained during revolution, reconstruction and reform.

Upholding the Central Committee's authority and its centralized leadership has led to smooth and steady progress in China, and ensures the CPC's position as the governing party and the country's long-term stability.

The first generation of the CPC central collective leadership with Mao Zedong at the core united the whole Party and the people and led them on the revolutionary path, using rural areas to encircle the cities and seizing state power with military force. It was under its centralized leadership that the Party and the people completed the New Democratic Revolution, founded the People's Republic of China, succeeded in socialist revolution, established socialism as the country's basic system, and advanced socialist development. All of this led to success in the broadest and most profound social transformation in the history of the Chinese nation. It also laid down the political and institutional groundwork for all future progress and provided invaluable experience, a theoretical base, and the material conditions for Chinese socialism in the new historical period.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 1978, the second generation of the Party's central collective leadership with Deng Xiaoping at the core led the Party and the people in a historic shift of focus to economic development and reform and opening up. Based on its keen understanding of the essence of socialism, the Party established its basic line for the primary stage of socialism, made it clear that China must define its own approach in building socialism, and provided answers to a series of basic questions. This marked the creation of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

After the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee in 1989, the third generation of the Party's central collective leadership with Jiang Zemin at the core led the Party and the people in defending socialism with Chinese characteristics in a complex domestic and international situation and in the face of serious setbacks experienced by socialism worldwide. It established the objectives and framework of reform for developing the socialist market economy, and put in place basic economic and distribution systems in the primary stage of socialism, advancing Chinese socialism into the 21st century.

After the 16th CPC National Congress in 2002, the Central Committee with Hu Jintao as general secretary led the Party and the people in promoting innovation in theory, practice, and systems in the course of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, with a focus on people-centered, all-round, coordinated, and sustainable development, and upholding and building socialism with Chinese characteristics, at a new historical point.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core has led the Party and the people in pursuing a great struggle, a great project, a great cause, and a great dream, upholding and improving the Party's overall leadership, and implementing the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy. The Party has made greater efforts to improve Chinese socialism, modernize the system and capacity for governing the country, and uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics. All of this has prompted historic shifts and led to historic achievements in the cause of the Party and the country, ushering Chinese socialism into a new era. The prospects of national rejuvenation are ever brighter.

Since 2012, the CPC Central Committee has taken a series of effective measures to strengthen the overall leadership by the Party and uphold the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized leadership. The central leadership has emphasized that:

(1) The Party exercises leadership over all areas of endeavor across the country and is the highest force for political leadership;

(2) Upholding overall Party leadership means first and foremost upholding the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized leadership, which is the highest principle of the Party's leadership and the fundamental political discipline and rule;

(3) It is important to strengthen the consciousness of the need to maintain political commitment, think in terms of the broader picture, follow the core leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and act in accordance with its requirements; to enhance confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of Chinese socialism; and to resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position in the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole.

The 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 emphasized: "Leadership by the CPC is the defining feature of Chinese socialism and the greatest strength of this system. The Party is the highest force for political leadership." The congress confirmed this principle as a significant element of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and this major political principle has been enshrined in the CPC Constitution. In 2018 the 13th National People's Congress adopted at its first session an amendment to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China. In addition to providing for the CPC's leading position in its Preamble, the amended Constitution explicitly stipulates in its General Principles that leadership by the Party is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

To uphold the CPC Central Committee's authority and its centralized leadership through concrete actions, the CPC has improved its leadership system and its working mechanism. The Central Committee has issued a series of regulations to this end:

• ensuring Party organizations and initiatives cover all  areas;  

• improving the system by which the Central Committee exercises leadership over major tasks;

• strengthening the roles and functions of relevant Central Committee offices in decision-making, deliberation and coordination, and improving the mechanism by which the Central Committee's major decisions are implemented;

• strictly enforcing the system by which all important issues are promptly reported;

• developing practical measures and making institutional arrangements to implement the principle of upholding the Central Committee's authority and its centralized leadership.

In recent years, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has held dedicated meetings to hear annual work reports of CPC leadership groups of the NPC Standing Committee, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the report of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat. Each member of the Political Bureau has submitted a written work report to the Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping every year. This has been one of the institutional arrangements for strengthening and upholding the Central Committee's centralized leadership.

To uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized leadership, a robust leadership core is the top priority. During the New Democratic Revolution, it was at the Zunyi Conference in 1935 that Mao Zedong was confirmed as the de facto leader of the Party Central Committee and the Red Army, and the Party's first central collective leadership with Mao Zedong at the core took shape. This move circumvented a serious threat to China's revolution and resulted in positive progress. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, with  Xi Jinping at the core of the Central Committee, the Party, the country, the people, the military, and the whole Chinese nation have made unprecedented headway.  

Over the past hundred years since its founding in 1921, the CPC has been able to build consensus among its members on the way forward and take concerted actions; the fundamental reason for this is its robust leadership core, which has played a unique and irreplaceable role in leading the Party to grow stronger despite all the difficulties it has encountered.

Both history and reality have shown to us that only with a firm and effective leadership core can the Central Committee exert authority and the Party remain strong.

Upholding the leadership core of the CPC in no way involves the creation of any kind of personality cult—something the CPC has resolutely opposed ever since it was first founded. The Party's Constitution explicitly stipulates that "The Party proscribes all forms of personality cult." The Party leadership core never wields unlimited power or engages in decision- making at will; instead, it takes on heavy responsibilities in steering the Party and the country. The CPC is organized on the basis of democratic centralism, so its leadership core functions by that principle, observes the system of collective leadership, and acts within the scope of the country's Constitution and the law. The Party leadership core does not emerge through entitlement; it is not self-proclaimed. It comes into being through long-term experience under sound leadership and as a common choice of the whole Party and the whole country.  

China's history, which dates back thousands of years, and its revolution, reconstruction and reform have fully demonstrated that only with a robust centralized authority to maintain unity of the whole country and rally the people can the nation achieve long-term peace, stability, and prosperity, and the people work and live in contentment. Centralized leadership by the Party serves the best interests of the Chinese people, suits China's national conditions, and conforms to traditional Chinese culture. This is an invaluable understanding that the Chinese people have gained through years of CPC leadership. There is a common purpose behind the conscious commitment of the Party and the Chinese people to uphold the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized leadership, and to protect and be loyal to the leadership core.

2. Sound Guidelines and Strategies

Robust leadership comes from sound leadership; sound leadership comes from rational policymaking. For a party as large as the CPC, policymaking is its lifeline. Over the past hundred years, at every historic juncture, the CPC has been able to analyze the situation from an overall, objective and forward-looking perspective, and set forth practical goals, tasks, policies and roadmaps. It is the Party's sound guidelines that have enabled it to carry out its work in a well-organized and systematic manner.

The CPC is adept at formulating sound guidelines, principles and policies. At different historical stages, the Party has succeeded in devising the right policies based on an accurate analysis of domestic and international developments.

In the early years of the CPC, at its Second National Congress in 1922, the Party set forth its primary platform of achieving national independence and establishing a democratic republic, and its ultimate goal of realizing socialism and communism, pointing out the direction for a two-step Chinese revolution.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party identified the correct path towards ultimate success, adopting the strategy of total resistance and protracted war.

During the Socialist Revolution, the Party devised the general guideline for the transition period, mapping out the road towards socialism.

After the adoption of reform and opening up, at its 13th National Congress in 1987, the Party formulated the basic guidelines for the primary stage of socialism—One Central Task, Two Basic Points—to keep socialism with Chinese characteristics progressing on the right track.

After its 18th National Congress, in accordance with its basic theories, guidelines and policies, the Party specified the measures for upholding and developing Chinese socialism in the new era, proposing the Five-sphere Integrated Plan for coordinating economic, political, cultural, social and eco-environmental progress, and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy for achieving moderate prosperity, furthering reform, advancing the rule of law and strengthening Party  self-governance.  

It is due to sound policymaking that the great cause of the CPC has remained on the right course, the CPC has rational guidelines to follow, the Chinese people have been able to enjoy tangible benefits, and the entire Chinese nation has forged a strong synergy to pursue shared dreams and aspirations.

The CPC is adept at formulating time-phased development goals and strategies. To achieve its long-range goals, the Party has adopted progressive tactics—defining time-phased objectives and roadmaps and achieving successes in steps.

In the 1960s, after the Socialist Revolution had been completed and initial success in socialist development had been made, the Party set the goal of achieving the Four Modernizations—of industry, agriculture, national defense, and science and technology—by the end of the 20th century, and to this end devised a Two-stage Plan on Economic Development.

In the early stages of reform and opening up, the Party set the goal of providing a relatively comfortable life for the people by the end of the 20th century.

In the mid-1980s, the Party formulated a Three-step Strategy for Economic Development to meet this goal.

In the mid-1990s, the Party proposed a New Three-step Strategy for Economic Development to meet this goal.

Entering the new century, the Party proposed to build a well-off society of a higher standard in an all-round way to the benefit of well over 1 billion people in the first two decades of the 21st century.

In 2012, at its 18th National Congress, the Party set the goal of achieving moderate prosperity in all respects by 2021 when the CPC would celebrate its centenary.

In 2017, at its 19th National Congress, the Party set the goals of building on moderate prosperity in all respects to realize basic socialist modernization by 2035, and turning China into a strong, prosperous and modern socialist country by the mid-21st century.

The CPC has worked to see that the above goals and plans remain consistent, but are always adaptable to changing realities and new developments.

Centralized leadership by the Party is one of China's political strengths. It enables the Party to formulate time-phased objectives based on long-range plans. It makes it possible to balance overall with particular interests, and long-term with immediate interests, to forge unity among all social forces to achieve common goals, and to ensure consistency in the implementation of state laws and policies. A step-by-step approach to policymaking has for many years brought China ever closer to the goals of socialist modernization.

The CPC is adept at spearheading development and overcoming challenges through systematic planning. The mechanism of Five-year Plans on National Economic and Social Development has proven successful. Five years is an appropriate time span to ensure consistency in policymaking and to plan and accomplish major programs and projects. Since the implementation of the First Five-year Plan (1953-1957), the CPC has introduced a total of 14 such plans, with the 14th Five-year Plan (2021-2025) now under way.

In the 1990s, the Party launched a mechanism of 10-year Outline Programs to anticipate general trends of economic development in the next decade or the foreseeable future. The purpose is to set long-range goals, provide a framework for the Five-year Plans, and make the plans more future-oriented. In preparing Five-year Plans, the Party conducts in-depth research and many rounds of extensive consultations.

To implement its time-phased plans and programs, a system of national planning guided by the country's overall development strategies has been established. This system divides overall goals into sub-goals in different categories and at various levels to ensure coordinated nationwide development.

The system has expanded from social and economic fields to other areas of state governance. With proactive plans and feasible measures, the Party has succeeded in eliminating both "grand words and no concrete action" on long-range goals, and blinkered carthorses feverishly dragging their loads with no real idea of where they are heading.

The CPC is adept at conducting pilot programs before launching nationwide reform measures. In addressing issues vital to the economy, development and people's wellbeing, the Party opposes both conservative thinking and impetuous actions, preferring to seek practical, balanced and steady progress while encouraging bold experiments and breakthroughs. Confirming long-term development goals and implementing related policies is always preceded by small-scale pilot programs. Within the policy framework of the central government, regional pilot programs are conducted to work out specific methods, through testing, modifying and then wider application, for the implementation of a particular national policy. These specific methods, if successful, will be gradually replicated by other localities.

The Party's reform initiatives are implemented through national legislation so as to ensure their legal basis and assist their smooth and effective application. The Party attaches great importance to the rule of law and considers it a guarantee for consolidating the foundations of the Party's governance, meeting people's expectations, and maintaining long-term development. Successful reform measures are codified into state laws and policies in a timely manner.

To mitigate the risks of any social instability or other problems that might arise from the ill-judged nationwide rollout of a pilot program, the Party conducts timely analysis of the results of the pilot and makes the appropriate policy adjustments.

The Party has launched a series of major reform initiatives through pilot programs, including:

• special economic zones,

• China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone,

• Xiong'an New Area,

• Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone for Chinese Socialism,

• Pudong Leading Pilot Zone for Socialist Modernization Through High-level Reform and Opening Up,

• Zhejiang Demonstration Zone for Common Prosperity Through High-quality Development.

The pilot approach has ensured that vigorous reform can make steady progress. It has made national policies more creative and adaptable, and facilitated positive interaction between the policymaking of central government and the innovative initiatives of local government.

Through constant experiment and practice, China has created a positive cycle—promoting reform through pilot programs, propelling development through reform, maintaining stability through development, and winning public support for reform by sharing the fruits of development achievements with the people.

3. Effective Implementation of Decisions and Plans

If there were no strong organizational support and disciplinary restraints, the CPC would become fragmented and remain weak in spite of its massive size. Over the past hundred years, the Party has been consistent in building its organization, tightening its discipline and strengthening the rule of law. It has united tens of millions of Party members and organized hundreds of millions of Chinese people, thereby ensuring that its decisions and plans are implemented in a timely, resolute and forceful manner.

The CPC has built an organizational system featuring unimpeded communication and effective policy implementation at all levels. Prior to and during the creation of the CPC, its founders aimed to establish a strong and tightly-knit organization. Over the years, the Party has established a sound and complete structure consisting of the central, local and grassroots units.

The highest leading bodies of the Party are the National Congress, and the Central Committee which it elects. The Central Committee, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau are like the brain and nerve center of a body. The Central Committee is responsible for formulating the Party's policies and guidelines. Therefore, it has the authority to make the final decisions.

Local Party organizations are responsible for implementing the Central Committee's decisions and plans in their respective areas, and for reporting feedback and suggestions from grassroots Party organizations and Party members to the Central Committee. Hence they are important intermediate links helping realize the smooth transmission and implementation of policies.

There are more than 4.86 million grassroots Party organizations, widely distributed in enterprises, villages, Party and government institutions, schools, research institutes, sub-districts, communities, social organizations, military units and other grassroots entities. They are like the nerve endings of the Party, responsible for implementing, at the relevant level, the decisions and plans of the Central Committee and the Party organizations at each successive level up. They also collect and report the concerns and suggestions of Party members and the people. More than 95 million Party members also play an exemplary role in grassroots organizations.

With such an extensive, well-knit and strong organizational system, the Central Committee can command with flexibility and efficiency the subordinate Party organizations just as the brain employs the arms and the arms employ the fingers. This is why the Party's policies, guidelines, decisions and plans are implemented fully and rapidly at the grassroots. This is why the Party's organizations and members keep close ties with the people and constantly reinforce the foundations of the Party's governance.

The CPC has strict discipline and rules. Discipline is the lifeline of the Party. Without strict discipline, there would be no unity and solidarity in the Party, policies would not be communicated and implemented smoothly, and the Party's cohesiveness and leadership would be seriously weakened.

In the years of revolutionary war, convinced that "the army will win all battles in revolution as long as discipline is strengthened", the Party issued the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention. It used these to reinforce its internal unity and win popular support.

After the beginning of reform and opening up, in response to the adverse impact of bourgeois liberalization and the decadent Western lifestyle, the Party proposed that unity depends on ideals and discipline, and made great efforts to strengthen discipline.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has employed the enforcement of discipline as an essential tool in its full and rigorous self-governance. It has prioritized its efforts to enforce strict political discipline and rules, and is committed to running itself with rigor by forming a sound system of Party regulations. It has strengthened guidance and management of Party members, and strictly investigated and punished violations of discipline and rules. As a result, the principle of observing the Party's Constitution, discipline and rules has become more firmly established.

Strict discipline and rules and a sound organizational system ensure that the sophisticated machine of the Party runs efficiently, with all its parts well-coordinated, generating a powerful force.

The CPC ensures that its leadership is followed in all aspects of state governance. As a governing party, the CPC exercises governance and realizes its goals by establishing and improving the state governance system. By exercising leadership over departments running state power, and embodying its leadership in the design, setup and functioning of state power systems and institutions, the Party has effectively integrated its views with the will of the state.

The Party actively supports the work of the government in accordance with the Constitution and other laws. With the Party supervising officials and exercising leadership over staff, the CPC selects talented people of integrity and ability, and recommends candidates for leadership positions in government in accordance with statutory procedures. The Party exercises leadership over the state and society through the agencies of state power, and thus ensures that its decisions are implemented in the governance of the country.

The Party establishes Party committees or Party leadership groups in government agencies, public institutions, people's organizations, social groups, enterprises and other entities, and places them under the unified leadership of the Party organizations at the next level up. The Party sets up and improves Party organizations in non-public economic entities and social organizations, to ensure that its leadership reaches all social undertakings.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has further reformed Party and government institutions, and conducted thorough and systematic restructuring of the organization and management of the Party and the government. As a result, the Party's leadership system and the government's administrative system have improved, and the leadership of the Party and the government's capacity to deliver have been strengthened.

The integration of the Party leadership's political strengths and the government's institutional strengths unites the Party, the government and the people behind shared goals, interests and aspirations. This generates a huge cohesive force, keeps internal differences to a minimum, and significantly raises the efficiency of state governance. This is a clear manifestation of the institutional strengths of socialism with Chinese  characteristics.  

The CPC ensures effective implementation of its policies through the rule of law. Respecting and practicing the rule of law are essential to good governance and the implementation of the Party's policies. The CPC is committed to law-based governance and always applies law-based thinking and approaches to consolidate its governing status, improve its approach to governance, and strengthen its governance capability.

During the New Democratic Revolution, the Party supervised the formulation and implementation of laws on land, marriage, labor, finance and other matters in the Central Soviet Area, the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region and other areas under its rule.

After founding the PRC, the Party applied its successful experience in introducing a new legal system in base areas during the New Democratic Revolution, and laid the foundations of socialist rule of law.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, the Party reviewed the experience and lessons it had learned in building democracy and the legal system. It used this review to accelerate the implementation of socialist rule of law and establish law-based governance as the basic means of governing the country, and law-based exercise of state power as the basic tool for governance.

Since the 18th National Congress, to consolidate its position as the governing party and ensure lasting peace and stability, the CPC has emphasized the importance of the rule of law. Comprehensively advancing the rule of law is one prong of the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy. The Party provides guidance for legislation, guarantees law enforcement, supports judicial justice, and plays an exemplary role in abiding by the law. It holds that respecting the Constitution is essential to law-based governance. The Party is improving its working mechanisms for exercising law-based governance to ensure effective implementation of its policies through the law, and to modernize China's governance system and capacity.

4. Pooling the Efforts of All Sectors

The CPC is strong because it has always placed the united front in an important position. It has ensured great unity and solidarity, and balanced commonality and diversity. It has strengthened theoretical and political guidance, built broad consensus, brought together the brightest minds, and expanded common ground and the convergence of interests.

It has always consolidated and developed the broadest possible front, combining all the forces that can be united, mobilizing all positive factors, and pooling as much strength as possible for collective endeavors. The patriotic united front is an important means for the Party to unite all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, both at home and abroad, behind the goal of national rejuvenation.

The CPC has united with and pooled the efforts of all sectors to defeat powerful enemies. During the Great Revolution, the Party actively called for cooperation with the KMT, which resulted in a nationalist revolutionary united front, striking a blow against foreign imperialist forces in China and ending the reactionary rule of the Northern Warlords.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the CPC campaigned for a national united front. Workers, peasants, urban petty bourgeoisie, national bourgeoisie, overseas Chinese, and some landlords and compradors answered the call in various ways, waging an all-out people's war.

During the War of Liberation, the Party united all possible forces in both rural and urban areas, even among the KMT troops, forming the broadest possible people's democratic united front. The extensive support of so many parties was indispensable to the victory of the PLA in the three major campaigns and to the rapid success of the War of Liberation.

The CPC has founded a people's government in which all parties participate. During its Yan'an Period (1935-1948), the Party proposed a "democratic coalition government", with CPC members, non-CPC progressives, and centrists each accounting for one third of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region government. This aroused great enthusiasm among all parties involved in the arrangement.

Shortly before the founding of the PRC, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was convened at the behest of the CPC. The CPC, the other political parties, the non-affiliates, people's organizations, and the PLA were all represented, as were various regions and ethnic groups and overseas Chinese. On behalf of some 400 million Chinese people, they engaged in a lively democratic debate and agreed on the terms for the founding of the People's Republic.

After the PRC was founded, the Party continued to maintain the people's democratic united front, involving participants from all walks of life in reconstruction.

After policies for reform and opening up were implemented, the CPC united workers, farmers, intellectuals, and other patriots, regardless of their party affiliation or ethnic background, expanding the patriotic united front and making it as broad as possible. Formed of all builders of socialism, patriotic supporters of socialism, and patriots who support the reunification of the country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the front represents a combined effort to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The CPC has formed a new political party system. During the long process of revolution, reconstruction and reform, the CPC, together with the other political parties and the non-affiliates, has formed a CPC-led system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation based on long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity and sharing weal and woe. This new model can truly, extensively, and consistently promote the interests of the maximum number of people of all ethnic groups and social sectors. It is effective in avoiding the drawbacks of the old political party system that stood for only a small number of people and interest groups, and it can prevent the frequent changes of regime caused by internal strife among political parties.

As the governing party, the CPC is willing and able to hear opinions, and accept scrutiny and criticism. As participants in socialism with Chinese characteristics, the non-CPC political parties function as advisors and assistants of the CPC, and play an active role in establishing the people's government and formulating important national strategies and policies. They have played a key role in devising and implementing national policies, laws and regulations.

The CPC has systematically inspired and rallied the people to work together and make progress. Growing affluence and an extended period of peace may breed mammonism, hedonism and self-centrism, leading to a weakening of resolve, a loss of fighting spirit, and a decline in social cohesion.

Always conscious of this, while promoting continuous progress in material terms, the CPC also attaches great importance to education in culture and ethics. It carries out systematic campaigns to encourage the general public to study the Party's theories, ideals, beliefs, and spirit, so as to strengthen guidance and create a positive atmosphere for social development, unity and progress.

The CPC has stepped up education of young people, encouraging them to hold fast to its ideals and beliefs, carry forward the revolutionary spirit, and pass down revolutionary traditions. The Party works to ensure that they are on the right track when starting their lives. Thus, under the CPC's leadership, they will be able to safeguard the socialist country and pass it from generation to generation.

The CPC has gathered the strengths of overseas Chinese. Overseas Chinese are important members of the great Chinese family, and a vital force for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The Party has united with and called on them to play their part in national revival.

Overseas Chinese, with the motherland and hometown in their hearts, have given unstinting support to China's revolution, reconstruction and reform, and made a huge contribution to the development of the nation, the reunification of the motherland, and the cooperation between the peoples of China and other countries. China's growing prosperity and national rejuvenation have given a great boost to their pride in the nation and sense of identity.

5. Fostering High-Caliber Party Officials

With the CPC's political guidelines clearly defined, how officials carry out their duties makes a great difference to the performance of the Party. The CPC can realize its overall leadership over state affairs and in all sectors of society because a large number of high-caliber officials play their role to the best of their ability.

The CPC attracts progressive individuals. For millennia, dedicated progressives in China have demonstrated a deep concern for the country and the people. Today they are attracted to the CPC to realize their aspirations, as the Party's ideals, beliefs and principles are consistent with their values and goals.

In the early years of the CPC, a large number of young intellectuals left their well-off families and joined the Party in its struggle, ready to sacrifice their lives for the Chinese revolution wherever and whenever they might be called upon to do so.

During the Yan'an period, progressive individuals from every sector of society overcame great difficulties to make the testing journey from all parts of the country to Yan'an, where the CPC Central Committee was located. Many young patriots were willing to risk their lives to complete the journey.

After the founding of the PRC, many outstanding overseas Chinese scientists made great efforts to break through the Western blockade and return to China in order to work for the country.

Today's China, on the path to greater prosperity and development, provides an even larger arena for talented individuals to fulfill their aspirations.

Throughout history, the CPC has always been able to gather the most outstanding social groups, all dedicated to the nation's independence, the people's liberation and wellbeing, and the country's prosperity.

The CPC values talented and capable professionals. Selecting and appointing talent has always been of fundamental importance in advancing the cause of the Party and the people.

During the revolutionary war years, the CPC trained a large number of qualified officials who were loyal to the Party, brave and skillful in battle, and unafraid to sacrifice their lives.

After the founding of the PRC, as the CPC shifted its focus from rural areas to cities, and from war to reconstruction, it trained a cohort of officials who were politically solid and  professionally competent.  

After the beginning of reform and opening up, to facilitate socialist modernization, the CPC began to select officials who were younger, better educated, more professional, and more dedicated to the revolution. A group of young officials committed to reform rose to positions of leadership.

Since its 18th National Congress, selecting and training officials, and tightening their discipline, have been key to strengthening the Party. The CPC has further clarified the standards and procedures for selecting officials for the new era, enabling a large number of outstanding candidates to emerge.

The CPC selects competent officials and puts them to good use. Drawing on domestic and foreign experience, the CPC has developed a comprehensive system for selecting, appointing, training, managing, evaluating and incentivizing officials, allowing competent officials to be identified and trained, then assigned to the posts where they are most needed.

The Party selects officials regardless of background, on the basis of both integrity and ability, with priority given to integrity. The Party appoints officials who are dedicated, impartial, upright, pragmatic and successful.

Qualified officials must be firm in their ideals and convictions, willing to serve the people, diligent in work, ready to take on responsibilities, honest and upright.

The recruitment of officials is based on the results of fair national exams and reviews.

The promotion of officials, based on the assessment of integrity, ability, diligence, performance and incorruptibility, follows strict procedures—recommendation by Party organizations, assessment by the public, oral inquiries, and group discussions. To prevent incompetent or even corrupt officials from being promoted, the Party has adopted the mechanism of Four Musts for the selection and appointment of officials at all levels.

To improve officials' performance, the Party provides them with training in various forms, including on-the-job training and assignment to temporary posts, rotating posts, and concurrent Party/administrative posts. The aim is to train competent and professional officials who are loyal, honest and upright.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has grown into a towering tree with its roots spreading throughout China, drawing on a wealth of experience from Marxism and serving 1.4 billion people. The CPC Central Committee with its leadership core is the trunk of the tree, the Party organizations at all levels the branches, and 95 million Party members the leaves. The tree continues to grow with vigor and vitality, impervious to wind and storm.

