Xi Jinping: Reform and Opening Up Is Always Ongoing and Will Never End

　　Reform and Opening Up Is Always Ongoing and Will Never End* 

　　December 31, 2012 

　　Reform  and opening up is a long-term and arduous cause, and people need to  work on it generation after generation. We should carry out reform to  improve the socialist market economy of China, and adhere to the basic  state policy of opening up to the outside world. We must further reform  in key sectors with greater political courage and vision, and forge  ahead steadily in the direction determined by the Party's 18th National  Congress. 

　　The past, the present, and the future are all  interconnected. History is about the past, while the present is the  history of the future. To implement the major propositions on reform and  opening up raised at the 18th National Congress, we need to review  reform and opening up, better understand its historical necessity,  conscientiously master its laws, and firmly assume the responsibility of  extending it. 

　　We must review and apply the useful experience we have gained in reform and opening up. 

　　First,  reform and opening up is an in-depth revolution, and we must follow the  correct direction and stay on the correct path. Regarding the issue of  direction, we must keep a cool head. Our direction is to continuously  promote the self-improvement and development of the socialist system,  and stride forward with resolve on the path of socialism with Chinese  characteristics. 

　　Second, reform and opening up is a cause that  has never before been pursued. We must adopt the right methods and  advance this cause through continuous exploration and practice. Wading  across the river by feeling for the stones is a reform method with  Chinese characteristics and in line with the prevailing conditions in  China. Wading across the river by feeling for the stones, we can  identify the laws that apply, and acquire knowledge in practice. Wading  across the river by feeling for the stones and top-level design are two  component factors for our reform effort. Reform and opening up in a  region at a certain stage should be subject to top-level design;  top-level design should be strengthened on the basis of progressive  reform and opening up in the region at a certain stage. To continue  reform and opening up, we need to strengthen our macroscopic thinking  and top-level design, and make sure that reform is systematic,  integrated and coordinated. At the same time, we must still encourage  bold experiments and breakthroughs. 

　　Third, reform and opening up  is a systematic project, which should be pushed forward in an all-round  way with all kinds of reforms well coordinated. Reform and opening up is  an in-depth and all-round social transformation. Every reform will have  great impact on other reforms, and all reforms support each other and  interact positively. We will promote both all-round progress and  breakthroughs at key points, and form a strong force for the further  advance of reform and opening up. 

　　Fourth, stability is a  prerequisite for reform and development. We must make sure that reform,  development and stability proceed in tandem. Social stability makes it  possible for us to carry out reform and development which in turn  provide a solid foundation for social stability. We should take into  full consideration the momentum of reform, the speed of development, and  the capacity of the general public to sustain change. And improvement  of the people's wellbeing should be regarded as an important link in  balancing reform, development and stability. 

　　Fifth, reform and  opening up is a cause of the Chinese people. We must respect the  people's pioneering spirit and advance this cause under the leadership  of the Party. Every breakthrough and step forward in theory and practice  that we make in this cause comes from the experience and wisdom of the  people, so does every new thing we bring into being and develop, and  every experience we gain. The more arduous the task of balancing reform,  development and stability, the more we need to strengthen and improve  the Party's leadership and maintain close ties between the Party and the  people. We should be adept in formulating and implementing sound  guidelines and policies and use them to