IV. Maintaining Vigor and Vitality  

Forever young are the revolutionaries. The CPC has always been able to maintain vigor and vitality and stand at the forefront of the times despite the many hardships it has endured in the past hundred years. This is because it has constantly engaged in significant self-reform while leading the people in a great social revolution. To maintain its health and vigor, it exercises effective self-supervision, practices strict self-discipline in every respect, consistently pursues improvement, and advances with the times.

1. Upholding Intra-Party Democracy

The CPC's advocacy and promotion of democracy is demonstrated first in its application within the Party. To achieve intra-Party democracy and create a political model characterized by centralism and democracy, by discipline and freedom, and by unity of will and individual initiative, the Party mobilizes all its members' dynamism and creativity in exploring the optimum models.

Advancing intra-Party democracy. Upon its founding the CPC specified provisions on criteria for full Party membership, Party organizations at all levels and Party discipline, which all embodied the principle of democratic centralism.

Some of the major decisions made by the CPC after the founding of the PRC included improving democratic centralism, making Party affairs transparent, establishing a system of Party congresses with a fixed term, and protecting and expanding Party members' democratic rights.

After the launch of reform and opening up, the Party made an important judgment—that "intra-Party democracy is the Party's lifeline".

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has stepped up efforts to strengthen intra-Party democracy.

The CPC Central Committee leads by example in passing on the Party's finest traditions and work styles and developing them at every level. It has created a more favorable environment for intra-Party democracy.

Democratic decision-making has been extended. The CPC Central Committee and the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee carry out in-depth research and solicit opinions from subordinate Party organizations and Party members before making major decisions and plans.

Reports to the Party congresses, documents of the plenary sessions of the Central Committee, other important documents and major decisions of the Party, and key measures for reform and development are drafted and issued after appropriate intra-Party consultations, in some cases amounting to several rounds.

A vigorous campaign has been conducted to regulate political activities and conduct within the Party. The Political Bureau takes the lead in holding meetings for criticism and self-criticism. Differences of opinions among Party leaders on policy and work can be discussed in pursuit of consensus.

With the Central Committee leading by example, intra-Party democracy in Party organizations at all levels has been constantly improved, intra-Party activities are more vigorous, and officials have taken the lead in practicing democracy in their work.

Respecting the principal position of Party members and protecting their democratic rights. Party members play a principal role in intra-Party democracy. All Party members, regardless of occupation, position, Party standing and age, enjoy equal status and equal rights in political activities within the Party. They have the right to attend relevant Party meetings, read relevant Party documents, and benefit from Party education and training, to participate in discussion on questions concerning Party policy at Party meetings and in Party newspapers and periodicals, to make suggestions and proposals regarding the work of the Party, and to participate in voting and stand for election.

Within the Party, democratic channels are open and unimpeded. Party members can express their views freely, frankly and honestly at Party meetings. Arguments over differences of opinions are encouraged. Much information from the grassroots is accurately conveyed to the upper levels through unblocked democratic channels. Genuine and extensive intra-Party democracy increases Party members' enthusiasm, initiative, creativity, and will to participate in intra-Party affairs, and pools their wisdom and ingenuity.

Applying intra-Party democracy in elections, decision-making, management and oversight. The Party's major decisions and plans are made after soliciting opinions from a wide range of Party members. The Party upholds collective leadership. Party committees at all levels combine

collective leadership with individual responsibility based on the division of work. Decisions on major issues are made after discussion in accordance with the principles of collective leadership, democratic centralism, pre-meeting reflection, and meeting-based decision-making, with the minority deferring to the majority.

The intra-Party election system has been improved. Delegates to Party congresses and members of Party committees at all levels are elected, and reflect the will of the electorate.

Continuous efforts have been made to strengthen internal oversight, focusing on leading Party organs and Party members in leadership positions, and particularly those holding principal positions in leadership teams.

In the selection and appointment of officials, democratic recommendation and appraisal is a basic step and an essential requirement. Intra-Party democracy at the grassroots is practiced in many forms, and direct elections are held by most primary-level Party organizations.

As the CPC is the governing party, its progress in intra-Party democracy exerts an important and positive influence on the state's politics, and on society and the economy. Party officials at all levels and Party members have vigorously advanced people's democracy by applying democratic ideas, habits, conduct and traditions fostered within the Party, influencing others and nurturing a democratic atmosphere in their own fields, enhancing the sense of democracy around them, and strictly abiding by the law and regulations.

2. Correcting Mistakes

In the course of leading China's revolution, reconstruction and reform to great success, the CPC has made mistakes and experienced setbacks. It has faced up to its problems and mistakes, and corrected them by upholding the truth. Through trial and error, it has grown stronger and better, and continues to lead the people forward.

The CPC openly confronts its shortcomings and errors. As a party in service of the people, it is not afraid of criticism of its shortcomings. It always retains what is right and corrects what is wrong, all in the best interests of the people. After the Great Leap Forward, Mao Zedong offered to take responsibility for the mistake. The Party leadership explained to the other political parties and non-affiliates that the CPC and particularly its Central Committee should take the main responsibility for the error, and offered sincere self-criticism.

The attitude of a Marxist party towards its mistakes is an important means to gauge whether it can fulfill its responsibilities towards the people, and whether it is truly a capable organization. In the case of the CPC, as a large Marxist party it always acts in ways commensurate with its character, breadth of vision, and sense of responsibility. Seeking truth from facts, it remains open to criticism and suggestions, and this has won understanding and support from the public.

The CPC learns from its mistakes, and, while correcting them, presses on. It has the courage to do this precisely because it has a deep love for the people and a strong sense of its cause. It applies the fundamental principle of democratic centralism, and employs the powerful weapon of criticism and self-criticism. Honestly acknowledging its problems and mistakes, including those of its leaders, the CPC has always conducted careful analysis of root causes and taken resolute measures to correct them. Its mistakes, failures, and lessons, together with its successes, all serve as an invaluable textbook.

During the New Democratic Revolution, the CPC drew lessons from the failed Great Revolution and from its defeat in the KMT's fifth encirclement and suppression campaign. It subsequently led the Chinese revolution onto the correct path.

During socialist revolution and reconstruction, the Party corrected the mistakes of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, and conducted a comprehensive, in-depth review of the hard lessons it had learned, thus laying the groundwork for socialism with Chinese characteristics.

In the long-term fight against both Leftist and Rightist tendencies, the Party has made its position clear in the Resolution on Certain Issues in the History of the CPC (released in 1945) and the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the CPC Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China (released in 1981). The two resolutions document grave problems and mistakes in the history of the Party. They analyze the root causes and draw objective conclusions regarding important historical events and figures. In this way the whole Party has come to a clear consensus on its past and thus grown stronger in unity.

Every political party makes mistakes. What matters most is whether it can learn from its mistakes and improve itself. The CPC is a great and glorious party that charts the correct course. This does not mean that it never errs, but that it adopts the correct approach to its mistakes, corrects them, and learns from them. To uphold truth and correct any mistake is the Party's approach to always serving the people and putting people first.

3. Protecting the Party's Health

In revolution, reconstruction and reform, the CPC has been and will be confronted with all kinds of tests, including temptations from the outside world. Any slackness in enforcing Party self-discipline or any negative shift in its members' thinking and behavior will erode its health. With that in mind, the Party takes resolute measures against all phenomena that may undermine its integrity and progressive nature. It treats any signs or symptoms of disease as soon as they appear and promptly removes any virus or tumor identified in order to protect its health.

Maintaining the vitality of Party members. As Party members play the primary role in implementing CPC programs and activities, the Party attaches great importance to strengthening its membership in both quantitative and qualitative terms and making them a strong and united contingent of staunch Communists. In all historical periods, in the light of changing circumstances, the Party has given particular attention to replenishing its ranks by admitting progressive people from all sectors of society, so that it always represents the fundamental interests of the people. Although the eligibility and procedures for Party membership have varied in different periods, the requirements for Party members always remain high and procedures for joining the Party always remain rigorous. Personal status, level of education and financial background are irrelevant to qualification for CPC membership, but political and moral requirements are strict. An applicant must go through stringent procedures and undergo rigorous education and observation for a probationary period before becoming a full member.

The CPC considers it imperative to strengthen the education and management of its members, regardless of their origins and background, to forge resolute Communists. Every Party member, irrespective of position, must join a branch, group, or other given unit of the Party. They must participate in the

regular activities of the Party organizations, place themselves under the scrutiny of people both within and outside the Party, and engage in criticism and self-criticism.

In addition to regular education and day-to-day management, the CPC also carries out themed education programs focusing on the situations and tasks that it faces in any given period, and on the prominent problems that confront its members. The Party gives priority to improving its conduct and regards this as a major issue that has a direct impact on its prospects of winning or losing public support and on the very survival of the Party. To forever maintain its close ties with the people, it applies resolute and effective measures to prevent or punish any action that creates barriers between the Party and the people or infringes on their interests.

The Party is mostly composed of sound and committed members, yet it is inevitable that some of them may become fainthearts, dissidents, corrupt elements, or traitors. To its underperforming members the Party sounds a warning and instructs them to rectify their conduct in a timely manner; it resolutely expels those with serious failings.

Panel 3 Maintaining Integrity of  Party Organizations  

In the Rectification Movement from the second half of 1951 to the spring of 1954, 410,000 out of 6.5 million members were expelled from the Party or urged to withdraw.

In the Rectification Campaign from 1983 to 1987, through membership registration and management by Party organizations, nearly 33,900 members were expelled from the Party, 90,000 were denied registration, 145,000 had their registration suspended, and 184,000 were subjected to disciplinary sanctions such as probation within the Party, removal from a position within the Party, recommended removal from a position outside the Party, warning, and severe warning.

The Party Member Re-registration in 1989 and 1990 involved 3.75 million Party members working in central and local departments. In this process, appropriate action was taken against substandard members, who represented a very small minority, and disciplinary sanctions were imposed on members who had violated Party discipline.

Between the Party's 18th National Congress in November 2012 and May 2021, 4,089,000 people were investigated by disciplinary and supervisory departments across the country, 453 of whom were senior officials. Among those investigated, 3,742,000 were given Party disciplinary and/or administrative sanctions.

Strengthening checks and scrutiny over the exercise of power. The mandate of the CPC comes from the people and must be exercised in the interests of the people. The Party is always soberly aware of this. Upon its founding, the Party stipulated that the finances, activities and policies of local committees would be supervised by the Central Executive Committee. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party made it clear that only under public scrutiny could a government be clean and efficient. Soon after the founding of the PRC, the Party set up commissions for disciplinary inspection and the state established supervisory departments at the central and local levels to bring officials under closer scrutiny, especially those in senior positions. Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the Party has actively pressed forward with reform of the system of Party and state leadership, improving the mechanisms for deliberation and decision-making within Party committees, and establishing and improving a framework for the exercise of power under which decision-making power, executive power and supervisory power are mutually exclusive but are coordinated with each other. Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has been strengthening checks on and scrutiny over the exercise of power as an important part of its full and strict self-discipline.

Focusing on confining the exercise of power in an institutional cage, the Party gives prominence to scrutiny of the "key few"—the principal members of the leadership teams at all levels. It is improving its regulatory system for internal oversight, the priorities being the introduction of provisions on tours of disciplinary inspection and the regulations on internal scrutiny. While strengthening the deterrent role of disciplinary inspection, the Party has launched massive inspection campaigns and dispatched resident disciplinary inspection agencies to the central-level departments of the Party and the government. It works to extend reform of the national supervision system and integrates intra-Party oversight with oversight by state organs, democratic oversight, judicial oversight, public oversight, and oversight by the media, to ensure that power is exercised under public  scrutiny.  

Resolutely combating corruption. Corruption is a major threat to the Party's survival. The CPC is fully aware of the harm that corruption can do and tolerates no corruption. At its very beginning, the Party cautioned that it must stay keenly alert to the entryism of corrupt elements, and vowed to resolutely expel bad elements and fight against negative trends. In the early years of the PRC, the Party launched the campaign against the "three evils" of corruption, waste and bureaucratism within Party and government institutions. In particular, the death penalties imposed on Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan, both of whom had performed with great merit in the revolutionary war but later degenerated into major embezzlers, sent a shockwave through the whole Party.

Since its 18th National Congress, facing a situation where corruption had been a growing problem in the Party for some time, the CPC has demonstrated its commitment to resolute action. It would rather offend a few thousand corrupt officials than fail to live up to the expectations of 1.4 billion Chinese people. It has remained firm in its determination and demonstrated great courage in combating corruption. Just as heavy doses of medicine are needed to treat serious disease, stringent measures must be applied to address serious corruption. To this end, the Party has allowed no safe haven, left no stone unturned, and shown no tolerance in fighting corruption. It has taken firm action to "take out tigers", "swat flies", and "hunt down foxes". To form a powerful deterrent it has punished corruption with decisive measures and overwhelming severity. At the same time it has taken a systemic approach to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption, ensuring that officials do not dare to be, are denied the opportunity to be, and have no wish to be corrupt. As a result, a crushing victory has been won in the anti-corruption campaign and the success has been consolidated. In resolving the issue of corruption, a persistent problem in governance at all times and across the globe, the Party has adopted an uncompromising attitude and taken concrete actions.

Preventing the formation of an entitled elite in the Party. The CPC has drawn profound lessons from examples of failure or ineffective leadership of political parties or states throughout history and across the world. It is always strict with itself, with its Central Committee, and with its senior officials. In the years of revolutionary war, the Party's top leaders and other officials at all levels stood together with the rank and file through thick and thin, forming an invincible force. After the founding of the PRC, the Party adopted rigorous measures to bring senior officials under closer scrutiny. In the early years of reform and opening up, it set out provisions delimiting the legitimate privileges of senior officials, and emphasizing that they must take the lead in carrying forward the Party's fine traditions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Central Committee has played a model role in strictly observing its Eight Rules. It opposes corruption and the Four Malfeasances, as well as any sense of entitlement and the inclination to act on it. It has issued a series of rectifying measures on the assignment of offices, official vehicles, and immediate staff, and on spending in the performance of official duties, with the goal of strictly delimiting the privileges of officials, especially senior officials. All of this has led to a complete change in the whole ethos of the Party and society. As a result, the Party has boosted the faith of its members and the people, and enhanced its image and authority in their hearts.

4. Promoting Study and Review

The CPC is a capable party. Over the past hundred years, it has led the people to numerous great achievements: defeating the many and strong with the few and weak in war, maintaining rapid economic growth and lasting social stability, and turning the impossible into the possible again and again. The reasons that the Party has been able to stand in the forefront of the times, respond to complex circumstances, and complete arduous tasks, are twofold. One is its emphasis on study and review; the other its commitment to drawing on good experience from other countries to strengthen its own capability for revolution, reconstruction and reform.

The CPC is a learning party. Its nature and mission  require it to devote attention to learning, be adept at learning, and continue to learn. Facing developments and changes in its circumstances and tasks, the Party has always been modest, learning from the people, from experience, from history and from other countries.  

In the years of revolutionary war, it was by learning that the Party found the correct path for the Chinese revolution. After the founding of the PRC, it was by learning that the CPC was able to quickly restore the economy, winning praise and respect from those doubting its ability. After the launch of reform and opening up, it was by learning that the Party opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the new era of surging modern information technology and a complex domestic and international landscape, the Party has set a major task—to develop itself into a learning, service-oriented, and innovative Marxist governing party, launching campaigns to encourage learning within the Party to strengthen its ability in governance.

The CPC gives priority to learning by officials, particularly those in leading positions, through which it has cultivated a strong contingent of individuals capable of leading the Party, governing the country, and commanding the military. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has a system of regular group study sessions, playing an exemplary and leading role for the whole Party. There is also a system of study groups for leading officials, under which Party committees and Party leadership groups at all levels hold study sessions on different topics on a regular basis. Various activities are organized to educate Party members on the current situation and the Party's targeted policies. Training on a large scale and at multiple levels is conducted by central and local Party schools or schools of governance. This requirement for learning and being able to learn has enabled the Party to adapt to changing circumstances, foster new ideas, acquire new skills and solve new problems. It is through learning that the Party has succeeded in the past, and it is through learning that it will succeed in the future.

The CPC has grown strong by reviewing experience and summarizing the lessons learned. Whether in times of war or peace, Party organizations, from the top-level Central Committee to the grassroots, produce a review after completing a project or major task, so that they can identify successes, remedy shortcomings, and move forward. Being diligent in and adept at reviewing experience has become an important part of the Party's theoretical and practical work. In addition to summing up successful experience, the CPC attaches great importance to drawing lessons from and learning from failures. Problems and mistakes—particularly serious ones—and the requirements revealed by such mistakes and problems are often worth summarizing. Throughout its history, the CPC has been able to draw lessons from every major error, in order to advance its cause. From this progressive spiral of review, summary, and action the CPC has extracted important experience, and gone on to make changes of historic significance.

Contemporary China is the extension and development of China in the past. The CPC pays close attention to learning from history and constantly emphasizes the significance of such learning. By studying its own history and the history of China, including the PRC, reform and opening up, and the development of socialism, the Party has been able to move forward based on historical experience. To learn from history the CPC draws on wisdom and nutrients from the best of traditional Chinese culture, and at the same time learns lessons from the rise and fall of previous regimes or political powers. It reminds the whole Party not to commit the same errors. The CPC also sums up experience and lessons from other political parties around the world and from the world socialist movement, to reflect on and improve its work, reinforce its ability to govern the country, and combat corruption.

The CPC is an open-minded party. Proceeding from China's realities, the Party absorbs and draws on all the excellent achievements of human civilization. After the founding of the PRC, it learned from the Soviet Union how to carry out socialist revolution and how to build socialism, which helped it to restore and develop the economy and advance socialist transformation and industrialization.

After the launch of reform and opening up, it drew on advanced operating models, managerial experience, and technologies that embody the laws of modern socialized production. What the Party learned from the rest of the world, including developed capitalist countries, helped advance China's modernization.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has promoted exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, expanded the sharing of experience with political parties from other countries, and strengthened communication and cooperation in many forms and at multiple levels with political parties around the world. Through consultation and cooperation with other political parties, the CPC has strengthened China's ties with other countries in pursuit of common development and mutual benefit.

Over the past hundred years, the CPC has remained robust and vibrant despite having undergone so many trials and tribulations. An important reason for this is that it has had the courage to carry out self-reform. On the way ahead, the Party will still face dangers—loss of drive, incompetence, disengagement from the people, inaction, or corruption. And it will still be confronted with tests of its capacity to exercise governance of the country, carry out reform and opening up, develop the market economy, and respond to external volatility.

However, after a hundred years of hard struggle, the CPC has the courage and ability to carry out self-reform and is able to meet any challenge and withstand any test. It will never change or betray its nature. It will always remain dynamic and grow stronger.

V. Contributing to World Peace and Development

The CPC is a political party that seeks happiness for the people and progress for humanity. No matter how the global situation might have changed, the CPC has always pursued the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom. It has championed internationalism, stood on the right side of history and the progressive side of humanity, and contributed to world peace and development.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has moved closer to the center of the world stage. Playing a more active role in international affairs, the Party has consistently promoted major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and the building of a global community of shared future. It has won respect from peace-loving people throughout the world with real actions, and friends of the CPC and the Chinese people are to be found all over the world.

1. Safeguarding World Peace

Having gone through many testing times in pursuing national independence and the people's liberation, the CPC deeply understands how precious peace is. In a complex world, the CPC has always championed justice, peace, democracy and multilateralism  while opposing war, hegemony and unilateralism.  

Defending world peace in World War II (WWII). During this epic war on which the future of humanity depended, the CPC fought for peace and justice. In a complex conflict involving nations and domestic classes, it made the interests of the country its priority, steadfastly resisted Fascist aggression, and carried the hopes for national salvation. The Party led the people in fighting in the major eastern theater of the war, and made an important contribution to the ultimate victory.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the CPC proposed the guidelines for all-out resistance, and pushed for the formation of a united front, creating a situation never before seen in the country's modern history. It defined the strategic guidelines for a protracted war, solidified the Chinese people's resolution to fight, charted the direction for them, and played a key role in the victory.

In addition to taking the lead in successfully pushing for the united front in China, the CPC also called for a united international anti-Fascist front. During the later stages of the war, the Party actively supported the founding of the United Nations (UN), and played an important role in the establishment of a peaceful post-WWII order.

Taking a clear-cut stance against hegemony and power politics. Born in resistance against foreign aggression, the CPC has an innate opposition to hegemony and power politics. Since the founding of the PRC, the Party has maintained an independent foreign policy, insisting that the CPC's affairs must be handled by the CPC, and China's affairs must be managed by the Chinese people. It never permits interference by any external force in any form, and never yields to any external pressure. This ensures that China's sovereignty, security and development interests always rest in China's own hands.

In the words of Chairman Mao Zedong, "All reactionaries are paper tigers." Confronted with blatant US provocation, the CPC decided to fight to defend China, which led to victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (the Korean War), proving that hegemony would not be tolerated and was doomed to failure. In the 1970s, the CPC put forward the Three Worlds Theory, emphasizing that China belonged to the Third World, and it united with all possible forces to form the broadest international front against hegemony.

Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has faced challenges such as hegemony and unilateralism. It has seen blatant external interference in China's internal affairs related to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Taiwan. It has faced criticism on human rights, ethnic and religious affairs, and the judicial system. On the issue of the South China Sea and the East China Sea, some forces have hidden agendas and have even taken actions that threaten China's territorial security. The CPC has maintained a firm and clear-cut stance, and resolutely defended China's sovereignty, security and development interests.

In today's world, multilateralism is the prevailing trend. Any country that attempts to pursue hegemony and supremacy will fail. No country has the right to dictate international affairs, determine other countries' destiny, monopolize development resources, do as it pleases, or ride roughshod over others. Weak a hundred years ago, China is no longer weak today. The Chinese people have never abused, oppressed or subjugated the people of any other country. By the same token, we in China will never allow any foreign force to abuse, oppress or subjugate us. Any force that attempts to do so will inevitably fail in front of the great wall forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.

Contributing wisdom and efforts to maintaining world peace. Actively offering Chinese solutions to maintain world peace, the CPC has proposed important ideas and initiatives such as the five principles of peaceful coexistence, the independent foreign policy of peace and nonalignment, a harmonious world of lasting peace and prosperity, a global community of shared future, a new model of international relations, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The CPC has not limited itself to solemn promises—it has done what it can to safeguard world peace.

Since 1949, China has neither started a single war or conflict, nor occupied an inch of any other country's land. Since the day that China gained a nuclear weapon, it has been actively advocating for a comprehensive ban and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, and has pledged to the world that it will never make first use of nuclear weapons, and will never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nuclear-free countries and regions.

To promote world peace after the launch of reform and opening up, China voluntarily downsized its military forces by more than 4 million people. It is committed to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. It has followed the path of building a strong military with Chinese characteristics, devoted itself to building a global community of shared future, and actively assumed its international military responsibilities as a major country. It has given impetus to comprehensive international military cooperation, and contributed to creating a beautiful world with lasting peace and universal security. China has actively participated in arms control, disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, and opposed arms races so as to maintain global strategic balance and stability.

China is committed to solving land and water border disputes through negotiations and consultation. It has settled all land border disputes with 12 of its 14 neighbors and delimited the maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf with Vietnam. This provides a new model for the peaceful resolution of historical border issues and other international disputes. China has actively participated in defusing major international and regional flashpoints, making fair and fact-based judgments, facilitating peaceful negotiations, and contributing to international and regional peace and stability.

Firmly upholding the international system with the United Nations at the core. As a founding member of the United Nations, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and the largest developing country, China has always firmly upheld the authority of the United Nations, strictly followed the missions and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and maintained the world order based on international law. It has worked with various countries to support multilateralism and oppose unilateralism.

China has taken an active part in UN peacekeeping operations. It is the second largest contributor to the UN's peacekeeping budget, and to its regular budget, and the largest contributor of peacekeeping troops among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Chinese military forces have become a key force in UN peacekeeping missions, creating momentum for peaceful international development. China has strictly enforced international conventions such as the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction. It has actively engaged in international exchanges and cooperation under the UN framework in such fields as energy security, food security, cybersecurity, and biosafety, as well as polar, outer space and ocean affairs.

Currently the world is plagued with a crisis of rule and order—restoring the rules and maintaining order are matters of the greatest urgency. There is only one international system—the one with the United Nations at the core. There is only one international order, which is based on international law, and there is only one set of fundamental international norms, which is based on the missions and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Hegemonic "systems" or "rules" set by one country or a few countries, even when wrapping themselves in the cloak of justice, will be resolutely opposed by China and rejected by the overwhelming majority of countries.

Promoting democracy in international relations. The CPC is faithful, active, and exemplary in pursuing, exploring, and practicing democracy. It has implemented democracy within the Party and throughout China, and vigorously promotes democracy in international relations.

Shortly after the founding of the PRC, the CPC proposed the five principles of peaceful coexistence as the norms for countries to follow when establishing and building relations with each other. China has applied these principles in its bilateral relations with many countries.

As the world experiences change on a scale unseen in a century, China has followed the principles of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and pressed for a new model of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation.

At a time of intense global competition in economic, scientific, technological and other fields, China still regards other countries as partners rather than rivals. It does not engage in cold war, confrontation, control or manipulation, but rather promotes mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation.

China has formed partnerships with many countries, and established a framework of major-country relations that is generally stable and balanced. It implements the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in developing relations with neighboring countries, and promotes friendship and partnership with them. China upholds the values of greater good and shared interests, and follows the principles of sincerity, affinity, good faith and real results in strengthening cooperation with other developing countries.

The present world is far from fair and just. A small number of countries ignore international law, trample on international justice, disdain international public opinion, flagrantly infringe upon the sovereignty of other countries, interfere with others' internal affairs, and frequently abuse and dictate to smaller and weaker countries, turning the "global village" into a primeval jungle where the strong prey on the weak. Their politicians fabricate and spread lies out of self-interest, and denigrate other countries and peoples.

In a world rife with crises, the CPC holds that all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal. Powerful countries should behave as befits their status, make the future of humanity their priority, and shoulder greater responsibility for world peace and development, rather than wielding their power in pursuit of supremacy or hegemony. The future of the world should rest in the hands of all peoples and all countries, and all countries and all peoples should enjoy dignity and security and share development fruits.

Political parties are an important force for safeguarding world peace and promoting human progress. Different political parties around the world, emerging from different historical backgrounds and conditions, are endowed with different missions and obtain their governing status and exercise their authority in different ways. The world is colorful, not monochrome. The logic that "whoever disagrees with me is wrong" is out of line with the evolution of human civilization. Facts are the most convincing criteria for judging whether a governing party is progressive and qualified to rule, and whether a political system is viable, efficient and effective. The people should have the biggest say in making such judgments. Political parties in all countries need to play their part in steering the course forward. They should seek common ground while setting aside differences. They must build consensus, promote development, enhance cooperation, improve governance, respect and learn from each other, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and work together to seek happiness for all.

2. Pursuing Common Development

Development is the right of all countries, rather than the exclusive privilege of the few. The CPC seeks happiness for the Chinese people, and also the wellbeing of all others. The CPC is committed to pursuing development for both China and the world, and to bringing benefits to all.

As the world's largest developing country, China contributes to humanity by maintaining long-term stable development. The CPC is leading the Chinese people to focus on completing our own tasks, and making the country more prosperous and the people happier. This is a contribution to world peace and development in its own right. China's economy continues its healthy growth and has become the major driver of global economic growth. China has succeeded in eradicating absolute poverty, meeting the target set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, and contributing to over 70 percent of global poverty reduction. China's innovative achievements in science and technology have brought greater convenience to work and daily life around the world, and injected new impetus into international technological innovation and global economic growth. China succeeds in feeding almost 20 percent of the global population with only 9 percent of the planet's arable land. China is making great efforts to strengthen environmental governance and has become a major force in global eco-environmental progress. It takes active steps to advance green and low-carbon development and has fulfilled its international commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2020 ahead of schedule. In addition, it has pledged to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China's all-round opening up creates more opportunities for other countries to share China's development dividends, and China's strong domestic demand provides a huge market for other countries to explore. Since the founding of the PRC, the country has undergone profound economic and social changes of a scale never before seen in history. It has maintained long-term overall political and social stability, which not only benefits the Chinese people but also contributes to world peace and order.

China is committed to strengthening international cooperation. As a developing country itself, China shows great empathy for other developing nations plagued by poverty and hardship, and provides assistance for them as far as its capacity permits. Since 1949, China has been a provider of support to other developing countries with no political strings attached. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, in response to the call of the times, China has been upgrading its foreign aid to a model of international development cooperation, contributing its strength to resolving global development issues and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. From 2013 to 2018, China allocated a total of RMB270 billion to foreign aid, undertook the construction of 423 complete projects, provided 890 shipments of goods and materials for countries and regions in need, completed 414 technical cooperation projects, and held more than 7,000 training sessions and seminars for about 200,000 people to promote cooperation in building human resource capacity.

China takes an active part in global cooperation against the Covid-19 pandemic, and has done its best to offer help to international organizations and other countries. By June 2021 China had provided US$2 billion in aid for the international Covid-19 response, and as aid to social and economic recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. It has sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, and supplied more than 290 billion masks, 3.5 billion protective suits, and 4.6 billion testing kits to the world. It has also provided more than 520 million doses of vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and sent 33 medical expert teams to 31 countries in need of help.

The global path to development is a rocky one, and many people are still struggling with poverty, famine and disease. Some rich countries are getting richer while poor countries are getting poorer. As long as this situation persists, the world can never enjoy lasting peace and prosperity. The CPC holds that to accelerate the global poverty relief process, developed countries need to increase their assistance to developing countries, and developing countries need to generate greater endogenous momentum for development. China will continue to do all it can to promote international cooperation, expand South-South cooperation, and contribute to global poverty reduction.

China takes an active part in leading the reform of the global governance system. The international system formed after World War II played a pivotal role in post-war global economic recovery. However, the development gap and economic inequality caused by globalization has become increasingly prominent. As a major country that takes its responsibilities seriously, China has always sought to balance rights and obligations. It has taken an active part in reforming and developing the global governance system, and tried hard to recalibrate the international political and economic order according to a fairer and more reasonable set of standards. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has actively pressed for reform and improvements in the global governance system. It has participated in formulating rules in a number of emerging fields, and stepped up the reform of unfair and unreasonable arrangements in the existing system.

China firmly supports multilateralism. To facilitate dialogue and cooperation, it devotes itself to building multilateral platforms in areas including politics, the economy, security, and culture. It has initiated the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and launched the Silk Road Fund, making a greater contribution to an open world economy and inclusive, sustainable global development. At present, considering the many difficulties

and challenges ahead, it remains a daunting task to reform and develop the global governance system. China will adopt a proactive opening-up policy, safeguard economic globalization through concrete actions, and promote an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy. China will continue to play its part as a major country, and follow the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration in global governance. It will be an active participant in reforming and developing the global governance system, with the goal of making the system fairer and more reasonable, to enable more people across the world to benefit from development.

3. Following the Path of Peaceful Development

Peaceful development is an everlasting aspiration of the CPC and the salient feature of China's progress. Over the past hundred years, pursuing and safeguarding peace, the CPC has led the Chinese people on a new path of national rejuvenation that leads to prosperity rather than hegemony. Laid down by the Chinese people through self-reliance and hard work rather than colonization and aggression, this path enables China to accelerate its own development and contribute to world peace and development. History demonstrates that the CPC is a peace-loving political party, that China is a peace-loving country, and that the Chinese people love peace and are sincere and generous.

In the past, there have indeed been countries that followed the path of hegemony as they grew in strength, but there is no iron law that dictates that a rising power will inevitably seek hegemony. If the experience and logic of the West is applied mechanically in forecasting China's future, the conclusion will inevitably be counterfactual and false.

"China will continue to follow the path of peaceful development." This statement is neither diplomatic rhetoric nor a policy of expediency or strategic equivocation, but reflects the nation's self-confidence and conscientious behavior. Peaceful development is embedded in the trajectory, logic and goals of the CPC's governance and China's development. This is clear in the cultural genes of the Chinese nation that have been passed from generation to generation. It is clear from China's past and present, and from the comparison between the rise of China and the rise of Western powers.

China's path of peaceful development derives from the legacy of the Chinese civilization. China's culture is characterized by a world view of harmony between humanity and nature, a global view of coordination and cooperation between all countries, a social view of unity without uniformity, and a moral outlook of kindness and friendship. Peace, amity and harmony have been cherished and passed down by the Chinese nation through more than 5,000 years of history. A loyal successor to the best of Chinese culture, the CPC has no inclination to invasion and hegemony.

China takes the path of peaceful development due to its clear understanding of its own goals and conditions. Development is the CPC's top priority in governance. China's past development benefited from a peaceful, stable external environment, and its future will also depend on such an environment. Expansion and hegemony violate the interests of China and the aspirations of the Chinese people. The CPC has always been firm in its commitment to a peaceful international environment for China's own benefit, which in turn plays a greater role in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

China takes the path of peaceful development due to its deep understanding of global trends favoring peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit. Any country, regardless of size and strength, can achieve sustainable development only when it takes part in international cooperation following the principles of equality and mutual benefit. In contrast, those pursuing hegemony and military aggression will only exhaust their resources and eventually decline and fall.

Humanity can learn profound and bitter lessons from history, where people were plunged into misery and human civilization suffered repeated catastrophes due to the wars caused by great powers seeking hegemony. It is a simple and sincere aspiration shared by people around the world to achieve peace, development and stability, rather than war, poverty and unrest. China's path of peaceful development flows with the tide of history and conforms to the general trend of the world.

China has the right to development, and the Chinese people have the right to pursue a better life. As a country once subjected to oppression and humiliation, China seeks development with the goal of regaining dignity and security and enabling its people to live a happy life. In the process of pursuing this goal, China has grown and become strong. However, it will never seek to overtake, threaten, challenge or replace any other country, far less seek hegemony. The future of China lies in its own hands, and only the Chinese people can determine the destiny of their own country. No one has the right to deprive the Chinese people of the right to pursue a better life, or to slow China's pace of development.

China hopes that other countries will accompany it on the same path. Only by sticking to this path can countries achieve common development and live together in peace. China will never pursue development at the expense of others' interests, nor will China ever give up its own legitimate rights and interests. No country should expect China to trade off its core interests. No country can undermine China's sovereignty, security and development.

4. Building a Global Community of Shared Future

The world has once again reached a crossroads, and humanity faces a choice between two paths. One advances into brightness; the other retreats into darkness. The profound changes we face, on a scale unseen in a century, and the raging Covid-19 pandemic are interlinked. Cold War thinking and the zero-sum game mindset are resurgent. Unilateralism, hegemony and power politics are on the rise. Economic globalization is battling against headwinds. The global arms race is escalating. Conventional and non-conventional security issues, such as climate change, terrorism, cyber-attacks, biosecurity challenges, and major infectious diseases, together pose a severe threat to global and regional security. The beautiful planet on which all humans live is experiencing a tremendous crisis, one caused by humanity itself.

Confronted by this level of change, and other difficulties and problems hindering development and governance, there is an urgent need for human society to seek out a new philosophy and make the international system and order fairer and more reasonable. The CPC has proposed building a global community of shared future, with the goal of creating an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. By addressing practical problems faced by the world today, human society will achieve peace and sustainable development through win-win cooperation, joint efforts, and shared benefits.

Building a global community of shared future is an essential choice that aligns with the general trend of history. Today, the interconnections and interdependences between different countries are closer than ever before. All countries coexist in the same global village, where each needs to safeguard humanity's common interests together with other countries, while pursuing its own interests. Many problems are no longer confined to individual countries, and many challenges cannot be overcome by a single country alone. None can achieve development on its own; none is immune from global threats. Only through full cooperation can countries effectively address the problems the world faces and achieve common progress, on the base of their own development.

The concept of building a global community of shared future calls for promoting win-win cooperation. It rejects the law of the jungle, power politics and hegemony, and goes beyond the zero-sum game mindset.

In terms of politics, China calls on all countries to respect each other, discuss international issues as equals, reject the Cold War mentality and power politics, and take a new approach to developing state-to-state relations based on communication, not confrontation, and based on partnership, not alliance.

In terms of security, China calls on all countries to commit to settling disputes through dialogue and to resolving differences through discussion, to coordinate responses to conventional and non-conventional threats, and to oppose terrorism in all forms.

In terms of economic development, China calls on all countries to work together, to facilitate free trade and investment, and to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, and balanced, so that its benefits are shared by all.

In terms of cultural exchange, China calls on all countries to respect the diversity of civilizations, and to replace estrangement with exchange, clashes with mutual learning, and cultural superiority with coexistence of diverse cultures.

In terms of eco-environmental progress, China calls on all countries to be good friends to the environment, to strengthen cooperation on climate change and biodiversity conservation, and to protect our planet for the sake of human survival.

The concept of building a global community of shared future reflects the truth that all countries are interdependent and the whole of humanity shares the same future. It reflects the common values of humanity and finds the greatest common ground to build a better world. The aim of building a global community of shared future is neither to promote the unilateral propositions of one or a few cultures, nor to seek to make each and every country act in the same manner, far less to replace one system or civilization model with another. Instead, it proposes that countries with different social systems, ideologies, historical civilizations and development levels target the same goals, align their interests, and share their rights and responsibilities, so as to promote the overall development of human society.

The Belt and Road Initiative provides an important platform for building a global community of shared future. To make a real success of the BRI, it is imperative to follow the Silk Road spirit characterized by peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit. It is also important to focus on policy coordination,

connectivity of infrastructure, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties. It is essential to uphold the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and to pursue open, green, clean, and close cooperation to improve people's lives and promote sustainable development. The BRI has turned ideas into actions and vision into reality, and the initiative itself is a public product widely welcomed by the international community.

China has signed more than 200 documents on BRI cooperation with 140 countries and 32 international organizations. A World Bank report shows that the BRI could contribute to lifting 7.6 million people from extreme poverty and 32 million from moderate poverty, boost trade by 2.8 to 9.7 percent for participating countries and by 1.7 to 6.2 percent for the world, and increase global incomes by 0.7 to 2.9 percent. The BRI originated in China, but the opportunities and benefits it creates belong to the world. It pursues development, advocates win-win cooperation, and conveys hope.

The CPC is a political party with lofty goals. Its ambition is not to seek hegemony, but to contribute to the world. Over the past hundred years the CPC and China have shown firm self-confidence on a world stage riven with change, and built constructive relationships with other political parties and countries based on an attitude of humility and a spirit of partnership. The CPC firmly believes that the strength of a powerful political party or a powerful country lies in its open mind, broad vision, and great sense of responsibility, rather than its size and muscle. It also believes that peace, cooperation, dialogue and openness, rather than war, hegemony, confrontation and seclusion, represent the correct and the only path to a better future for humanity.

Conclusion  

The past hundred years have been the prologue.

The past hundred years have witnessed the great struggle waged by the CPC to realize its goal of rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

They have also been an extraordinary and difficult hundred years. The CPC has led the Chinese people to outstanding achievements of which they can be proud. But they will never give in to complacency or slacken their efforts. On the contrary, they will continue to work hard and forge ahead.

From a new starting point, the CPC and the Chinese people have set out on a new journey towards a modern socialist country. By the year 2035 China will realize socialist modernization, and by the middle of the 21st century, when the People's Republic of China celebrates its centenary, China will have developed into a great and modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. For the future, the CPC will lead the Chinese people towards even more ambitious goals.

The history of the past hundred years tells the story of the road behind and foretells the story of the journey ahead. China must uphold the firm leadership of the CPC, and the CPC must lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life. It must continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, continue the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, work towards a global community of shared future, engage in great endeavors, strengthen the unity of the Chinese people, and advance the new project of consolidating the Party.

This is a condensed summary of the 100-year experience of the CPC.

It also reflects the fundamental principles by which the Party will lead the people in creating a better future.

Achieving national rejuvenation is the historic mission of the CPC. It will maintain unity and lead the people to work harder than ever. Realizing China's complete reunification is one of the historic tasks of the CPC. The Party and the people have the resolve, the will and the ability to complete the task. This is a cause that no person and no force will thwart.

The CPC has made an unbreakable commitment to bring the people a happy life. However, it is not an easy task to realize common prosperity and ensure the comforts of modern life for more than 1.4 billion people. On the journey ahead, the CPC will always put the people first, and work hard to resolve imbalances and inadequacies in development and the pressing difficulties and problems that are of the greatest concern to the people. It will overcome any obstacles and break any shackles hindering common prosperity, equity and justice. With pragmatic and sustained efforts, it will make substantive progress towards achieving well-rounded human development and common prosperity for all. The CPC will prevail so long as it follows its own path, runs its affairs well, and works to satisfy the people's new aspirations for a better life.

Moving forward, the CPC will continue to pursue people-oriented development as its top priority in governance. It will extend reform, open wider to the rest of the world, and follow a unique Chinese path to modernization. This will ensure that economic, political, cultural, social and eco-environmental

development is of higher quality, more efficient, more equitable, more sustainable and more secure, so that the people will enjoy a greater share of its benefits. In addition, China will bring new opportunities to the rest of the world and provide new momentum for common development.

Moving forward, the CPC will continue to build socialism and continue to adapt Marxism to China's conditions and keep it up to date. It will continue to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that socialism can herald bright prospects for China. The theory of scientific socialism will withstand the test of time and increase its appeal, and socialism in practice will help facilitate human progress and make a greater contribution to the human quest for better social systems.

Moving forward, the CPC will continue to stand on the right side of history and human progress. It will work together with all peace-loving countries and peoples to carry forward the common values of humanity—peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom. It will pursue cooperation rather than confrontation, opening up rather than isolation, and mutual benefits rather than the zero-sum game. It will oppose hegemony and power politics and contribute to building a global community of shared future and a better world.

Moving forward, the CPC will continue with its self-reform and maintain its progressive nature and integrity. It will continue to improve its leadership and governance and reinforce its ability to resist corruption and withstand risks. This will ensure that the Party remains always ahead of the times as history progresses and the world undergoes profound change. The Party will always remain the backbone of the nation as China responds to risks and challenges at home and abroad, and a powerful leadership core as the country continues to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. No external force can defeat the CPC as long as it retains its strength.

There is a logic behind all evolution. This is also true of political parties. The history of the CPC helps to explain how it has come to its present form, and also helps to indicate what its future will be.

The journey ahead will not be smooth, but the prospects are bright and broad. The CPC will unite more closely, the Chinese people will unite more closely, and all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, both at home and abroad, will unite more closely, all in pursuit of the same, better future. The goal of building China into a great modern socialist country will surely be achieved, the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation will surely come true, and the Chinese nation will surely make a greater contribution to humanity. BR

1. This is China's overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, that is, to promote coordinated progress in the economic, political, cultural, social and eco-environmental fields.

2. This is China's strategic plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, that is, to make comprehensive moves to complete a moderately

prosperous society in all respects, to further reform, to advance the rule of law, and to strengthen Party self-governance. After the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, "finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects" was turned into "building a modern socialist country in an all-round way" in accordance with the actual conditions.

3. This is the goal set by the CPC at its 18th National Congress, to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC in 2021.—Tr.

4. This is the goal set by the CPC at its 18th National Congress to build China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the centenary of the PRC in 2049. This goal was further defined by the CPC at its 19th National Congress in October 2017 as to develop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the 21st century.—Tr.

5. This refers to the three major campaigns fought between PLA forces under CPC leadership and KMT forces in the Liaoxi-Shenyang, Huai-Hai and Beiping-Tianjin areas between September 1948 and January 1949. In this decisive period for securing overall victory, the CPC defeated the main forces of the KMT.

6. At the meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the National People's Congress in 2014, President Xi Jinping said the following: The best way to judge whether a country's political system is democratic and works is to see whether the succession of its leaders is conducted in an orderly way in accordance with the law, whether government affairs and social, economic and cultural affairs are managed by all the people in accordance with the law, whether the public freely voice demands to advance their interests, whether all stakeholders in society are fully involved in the country's political process, whether government decisions are made in a sound and democratic way, whether outstanding individuals in all sectors can enter government leadership teams and the

governance system through fair competition, whether the governing party exercises leadership over government affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and whether the exercise of power is kept under effective checks and supervision.

7. The Core Socialist Values: Prosperity, democracy, civility and harmony are values that underpin the Chinese nation; freedom, equality, justice and the rule of law are values that hold society together; patriotism, dedication, good faith and amity are values that underlie individual conduct.

8. This refers to the Central Red Army's fight against the fifth encirclement and suppression campaign launched by the KMT troops in the Central

Revolutionary Base Area from September 1933 to October 1934. From 1930 to 1934, the KMT troops launched five large-scale onslaughts against the Central Revolutionary Base Area headquartered in Ruijin, Jiangxi Province. The Red Army overcame the KMT forces in the first four campaigns, but after defeat in the fifth campaign, it made a strategic withdrawal.

9. This was the strategic retreat of the main Red Army forces under the leadership of the CPC, and the trek from the Soviet Area south of the Yangtze River to the Shaanxi-Gansu border area during the period from October 1934 to October 1936, marking a great transition from defeat to victory for the Party and the Chinese revolution.

10. The codename 863 refers to the National High-tech R&D Program implemented in accordance with a guideline issued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on November 18, 1986, while that of 973 is for the National Key Basic Research Program implemented in accordance with a decision by the National Science, Technology and Education Leading Group on June 4, 1997.

11. The Eight Clarifications:

• that the overarching task of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is to realize socialist modernization and national rejuvenation, and on the basis of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, a two-step approach should be taken to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the 21st century.

• that the principal challenge facing Chinese society in the new era is the gap between unbalanced and inadequate development and the growing  expectation of the people for a better life, which requires further commitment to the people-centered philosophy of development, well-rounded human development, and common prosperity for everyone.  

• that the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics is the Five-sphere Integrated Plan, and the overall strategy is the Four-pronged  Comprehensive Strategy, with an emphasis on stronger confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.  

• that the overall goal of in-depth reform in every field is to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance.

• that the overall goal of comprehensively advancing law-based governance is to establish a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and build a country of socialist rule of law.

• that the Party's goal of building a strong military in the new era is to build the armed forces of the people into world-class forces that obey the Party's  command, can fight and win, and maintain excellent conduct.  

• that major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a global community of shared future.

• that the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC; the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC; the Party is the highest force for political leadership, setting forth the general requirements for strengthening the Party in the new era and underlining the importance of reinforcing the Party's political foundations.

12. The Fourteen Imperatives are:

• ensuring Party leadership over all endeavors,

• people-centered development,

• comprehensive and in-depth reform,

• a new vision for development,

• the people running the country,

• law-based governance,

• core socialist values,

• improvement of the people's lives through development,

• harmony between humanity and nature,

• a holistic approach to national security,

• absolute Party leadership over the people's forces,

• the principle of One Country, Two Systems for national reunification,

• the building of a global community of shared future,

• the full and rigorous implementation of the Party's discipline.

The Fourteen Imperatives form the fundamental guideline that underpins the endeavors to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

13. This is a principle that combines centralism built on the basis of democracy with democracy under centralized guidance. Democratic centralism is the Party's fundamental organizational principle and leadership system.

14. In 1953, the CPC Central Committee adopted the Party's general guideline for the transition period from the founding of the PRC in 1949 to the

completion of socialist transformation. The master plan was to realize socialist industrialization and transformation of agriculture, craft industries, and  capitalist industry and commerce step by step over a considerable period of time.  

15. In 1987, at its 13th National Congress, the CPC specified its basic guidelines for building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the primary stage—to unite with and lead the people of all ethnic groups, take economic development as the central task, uphold the Four Cardinal Principles (the socialist road, the people's democratic dictatorship, the CPC's leadership, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought), and uphold the policy of reform and opening up, be self-reliant, hard working and enterprising, to build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and modern socialist country.

16. In the 1960s, the CPC Central Committee issued a Two-stage Plan on Economic Development, effective since 1966, the first year of the Third Five-year Plan (1966-1970) period: The first stage was to build an independent and relatively comprehensive industrial and economic system by 1980; and the second stage was to achieve modernization of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology by the end of the 20th century, bringing China to the forefront of the global economy.

17. In 1987, at its 13th National Congress, the CPC put forward a Three-step Strategy for Economic Development: The first step was to double the 1980 GNP by the end of the 1980s, to ensure the people have adequate food and clothing; the second step was to quadruple the 1980 GNP by the end of the 20th century, to ensure the people live a relatively comfortable life; and the third step was to increase the per capita GNP to the level of moderately developed countries by the mid-21st century, to ensure the people live a well-off life and basically achieve modernization.

18. In 1997, at its 15th National Congress, the CPC proposed a New Three-step Strategy for Economic Development: The first step was to double the 2000 GNP by 2010, to ensure the people live a better-off life and form a relatively complete system of socialist market economy; the second step was to achieve greater economic growth and establish more complete systems and institutions by 2020; and the third step was to realize basic modernization and build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic and culturally advanced socialist country by the mid-21st century, when the PRC would celebrate its centenary  in 2049.  

19. The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention were formulated by Mao Zedong and other Party and military leaders for the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army during the Agrarian Revolutionary War (1927-1937). Later, they were applied to the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army and the People's Liberation Army. The contents varied slightly in different military units and different periods of history. In October 1947, they were  unified and reissued by the General Headquarters of the PLA. The Three Main Rules of Discipline are as follows: (1) Obey orders in all your actions; (2) Do not take a single needle or piece of thread from the people; (3) Turn in everything that is captured. The Eight Points for Attention are as follows:   

(1) Speak  politely; (2) Pay fairly for what you buy; (3) Return everything you borrow; (4) Pay for anything you damage; (5) Do not hit or swear at people; (6) Do not  damage crops; (7) Do not take liberties with women; (8) Do not ill-treat captives.  

20. Before a proposed promotion is confirmed, the archives of the candidate must be reviewed; the report on personal information must be subject to

investigation; feedback from discipline inspection and supervision departments must be reviewed; and details of reported misconduct must be subject to investigation.

21. This refers to the socialist movement from the winter of 1957 to early 1960 that set unrealistic goals for industry and agriculture, with an overemphasis on speed. It reflected the people's urgent need for development, but failed to respect basic economic laws.

22. This refers to the tumultuous political movement from May 1966 to October 1976 initiated by Mao Zedong and manipulated by two counter-revolutionary cliques under Lin Biao and Jiang Qing. It caused great harm to the Party, the nation, and the people.

23. Tigers and flies respectively refer to high-ranking and petty officials guilty of corruption, while foxes refer to corrupt officials who have fled abroad.—Tr.

24. The Eight Rules were set by the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee to urge all officials to improve their ways of doing things and maintain close ties with the people. They are summarized as follows: improving investigation and fact-finding trips, streamlining meetings and other activities,  reducing documents and briefings, standardizing arrangements for visits abroad, improving security procedures, improving news reports, imposing  restrictions on publishing writings, and practicing diligence and frugality.  

25. The Four Malfeasances refer to the practices of favoring form over substance, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance.

26. Under this system, the general secretary presides over each session and delivers a speech, and all members of the Political Bureau attend the session. Experts and academics are invited to give lectures on issues relating to the economy, politics, history, culture, society, science and technology, military affairs, foreign relations, and other subjects. The Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee held 43 group study sessions. By July 30, 2021, the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee had held 32 group study sessions.

27. On February 22, 1974, when meeting with Zambian President Kenneth David Kaunda, Mao Zedong proposed classifying countries into three categories, or three worlds. The First World refers to the United States and the Soviet Union, at the time the two superpowers that were using their military and economic power to pursue hegemony. The Second World includes other developed countries. The Third World refers to developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and other regions.

write a critical essay on communist party of china

Chinese’s Perspective of the Communist Party Essay

Introduction.

Culture refers to people’s way of life and it includes things such as beliefs, norms, values, attitudes, and cognitive mapping of people. Culture is dynamic and it is also adaptive and can at times be maladaptive. When a culture becomes maladaptive changes are needed and at times force may be used in order to effect these changes in society. Force is supplemented by certain philosophies and ideologies that are propagated by enlightened individuals in the society and this entirely narrows down to the culture. The Cultural Revolution that took place in China in the 1960s and the event that took place in Tiananmen Square has completely changed the political landscape in China and at the same time, the Chinese cultural fabric has been tainted by these two events.

It is worth noting that China is a communist country and both the Cultural Revolution and the Tiananmen massacre resulted from the philosophies embraced by the communist party leaders that are different from those of the citizens (Shi et al 2003). This essay will focus on these two historical events although one at a time and then toward the end I shall point out the far-reaching effect that is being experienced today. These two events were brought about by the policymaker, that is, the politicians and they have affected all the other subfields of the complex whole that makes up the society. The majority of the Chinese citizens did at one time join hands with the politician but the aftermath effects of these changes in the society made them question the morality of the politicians.

Cultural Revolution

Chinese Cultural revolution emerged from political wrangles that took place inside the Chinese Communist Party. This revolution brought first-class social, political, and economic violence and economic violence to the party (Anita, 1985). The radiation effect took place and with no time China was in the blink of a civil war. The architect behind this revolution was the chairman of the party at the time one Mr. Mao Zedong in collaboration with other party members who shared his ideologies and philosophies. According to Korniberg (2004), this group wanted to kick out the liberal political elites from the party and in the process gain power by first controlling the party and this could only be achieved once the competitors had been kicked out. From this time onward petty party politics continued and the citizens were slowly involved in the party divisions.

Since a revolution calls for a complete overhaul of the social and political as well, as another societal institution organization china was not an exception. Changes in China started in the academic circle and it’s the students who were later known as the Red Guards who kick-started them (Anita, 1985). All the intellectuals in the academic fields who were believed to be for the western capitalist ideology were chased away from schools and colleges and those who were very unlucky were put in forced labor camps. This was seen as the most important step for laying down the foundation of actual socialism in China. From the student, the movement slowly gained momentum and the peasants, farmers, workers, and all those people who belonged to the proletariat class were involved. These groups of people continued to hold Revolutionary debates in order to enlighten their neighbors. At this moment there was a nationwide call for the abandonment of the old customs, habits, and ideas which were being embraced by the liberal politicians.

The destruction of these facets of culture took a center stage in this revolution. Religion suffered greatly because many religious buildings such as temples, churches, monasteries, and mosques were either closed down or destroyed completely (Xing, 2004). People could therefore not get a chance to communicate with their God. Destruction of the religious places meant that the survival of the society was at stake and people had to abandon the old traditional ways in favor of new ones otherwise the society had no future. Destruction of the property was also witnessed and later on destruction of life followed. Torture and maiming were the order of the day and this together with killings were carried out by the Red Guards. After these sad events, many people were traumatized and there was a sharp rise in cases of suicide in China.

The Red guards were later on given the power by Mr. Mao to replace the Peoples Liberation Army and this meant that the untrained could access weapons yet they were not trained on using them. In addition, Korniberg (2004) notes that the youth invaded various barracks and run away with weapons, and later on these weapons were used in killing fellow citizens especially the conservative ones who did not agree with Mao’s philosophies and ideologies. One important thing to note is the fact that the older people were not involved in this revolution and this means that it was easier for the politicians to take control of events because there was a break down in youths socialization life and thus it was easier for them to acquire a new way of life that was different from their fathers. On 16 th August 1966, the revolution reached its climax when people gathered around Tiananmen Square where Mao addressed a crowd made up of millions of Chinese who were supporting him and gave them the urge to continue fighting for actual socialism and democracy in their country.

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is important in Chinese history for various reasons and the most common ones are that it is in this square that Mr. Mao addressed the Chinese after he has engendered the revolution in the country. Secondly, this square is also associated with a gross disregard of human rights that resulted in the killing of many Chinese and brought about the current debate on China’s human rights record (Gao et al 1996). On 4 th June 1989 students among other human rights groups held a peaceful protest in this square in order to force the government into a dialogue that would have created room for addressing the corruption among the politicians and gave democracy to thrive among the Chinese. China is a communist country and for a student to talk of democracy was like adding salt to a wound.

What began as a very peaceful day turned out to be a nightmare for the majority of the citizens as demonstrators were harassed, beaten, and shot by the police and by the military. This is what today is known as the Tiananmen Massacre. The government resulted in using force because it realized the political sub-sector of the complex whole was under siege and since the mass supported the movement. Since the government was an authoritarian one giving people a chance to have control of the politics would have sent the politicians home and this was against their wish. In order to arrest demonstrations from getting out of hand, the government for the next few weeks continued to arrest demonstrators, intellectuals behind these massive demonstrations were locked up, and press coverage of the incidents and aftermaths of the massacre was quarantined (Shi et al, 2003). Foreign journalists were chased away from the country and the members of the party who joined hands with the demonstrators were kicked out of the part.

These two sad events which took place over a period of time represent a sad story of China politics and destroy the reputation of the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese themselves started to question the morality of this party since it was being used by a politician to acquire and retain power at the expense of the masses. The effects of these events are well understood when one looks at the impact these events had on the masses and they are still being felt today. To begin with, the Tiananmen massacre led to an emphasis on individualism among the Chinese as well as the value of the family (Korniberg, 2004). This is contrary to the party philosophies which call for collectiveness in society. In this sense, the CCP wants all Chinese in order to benefit the country at large and not for the benefit of an individual.

Chinese family was attacked during the famous Cultural Revolution and the Tiananmen massacre this was a way of disintegrating the core family value but this did not take place, instead, the family unit became more important among the Chinese. Earlier on the traditions that established family among the Chinese were rooted in their religion which anchored on the Confucius teachings, Buddha teachings, and Taoism (Anita, 1985). All these were heavily destroyed during the Cultural Revolution as a way of eliminating the influence of religion on Chinese day-to-day life. The communist government embraced ideologies of class struggle and this is why demonstrators are brutally beaten while the traditional religions instilled virtues such as benevolence which are important in solving conflicts because people always restrain from confrontations.

Changes from the old ways brought disaster to most Chinese because they were not given enough opportunity to understand the new cultural values. In any process of culture change, people should be given a chance to learn and evaluate the new ways and if they find them to be useless they abandon them. This was not the case and those who failed to comply with the new government’s expectations force was the only option to make them comply. In this respect, a kind of cultural vacuum can be said to have taken place and it took a long time to fill. Massive involvement of the youth in the revolution, as well as the demonstrations, denied them a golden opportunity to learn their people’s way of life, especially how power was passed on to the next generation. In the Square massacre, they were the ones who suffered most and the majority ended in police custody.

These events also give the Chinese a chance to put the government in the limelight in relation to the people’s human rights (Shi et al, 2004). The communist party is well known for its abuse of human basic rights and this has strained its relationship with people making the party lose its popularity among the people. The government did fail to observe human rights when dealing with the people. For instance, during the revolution, my holly and religious places were destroyed denying people their freedom of religion. In the Tiananmen Square massacre peaceful demonstrators were harassed by the police yet they have a right to association and freedom of speech. To make the matter worse journalists both Chinese and foreigners were denied a chance to report the events that followed the massacre and this is one way of covering up the shameful act of the movement.

The economy and the education sector also suffered a lot and this has made the citizens pay heavy taxes in order to reconstruct these sectors of the society. The economy was affected mostly due to the government’s spending patterns which were not checked at all. For example, during the revolution, the government spent a lot and fits money transporting youth to the capital city Beijing and in the process railway network which is an integral part of the Chinese economy was neglected. Education felt the pinch because the youth abandoned classrooms in order to take the role of the Red Guards and the majority of the scholars were taken to labor camps especially those who openly criticized the communist government and favored democracy (Korniberg,2004). This made some parts of China record increased illiteracy and during the time of reconstruction, these regions suffered from a shortage of skilled manpower making development in these regions stagnate.

Finally, most people suffered psychologically because of the government’s inhumane acts while dealing with demonstrators in 1989 and during the Cultural Revolution period. To be specific during the revolution people were not given a chance to pray in their usual places of worship and this means that they suffered psychologically because they could not communicate with their creator. Those individuals who were against the government were beaten, maimed, and tortured by the youth, and others still were put in a forced labor camp. The immediate families of these people are still suffering from this effect. The government seemed to have perfected this art of arresting and locking up people in police cells especially during the Tiananmen demonstration and most people ended up in police cells. Many of those who were arrested in the aftermath of the massacre went missing and up to date, no one knows there were about.

In conclusion, the Chinese communist party was good for the country but it started to lose its credibility among the Chinese during the famous cultural revolution that was led by one of its leaders. People were forcibly displaced from there home and their entire life was disorganized for eve. This period of revolution made people realize that the party was not there to serve where needs rather it was a bridge that was used by the politicians to gain and retain power. This has been proved by the fact that the Chinese were the ones who severed most during this period. The government has also shown that it can treat people most in most inhumanely by brutally killing them in order to sustain itself in power. This fact has a one on one relationship with the Tiananmen Square massacre. Therefore the two events have really changed the way the Chinese look at and think of the Chinese Communist Party.

Anita, C. (1985): Children of Mao: Personality Development and political Activism in the Red Guard. University of Washington press.

Gao, G. and Yan, J. (1996): Turbulent decade: A history of Cultural revolution. University of Hawaii press.

Kornberg, J. F. and Faust, j. R. (2004): China in world politics: Policies, Processes, Prospects . Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Lu Xing (2004): Rhetoric of the Chinese Cultural Revolution: The impact of Chinese thought, culture and communication. University of south California press.

Shambauga, D. L. (2007): China: An international Journal. Vol. 15, Number 1.

Shi, Z. and Shis, C. Y. (2003 ): Navigating Sovereignty: World Politics Lost in China . Palgrave Macmillan Publishers.

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IvyPanda. (2024, March 8). Chinese’s Perspective of the Communist Party. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chineses-perspective-of-the-communist-party/

"Chinese’s Perspective of the Communist Party." IvyPanda , 8 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/chineses-perspective-of-the-communist-party/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Chinese’s Perspective of the Communist Party'. 8 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Chinese’s Perspective of the Communist Party." March 8, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chineses-perspective-of-the-communist-party/.

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write a critical essay on communist party of china

Full text of the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

write a critical essay on communist party of china

BEIJING - The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Oct 22 approved the report presented by Xi Jinping on behalf of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

Here is the full text of the report. 

Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects

On behalf of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), I will now deliver a report to the 20th National Congress.

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is a meeting of great importance. It takes place at a critical time as the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance toward the Second Centenary Goal.

The theme of this Congress is holding high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party, staying confident and building strength, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and striving in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Since its founding a century ago, the Communist Party of China has taken a remarkable journey. Our Party has dedicated itself to achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation and committed itself to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity. Our responsibility is unmatched in importance, and our mission is glorious beyond compare. It is imperative that all of us in the Party never forget our original aspiration and founding mission, that we always stay modest, prudent, and hard-working, and that we have the courage and ability to carry on our fight. We must remain confident in our history, exhibit greater historical initiative, and write an even more magnificent chapter for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

I. The Work of the Past Five Years and the Great Changes in the First Decade of the New Era

The five years since the 19th National Congress have been truly momentous and extraordinary. The Party Central Committee has pursued a strategy of national rejuvenation amid global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century. It has convened seven plenary sessions, at which it adopted decisions and resolutions on major issues such as revising China's Constitution, deepening reform of Party and state institutions, upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China's system and capacity for governance, formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives through the Year 2035, and conducting a thorough review of the Party's major achievements and historical experience over the past century. At these sessions, major strategic plans were also made for advancing the cause of the Party and the country. The Central Committee has brought together the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people and led them in effectively responding to grave, intricate international developments and a series of immense risks and challenges. With great effort and determination, we have steadily advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Over the past five years, we have continued to strengthen the overall leadership of the Party and the centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee. We have devoted great energy to finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. We have fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy on all fronts, focused on promoting high-quality development, and worked to create a new pattern of development. We have pursued reform at a swift and steady pace, made solid progress in developing whole-process people's democracy, and advanced law-based governance across all fields of endeavor. We have actively developed advanced socialist culture. We have ensured and improved public wellbeing as a matter of priority and pooled resources to wage a critical battle against poverty. We have made a big push to enhance ecological conservation. We have worked with firm resolve to safeguard national security, fended off and defused major risks, and ensured social stability. We have devoted great energy to modernizing our national defense and the armed forces. We have conducted major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on all fronts. And we have made sweeping efforts to advance the great new project of Party building.

We celebrated the centenary of the Communist Party of China and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We adopted the third resolution concerning the Party's history, organized Party-wide activities to study Party history, and inaugurated the Museum of the Communist Party of China. We called upon all Party members to study and apply the great founding spirit of the Party, and we encouraged them to create a brighter future by staying true to the Party's founding mission with greater resolve and purpose on the new journey ahead.

In responding to the sudden outbreak of Covid-19, we put the people and their lives above all else, worked to prevent both imported cases and domestic resurgences, and tenaciously pursued a dynamic zero-Covid policy. In launching an all-out people's war to stop the spread of the virus, we have protected the people's health and safety to the greatest extent possible and made tremendously encouraging achievements in both epidemic response and economic and social development.

In the face of turbulent developments in Hong Kong, the central government exercised its overall jurisdiction over the special administrative region as prescribed by China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was formulated and put into effect, ensuring that Hong Kong is administered by patriots. Thanks to these moves, order has been restored in Hong Kong, marking a major turn for the better in the region. Further headway has been made in developing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and supporting Hong Kong and Macao in growing their economies, improving living standards, and maintaining stability.

In response to separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence" and gross provocations of external interference in Taiwan affairs, we have resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference, demonstrating our resolve and ability to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to oppose "Taiwan independence." We have strengthened our strategic initiative for China's complete reunification and consolidated commitment to the one-China principle within the international community.

Confronted with drastic changes in the international landscape, especially external attempts to blackmail, contain, blockade, and exert maximum pressure on China, we have put our national interests first, focused on internal political concerns, and maintained firm strategic resolve. We have shown a fighting spirit and a firm determination to never yield to coercive power. Throughout these endeavors, we have safeguarded China's dignity and core interests and kept ourselves well-positioned for pursuing development and ensuring security.

Over the past five years, our Party has rallied the people and led them in solving a great number of problems that had long gone unsolved, securing many accomplishments that hold major future significance, and achieving impressive advances in the cause of the Party and the country.

Ten years have passed since the Party's 18th National Congress. The past decade marked three major events of great immediate importance and profound historical significance for the cause of the Party and the people: We embraced the centenary of the Communist Party of China; we ushered in a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and we eradicated absolute poverty and finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal. These were historic feats—feats accomplished by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people striving in unity, feats that will be forever recorded in the Chinese nation's history, and feats that will profoundly influence the world.

A decade ago this was the situation we faced:

Great achievements had been secured in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and notable advances had been made in the great new project of Party building. All this had created solid foundations, favorable conditions, and key underpinnings for our continued progress.

At the same time, however, a number of prominent issues and problems—some of which had been building for years and others which were just emerging—demanded urgent action.

Inside the Party, there were many issues with respect to upholding the Party's leadership, including a lack of clear understanding and effective action as well as a slide toward weak, hollow, and watered-down Party leadership in practice. Some Party members and officials were wavering in their political conviction. Despite repeated warnings, pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance persisted in some localities and departments. Privilege-seeking mindsets and practices posed a serious problem, and some deeply shocking cases of corruption had been uncovered.

China's economy was beset by acute structural and institutional problems. Development was imbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable, and the traditional development model could no longer keep us moving forward. Some deep-seated problems in institutions and barriers built by vested interests were becoming more and more apparent.

Some people lacked confidence in the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics, and, all too often, we saw laws being ignored or not being strictly enforced.

Misguided patterns of thinking such as money worship, hedonism, egocentricity, and historical nihilism were common, and online discourse was rife with disorder. All this had a grave impact on people's thinking and the public opinion environment.

Our work to ensure the people's wellbeing was fraught with weak links. Tightening resource and environmental constraints and environmental pollution were pronounced.

The systems for safeguarding national security were inadequate, and our capacity for responding to various major risks was insufficient. Many shortcomings were affecting the modernization of national defense and the military.

The institutions and mechanisms for implementing the policy of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong and Macao were not well-developed, and China faced grave challenges to its national security.

These were just some of the problems we faced. Back then, many people, both in and outside of our Party, were worried about the future of the Party and the country.

In the face of these acute problems and challenges, which undermined the Party's long-term governance, the security and stability of the country, and the wellbeing of the people, the Party Central Committee fully assessed the situation, made resolute decisions, and took firm steps. Under its leadership, the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people were brought together. We rolled up our sleeves and got down to work, forging ahead with resolve to carry out a great struggle with many new features of our times.

Over the past decade, we have stayed committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and we have fully implemented the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as well as the Party's basic line and basic policy. We have adopted a number of strategic measures, developed a range of transformative practices, and made a series of breakthroughs and landmark advances. We have withstood risks, challenges, and trials in the political, economic, ideological, and natural domains, secured historic achievements and seen historic changes in the cause of the Party and the country, and taken China on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects.

—We have established the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. In doing so, we have laid out the basic policy for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, put forward a series of new ideas, new thinking, and new strategies on national governance, and achieved a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. We have endeavored to use this new theory to arm ourselves intellectually, guide our practice, and advance our work. This theory provides us with fundamental guidance for advancing the cause of our Party and our country in the new era.

—We have strengthened Party leadership in all respects. We have made clear that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, that the Party is the highest force of political leadership, and that upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the highest political principle. We have made systematic improvements to the Party's leadership systems. All Party members have become more conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. They have become more purposeful in closely following the Party Central Committee in thinking, political stance, and action, and they have continued to improve their capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation. All this has ensured the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership and guaranteed that the Party fulfills its core role of exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides. Now, our Marxist party of over 96 million members enjoys greater unity and solidarity than ever.

—We have developed well-conceived and complete strategic plans for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era. We have put forward the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and proposed promoting national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. We have made well-coordinated efforts to advance our great struggle, our great project, our great cause, and our great dream. We have adopted the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy[ The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan is to promote coordinated economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement. The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy is to make comprehensive moves to build a modern socialist country, deepen reform, advance law-based governance, and strengthen Party self-governance.] as well as the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and we have worked to both pursue development and safeguard security. We have identified the principal contradiction facing Chinese society as that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, and we have made it clear that closing this gap should be the focus of all our initiatives. With these efforts, we have made constant progress in enriching and developing a new form of human advancement.

—We have achieved moderate prosperity, the millennia-old dream of the Chinese nation, through persistent hard work. With this, we have elevated China to a higher historical starting point in development. By galvanizing the entire nation to carry out targeted poverty alleviation, we have won the largest battle against poverty in human history. A total of 832 impoverished counties and close to 100 million poor rural residents have been lifted out of poverty, and, among them, more than 9.6 million poverty-stricken people have been relocated from inhospitable areas. We have, once and for all, resolved the problem of absolute poverty in China, making significant contributions to the cause of global poverty reduction.

—We have put forward and applied a new development philosophy, worked hard to promote high-quality development, and pushed to foster a new pattern of development. We have carried out supply-side structural reform, formulated a series of major regional strategies important to China's overall development, and brought about a historic rise in China's economic strength.

In the past decade, China's GDP has grown from 54 trillion yuan to 114 trillion yuan to account for 18.5 percent of the world economy, up 7.2 percentage points. China has remained the world's second largest economy, and its per capita GDP has risen from 39,800 yuan to 81,000 yuan. It ranks first in the world in terms of grain output, and it has ensured food and energy security for its more than 1.4 billion people. The number of permanent urban residents has grown by 11.6 percentage points to account for 64.7 percent of the population. China's manufacturing sector is the largest in the world, as are its foreign exchange reserves. China has built the world's largest networks of high-speed railways and expressways and made major achievements in building airports, ports, and water conservancy, energy, information, and other infrastructure.

We have accelerated efforts to build our self-reliance and strength in science and technology, with nationwide R&D spending rising from 1 trillion yuan to 2.8 trillion yuan, the second highest in the world. Our country is now home to the largest cohort of R&D personnel in the world.

We have grown stronger in basic research and original innovation, made breakthroughs in some core technologies in key fields, and boosted emerging strategic industries. We have witnessed major successes on multiple fronts, including manned spaceflight, lunar and Martian exploration, deep sea and deep earth probes, supercomputers, satellite navigation, quantum information, nuclear power technology, new energy technology, airliner manufacturing, and biomedicine. China has joined the ranks of the world's innovators.

—We have comprehensively deepened reform with tremendous political courage. We have carried out critical tasks and enhanced top-level design for reform. We have dared to brave uncharted waters, take on tough problems, navigate potential dangers, and face new issues and challenges. We have broken the shackles of stale thinking, torn down barriers erected by vested interests, and removed institutional obstacles in all areas. This has enabled us to put in place foundational institutional frameworks in all sectors, to achieve historic, systemic, and holistic transformations in many fields, and to complete a new round of reform in Party and state institutions. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has become more mature and well-defined, and China's system and capacity for governance have been further modernized.

—We have pursued a more proactive strategy of opening up. We have worked to build a globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas and accelerated the development of pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port. As a collaborative endeavor, the Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform. China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, it leads the world in total volume of trade in goods, and it is a major destination for global investment and a leading country in outbound investment. Through these efforts, we have advanced a broader agenda of opening up across more areas and in greater depth.

—We have kept to the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics. We have comprehensively developed whole-process people's democracy, made all-around progress in improving the institutions, standards, and procedures of our socialist democracy, and advanced socialist consultative democracy by way of extensive participation. We have reinforced the foundations that undergird the people's running of the country, injected fresh vitality into democracy at the community level, and consolidated and expanded the patriotic united front. We have made new accomplishments in promoting ethnic unity and progress, fully implemented the Party's basic policy on religious affairs, and provided better protections for human rights. We have intensified efforts to advance socialist rule of law in our country, and a comprehensive framework for law-based governance has taken shape. We have sped up work on developing the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. We have made major progress in reforming the judicial system, thus providing more effective protection for social fairness and justice. These efforts have opened new ground for advancing the rule of law in China.

—We have established and upheld a foundational system for ensuring the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain. The Party's new theory for the new era has been embraced by the people, the core socialist values are resonating with the public, fine traditional Chinese culture is undergoing creative transformation and development, cultural programs are flourishing, and the online environment has seen continuous improvement. All this has brought overarching and fundamental changes in China's ideological landscape.

We celebrated the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, the 40th anniversary of the launch of reform and opening up, the 70th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the global war against fascism, and the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' departure for Korea to resist US aggression and aid Korea. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics were a great success. Our young people are filled with greater optimism and enterprise, and there is a notably stronger sense of cultural confidence and a higher level of morale throughout the Party and the nation.

—We have implemented a people-centered philosophy of development. We have worked continuously to ensure people's access to childcare, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance, thus bringing about an all-around improvement in people's lives. China's life expectancy has reached 78.2 years, its per capita disposable annual income has risen from 16,500 yuan to 35,100 yuan, and more than 13 million urban jobs have been created each year on average over the past 10 years. We have built the largest education, social security, and healthcare systems in the world. These achievements have allowed us to make historic strides in making education universally available, bring 1.04 billion people under the coverage of basic old-age insurance, and ensure basic medical insurance for 95 percent of the population. Timely adjustments have been made to the childbirth policy. More than 42 million housing units in run-down urban areas and more than 24 million dilapidated rural houses have been rebuilt, marking a significant improvement in housing conditions in both urban and rural areas. The number of internet users has reached 1.03 billion. We have ensured a more complete and lasting sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for our people, and we have made further progress in achieving common prosperity for all.

—We have acted on the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. We have persisted with a holistic and systematic approach to conserving and improving mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland, and desert ecosystems, and we have ensured stronger ecological conservation and environmental protection across the board, in all regions, and at all times. China's ecological conservation systems have been improved, the critical battle against pollution has been advanced, and solid progress has been made in promoting green, circular, and low-carbon development. This has led to historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection and has brought us bluer skies, greener mountains, and cleaner waters.

—We have applied a holistic approach to national security. We have steadily improved the leadership, legal, strategy, and policy systems for national security. We have not yielded any ground on matters of principle, and we have resolutely safeguarded China's sovereignty, security, and development interests. National security has thus been strengthened on all fronts. We have further improved the social governance system based on collaboration, participation, and shared benefits. We have effectively contained ethnic separatists, religious extremists, and violent terrorists and secured important progress in the campaigns to combat and root out organized crime. We have responded effectively to major natural disasters. The Peaceful China Initiative has entered a new stage.

—We have set the Party's goal of building a strong military in the new era. We have implemented the Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, followed the military strategy for the new era, and upheld absolute Party leadership over the people's armed forces. We held a meeting on military political work in Gutian in 2014 and improved political conduct through rectification initiatives. Having established combat effectiveness as the sole criterion, we have acted with resolve to focus the entire military's attention on combat readiness. We have coordinated efforts to strengthen military work in all directions and domains and devoted great energy to training under combat conditions. We have carried out bold reforms of national defense and the armed forces, restructuring the military leadership and command systems, the modern armed forces system, and the military policy system. We have moved faster to modernize our national defense and the armed forces and reduced the number of active service personnel by 300,000. With new systems, a new structure, a new configuration, and a new look, the people's armed forces have become a much more modern and capable fighting force, and the Chinese path to building a strong military is growing ever broader.

—We have fully and faithfully implemented the policy of One Country, Two Systems. We have upheld the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong and the people of Macao administer Macao, both with a high degree of autonomy. We have helped Hong Kong enter a new stage in which it has restored order and is set to thrive, and we have seen both Hong Kong and Macao maintain good momentum for long-term stability and development. We have put forward an overall policy framework for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era and facilitated cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation. We have resolutely opposed separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence" and foreign interference. We have thus maintained the initiative and the ability to steer in cross-Strait relations.

—We have pursued major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on all fronts. We have promoted the development of a human community with a shared future and stood firm in protecting international fairness and justice. We have advocated and practiced true multilateralism. We have taken a clear-cut stance against hegemonism and power politics in all their forms, and we have never wavered in our opposition to unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying of any kind. We have improved China's overall diplomatic agenda and worked actively to build a global network of partnerships and foster a new type of international relations. We have demonstrated China's sense of duty as a responsible major country, actively participating in the reform and development of the global governance system and engaging in all-around international cooperation in the fight against Covid-19. All this has seen us win widespread international recognition. China's international influence, appeal, and power to shape have risen markedly.

—We have made significant advances in exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance. Guided by the belief that it takes a good blacksmith to forge good steel, we kicked off our efforts by formulating and implementing the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving conduct. We have put forward and implemented the general requirements for strengthening the Party in the new era. We have set strengthening ourselves politically as the overarching guide for all other initiatives of Party building, and we have made sure that our ideological work is aligned with our institution building efforts. Intraparty political activities have been conducted in earnest, and we have continued to carry out intensive education initiatives. We have formulated and implemented the Party's organizational line for the new era and placed an emphasis on political commitment in selecting and appointing officials. Political inspections have been strengthened, and a sound system of Party regulations has taken shape. These moves have enabled the entire Party to maintain firm ideals and convictions and have strengthened the Party's organizational system and tightened discipline and rules.

We have worked ceaselessly to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline. We have hammered away at the task of rectifying pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance; opposed privilege-seeking mindsets and practices; and taken strong action to address misconduct and corruption that occur at people's doorsteps. Thanks to these efforts, unhealthy tendencies that had long gone unchecked have been reversed, and deep-seated problems that had plagued us for years have been remedied.

We have waged a battle against corruption on a scale unprecedented in our history. Driven by a strong sense of mission, we have resolved to "offend a few thousand rather than fail 1.4 billion" and to clear our Party of all its ills. We have taken coordinated steps to see that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to be corrupt, and we have used a combination of measures to "take out tigers," "swat flies," and "hunt down foxes," punishing corrupt officials of all types. We have achieved an overwhelming victory and fully consolidated the gains in our fight against corruption. All this has helped remove serious hidden dangers in the Party, the country, and the military and ensured that the power granted to us by the Party and the people is always exercised in the interests of the people.

Through painstaking efforts, the Party has found a second answer to the question of how to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall. The answer is self-reform. We have significantly boosted the Party's ability to purify, improve, renew, and excel itself, addressed the problem of lax and weak self-governance in Party organizations at the root, and steadily fostered and developed a political atmosphere of integrity within the Party. By doing so, we have ensured that the Party will never change its nature, its conviction, or its character.

As we fully affirm the remarkable achievements we have made in the cause of the Party and the country, we must not lose sight of the shortcomings in our work and the many difficulties and problems confronting us. They are mainly as follows:

Imbalances and inadequacies in development remain a prominent problem. There are many bottlenecks hindering high-quality development, and China's capacity for scientific and technological innovation is not yet strong enough. Many major issues need to be resolved in order to guard against financial risks and ensure that food, energy, and industrial and supply chains are secure and reliable.

There are still many tough issues to be addressed in the reform of key areas. Quite a few challenges exist in the ideological domain. There are still wide gaps in development and income distribution between urban and rural areas and between regions. Our people face many difficulties in areas such as employment, education, medical services, childcare, elderly care, and housing. Ecological conservation and environmental protection remain a formidable task.

Some Party members and officials lack a strong sense of responsibility, the capacity to grapple with tough challenges, and the readiness to get down to work. Pointless formalities and bureaucratism remain rather pronounced. Eradicating breeding grounds for corruption is still an arduous task.

We have already put in place a series of measures to deal with these problems, and we must redouble our efforts to see them fully resolved.

The great achievements of the new era have come from the collective dedication and hard work of our Party and our people. Here, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, I express our heartfelt gratitude to all of our Party members, to the people of all ethnic groups, to all other political parties, people's organizations, and patriotic figures from all sectors of society, to our fellow compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, in Taiwan, and overseas, and to all our friends around the world who have shown understanding and support for China's modernization drive.

The great transformation over the past 10 years of the new era marks a milestone in the history of the Party, of the People's Republic of China, of reform and opening up, of the development of socialism, and of the development of the Chinese nation. Over the course of a century of endeavor, the Communist Party of China has tempered itself through revolution and grown stronger. It has grown better at providing political leadership, giving theoretical guidance, organizing the people, and inspiring society, all while maintaining a close bond with the people. Throughout the Party's history, as the world has undergone profound changes, it has always remained at the forefront of the times. As we have responded to risks and tests at home and abroad, the Party has always remained the backbone of the nation. And as we have upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party has always remained a strong leadership core.

The Chinese people are more inspired than ever to forge ahead, more resolved than ever to work hard, and more confident than ever of securing success. They are filled with a stronger sense of history and initiative. With full confidence, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people are driving the great transformation of the Chinese nation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. We have advanced reform, opening up, and socialist modernization and have written a new chapter on the miracles of fast economic growth and long-term social stability. China now has more solid material foundations and stronger institutional underpinnings for pursuing development. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course.

Scientific socialism is brimming with renewed vitality in 21st-century China. Chinese modernization offers humanity a new choice for achieving modernization. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese people have provided humanity with more Chinese insight, better Chinese input, and greater Chinese strength to help solve its common challenges and have made new and greater contributions to the noble cause of human peace and development.

II. A New Frontier in Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times

Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and our country are founded and thrive. Our experience has taught us that, at the fundamental level, we owe the success of our Party and socialism with Chinese characteristics to the fact that Marxism works, particularly when it is adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. The sound theoretical guidance of Marxism is the source from which our Party draws its firm belief and conviction and which enables our Party to seize the historical initiative.

Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is a process of seeking, revealing, and applying truth. With new changes and practical demands emerging both in and outside of China since the 18th National Congress, there was an urgent need for us to provide in-depth theoretical and practical answers to a series of epochal questions on the cause of the Party and the country as well as the Party's governance of China.

With the courage to make theoretical explorations and innovations, our Party has, from an entirely new perspective, deepened its understanding of the laws that underlie governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society. It has achieved major theoretical innovations, which are encapsulated in the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The main elements of this theory are summarized in the 10 affirmations, the 14 commitments, and the 13 areas of achievement that were articulated at the 19th National Congress and the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Party Central Committee, all of which we must adhere to over the long term and continue to enrich and develop.

Chinese Communists are keenly aware that only by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture and only by applying dialectical and historical materialism can we provide correct answers to the major questions presented by the times and discovered through practice and can we ensure that Marxism always retains its vigor and vitality.

To uphold and develop Marxism, we must integrate it with China's specific realities. Taking Marxism as our guide means applying its worldview and methodology to solving problems in China; it does not mean memorizing and reciting its specific conclusions and lines, and still less does it mean treating it as a rigid dogma. We must continue to free our minds, seek truth from facts, move with the times, and take a realistic and pragmatic approach. We must base everything we do on actual conditions and focus on solving real problems arising in our reform, opening up, and socialist modernization endeavors in the new era. We must keep responding to the questions posed by China, by the world, by the people, and by the times; in doing so, we should find the right answers suited to the realities of China and the needs of our day, reach conclusions that are compatible with objective laws, and develop new theories that are in step with the times, so as to provide better guidance for China's practice.

To uphold and develop Marxism, we must integrate it with China's fine traditional culture. Only by taking root in the rich historical and cultural soil of the country and the nation can the truth of Marxism flourish here. With a history stretching back to antiquity, China's fine traditional culture is extensive and profound; it is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. Our traditional culture espouses many important principles and concepts, including pursuing common good for all; regarding the people as the foundation of the state; governing by virtue; discarding the outdated in favor of the new; selecting officials on the basis of merit; promoting harmony between humanity and nature; ceaselessly pursuing self-improvement; embracing the world with virtue; acting in good faith and being friendly to others; and fostering neighborliness. These maxims, which have taken shape over centuries of work and life, reflect the Chinese people's way of viewing the universe, the world, society, and morality and are highly consistent with the values and propositions of scientific socialism.

We must stay confident in our history and culture, make the past serve the present, and develop the new from the old. We must integrate the essence of Marxism with the best of fine traditional Chinese culture and with the common values that our people intuitively apply in their everyday lives. We should keep endowing Marxist theory with distinctive Chinese features and consolidating the historical basis and public support for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. With this, we will ensure that Marxism puts down deep roots in China.

Just as there are no bounds to practice, there is no end to theoretical innovation. It is the solemn historical responsibility of today's Chinese Communists to continue opening new chapters in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. To keep advancing theoretical innovation on the basis of practical experience, we must, first of all, gain a good command of the worldview and methodology of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and adhere to and make good use of its stances, viewpoints, and methods.

—We must put the people first. People-centeredness is an essential attribute of Marxism. Our Party's theories are from the people, for the people, and beneficial to the people. The people's creative practices are the inexhaustible source of our theoretical innovations. Theories that are detached from the people will be feeble and ineffective, and theories that cannot deliver for the people will be stale and lifeless. We must stand firmly with the people, respond to their wishes, respect their creativity, and pool their wisdom to develop theories that they like, accept, and adopt and that become powerful tools guiding them in understanding and changing the world.

—We must maintain self-confidence and stand on our own feet. There has never been an instruction manual or ready-made solution for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation to turn to as they fought to end the great sufferings endured since the advent of modern times and have moved on toward the bright future of rejuvenation. The Party has led the people in independently blazing the path to success over the past century, and the success of Marxism in China has been realized by Chinese Communists through our own endeavors. One point underpinning these successes is that China's issues must be dealt with by Chinese people in light of the Chinese context. We must remain firm in our conviction in Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics and strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. With a stronger sense of historical responsibility and creativity, we should make greater contributions to the development of Marxism. We should never act blindly without assessing how conditions have evolved or allow ourselves to become ossified or closed off, nor should we mechanically imitate others or indiscriminately absorb foreign ideas.

—We must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. We are advancing a great cause that none have attempted before. Only by upholding fundamental principles can we avoid losing our bearings or making catastrophic mistakes. Only by breaking new ground can we meet the call of the day and shape the trends of our times. We should approach Marxism with a respect for science and in the spirit of seeking truth. We must never waver in upholding the basic tenets of Marxism, the overall leadership of the Party, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. We should keep pace with the times and adapt to the evolution of practice. We should approach each and every new thing with great enthusiasm and never stop broadening and deepening our understanding of the world. We must dare to say what has never been said and do what has never been done, and we must use new theory to guide new practice.

—We must adopt a problem-oriented approach. Problems represent the voice of the times. The fundamental task of theory is to respond to problems and provide guidelines for finding solutions. The problems we face today are considerably more complex, and resolving them has become much more difficult. This presents a completely new challenge for theoretical innovation. We must be more conscious of problems, especially new problems that are discovered through practice, deep-seated problems affecting reform, development, and stability, pressing concerns of the people, major issues in the evolving global landscape, and prominent issues we face in Party building. We should keep developing new thinking, new approaches, and new ways to effectively resolve problems.

—We must apply systems thinking. All things are interconnected and interdependent. We must view them with the understanding that they are universally connected, part of a complete system, and constantly evolving if we are to grasp the laws governing their development.

As a major developing country, China is still in the primary stage of socialism and is going through an extensive and profound social transformation. A small move made to advance reform and development or to adjust interests may affect the bigger picture. We should be able to see the present from a historical perspective, look beyond the surface to get to the crux of issues, and properly manage the relationships between overall and local interests, between the present and the future, between macro and micro concerns, between primary and secondary issues, and between the special and the ordinary. We should improve our ability to adopt a strategic perspective and apply a historical, dialectical, and systematic approach to thinking; we should get better at thinking creatively, thinking in terms of the rule of law, and considering worst-case scenarios. By doing so, we can develop a well-conceived approach to planning and advancing the endeavors of the Party and the country on all fronts in a forward-looking and holistic manner.

—We must maintain a global vision. The Communist Party of China is dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It is also dedicated to human progress and world harmony. We should expand our global vision and develop keen insight into the trends of human development and progress, respond to the general concerns of people of all countries, and play our part in resolving the common issues facing humankind. With an open mind, we should draw inspiration from all of human civilization's outstanding achievements and work to build an even better world.

III. The New Journey of the New Era: Missions and Tasks of the Communist Party of China

From this day forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.

Based on our decades of exploration and practice since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, especially since the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, as well as the new breakthroughs made in theory and practice since the 18th National Congress, we have succeeded in advancing and expanding Chinese modernization.

Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.

—It is the modernization of a huge population. China is working to achieve modernization for more than 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today. This is a task of unparalleled difficulty and complexity; it inevitably means that our pathways of development and methods of advancement will be unique. We will, as always, bear China's realities in mind as we address issues, make decisions, and take action. We will neither pursue grandiose goals nor go by the rulebook. We will stay patient in advancing the course of history and take steady and incremental steps to sustain progress.

—It is the modernization of common prosperity for all. Achieving common prosperity is a defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and involves a long historical process. The immutable goal of our modernization drive is to meet the people's aspirations for a better life. We will endeavor to maintain and promote social fairness and justice, bring prosperity to all, and prevent polarization.

—It is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. Material abundance and cultural-ethical enrichment are fundamental goals of socialist modernization. Material want is not socialism, nor is cultural impoverishment. While continuing to consolidate the material foundation for modernization and improve the material conditions for people's wellbeing, we will strive to develop advanced socialist culture, foster strong ideals and convictions, and carry forward China's cultural heritage. We will thus promote all-around material abundance as well as people's well-rounded development.

—It is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. Humanity and nature make up a community of life. If we extract from nature without limit or inflict damage on it, we are bound to face its retaliation. China is committed to sustainable development and to the principles of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself. We will protect nature and the environment as we do our own lives. We will continue to pursue a model of sound development featuring improved production, higher living standards, and healthy ecosystems to ensure the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

—It is the modernization of peaceful development. In pursuing modernization, China will not tread the old path of war, colonization, and plunder taken by some countries. That brutal and blood-stained path of enrichment at the expense of others caused great suffering for the people of developing countries. We will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, we will strive to safeguard world peace and development as we pursue our own development, and we will make greater contributions to world peace and development through our own development.

The essential requirements of Chinese modernization are as follows: upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics, pursuing high-quality development, developing whole-process people's democracy, enriching the people's cultural lives, achieving common prosperity for all, promoting harmony between humanity and nature, building a human community with a shared future, and creating a new form of human advancement.

To build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, we have adopted a two-step strategic plan:

Basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 through 2035

Build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful from 2035 through the middle of this century

China's overall development objectives for the year 2035 are as follows:

Significantly increase economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, and composite national strength; substantially grow the per capita GDP to be on par with that of a mid-level developed country

Join the ranks of the world's most innovative countries, with great self-reliance and strength in science and technology

Build a modernized economy; form a new pattern of development; basically achieve new industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization

Basically modernize the system and capacity for governance; improve the system for whole-process people's democracy; build a law-based country, government, and society

Become a leading country in education, science and technology, talent, culture, sports, and health; significantly enhance national soft power

Ensure that the people are leading better and happier lives; bring per capita disposable income to new heights; substantially grow the middle-income group as a share of the total population; guarantee equitable access to basic public services; ensure modern standards of living in rural areas; achieve long-term social stability; make more notable and substantive progress in promoting the people's well-rounded development and prosperity for all

Broadly establish eco-friendly ways of work and life; steadily lower carbon emissions after reaching a peak; fundamentally improve the environment; largely accomplish the goal of building a Beautiful China

Comprehensively strengthen the national security system and national security capabilities; achieve basic modernization of national defense and the armed forces

After basically realizing modernization, we will continue to work hard and build China into a great modern socialist country that leads the world in terms of composite national strength and international influence by the middle of the century.

The next five years will be crucial for getting our efforts to build a modern socialist country in all respects off to a good start. Our main objectives and tasks for this period are as follows:

Make breakthroughs in promoting high-quality economic development; achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology; make major progress in creating a new pattern of development and building a modernized economy

Make new strides in reform and opening up; make further progress in modernizing China's system and capacity for governance; further improve the socialist market economy; put in place new systems for a higher-standard open economy

Further enhance the institutions, standards, and procedures of whole-process people's democracy; improve the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics

Enrich the intellectual and cultural lives of our people; enhance the cohesion of the Chinese nation and the appeal of Chinese culture

Ensure personal income grows basically in step with economic growth and pay rises in tandem with increases in productivity; ensure much more equitable access to basic public services; develop a better multi-tiered social security system

Substantially improve urban and rural living environments; make notable progress in building a Beautiful China

Further consolidate national security; fulfill the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027; make solid progress in building a Peaceful China

Further increase China's international standing and influence; enable China to play a greater role in global governance

Building a modern socialist country in all respects is a great and arduous endeavor. Our future is bright, but we still have a long way to go. At present, momentous changes of a like not seen in a century are accelerating across the world. A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is well under way, and a significant shift is taking place in the international balance of power, presenting China with new strategic opportunities in pursuing development. At the same time, however, the once-in-a-century pandemic has had far-reaching effects; a backlash against globalization is rising; and unilateralism and protectionism are mounting. The global economic recovery is sluggish, regional conflicts and disturbances are frequent, and global issues are becoming more acute. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and change.

At home, we face many deep-seated problems regarding reform, development, and stability that cannot be avoided or bypassed. In our efforts to strengthen the Party, and especially to improve conduct, build integrity, and combat corruption, we are confronted with many stubborn and recurrent problems. External attempts to suppress and contain China may escalate at any time.

Our country has entered a period of development in which strategic opportunities, risks, and challenges are concurrent and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising. Various "black swan" and "gray rhino" events may occur at any time. We must therefore be more mindful of potential dangers, be prepared to deal with worst-case scenarios, and be ready to withstand high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms. On the journey ahead, we must firmly adhere to the following major principles.

—Upholding and strengthening the Party's overall leadership. We must resolutely uphold the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership and see that Party leadership is exercised in all aspects and every stage of the endeavors of the Party and the country. This will ensure that our Party always remains the pillar that the Chinese people can lean on in times of difficulty, that our socialist modernization advances along the right path, and that we have the political cohesion and confidence in our development to inspire the people to strive in unity. It will see us forming a mighty force to overcome all difficulties with one heart and one mind.

—Following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must continue to pursue economic development as our central task, uphold the Four Cardinal Principles,[ The Four Cardinal Principles are keeping to the path of socialism, upholding the people's democratic dictatorship, upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and upholding Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.] remain committed to reform and opening up, and stay independent and self-reliant. We must keep to our path and not sway in our commitment. We must not return to the isolation and rigidity of the past, or veer off course by changing our nature or abandoning our system. We must develop our country and our nation with our own strength, and we must maintain a firm grasp on the future of China's development and progress.

—Applying a people-centered development philosophy. We must protect the people's fundamental interests, improve their wellbeing, and work tirelessly to ensure that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people. We must do a better job of seeing that the gains of modernization benefit all our people fairly.

—Remaining committed to deepening reform and opening up. We must intensify efforts to advance reform and explore new ground, and we must remain steadfast in expanding opening up. We must work hard to remove deep-seated institutional barriers so as to fully tap into the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously imbue our socialist modernization endeavors with fresh dynamism and vitality. We must do better in translating our country's institutional strengths into effective governance.

—Carrying forward our fighting spirit. We must foster a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude, and self-belief in the whole Party and the Chinese people so that we cannot be swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimidation, or cowed by pressure. We must meet obstacles and difficulties head on, ensure both development and security, and dig deep to surmount the difficulties and challenges on the road ahead. Let us harness our indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for our cause.

Today, we are closer, more confident, and more capable than ever of reaching the goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation. At the same time, we must be prepared to work even harder to get there. All of us in the Party must forge ahead with confidence and determination; proactively identify, respond to, and steer changes and prevent and defuse risks; and keep on striving to secure new successes in building a modern socialist China in all respects.

IV. Accelerating the Creation of a New Development Pattern and Pursuing High-Quality Development

To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must, first and foremost, pursue high-quality development. Development is our Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating China, for without solid material and technological foundations, we cannot hope to build a great modern socialist country in all respects. We must fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, promote high-standard opening up, and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows.

Pursuing high-quality development as our overarching task, we will make sure that our implementation of the strategy to expand domestic demand is integrated with our efforts to deepen supply-side structural reform; we will boost the dynamism and reliability of the domestic economy while engaging at a higher level in the global economy; and we will move faster to build a modernized economy. We will raise total factor productivity, make China's industrial and supply chains more resilient and secure, and promote integrated urban-rural development and coordinated regional development, so as to effectively upgrade and appropriately expand China's economic output.

1. Building a high-standard socialist market economy

We must uphold and improve China's basic socialist economic systems. We must unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector. We will work to see that the market plays the decisive role in resource allocation and that the government better plays its role.

We will deepen reform of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises (SOEs); accelerate efforts to improve the layout of the state-owned sector and adjust its structure; work to see state-owned capital and enterprises get stronger, do better, and grow bigger; and enhance the core competitiveness of SOEs.

We will provide an enabling environment for private enterprises, protect their property rights and the rights and interests of entrepreneurs in accordance with the law, and facilitate the growth of the private sector. We will improve the modern corporate system with distinctive Chinese features, encourage entrepreneurship, and move faster to help Chinese companies become world-class outfits. We will support the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises.

We will intensify reforms to streamline government administration, delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services. We will build a unified national market, advance reforms for the market-based allocation of production factors, and put in place a high-standard market system. We will refine the systems underpinning the market economy, such as those for property rights protection, market access, fair competition, and social credit, in order to improve the business environment.

We will improve the system of macroeconomic governance, give full play to the strategic guidance of national development plans, and enhance coordination between fiscal and monetary policies. We will work to expand domestic demand and better leverage the fundamental role of consumption in stimulating economic growth and the key role of investment in improving the supply structure. We will improve the modern budget system, optimize the tax structure, and improve the system of transfer payments.

We will deepen structural reform in the financial sector, modernize the central bank system, and strengthen and refine modern financial regulation. We will reinforce the systems that safeguard financial stability, place all types of financial activities under regulation according to the law, and ensure no systemic risks arise.

We will improve the functions of the capital market and increase the proportion of direct financing. We will take stronger action against monopolies and unfair competition, break local protectionism and administrative monopolies, and conduct law-based regulation and guidance to promote the healthy development of capital.

2. Modernizing the industrial system

In pursuing economic growth, we must continue to focus on the real economy. We will advance new industrialization and move faster to boost China's strength in manufacturing, product quality, aerospace, transportation, cyberspace, and digital development. We will carry out industrial foundation reengineering projects and research projects on major technologies and equipment; support enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products; and move the manufacturing sector toward higher-end, smarter, and greener production.

We will consolidate our leading position in industries where we excel, work faster to shore up weaknesses in sectors vital to China's development security, and improve our capacity for securing the supply of strategic resources. We will promote the integrated and clustered development of strategic emerging industries and cultivate new growth engines such as next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, and green industry.

We will build a new system of efficient and high-quality services and promote further integration of modern services with advanced manufacturing and modern agriculture. We will accelerate development of the Internet of Things and build an efficient and smooth logistics system to help cut distribution costs.

We will accelerate the development of the digital economy, further integrate it with the real economy, and build internationally competitive digital industry clusters. We will build a modern infrastructure system with a better layout and structure, more effective functions, and greater system integration.

3. Advancing rural revitalization across the board

The most challenging and arduous tasks we face in building a modern socialist China in all respects remain in our rural areas. We will continue to put agricultural and rural development first, pursue integrated development of urban and rural areas, and facilitate the flows of production factors between them. We will move faster to build up China's strength in agriculture and steadily promote the revitalization of businesses, talent, culture, ecosystems, and organizations in the countryside.

We must reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts. We will ensure that both Party committees and governments assume responsibility for ensuring food security and that China's total area of farmland does not fall below the redline of 120 million hectares. We will work to gradually develop all permanent basic cropland into high-standard cropland. We will invigorate the seed industry, support the development of agricultural science, technology, and equipment, and refine the mechanisms for ensuring the incomes of grain growers and for compensating major grain-producing areas. With these efforts, we will ensure that China's food supply remains firmly in its own hands.

We will adopt an all-encompassing approach to food, develop protected agriculture, and build a diversified food supply system. We will foster rural industries with local features to create more channels for increasing rural incomes. We will consolidate and expand our achievements in poverty alleviation and help areas and people that have just shaken off poverty build their own momentum for growth. We will develop infrastructure and public services in rural areas in a well-planned and coordinated way and build a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in.

We will consolidate and improve the basic rural operation system, develop new rural collective economies, cultivate new types of agribusiness and commercial agricultural services, and support appropriately scaled agricultural operations. We will advance reform of the rural land system and grant farmers more adequate property rights and interests. We will safeguard the lawful land rights and interests of rural residents who have moved to urban areas and obtained permanent residency, and we will encourage law-based, voluntary, and paid transfers of such rights and interests. We will improve the systems for supporting and protecting agriculture and the rural financial services system.

4.Promoting coordinated regional development

We will thoroughly implement the coordinated regional development strategy, major regional strategies, the functional zoning strategy, and the new urbanization strategy. We will improve the distribution of the major productive forces and develop a regional economic layout and a territorial space system that complement each other's strengths and promote high-quality development.

We will make further progress in the large-scale development of the western region, achieve new breakthroughs in the full revitalization of the Northeast, accelerate the rise of the central region, and encourage the eastern region to modernize more quickly.

We will support old revolutionary base areas and areas with large ethnic minority populations in speeding up development. We will promote development in border areas to boost local economies, raise local living standards, and ensure local stability.

We will promote coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and ecological conservation and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin. We will build the Xiongan New Area to a high standard and drive forward the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone.

We will improve the functional zoning system and the development of territorial space. We will advance people-centered new urbanization and work faster to grant permanent urban residency to eligible people who move from rural to urban areas.

We will leverage the role of city clusters and metropolitan areas to promote coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities and push forward with urbanization that is centered on county seats. Guided by the principle that cities should be built by the people and for the people, we will improve urban planning, construction, and governance and move faster to change the development models of super-large and mega cities. We will carry out urban renewal projects and improve urban infrastructure to build livable, resilient, and smart cities.

We will develop the marine economy, protect the marine ecological environment, and step up efforts to build China into a strong maritime country.

5. Promoting high-standard opening up

We will leverage the strengths of China's enormous market, attract global resources and production factors with our strong domestic economy, and amplify the interplay between domestic and international markets and resources. This will position us to improve the level and quality of trade and investment cooperation.

We will steadily expand institutional opening up with regard to rules, regulations, management, and standards. We will upgrade trade in goods, develop new mechanisms for trade in services, and promote digital trade, in order to accelerate China's transformation into a trader of quality.

We will make appropriate reductions to the negative list for foreign investment, protect the rights and interests of foreign investors in accordance with the law, and foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. We will promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

We will better plan regional opening up, consolidate the leading position of eastern coastal areas in opening up, and more widely open the central, western, and northeastern regions. We will accelerate the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the western region. We will work faster to develop the Hainan Free Trade Port, upgrade pilot free trade zones, and expand the globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas.

We will promote the internationalization of the RMB in an orderly way, deeply involve ourselves in the global industrial division of labor and cooperation, and endeavor to preserve the diversity and stability of the international economic landscape and economic and trade relations.

V. Invigorating China through Science and Education and Developing a Strong Workforce for the Modernization Drive

Education, science and technology, and human resources are the foundational and strategic pillars for building a modern socialist country in all respects. We must regard science and technology as our primary productive force, talent as our primary resource, and innovation as our primary driver of growth. We will fully implement the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy. We will open up new areas and new arenas in development and steadily foster new growth drivers and new strengths.

We will continue to give high priority to the development of education, build China's self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and rely on talent to pioneer and to propel development. We will speed up work to build a strong educational system, greater scientific and technological strength, and a quality workforce. We will continue efforts to cultivate talent for the Party and the country and comprehensively improve our ability to nurture talent at home. All this will see us producing first-class innovators and attracting the brightest minds from all over.

1. Developing education that meets the people's expectations

Education is of critical importance to the future of our country and our Party. What kind of people we should cultivate, how, and for whom—these are the fundamental issues that education must address.

The most basic aim of education is to foster virtue. We will fully implement the Party's educational policy, carry out the basic task of fostering virtue through education, and nurture a new generation of capable young people with sound moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills who will fully develop socialism and carry forward the socialist cause.

We will continue to follow a people-centered approach to developing education, move faster to build a high-quality educational system, advance students' well-rounded development, and promote fairness in education. We will accelerate high-quality, balanced development and urban-rural integration in compulsory education. We will better allocate educational resources across regions, strengthen public-benefit preschool education and special needs education, ensure the diversified development of senior secondary schools, and improve the financial aid system so it covers students at all stages of schooling.

We will promote collaborative innovation in vocational education, higher education, and continuing education and promote integration between vocational education and general education, between industry and education, and between science and education. We will better establish vocational education as a category in the educational system. We will do more to develop basic disciplines, emerging disciplines, and interdisciplinary subjects and speed up the development of world-class universities and strong disciplines with Chinese features. We will better guide and regulate the development of private schools.

We will intensify efforts to promote standard spoken and written Chinese. We will advance comprehensive reform in education, strengthen the creation and management of teaching materials, refine the systems for school management and educational assessments, and improve mechanisms for school-family-society collaboration in education.

We will strengthen the professional integrity, conduct, and ability of our teachers, foster public respect for educators, and encourage public support for education. We will promote the digitalization of education and build a society and country of learning where lifelong learning is pursued by all.

2. Improving systems for scientific and technological innovation

Innovation will remain at the heart of China's modernization drive. We will improve the system in which the Party Central Committee exercises unified leadership over science and technology work. We will improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide to make key technological breakthroughs. We will boost China's strength in strategic science and technology, better allocate innovation resources, and better define the roles of national research institutes, advanced-level research universities, and leading high-tech enterprises to improve their layout. We will establish a system of national laboratories, coordinate the development of international and regional centers for scientific and technological innovation, enhance basic scientific and technological capacity, and ensure better strategic input from the science and technology sector, so as to boost the overall performance of China's innovation system.

We will deepen structural scientific and technological reform and reform of the system for appraisal of scientific and technological advances. We will increase investment in science and technology through diverse channels and strengthen legal protection of intellectual property rights, in order to establish a foundational system for all-around innovation. We will nurture a culture of innovation, encourage dedication to science, cultivate fine academic conduct, and foster an enabling environment for innovation.

We will expand science and technology exchanges and cooperation with other countries, cultivate an internationalized environment for research, and create an open and globally-competitive innovation ecosystem.

3. Accelerating the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy

Setting our sights on the global frontiers of science and technology, national economic development, the major needs of the country, and the health and safety of the people, we should speed up efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

To meet China's strategic needs, we will concentrate resources on original and pioneering scientific and technological research to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. In order to enhance China's innovation capacity, we will move faster to launch a number of major national projects that are of strategic, big-picture, and long-term importance. We will strengthen basic research, prioritize original innovation, and encourage researchers to engage in free exploration.

To inspire greater creativity, we will invest more effectively in science and technology and advance reform of the mechanisms for the allocation and use of government research funds. We will promote closer enterprise-led collaboration between industries, universities, and research institutes, stay goal-oriented, and promote the industrial application of scientific and technological advances. We will reinforce the principal role of enterprises in innovation, give full play to the guiding and supporting role of key high-tech enterprises, create an enabling environment for the growth of micro, small, and medium technological enterprises, and promote deeper integration of the innovation, industrial, capital, and talent chains.

4. Implementing the workforce development strategy

Cultivating a large workforce of high-quality talent who have both integrity and professional competence is of critical importance to the long-term development of China and the Chinese nation. A wealth of talent is vital to the success of a great cause. We should follow the principle of the Party managing talent, and we should respect work, knowledge, talent, and creativity. We will adopt more proactive, open, and effective policies on talent and encourage our talent to love the Party, dedicate themselves to the country and contribute to its cause, and serve the people. We will improve the strategic distribution of human resources and make concerted efforts to cultivate talented people in all fields, so as to create a large, well-structured, and high-quality workforce.

We will move faster to build world hubs for talent and innovation, promote better distribution and balanced development of talent across regions, and strive to build up our comparative strengths in global competition for talent. We will speed up efforts to build a contingent of personnel with expertise of strategic importance and cultivate greater numbers of master scholars, science strategists, first-class scientists and innovation teams, young scientists, outstanding engineers, master craftsmen, and highly-skilled workers.

We will increase international personnel exchanges and make the best use of talent of all types to fully harness their potential. We will further reform the systems and mechanisms for talent development and ensure we value talented people, nurture them, attract them, and put them to good use. No effort should be spared and no rigid boundaries drawn in the endeavor to bring together the best and the brightest from all fields for the cause of the Party and the people.

VI. Advancing Whole-Process People's Democracy and Ensuring that the People Run the Country

China is a socialist country of people's democratic dictatorship under the leadership of the working class based on an alliance of workers and farmers; all power of the state in China belongs to the people. People's democracy is the lifeblood of socialism, and it is integral to our efforts to build a modern socialist country in all respects. Whole-process people's democracy is the defining feature of socialist democracy; it is democracy in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form.

We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics, uphold the unity between Party leadership, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance, and ensure the principal position of the people, so as to give full expression to their will, protect their rights and interests, and spark their creativity.

We will improve the system of institutions through which the people run the country. We will encourage the people's orderly participation in political affairs and guarantee their ability to engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight in accordance with the law. We will inspire the people's motivation, initiative, and creativity, so as to consolidate and develop a lively, stable, and united political atmosphere.

1. Strengthening the institutions through which the people run the country

We must uphold and improve our country's foundational, basic, and important political systems, expand democratic channels, and diversify the forms of democracy, so as to ensure that people participate in various ways in the management of state, economic, cultural, and social affairs in accordance with the law.

We will support and ensure the people's exercise of state power through people's congresses, and we will ensure that people's congresses at all levels are formed through democratic elections, responsible to the people, and subject to their oversight.

We will support and ensure that people's congresses and their standing committees lawfully exercise the powers of enacting laws, conducting oversight, making decisions, and appointing and removing officials. We will improve the system under which people's congresses conduct oversight of administrative, supervisory, adjudicatory, and procuratorial organs, and we will uphold the unity, sanctity, and authority of the law.

We will see that deputies to people's congresses are better able to carry out their work and that they strengthen ties with the general public. We will improve working mechanisms for drawing on public opinion and pooling the wisdom of the people and ensure that local legislative outreach offices are well-run. We will intensify reform and development of trade unions, Chinese Communist Youth League organizations, women's federations, and other people's organizations and give full play to their role as bridges connecting the Party and the people. We will follow a Chinese path of human rights development, actively participate in global human rights governance, and promote all-around advancement of human rights.

2. Fully developing consultative democracy

Consultative democracy is an important way by which whole-process people's democracy is practiced. We will improve the system of consultative democracy, make coordinated efforts to promote consultations carried out by political parties, people's congresses, government departments, committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), people's organizations, communities, and social organizations, and improve various institutional consultative platforms, so as to promote extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy.

We will uphold and improve the system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation and ensure the integration of Party leadership, the united front, and consultative democracy. We will give play to the CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body and see that it coordinates efforts to promote democracy and unity while making proposals on state affairs and building consensus. Improvements will be made to institutions, standards, and procedures to help the CPPCC ensure that in-depth consultations and interactions are conducted, opinions are fully expressed, and broad consensus is built. Efforts will be also made to improve the systems and mechanisms through which CPPCC committees conduct democratic oversight and their members stay engaged with people from various sectors.

3. Actively developing democracy at the primary level

Primary-level democracy is an important manifestation of whole-process people's democracy. We will improve the mechanism for community-level self-governance under the leadership of primary-level Party organizations, build up the strength of primary-level organizations, and improve the institutional and working systems for direct democracy at the primary level to see that urban and rural communities can more effectively manage, serve, educate, and oversee themselves.

We will increase transparency in government affairs, establish more channels for people from various sectors to participate in community-level governance in an orderly way, and ensure that the people manage public affairs and run public-interest programs at the primary level in accordance with the law.

We will rely wholeheartedly on the working class and improve the system of democratic management in enterprises and public institutions, which takes basic shape in the form of workers' congresses, so as to protect workers' lawful rights and interests.

4. Consolidating and developing the broadest possible patriotic united front

The people's support is of the utmost political importance, and the united front is an effective instrument for rallying the people's support and pooling their strength. We will build a broad united front to forge great unity and solidarity, and we will encourage all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation to dedicate themselves to realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

We will leverage the strengths of our country's new type of socialist political party system. Following the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, we will strengthen our Party's unity and cooperation with other political parties and prominent figures without party affiliation. We will also support other political parties in improving themselves and performing their roles more effectively.

We will, with a focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, continue to take the correct and distinctively Chinese approach to handling ethnic affairs, uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and improve the Party's work on ethnic affairs, so as to comprehensively promote ethnic unity and progress.

We will remain committed to the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation and provide active guidance to religions so that they can adapt to socialist society. We will strengthen communication with intellectuals who are not Party members on theoretical and political issues and improve our work concerning people from emerging social groups in an effort to provide better political guidance for pursuing common goals.

We will cultivate a cordial and clean relationship between government and business across the board and facilitate the healthy development of the non-public sector and those working in it.

We will improve and strengthen our work related to Chinese nationals overseas to give shape to a powerful joint force for advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

VII. Exercising Law-Based Governance on All Fronts and Advancing the Rule of Law in China

The comprehensive advancement of law-based governance has been a profound revolution in China's governance. Law-based governance is important for the Party's success in governing and rejuvenating the country, for the wellbeing of the people, and for the long-term stability of the Party and the country. We must give better play to the role of the rule of law in consolidating foundations, ensuring stable expectations, and delivering long-term benefits, and we must strive to build a modern socialist country in all respects under the rule of law.

We must follow a path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, develop a Chinese system of socialist rule of law, and establish China as a socialist country under the rule of law. We must, with a focus on protecting and promoting social fairness and justice, pursue coordinated progress in law-based governance, law-based exercise of state power, and law-based government administration and take integrated steps to build a country, government, and society based on the rule of law. We will make all-around efforts to ensure sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice, and society-wide observance of the law and see that all work of the state is carried out under the rule of law.

1. Improving the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics with the Constitution at its core

Law-based governance and law-based exercise of state power begin with compliance with the Constitution. We must remain firmly committed to leadership of the Party, to the state system of people's democratic dictatorship, and to the political system of people's congresses, all of which are mandated by the Constitution. We will better implement the Constitution and conduct constitutional oversight, and we will improve the systems for ensuring full compliance with the Constitution, so as to give better play to the Constitution's important role in China's governance and uphold its authority.

We will step up legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related fields and advance the rule of law in domestic and foreign-related affairs in a coordinated manner, so that good laws are made to promote development and ensure good governance. We will make further headway in making laws in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with the law; we will take coordinated steps to enact, revise, abolish, interpret, and codify laws; and we will see that legislative work is more systematic, holistic, coordinated, and responsive. Improvements will be made to the record and review system for normative documents. We must ensure sound, democratic, and law-based decision-making and fully implement the procedural system for making major decisions.

2. Steadily advancing law-based government administration

Building a law-based government is a key task and major part of comprehensively advancing law-based governance. We will transform government functions, improve the government responsibility system and organizational structure, and establish legal footing for government institutions, functions, powers, procedures, and responsibilities, so as to enhance the efficiency and credibility of government administration. We will deepen reform of public institutions.

With regard to administrative law enforcement, we will advance structural reform to ensure that it is strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil across the board, and we will intensify it in key areas involving the people's immediate interests. We will refine law enforcement procedures and the standards for administrative discretion, enhance oversight mechanisms and oversight capacity, and strictly implement responsibility and accountability systems. We will also improve the systems and mechanisms for coordinated law enforcement at the community level.

3. Ensuring strict and impartial administration of justice

An impartial judiciary is the last line of defense for social fairness and justice. We will deepen comprehensive and integrated reform of the judicial system, fully and faithfully enforce judicial accountability, and accelerate the development of a fair, efficient, and authoritative socialist judicial system. We will see that the people feel justice has been served in each and every judicial case.

We will ensure the well-regulated exercise of judicial power and improve the systems and mechanisms that enable public security organs, procuratorates, courts, and administrative agencies for justice to perform their respective functions and to coordinate with and check one another. Checks and oversight on judicial activities will be enhanced to ensure judicial justice. Procuratorial organs will step up legal oversight, and the system of public-interest litigation will be improved.

4. Stepping up efforts to establish the rule of law throughout society

A society based on the rule of law is the foundation on which we can build a country under the rule of law. We will promote socialist rule of law and carry forward fine traditional Chinese legal culture, and we will encourage all our people to truly revere, readily observe, and firmly defend socialist rule of law. We will develop a modern public legal service system that covers both urban and rural populations and carry out intensive activities to raise public awareness of the rule of law. We will advance law-based governance at multiple levels and in multiple areas and enhance the rule of law in social governance. We will see that leading officials play an exemplary role and work hard to make respecting, learning about, observing, and applying the law common practice throughout society.

VIII. Building Cultural Confidence and Strength and Securing New Successes in Developing Socialist Culture

To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and be more confident in our culture. In our efforts to turn China into a country with a strong socialist culture, we will focus on upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics, rallying public support, fostering a new generation of young people, developing Chinese culture, and better presenting China to the world. We will develop a sound, people-oriented socialist culture for our nation that embraces modernization, the world, and the future. We will ignite the cultural creativity of the entire nation and build a powerful source of inspiration for realizing national rejuvenation.

We should uphold the foundational system for ensuring the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain. We will ensure that culture serves the people and serves socialism. We will follow the principle of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend, and we will encourage creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture. Guided by the core socialist values, we will develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. In doing so, we will be well-placed to meet people's ever-growing intellectual and cultural needs, consolidate a common intellectual foundation for the whole Party and all Chinese people to strive in unity, and continuously grow China's cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture.

1. Developing a socialist ideology that has the power to unite and inspire the people

Ideological work is about forging the character of a country and the soul of a nation. We must ensure that the Party firmly exercises leadership over this work and that the responsibility system for it is fully implemented. We will cement and expand the mainstream thoughts and ideas that inspire hard work in the new era.

We will refine the working systems for arming Party members, educating the people, and guiding our practice with the Party's new theories. We will make further progress in the project to study and develop Marxist theory. In philosophy and the social sciences, we will work faster to develop Chinese systems for fields of study, academia, and discourse, and we will cultivate a pool of talented philosophers and social scientists.

We will improve the systems for communications across all forms of media and create a new environment of mainstream public opinion. We will improve the system for conducting comprehensive cyberspace management and foster a healthy online environment.

2. Extensively applying the core socialist values

The core socialist values have immense power to rally the people's support and pool their strength. We will carry forward the long line of inspiring principles for the Chinese Communists that originated with the great founding spirit of the Party; put resources related to the Party's heritage to great use; conduct extensive public awareness activities to promote the core socialist values; enhance commitment to patriotism, collectivism, and socialism; and foster a new generation of young people to shoulder the mission of realizing national rejuvenation.

We will develop and institutionalize regular activities to foster ideals and convictions, and we will carry out public awareness initiatives on the history of the Party, the People's Republic of China, reform and opening up, and the development of socialism, in order to foster love for the Party and the country. These efforts will help strengthen the people's commitment to our common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

We will draw on the core socialist values to forge inner strength and inspire our people, improve the system of theoretical and political work, and integrate the political education curriculum across all levels, from elementary schools to universities.

We will uphold both the rule of law and the rule of virtue and see that the core socialist values are incorporated into efforts to advance the rule of law, into social development, and into the people's daily lives.

3. Enhancing civility throughout society

We will continue the civic morality campaign, carry forward traditional Chinese virtues, foster stronger family ties, values, and traditions, and raise the intellectual and moral standards of minors. We will build public commitment to the greater good, public morality, and personal integrity. These efforts will help raise public moral standards and enhance public civility.

To promote cultural-ethical progress, we will take coordinated steps to raise awareness, apply principles, and develop initiatives and advance efforts in both urban and rural areas. We will foster an ethos of work, enterprise, dedication, creativity, and frugality throughout society and cultivate new trends and new customs for our times.

We will increase people's knowledge of science and encourage everyone to read. The system and working mechanisms for volunteer services will be improved. We will promote integrity and credibility in society and work to perfect relevant long-term mechanisms.

We will see that Party and state awards and honors play a guiding and exemplary role and that a public atmosphere prevails in which people emulate paragons of virtue, look up to heroes, and strive to become pioneers.

4. Developing cultural programs and the cultural sector

We will encourage people-centered cultural creation and production of more outstanding works that inspire the people, and we will nurture a great number of writers and artists of both moral and artistic stature as well as a large contingent of talented personnel in culture and the arts.

We will make sure the cultural sector prioritizes social benefit while also producing economic returns, deepen reform of the cultural management system, and improve economic policy for the cultural sector.

We will implement a national cultural digitization strategy, improve the modern system of public cultural services, and launch new public-benefit cultural programs. We will improve the modern systems for cultural industries and markets and implement major cultural projects to spur the development of the sector.

We will put more effort into protecting cultural artifacts and heritage, better protect and preserve historical and cultural heritage in the course of urban and rural development, and build and make good use of national cultural parks. We will encourage positive interplay between culture and tourism and advance deeper integration of the two sectors.

We will launch extensive public fitness initiatives, improve physical education for our young people, promote all-around development of recreational and competitive sports, and move faster to build China into a country strong in sports.

5. Extending the reach and appeal of Chinese civilization

We will stay firmly rooted in Chinese culture. We will collect and refine the defining symbols and best elements of Chinese culture and showcase them to the world. We will accelerate the development of China's discourse and narrative systems, better tell China's stories, make China's voice heard, and present a China that is credible, appealing, and respectable.

We will strengthen our international communications capabilities, make our communications more effective, and strive to strengthen China's voice in international affairs so it is commensurate with our composite national strength and international status. We will deepen exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations and better present Chinese culture to the world.

IX. Improving the People's Wellbeing and Raising Quality of Life

This country is its people; the people are the country. As the Communist Party of China has led the people in fighting to establish and develop the People's Republic, it has really been fighting for their support. Bringing benefit to the people is the fundamental principle of governance. Working for the people's wellbeing is an essential part of the Party's commitment to serving the public good and exercising governance for the people. We must ensure and improve the people's wellbeing in the course of pursuing development and encourage everyone to work hard together to meet the people's aspirations for a better life.

We must strive to realize, safeguard, and advance the fundamental interests of all our people. To this end, we must do everything within our capacity to resolve the most practical problems that are of the greatest and most direct concern to the people. We will stay engaged with our people and their communities, adopt more measures that deliver real benefits to the people and win their approval, and work hard to resolve the pressing difficulties and problems that concern them most. We will improve the basic public services system to raise public service standards and make public services more balanced and accessible, so as to achieve solid progress in promoting common prosperity.

1. Improving the system of income distribution

The system of income distribution is the foundational system for promoting common prosperity. We will keep distribution according to work as the mainstay with multiple forms of distribution existing alongside it, and we will build an institutional framework under which primary, secondary, and tertiary distribution are well coordinated and mutually complementary. We will work to raise the share of personal income in the distribution of national income and give more weight to work remuneration in primary distribution.

We will ensure more pay for more work and encourage people to achieve prosperity through hard work. We will promote equality of opportunity, increase the incomes of low-income earners, and expand the size of the middle-income group.

We will improve the policy system for distribution based on factors of production, explore multiple avenues to enable the low- and middle-income groups to earn more from production factors, and increase the property income of urban and rural residents through more channels.

We will enhance the roles of taxation, social security, and transfer payments in regulating income distribution. We will improve the personal income tax system and keep income distribution and the means of accumulating wealth well-regulated. We will protect lawful income, adjust excessive income, and prohibit illicit income.

We will provide guidance and support for enterprises, social organizations, and individuals who have the desire and ability to actively participate in charitable and public-interest initiatives.

2. Implementing the employment-first strategy

Employment is the most basic component of the people's wellbeing. We need to intensify efforts to implement the employment-first policy and improve related mechanisms to promote high-quality and full employment. We will refine the public services system for employment and the system of providing employment support for key groups and do more to help those in difficulty find employment and meet their basic needs.

We will integrate the urban and rural employment policy systems, remove institutional and policy barriers that impede the flow of labor and talent, and eliminate unjustified restrictions and discrimination that undermine equal employment. In this way, we will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to pursue a career through hard work.

We will improve the system of lifelong vocational training and tackle structural unemployment. We will improve the system for creating jobs by encouraging business startups and support and regulate the development of new forms of employment.

We will improve labor laws and regulations, the mechanisms for labor relation consultations and mediation, and the systems for safeguarding workers' rights and interests, and we will do more to protect the rights and interests of those in flexible employment and new forms of employment.

3. Improving the social security system

The social security system provides a safety net for people's livelihoods and helps ensure social stability. We will further improve the multi-tiered social security system that covers the entire population in urban and rural areas and see that it is fair, unified, reliable, well-regulated, and sustainable.

We will improve the unified national management system for basic old-age insurance funds and develop a multi-tiered and multi-pillar old-age insurance system. The statutory retirement age will be gradually raised. We will expand the coverage of social insurance programs, improve the mechanisms for financing and adjusting benefits for basic old-age insurance and basic medical insurance, and work toward provincial-level unified management of funds for basic medical insurance, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation.

We will promote the orderly linking up of medical insurance programs at different levels, improve major disease insurance and medical assistance schemes, and see that medical expenses are settled where they are incurred. We will institute an insurance system to support long-term care and vigorously develop commercial medical insurance.

We will move faster to improve the nationally unified public platform for social insurance services. Improvements will be made to the system whereby social security funds are kept safe through supervision and their value is maintained and increased over time. The multi-tiered and categorized social assistance system will be improved.

We will remain committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality and protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children. For people with disabilities, we will improve the social security and service systems and promote all-around development of related programs.

Adhering to the principle that housing is for living in and not for speculation, we will move faster to build a housing system featuring multiple suppliers and various channels of support that encourages both housing rentals and purchases.

4.Advancing the Healthy China Initiative

People's health is a key indicator of a prosperous nation and a strong country. We must give strategic priority to ensuring the people's health and improve policies on promoting public health.

We will improve the population development strategy, establish a policy system to boost birth rates, and bring down the costs of pregnancy and childbirth, child rearing, and schooling.

We will pursue a proactive national strategy in response to population aging, develop elderly care programs and services, and provide better services for elderly people who live alone. By doing so, we can ensure that basic elderly care is accessible to the entire elderly population.

We will further reform the medical and healthcare systems and promote coordinated development and regulation of medical insurance, medical services, and pharmaceuticals. We will expand the availability of quality medical resources and ensure they are better distributed among regions. Giving priority to prevention, we will strengthen health management for major chronic diseases and enhance the capacity for disease prevention and treatment as well as health management at the community level.

We will deepen reform of public hospitals to see that they truly serve the public interest and better regulate the development of private hospitals. We will build up the ranks of medical and healthcare personnel with an emphasis on rural areas and urban communities.

We will place importance on mental and psychological health. We will promote the preservation and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine.

We will develop new mechanisms for enhancing collaboration and integration between hospitals and institutions for disease prevention and control. We will also improve the public health system, improve our early warning system for major epidemics, and strengthen the systems for epidemic prevention, control, and treatment as well as our emergency response capacity so as to effectively contain major infectious diseases.

We will further advance the Healthy China Initiative and patriotic health campaigns and promote sound, healthy lifestyles.

X. Pursuing Green Development and Promoting Harmony Between Humanity and Nature

Nature provides the basic conditions for human survival and development. Respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature is essential for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. We must uphold and act on the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and we must remember to maintain harmony between humanity and nature when planning our development.

We will advance the Beautiful China Initiative and take a holistic and systematic approach to the conservation and improvement of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts. We will carry out coordinated industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological conservation, and climate response, and we will promote concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth. We will prioritize ecological protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development.

1. Accelerating the transition to a model of green development

A green and low-carbon economy and society are crucial to high-quality development. We must work faster to adjust and improve the industrial structure, the energy mix, and the composition of the transportation sector. We will implement a comprehensive conservation strategy, conserve resources of all types and use them efficiently, and move faster to put in place a system for recycling waste and used materials. Fiscal, taxation, financial, investment, and pricing policies and systems of standards will be improved to support green development. We will boost green and low-carbon industries and improve the system for market-based allocation of resources and environmental factors. We will accelerate the R&D, promotion, and application of advanced energy-saving and carbon emission reduction technologies, encourage green consumption, and promote green and low-carbon ways of production and life.

2. Intensifying pollution prevention and control

We will continue to control pollution in a lawful, targeted, and science-based way, and we will make further efforts to keep our skies blue, waters clear, and lands clean. Pollutants will be controlled in a better-coordinated way, and we will basically eliminate serious air pollution. We will make concerted efforts to improve aquatic environments, water resources, and aquatic ecosystems, strengthen ecological conservation of major rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and generally eliminate black, malodorous water bodies in cities. We will strengthen prevention and control of soil contamination at the source and control new pollutants. The environmental infrastructure will be upgraded and living environments in both urban and rural areas will be improved. The pollutant discharge permit system will be implemented across the board, and more will be done to modernize the environmental governance system. We will rigorously prevent and control environmental risks and strengthen central government environmental inspections.

3. Enhancing diversity, stability, and sustainability in our ecosystems

Major projects for preserving and restoring key ecosystems will be carried out at a faster pace in priority areas, including key national ecosystem service zones, ecological conservation redlines, and nature reserves. We will develop the national park-based nature reserve system and carry out major biodiversity protection projects. Large-scale greening programs will be rolled out in a well-planned way, and reform of collective forest tenure will be deepened. We will promote the natural regeneration of grasslands, forests, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, enforce the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River, and improve the system of fallowing and crop rotation.

We will establish mechanisms to realize the market value of ecosystem goods and services and improve the compensation system for ecological conservation. Biosafety and biosecurity management will be strengthened, and efforts will be made to prevent and treat harm caused by invasions of exotic species.

4. Working actively and prudently toward the goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality

Reaching peak carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality will mean a broad and profound systemic socio-economic transformation. Based on China's energy and resource endowment, we will advance initiatives to reach peak carbon emissions in a well-planned and phased way in line with the principle of building the new before discarding the old. We will exercise better control over the amount and intensity of energy consumption, particularly of fossil fuels, and transition gradually toward controlling both the amount and intensity of carbon emissions.

We will promote clean, low-carbon, and high-efficiency energy use and push forward the clean and low-carbon transition in industry, construction, transportation, and other sectors. We will thoroughly advance the energy revolution. Coal will be used in a cleaner and more efficient way, and greater efforts will be made to explore and develop petroleum and natural gas, discover more untapped reserves, and increase production. We will speed up the planning and development of a system for new energy sources, properly balance hydropower development and ecological conservation, and develop nuclear power in an active, safe, and orderly manner. We will strengthen our systems for energy production, supply, storage, and marketing to ensure energy security. We will improve the statistics and accounting system and the cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions. The carbon absorption capacity of ecosystems will be boosted. We will get actively involved in global governance in response to climate change.

XI. Modernizing China's National Security System and Capacity and Safeguarding National Security and Social Stability

National security is the bedrock of national rejuvenation, and social stability is a prerequisite for building a strong and prosperous China. We must resolutely pursue a holistic approach to national security and promote national security in all areas and stages of the work of the Party and the country, so as to ensure national security and social stability.

We must take the people's security as our ultimate goal, political security as our fundamental task, economic security as our foundation, military, technological, cultural, and social security as important pillars, and international security as a support. We will take coordinated steps to ensure external and internal security, homeland and public security, traditional and non-traditional security, and our own security and common security. We will both uphold national security and create the conditions for ensuring it. We will strengthen popular support for national security and social stability, improve the mechanisms for our participation in global security governance, and advance the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level. With this new security architecture, we will be able to better safeguard China's new pattern of development.

1. Improving the national security system

We must uphold the Central Committee's centralized, unified leadership over national security work and make sure that our leadership system for national security is high-performing and authoritative. The mechanisms for coordinating national security work will be strengthened. Improvements will be made in the legal, strategy, and policy systems for national security as well as the risk monitoring and early warning systems and the national emergency management system.

We will also improve the systems that safeguard security in key sectors and the coordination and command systems for major projects. We will strengthen the safeguards for ensuring economic, major infrastructure, financial, cyber, data, biological, resource, nuclear, space, and maritime security. Mechanisms for countering foreign sanctions, interference, and long-arm jurisdiction will be strengthened. We will improve the allocation of national security resources and create a coordinated, multi-dimensional, and highly effective system for protecting national security across all domains.

2. Strengthening our capacity for safeguarding national security

We will resolutely safeguard the security of China's state power, systems, and ideology and build up security capacity in key areas. We will ensure the security of food, energy, and resources as well as key industrial and supply chains. We will strengthen our capacity to ensure overseas security and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal entities overseas. We will safeguard China's maritime rights and interests and resolutely defend our country's sovereignty, security, and development interests. We will enhance our capacity to prevent and mitigate major risks and will remain on high alert against systemic security risks. We will crack down hard on infiltration, sabotage, subversion, and separatist activities by hostile forces.

We will conduct extensive public communications about the importance of national security and improve the ability of leading officials at all levels to ensure security in the pursuit of development. This will raise the people's awareness and readiness regarding national security and strengthen the public line of defense.

3. Enhancing public safety governance

We will follow the principles of putting safety first and placing emphasis on prevention, and we will establish an overall safety and emergency response framework. The public safety system will be improved, and we will drive a shift in public safety governance toward a model of prevention. Workplace safety risk controls will be strengthened, and safety supervision in key sectors and areas will be bolstered. We will enhance our capacity for disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief and for responding to and providing support during major public emergencies. Regional emergency response capacity will be strengthened. We will tighten supervision over food and drug safety and improve the systems of supervision, early warning, and prevention and control for biosafety and biosecurity. Protection of personal information will be strengthened.

4. Improving the social governance system

We will improve the social governance system based on collaboration, participation, and shared benefits, so as to make social governance more effective. We will apply and further develop the "Fengqiao model" for promoting community-level governance in the new era, and we will improve the mechanisms for appropriately addressing disputes between members of the public under the new circumstances. We will improve our work in handling public complaints and maintain open and regular channels for learning about people's concerns, handling their claims, and protecting their rights and interests. Primary-level social governance platforms featuring grid-based management, meticulous services, and IT support will be improved to strengthen urban and rural community governance. We should see that problems are resolved as they emerge at the community level.

We will work faster to modernize and enhance social governance in cities. We will take a holistic approach to ensuring law and order, we will consistently combat and root out organized crime, and we will lawfully crack down on various illegal and criminal activities that cause grave public concern. We will boost public participation in crime prevention and control and create an atmosphere that honors individuals who rise to the occasion during emergencies. This will foster a community of social governance in which everyone fulfills their responsibilities and shares in the benefits.

XII. Achieving the Centenary Goal of the People's Liberation Army and Further Modernizing National Defense and the Military

Achieving the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027 and more quickly elevating our people's armed forces to world-class standards are strategic tasks for building a modern socialist country in all respects. To this end, we must apply the thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, implement the military strategy for the new era, and maintain the Party's absolute leadership over the people's armed forces.

We will continue to enhance political loyalty in the military, strengthen the military through reform, science and technology, and personnel training, and run the military in accordance with the law. We will simultaneously carry out operations, boost combat preparedness, and enhance our military capabilities. We will continue integrated development of the military through mechanization, informatization, and the application of smart technologies and work faster to modernize military theory, organizational forms, personnel, and weaponry and equipment. We will enhance the military's strategic capabilities for defending China's sovereignty, security, and development interests and see that the people's armed forces effectively fulfill their missions and tasks in the new era.

We will strengthen Party building across the board in the people's armed forces to ensure that they always obey the Party's command. We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for implementing the system of ultimate responsibility resting with the chairman of the Central Military Commission.

We will continue to arm our military service members with the Party's new theories and carry out activities so that they gain a good command of the thinking on strengthening the military and contribute their share to building a strong military. We will encourage military personnel to learn more about the history of the military, promote a thriving military culture, and redouble efforts to foster our military's fighting spirit.

We will strengthen Party organizations in the people's armed forces, carry out regular activities and put in place institutions to improve the military's political work, and make unremitting efforts to improve conduct, enforce discipline, and combat corruption in the military.

We will intensify troop training and enhance combat preparedness across the board to see that our people's armed forces can fight and win. We will study and gain a good grasp of the characteristics of informatized and intelligent warfare and the laws that govern it, provide new military strategic guidance, and develop strategies and tactics for a people's war.

We will establish a strong system of strategic deterrence, increase the proportion of new-domain forces with new combat capabilities, speed up the development of unmanned, intelligent combat capabilities, and promote coordinated development and application of the network information system.

We will improve the command system for joint operations and enhance our systems and capacity for reconnaissance and early warning, joint strikes, battlefield support, and integrated logistics support.

We will intensify military training under combat conditions, laying emphasis on joint training, force-on-force training, and high-tech training. We will become more adept at deploying our military forces on a regular basis and in diversified ways, and our military will remain both steadfast and flexible as it carries out its operations. This will enable us to shape our security posture, deter and manage crises and conflicts, and win local wars.

We will strengthen all-around military governance. We will build on and expand the gains of national defense and military reform, improve the structure and composition of the armed forces, and refine the framework of military policies and institutions.

In fulfilling major tasks for national defense and military development, we will coordinate our operations, capacity building, and combat preparedness. We will speed up the development of modern logistics, implement major projects to develop defense-related science and technology, weaponry, and equipment, and move faster to translate scientific and technological advances into combat capabilities.

We will deepen the reform of military universities and colleges, build a strong system for training new types of military personnel, and develop new ways to manage military human resources. We will strengthen mechanisms and strategic planning for running the armed forces in accordance with the law and improve the Chinese system for law-based administration of military affairs. We will refine strategic management, improve the performance of the military system, and put defense resources to better use.

We will consolidate and enhance integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities. We will better coordinate strategies and plans, align policies and systems, and share resources and production factors between the military and civilian sectors. We will improve the system and layout of science, technology, and industries related to national defense and step up capacity building in these areas.

We will raise public awareness of the importance of national defense. We will improve our national defense mobilization capacity and the development of our reserve forces, and we will modernize our border, coastal, and air defense. We will better motivate service personnel and their family members through military honors and do more to protect their rights and interests. Better services and support will be provided to ex-service personnel. We will consolidate and boost unity between the military and the government and between the military and the people.

Our people's armed forces are a heroic fighting force that enjoys the full trust of the Party and the people. They have the confidence and the ability to safeguard China's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; the confidence and the ability to provide strategic support for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; and the confidence and the ability to make yet greater contributions to world peace and development.

XIII. Upholding and Improving the Policy of One Country, Two Systems and Promoting National Reunification

The policy of One Country, Two Systems is a great innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It has proven to be the best institutional arrangement for ensuring sustained prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao after their return to the motherland. This policy must be adhered to over the long term.

We will fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong and the people of Macao administer Macao, both with a high degree of autonomy. We will remain committed to law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao and maintain constitutional order in these two special administrative regions as stipulated in China's Constitution and their basic laws.

We will uphold and improve the systems for implementing the One Country, Two Systems policy and ensure that the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over the two regions. We will see that Hong Kong and Macao are administered by patriots and that the laws and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security are implemented there.

We will ensure both the central government's overall jurisdiction and a high degree of autonomy in the special administrative regions. We will uphold executive-led government in Hong Kong and Macao and support the chief executives and governments of the two regions in exercising law-based administration, enhancing their overall governance and management capacity, and improving their judicial and legal systems. We will ensure that the capitalist system and way of life remain unchanged in Hong Kong and Macao in the long run and work to promote long-term prosperity and stability in the two regions.

We will support Hong Kong and Macao in growing their economies, improving their people's lives, and resolving deep-seated issues and problems in economic and social development. We will give full play to the strengths and distinctive features of the two regions to see them consolidate and elevate their international position in finance, trade, shipping, aviation, innovation and technology, culture and tourism, and other fields.

We will encourage Hong Kong and Macao to conduct deeper, closer, and broader exchanges and cooperation with other regions and countries. We will continue to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating themselves into China's overall development and playing a greater role in realizing national rejuvenation.

We will inspire more people in Hong Kong and Macao to love both the country and their own regions, be more patriotic, and forge a broader united front at home and abroad in support of the One Country, Two Systems policy. We will crack down hard on anti-China elements who attempt to create chaos in Hong Kong and Macao. We will take resolute action to prevent and stop interference in the affairs of Hong Kong and Macao by external forces.

Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification is, for the Party, a historic mission and an unshakable commitment. It is also a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and a natural requirement for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We will implement our Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, maintain the initiative and the ability to steer in cross-Strait relations, and unswervingly advance the cause of national reunification.

The policies of peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems are the best way to realize reunification across the Taiwan Strait; this best serves the interests of Chinese people on both sides of the Strait and the entire Chinese nation. We will adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. On this basis, we will conduct extensive and in-depth consultations on cross-Strait relations and national reunification with people from all political parties, sectors, and social strata in Taiwan, and we will work with them to promote peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of China's peaceful reunification.

We will stand closely with our Taiwan compatriots, give firm support to patriots in Taiwan who desire reunification, and join hands to keep pace with the trends of history. We will safeguard the overall interests of the Chinese nation and take resolute steps to oppose "Taiwan independence" and promote reunification. Our great country will forever stand firm behind all patriots who support reunification.

Blood runs thicker than water, and fellow Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family bound by blood. We have always shown respect and care for our Taiwan compatriots and worked to deliver benefits to them. We will continue to promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Strait, advance our integrated development in all fields, and improve systems and policies that contribute to the wellbeing of our Taiwan compatriots. We will encourage people on both sides of the Strait to work together to promote Chinese culture and forge closer bonds.

Taiwan is China's Taiwan. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary. This is directed solely at interference by outside forces and the few separatists seeking "Taiwan independence" and their separatist activities; it is by no means targeted at our Taiwan compatriots.

The wheels of history are rolling on toward China's reunification and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Complete reunification of our country must be realized, and it can, without doubt, be realized!

XIV. Promoting World Peace and Development and Building a Human Community with a Shared Future

Today, our world, our times, and history are changing in ways like never before. The historical trends of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit are unstoppable. The will of the people and the general trends of our day will eventually lead to a bright future for humanity. And yet, the hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts of using strength to intimidate the weak, taking from others by force and subterfuge, and playing zero-sum games are exerting grave harm. The deficit in peace, development, security, and governance is growing. All of this is posing unprecedented challenges for human society. The world has once again reached a crossroads in history, and its future course will be decided by all the world's peoples.

For its part, China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future.

China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace. It has always decided its position and policy on issues based on their own merits, and it has strived to uphold the basic norms governing international relations and safeguard international fairness and justice.

China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. It stays true to the principle of equality of all countries big or small, strong or weak, and rich or poor, and it respects the development paths and social systems independently chosen by all the world's peoples.

China stands firmly against all forms of hegemonism and power politics, the Cold War mentality, interference in other countries' internal affairs, and double standards.

China pursues a defensive national defense policy, and its development strengthens the world's forces for peace. No matter what stage of development it reaches, China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism.

China adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence[ The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, noninterference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.] in pursuing friendship and cooperation with other countries. It is committed to promoting a new type of international relations, deepening and expanding global partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation, and broadening the convergence of interests with other countries. China works to enhance coordination and positive interaction with other major countries to build major-country relations featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development. Acting on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendships and partnerships with its neighbors, China strives to enhance friendly ties, mutual trust, and converging interests with its neighboring countries. Guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, China endeavors to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries and safeguard the common interests of the developing world.

The Communist Party of China stands ready to boost exchanges and cooperation with political parties and organizations of other countries based on the principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect, and noninterference in each other's internal affairs. Our Party encourages people's congresses, CPPCC committees, the military, local governments, and people's organizations to expand their external exchanges.

China is committed to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world and pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. It strives to create new opportunities for the world with its own development and to contribute its share to building an open global economy that delivers greater benefits to all peoples.

China adheres to the right course of economic globalization. It strives to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, advance bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation, and boost international macroeconomic policy coordination. It is committed to working with other countries to foster an international environment conducive to development and create new drivers for global growth. China opposes protectionism, the erection of "fences and barriers," decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains, unilateral sanctions, and maximum-pressure tactics.

China is prepared to invest more resources in global development cooperation. It is committed to narrowing the North-South gap and supporting and assisting other developing countries in accelerating development.

China plays an active part in the reform and development of the global governance system. It pursues a vision of global governance featuring shared growth through discussion and collaboration. China upholds true multilateralism, promotes greater democracy in international relations, and works to make global governance fairer and more equitable.

China is firm in safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. It opposes all forms of unilateralism and the forming of blocs and exclusive groups targeted against particular countries.

China works to see that multilateral institutions such as the WTO and APEC better play their roles, cooperation mechanisms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) exert greater influence, and emerging markets and developing countries are better represented and have a greater say in global affairs.

China is actively involved in setting global security rules, works to promote international security cooperation, and takes an active part in UN peacekeeping operations. China plays a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and regional stability.

Building a human community with a shared future is the way forward for all the world's peoples. An ancient Chinese philosopher observed that "all living things may grow side by side without harming one another, and different roads may run in parallel without interfering with one another." Only when all countries pursue the cause of common good, live in harmony, and engage in cooperation for mutual benefit will there be sustained prosperity and guaranteed security. It is in this spirit that China has put forward the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and it stands ready to work with the international community to put these two initiatives into action.

China is committed to building a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation, a world of universal security through collaboration and shared benefits, a world of common prosperity through mutually beneficial cooperation, an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning, and a clean and beautiful world through green and low-carbon development.

We sincerely call upon all countries to hold dear humanity's shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom; to promote mutual understanding and forge closer bonds with other peoples; and to respect the diversity of civilizations. Let us allow cultural exchanges to transcend estrangement, mutual learning to transcend clashes, and coexistence to transcend feelings of superiority. Let us all join forces to meet all types of global challenges.

Although this is an era fraught with challenges, it is also an era brimming with hope. The Chinese people are ready to work hand in hand with people across the world to create an even brighter future for humanity.

XV. Exercising Full and Rigorous Self-Governance and Advancing the Great New Project of Party Building in the New Era

Our Party has a pivotal role in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects and in advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. As the largest Marxist governing party in the world, we must always stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party like ours faces, so as to maintain the people's support and consolidate our position as the long-term governing party.

Since our Party's 18th National Congress, we have exercised full and rigorous self-governance and solved many of our prominent problems. Nevertheless, the tests the Party faces in governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment will exist for a long time to come, as will the dangers of a lack of drive, incompetence, disengagement from the people, inaction, and corruption.

All of us in the Party must bear in mind that full and rigorous self-governance is an unceasing endeavor and that self-reform is a journey to which there is no end. We must never slacken our efforts and never allow ourselves to become weary or beaten. We must persevere with full and rigorous self-governance, continue to advance the great new project of Party building in the new era, and use our own transformation to steer social transformation.

We must meet the overall requirements for Party building in the new era, improve the systems for exercising full and rigorous self-governance, and comprehensively advance our efforts to purify, improve, renew, and excel ourselves. This will enable our Party to stay true to its original aspiration and founding mission and remain the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

1. Upholding and strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee

The Party's leadership is comprehensive, systematic, and integrated; therefore, it must be exercised in a comprehensive, systematic, and integrated way.

We will improve the leadership systems by which the Party exercises overall leadership and coordinates the efforts of all sides and refine the mechanisms through which the Party Central Committee's major decisions and plans are implemented. This will ensure that all Party members closely follow the Central Committee in terms of political stance, orientation, principles, and path and that the Party's solidarity and unity are maintained.

We will improve the Central Committee's decision-making, deliberative, and coordinating institutions, so as to strengthen its centralized, unified leadership over major initiatives.

In strengthening the Party politically, we will enforce strict political discipline and rules, ensure that Party committees (leading Party members groups) at all levels fully assume their principal responsibilities, and enhance the political judgment, understanding, and implementation of Party organizations and Party officials at all levels.

We will continue to conduct sound, democratic, and law-based governance, practice democratic centralism, and develop new and improved ways of exercising leadership. We will enhance the Party's ability to chart the course, make overall plans, design policy, and promote reform, and we will keep everyone motivated.

We will make intraparty political activities more politically oriented, up-to-date, principled, and effective. We will make full use of criticism and self-criticism and keep working to improve the political environment in the Party.

2. Enhancing cohesion and forging the Party's soul with the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

Arming our members with the Party's new theories is a fundamental task of strengthening ourselves theoretically. To this end, we will continue to use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to achieve unity in thinking, will, and action. We will launch programs for Party members to study the Party's new theory and build the Party into a Marxist party of learning.

We will strengthen the ideals and convictions of our Party members, see that they are committed to the Party's purpose, and resolve the fundamental question of the worldview, outlook on life, and values they should embrace. We will be firm believers and loyal practitioners of the noble ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

We will apply what we have learned in practice, act on our beliefs, and turn the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into a powerful force for strengthening ideals, enhancing Party consciousness, guiding practice, and advancing our work.

We will combine theoretical study with regular, long-term study of the Party's history and see that Party members and officials strengthen their understanding, conviction, integrity, and diligence through continued study of Party history and carry forward our revolutionary traditions and heritage. We will launch theoretical study programs for Party members, especially leading officials at and above the county and director level.

3. Improving the systems and regulations for the Party's self-reform

We will continue to run the Party with systems and regulations. We should take the Party Constitution as our fundamental guide and give full play to the core role of democratic centralism in order to improve the framework of Party regulations, increase their authority, and fully enforce them. We will put in place mechanisms for upholding truth, correcting errors, uncovering problems, and remedying failings.

We will improve the total-coverage, authoritative, and highly effective oversight system under the Party's unified leadership and refine the mechanisms for overseeing power and keeping it in check. We will generate synergy between various forms of oversight with intraparty oversight serving as the mainstay, and we will ensure that power is exercised in broad daylight.

We will conduct concrete, targeted, and regular political oversight and keep leadership teams and their heads under effective oversight. We will see that political inspections serve as a powerful tool and that follow-up rectifications are made accordingly and their results are put to practical use. We will work to ensure that political responsibility for full and rigorous Party self-governance is fulfilled and that accountability mechanisms have real teeth.

4. Cultivating officials capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation

To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must have a team of officials who are politically committed and who have the competence to meet the needs of the new era and lead China's modernization drive.

We must adhere to the principle of the Party supervising officials. We must select officials on the basis of both integrity and ability, with greater weight given to integrity, and on the basis of merit regardless of background, thus fully applying the criteria for judging competent officials in the new era.

We will follow the right approach to selecting and appointing officials, select those who are high-caliber, professional, loyal, upright, and responsible, and ensure that strong and competent leadership teams are put in place at all levels. We will take political commitment as the primary criterion for selection and carry out solid vetting of officials' political commitment to ensure that they are politically reliable and corruption-free.

We will strengthen the ability of officials by tempering them through practice and giving them professional training, and we will focus on honing their skills by assigning them major tasks. This will help to ensure that officials become more capable of pursuing high-quality development, serving the people, and guarding against and defusing risks.

We will redouble our efforts to build the fighting spirit and ability of officials, particularly their ability to prevent risks, rise to challenges, and withstand pressure. This will enable them to take the lead in shouldering responsibility and to excel in their daily work, step forward at critical moments, and act with courage in times of danger.

We will improve the system for assessing officials' performance and see that officials have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well. We should also see that officials can be demoted as well as promoted and dismissed as well as recruited, thereby creating an environment in which the competent are elevated, the outstanding are rewarded, the mediocre are demoted, and the incompetent are dismissed.

It is of critical importance to the Party's future that we have qualified successors to carry forward our cause. With this in mind, we will improve the regular working mechanisms for training and selecting promising young officials. We should encourage young officials to work and gain experience in local communities and areas where conditions are harsh, and we should make such assignments an important part of their training.

We will attach importance to cultivating and selecting female officials and give full play to their important role. We will also attach importance to cultivating and appointing officials from ethnic minorities and carry out work related to non-Party officials in a well-coordinated way. We will ensure that retired officials are well taken care of.

We will improve our management of public servants and better allocate staffing resources for Party and state institutions. We should both be strict with our officials and care for them, and we should strengthen overall management and regular supervision of them. We should apply the "three distinctions,"[ The three distinctions refer to those between errors caused by lack of experience in pilot reforms and deliberate violations of discipline and law; between errors made in conducting experiments that are not explicitly restricted by higher-level authorities and arbitrary violations of discipline and law in the face of higher-level authorities' explicit prohibition; and between unwitting errors made in pursuing development and violations of discipline and law for personal gains.] so as to encourage officials to boldly take on responsibilities and demonstrate enterprise in their work. We should care about officials working in local communities, particularly those working in areas where conditions are harsh.

5.Enhancing the political and organizational functions of Party organizations

The Party's advantages and strength lie in its close-knit organizational system. Party organizations at all levels must perform the duties prescribed to them by the Party Constitution, implement the Party's lines, principles, and policies and the Central Committee's decisions and plans, and effectively organize and rally people from all walks of life.

In strengthening Party organizations, we need to keep a clear focus on the primary level, using Party building initiatives to propel rural revitalization and intensifying Party-building efforts in urban communities. We will guide community-level governance through Party building, keep working to strengthen weak and lax Party organizations at the primary level, and see that primary-level Party organizations play a key role in ensuring the exercise of the Party's leadership.

Party building will be improved across the board in Party and state offices and will be advanced in public institutions. We will make sure that Party leadership in SOEs and financial firms is strengthened in the process of their improvements to corporate governance. Party building will also be stepped up in mixed-ownership and non-public enterprises. The management systems for Party building in trade associations, academic societies, and chambers of commerce will be improved. Party building efforts will also be enhanced in new types of economic and social organizations and among groups in new forms of employment.

We will pay particular attention to recruiting young people, industrial workers, farmers, and intellectuals into the Party. Training and management will be improved for Party members, especially those among floating populations. We will implement the systems for intraparty democracy, protect Party members' rights, and motivate them to become role models. At the same time, we must earnestly and prudently handle Party members who do not measure up to standards so as to preserve our Party membership's advanced nature and integrity.

6. Taking strict steps to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline

Good conduct is critical to the survival of a governing party. We must carry forward the proud traditions and venerable conduct of the Party. In doing so, we will encourage Party officials, especially leading officials, to take the lead in conducting in-depth research and studies and to immerse themselves in hard work, take concrete measures, and deliver solid outcomes. We will steadfastly implement the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving conduct and see that leading officials, or the "key few," set an example for those below them. We will continue to tackle pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, with a focus on the first two. We will resolutely root out privilege-seeking mindsets and behavior. In improving Party conduct, we will identify problems specific to certain areas, sectors, and periods of time, go to great lengths to tackle prevalent and recurrent problems, and make consistent and sustained efforts.

We must make all-around efforts to tighten Party discipline. We will urge leading officials, especially high-ranking ones, to be strict with themselves, earnestly fulfill their responsibilities, and conduct rigorous management within their jurisdictions. Regarding violations of Party discipline, each and every infraction identified must be strictly investigated and handled. We will work in concert to enhance Party consciousness, improve Party conduct, and tighten Party discipline. This will enable Party members to maintain firm ideals and convictions, enhance their Party consciousness, and bolster their resistance to corruption and moral decline. We will foster within our Party members an inner strength to never be corrupted by wealth or power, never deviate from principle even in poverty or humble positions, and never yield to the threat of force.

7. Winning the tough and protracted battle against corruption

Corruption is a cancer to the vitality and ability of the Party, and fighting corruption is the most thorough kind of self-reform there is. As long as the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption still exist, we must keep sounding the bugle and never rest, not even for a minute, in our fight against corruption.

We will continue to take simultaneous, coordinated, and comprehensive steps to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to become corrupt. We must show zero tolerance in opposing corruption and punishing wrongdoing, and we must take more forceful action to both prevent new cases and root out existing ones. We will investigate and deal with corruption that involves both political and economic elements, resolutely prevent leading officials from acting for any interest group or power group, and crack down on any collusion between officials and businesspeople that undermines the political ecosystem or economic development. There must be no mercy for corruption.

We will intensify efforts to uproot corruption in sectors with a high concentration of power, funds, and resources. Firm action will be taken to swat "flies," or corrupt low-ranking officials, whose misconduct directly affects people's lives. We will strictly investigate and handle cases of corruption where leading officials' spouses, children, children's spouses, other relatives, or staff use their influence to seek personal gain. We will punish both bribe takers and givers and combat new and disguised forms of corruption. We will deepen international cooperation to combat corruption and establish an integrated mechanism for pursuing fugitives, preventing escape, and retrieving stolen assets.

To address both the symptoms and root causes of corruption, we will advance national anti-corruption legislation and promote a culture of integrity in the new era. We will provide education and guidance aimed at strengthening the vigilance of Party members and officials so that they have no desire to engage in corruption and so they live and work with honesty and integrity. We will closely integrate and coordinate harsh punishment, regulation over the exercise of power, and education and guidance, so as to continually secure more institutional achievements and greater efficiency in fighting corruption.

The times are calling us, and the people expect us to deliver. Only by pressing ahead with unwavering commitment and perseverance will we be able to answer the call of our times and meet the expectations of our people.

All of us in the Party must remember: Upholding the Party's overall leadership is the path we must take to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics; building socialism with Chinese characteristics is the path we must take to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; striving in unity is the path the Chinese people must take to create great historic achievements; implementing the new development philosophy is the path China must take to grow stronger in the new era; and exercising full and rigorous self-governance is the path the Party must take to maintain its vigor and pass new tests on the road ahead.

We have come to this understanding through many years of practice. It is a conclusion of paramount importance that we must cherish, uphold, and never deviate from. Under its guidance, we will ensure that the great ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics catches the wind, cuts through the waves, and sails steadily into the future.

Unity is strength, and only in unity can we succeed. To build China into a modern socialist country in all respects, we must unleash the tremendous creativity of the Chinese people in their hundreds of millions. All of us in the Party must stay true to our fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, maintain a people-centered mindset, and carry out the mass line. We must respect the pioneering spirit of our people and ensure that we are acting for the people and relying on the people in everything we do. We must follow the principle of "from the people, to the people," maintain a close bond with the people, and accept their criticism and oversight. We must breathe the same air as the people, share the same future, and stay truly connected to them. We must strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and the great unity of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad. By doing so, we will create a powerful collective force working with one heart and one mind to realize the Chinese Dream.

A nation will prosper only when its young people thrive. China's young people of today are living in a remarkable time. They have an incomparably broad stage on which to display their full talents, and they have incomparably bright prospects of realizing their dreams.

All of us in the Party should regard our work concerning young people as a matter of strategic significance. We will equip young people with the Party's theories, inspire them with the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, and become their confidants, advocates, and guides for the future.

Young people: You should steadfastly follow the Party and its guidance, aim high but stay grounded, and dare to think big and take action but make sure you can deliver. You should strive to be the new era's great young generation, a generation with ideals, a sense of responsibility, grit, and dedication. As you endeavor to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects, your youth and vitality will bloom in full splendor.

The Party has made spectacular achievements through its great endeavors over the past century, and our new endeavors will surely lead to more spectacular achievements.

Let the whole Party, the entire military, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups stay closely rallied around the Party Central Committee. Let us keep in mind that empty talk will do nothing for our country; only solid work will make it flourish. Let us maintain firm confidence, unite as one, and forge ahead with resolve. And let us strive in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts.

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Full text of the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

BEIJING -- The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Oct. 22 approved the report presented by Xi Jinping on behalf of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

Please find the document in the attachment.  

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Writing a Historic Chapter of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era

O n October 16, 2022, the 20th National Congress of the CPC opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a report to the congress on behalf of the 19th CPC Central Committee. The theme of the congress is: holding high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the CPC, staying confident and building strength, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and striving in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

The 20th National Congress of the CPC is held at a critical time when the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups are embarking on a new journey to building a modern socialist country in all respects and march towards the second Centenary Goal. The Congress is therefore seen as a milestone in the history of the CPC and the country.

The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC systematically reviews the work over the past five years since the 19th National Congress of the CPC, and the great changes in the first decade of the new era. It summarizes the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC in the new era, expounds the two-step strategic plan for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects, and focuses on the strategic tasks and major initiatives for the next five years. It is a political manifesto and guideline for the whole CPC and Chinese people of all ethnic groups, to embark on a new journey in building a modern socialist country and marching towards the Second Centenary Goal.

The report demonstrates the determination of Chinese Communists to bear their original aspiration in mind and to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It draws a blueprint for learning from history, creating a bright future and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and calls for the whole nation to strive for the realization of the Second Centenary Goal.

The 20th National Congress of the CPC opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16, 2022.

Reviewing Experience

The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC describes the past five years as “truly momentous and extraordinary.” In the past five years, the CPC Central Committee coordinated domestic and international situations and held seven plenary sessions at which it made major strategic plans. In accordance with these strategic plans, the CPC Central Committee has coordinated the implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, made significant achievements in economic and social development, governance of the Party, development of the state and the military, domestic and foreign affairs and national defense. By doing so, the First Centenary Goal was achieved on schedule, a moderately prosperous society was built, and the problem of absolute poverty was resolved.

The report outlines the success of the CPC Central Committee in uniting and leading the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in coping with major risks over the past five years. In responding to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, the Central Committee put the people and their lives above all else, worked to prevent both imported cases and domestic resurgences, and tenaciously pursued a dynamic zero-COVID policy. In launching an all-out people’s war to stop the spread of the virus, the country has protected the people’s health and safety to the greatest extent possible, and made tremendously encouraging achievements in both pandemic response and economic and social development.

In the face of turbulent developments in Hong Kong, the central government exercised its overall jurisdiction over the special administrative region as prescribed by China’s Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong is governed by patriots and order has been restored in Hong Kong. In response to separatist activities aimed at “Taiwan independence” and gross provocations of external forces, the CPC Central Committee has resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference, demonstrating its resolve and ability to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to oppose “Taiwan independence.”

Confronted with drastic changes in the international landscapes, especially external attempts to blackmail, contain, blockade, and exert maximum pressure on China, the CPC Central Committee has maintained firm strategic resolve and has shown a fighting spirit. Through these endeavors, the Central Committee has safeguarded China’s dignity and core interests and kept China well-positioned for pursuing development and ensuring security.

The report takes a panoramic view and comprehensively summarizes the great changes and achievements of China in 16 aspects under the leadership of the CPC over the past decade: the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was established; CPC leadership in all respects was strengthened; moderate prosperity, the millennia-old dream of the Chinese nation, was achieved; well-conceived and all-around strategic plans were made for the cause of the Party and the country; a new development philosophy was put forward and applied, and efforts were made to foster a new pattern of development; reform was comprehensively deepened with tremendous political courage; a more proactive strategy of opening-up was pursued; the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics was maintained; a foundational system for ensuring the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain was established and upheld; the people-centered philosophy of development was implemented; the idea that lucid water and lush mountains are invaluable assets has been acted upon; a holistic approach to national security has been applied; the CPC’s goal for military development in the new era was set; the policy of One Country, Two Systems was fully and faithfully implemented; the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics was advanced on all fronts; and significant progress in exercising full and rigorous CPC self-governance was made.

During the history of the People’s Republic of China, this past decade has been the decade of improving self-confidence and building strength, as it has achieved a great leap from standing up, growing rich, and becoming strong, and increased its comprehensive national power and international influence as never before. In the history of reform and opening-up, this past decade has been a decade of self-improvement through reforms during which China created the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. These have made China the mainstay of revitalizing socialism in the world.

A Long March-5 rocket lifts off with the Tian-wen-1 Mars probe from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province on July 23, 2020. People are watching the rocket launch at a beach.

Explaining Theories

For a nation to lead the trend of the times, it must be guided by theoretical thinking and correct ideology. An essential role of the CPC’s National Congress is to promote theoretical innovation and constantly arm the whole Party with scientific thinking.

The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC specifically points out, “Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and our country are founded and thrive” and “At the fundamental level, we owe the success of our Party and socialism with Chinese characteristics to the fact that Marxism works, particularly when it is adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of our times.”

Entering the new era, with new changes in the situations at home and abroad, and the new requirements of practice, there is an urgent need for the Chinese Communists to answer a series of major calls of the times regarding the development of the Party and the nation, and the Party’s governance of the country by combining theory and practice. With the courage to make theoretical explorations and innovations, Chinese Communists, with comrade Xi Jinping at the core, have, from an entirely new perspective, deepened their understanding of the laws that underlie governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society. The CPC has achieved major theoretical innovations, which are encapsulated in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

The report summarizes the main elements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, namely the 10 affirmations, 14 commitments, and 13 areas of achievement that were articulated at the 19th National Congress and the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. This summary systematically expounds the essence of the theory, clears the vague zone in thinking, and allows us to have a deeper understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era follows the basic tenets of Marxism. It focuses on solving the practical problems in reform, opening-up, and socialist modernization in the new era. What’s more, it absorbs philosophical thought, values, moral norms, and historical wisdom from more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. It therefore opens up a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times and ensures the truth of Marxism will flourish.

The report illustrates the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: being people-centered is an essential attribute, self-confidence and self-reliance are internal characteristics, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground are distinctive theoretical features, adopting a problem-oriented approach is a source of vitality, applying systematic thinking is a primary working method, and maintaining a global vision is a unique perspective.

Two villagers at Dongxiang County of Gansu Province holding lambs that have just been fed in their arms on October 15, 2020.

The National Congress of the CPC determines the Party’s priorities and main tasks by analyzing the present situation. Making sound judgments on the future according to current conditions, taking a clear-cut stance, and charting the course is of great importance to the development of a political party.

The 20th CPC National Congress dedicated itself to achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation, committed itself to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity, and drew the blueprint of China’s development in the coming five years and beyond. The report clearly stated that, “From this day forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.”

Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has always been the wish of Chinese people since the advent of modern times. In the past 100 years, the theme of the endeavors of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people has been to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. “Staying committed to our own path” is the historical conclusion drawn by the CPC over more than 100 years of struggle. Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is the final answer of the CPC as it leads the Chinese people in building the country. Chinese modernization is the path we must take to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the new journey of the new era.

After the report puts forward the central task of the Party on the new journey of the new era, it expounds on the deep meaning of Chinese modernization. It is noteworthy that before elaborating on the five characteristics of Chinese modernization, the report emphasizes, “Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.” This conclusion demonstrates the CPC’s theoretical self-consciousness and confidence in putting Chinese modernization into practice.

Chinese modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all. Common prosperity embodies the purpose and value of socialist development. We will always make people’s aspirations for a better life as the starting point and final goal of modernization. We will also endeavor to promote social fairness and justice, bring prosperity to all, and prevent polarization.

Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. In advancing socialist modernization, we must promote both all-around material abundance and people’s well-rounded development to achieve progress on all fronts.

Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. Only by staying committed to sustainable development, by following the principles of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself, by protecting nature and the environment as we do our own eyes, and by continuing to pursue a model of sound development featuring improved production, higher living standards, and healthy ecosystems, can we ensure the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. Peace and development are the trends of the times and the wish of the people, and profound changes have taken place surrounding the international political and economic order. The old path of war, colonization, and plunder to modernization no longer works. China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, China will proactively participate in global governance, strive to safeguard world peace and development as we pursue our own development, and make greater contributions to world peace and development through our own development.

To ensure stable and long-term advances, we must understand the essential requirements of Chinese modernization. The report elucidates them as follows: upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics, pursuing high-quality development, developing whole-process people’s democracy, enriching the people’s cultural lives, achieving common prosperity for all, promoting harmony between humanity and nature, building a human community with a shared future, and creating a new form of human advancement. This is the first time the CPC has summarized the essential requirements of Chinese modernization, emphasizing Party leadership and socialism with Chinese characteristics as the political orientation, highlighting the key requirements and strategic tasks for various fields, and expounding on its contributions and significance to the world.

Doing Solid Work

The report details efforts in 12 aspects to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects by giving full play to the great creative power of the Chinese people. They are: accelerating the creation of a new development pattern and pursuing high-quality development; invigorating China through science and education and developing a strong workforce for the modernization drive; advancing whole-process people’s democracy and ensuring that the people run the country; exercising law-based governance on all fronts and advancing the rule of law in China; building cultural confidence and strength and securing new successes in developing socialist culture; improving the people’s wellbeing and raising the quality of life; pursuing green development and promoting harmony between humanity and nature; modernizing China’s national security system and capacity and safeguarding national security and social stability; achieving the centenary goal of the People’s Liberation Army and further modernizing national defense and the military; upholding and improving the policy of One Country, Two Systems and promoting national reunification; promoting world peace and development and building a human community with a shared future; and exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance while advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era.

              

XIA YIPU is an associate research fellow with the Research Center of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

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What the TikTok Bill Is Really About, According to a Leading Republican

An illustration of a man in a suit against a background of phones featuring the TikTok logo.

By Jane Coaston

Ms. Coaston is a contributing Opinion writer.

Last month, the House passed a bill that would require TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. business to a company without ties to the Chinese government or face a ban of the TikTok app in the United States.

In Washington, which has become increasingly hawkish toward the Chinese government, worries and fears about the Chinese Communist Party’s role in ByteDance are widespread. But outside Capitol Hill, millions of people — especially younger Americans — use TikTok every day for entertainment and increasingly for search. Even beyond the potential speech or other legal issues, if this bill becomes law and a divestiture doesn’t work, those people might be pretty surprised if they were no longer able to download or update the TikTok app.

Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, is a co-sponsor of the legislation. He’s about to leave Congress, but if this becomes law, it will have an effect on social media and U.S.-China relations long after his departure. Many lawmakers in both parties are concerned about the effects of social media on teens. Mr. Gallagher’s much more concerned about the Chinese government, and we spoke about speech concerns, the message to authoritarian governments from a bill like this and how Donald Trump’s fluctuating support affects the chances the bill will become reality.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity and is part of an Opinion Q. and A. series exploring modern conservatism today, its influence in society and politics and how and why it differs (and doesn’t) from the conservative movement that most Americans thought they knew.

Jane Coaston: So what’s the scenario with TikTok that you fear the most? Data theft, misinformation, tracking generations of Americans and then using their information and attention against them? Or something duller than what I’m imagining?

Representative Mike Gallagher: There are two threats. One is what you could call the espionage threat. It’s data security — using the app to find Americans, exfiltrate data, track the location of journalists, etc. We have incidences of this happening already that are in the public domain. That’s a serious threat, but I actually think the greater concern is the propaganda threat. If TikTok continues to establish itself as the dominant news platform in America and if the algorithm remains a black box and subject to the control of ByteDance and, by extension, the Chinese Communist Party, you’re placing the control of information — like what information America’s youth gets — in the hands of America’s foremost adversary. And that’s a risk I don’t think we can afford to take. Obviously, there’s well-established precedent when it comes to traditional media for foreign ownership, which is why we think a divestiture is the most prudent way to guard against both of those threats.

[ In 2022, Forbes reported that TikTok employees pulled the IP addresses and user information of three reporters to monitor their whereabouts after the reporters published a critical article about ByteDance; TikTok said the employees were no longer employed by the company. ]

Coaston: Let’s say I’m 19 years old, I’m in college. I use TikTok for normal stuff. Make the case to me that there’s a security risk.

Gallagher: We have already examples of TikTok, as I mentioned before, spying on journalists. TikTok has not been truthful about where its data was housed in the past, and using TikTok’s own metrics when it comes to comparing content on that platform versus Instagram — recognizing it’s not an apple-to-apples comparison, based on the different way the apps work — there are disparities that don’t make any sense. It can’t be explained away by sounding variables such as the fact that TikTok doesn’t operate in India. And the closer you get to the topics that are sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party — whether it’s Covid origins, whether it’s the Uyghur genocide, whether it’s Hong Kong, etc. — the disparities get more and more severe. Again, this gets back to the black box nature of the algorithm. But the other thing I would say to that 19-year-old who wants to continue to use TikTok, that’s fine. In the scenario that our bill envisions, once the ownership structure changes, the national security concerns are substantially alleviated. I see no reason the user experience can not only continue but also improve.

[ This year TikTok limited access to a tool that researchers used to track trending topics on the platform. In the past, groups like the Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University have found that based on tags, certain topics, like protests about increasing antidemocratic measures in Hong Kong and reports of the confinement and forced labor of Uyghur Muslims in China, are underrepresented on TikTok compared with Instagram. TikTok has said that the Chinese government has no influence over the app. ]

Coaston: How much have you used TikTok? Do you have a burner phone with TikTok on it, by any chance?

Gallagher: I do not. I don’t really use social media at all. I have a Twitter staff account, but I made that decision about six years ago, I think, to remove myself personally from it. I don’t have it on my phone. And that was more to me a matter of wanting to be effective, and I found myself not having the time I wanted to do deep thinking and writing and researching, and the minute I got off it, the more my productivity improved. Now, that’s just me personally; I just don’t find it useful. There are occasions when I would use Twitter to sort of monitor various Chinese Communist Party propaganda accounts during the pandemic. I became fascinated with what they were doing to spread kind of dangerous anti-American rhetoric on our platforms.

People will send me TikTok videos sometimes as examples, but I don’t have the app even on a burner phone. I do think when we’re talking about all this stuff — social media companies in America and China — a principle underlying all of it has to be reciprocity. As we have this debate about how and whether to regulate a foreign-adversary-controlled social media application in the United States, it’s worth remembering that our social media applications are not allowed in China. There’s just a basic lack of reciprocity, and your Chinese citizens don’t have access to them. And yet we allow Chinese government officials to go all over YouTube, Facebook and X spreading lies about America. I think this is a microcosm with a broader lack of reciprocity in the entire U.S.-China relationship. And I do think, as a matter of principle, it puts us on firm ground to address this issue.

Coaston: Jameel Jaffer at the Knight First Amendment Institute recently said on X, “A U.S. TikTok ban would be a gift to authoritarian regimes around the world.” There’s also an argument that banning an app in the same way that the Chinese Communists do, as you just mentioned, is basically a propaganda win for China. How should conservative China hawks be thinking about the messages that this ban might send worldwide?

Gallagher: Which is why it’s not structured as a ban and why TikTok lies about it being an outright ban. That argument backfired — and I think the push notification they forced on millions of users actually sort of proved our point about the concerns with how the tool could be weaponized to inject disinformation into the American legislative process and the democratic process. The outcome we’re trying to navigate toward is a divestiture or a sale or a separation. I actually think that’s an outcome that American investors in ByteDance should want. We’re not talking about an outright ban; we’re trying to force a sale. Now, you need a mechanism to force the sale, to be sure. I also would disagree that the bill addresses content or speech; it’s about conduct, specifically foreign adversary control of social media.

[ TikTok has sent messages to users to call their representatives, which resulted in widespread calls to congressional offices. ]

Coaston: So there are some Republican lawmakers who seem most concerned with the mental health of young people rather than something specific to Chinese ownership. In states like Utah, where I live, there are efforts to restrict teen social media usage more broadly. Are you in favor of that more expansive, less libertarian approach to social media and big tech for younger people? For adults?

Gallagher: Well, I think I need to caveat this: I share the concerns, but it’s a separate issue than what this bill is trying to address. What I’m narrowly trying to address with this bill is foreign adversary control of a dominant social media platform and news platform in the United States. Now, once we address that issue, then we can have a bigger debate about the effect of social media more broadly to include American social media companies. I’ve been persuaded by Jonathan Haidt’s work, both in the previous book he wrote with Greg Lukianoff, “The Coddling of the American Mind,” and then Haidt’s book that just came out, “The Anxious Generation,” that it is strongly correlated with the skyrocketing rate of anxiety and depression that we’re seeing among Gen Z. I think it’s worthy of government attention. There’s not an obvious government solution that I’ve been able to address. In fact, right now, my instinct is that it is my responsibility as a parent to set guardrails and not rely on the government to do it for me.

You could, however — and I think this is where Haidt’s analysis has been very persuasive — entertain raising the internet age of adulthood. And that is something that I haven’t seen a piece of legislation yet that I’m ready to co-sponsor, but the idea makes sense to me, and I think there would be government authority to do that if we decided to do that. But again, that is not what this bill is about.

The other idea, which I think is sensible but doesn’t lend itself to federal legislation — though there might be state and local efforts at the school-district level — is finding a way to incentivize, if not mandate, phone-free schools. Haidt’s analysis is very good at highlighting the benefits of doing that. But again, that’s not something I would legislate as a member of Congress, if that makes sense. As a parent, I’m terrified about the corrosive impact of social media. I even see it among my colleagues, and I referenced my own experience and how social media, I think, really sapped my own productivity. I think there’s a way in which it precludes us from having a serious debate on certain policy issues because there’s no shared epistemological framework. We’re debating what is true and what isn’t, and we spend all our time on that, and we never get to the actual debate over policy. But again, that’s just a broader issue, and it’s not addressed by our bill right now.

Coaston: So Donald Trump supported banning TikTok, and now he doesn’t. How much harder does that make it for Republicans to vote for this legislation?

Gallagher: So in many ways I was surprised by his statement because a lot of this started with Trump. I mean, he was ahead of the curve when he tried to address the national security problems posed by ByteDance ownership of TikTok. And our bill is an extension of that effort. Obviously his effort ran into a legal buzz saw. We tried to learn from that and draft the bill in a way where it would survive a legal challenge and was on the strongest constitutional grounds. The bill is not trying to shut TikTok down and then force all its users onto Facebook. So if that’s the former president’s concern, then this bill should not worry him, because that is not the intent, and that, I don’t think, is what would practically happen. And then we had the vote after he made the statement, and we still got 352 votes. I think that just shows that there’s serious bipartisan concerns about ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok, and either this administration or the next administration, which could be the Trump administration, is going to have to address it.

After the interview, I followed up with Mr. Gallagher via email on a few points. These have also been edited for length and clarity.

Coaston: Conservatives also used to be pretty leery of government control and intervention. The approach of many conservatives to TikTok feels to me like “government knows best” and “government will call the shots.” Did conservatives change their way of thinking, or is China just scaring the hell out of them?

Gallagher: There’s a clear precedent of the government protecting Americans from national security threats posed by foreign-adversary-controlled applications and preventing our foreign adversaries from influencing the American airwaves. For a century, the Federal Communications Commission has blocked concentrated foreign ownership of radio and television assets on national security grounds, and in 2020, CFIUS (the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) forced a divestment of the app Grindr, citing national security concerns stemming from its Chinese ownership.

Coaston: Clearly, there are a lot of younger people who would be upset if a divestment didn’t work and TikTok no longer operated in the United States. How do you think about the politics of that?

Gallagher: Fortunately for the kids, this bill presents a great opportunity for ByteDance to divest of TikTok and continue operating in the United States. This decision is squarely in TikTok’s hands.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Jane Coaston was the host of Opinion’s podcast “ The Argument .” Previously, she reported on conservative politics, the G.O.P. and the rise of the right. She also co-hosted the podcast “The Weeds.” @ janecoaston

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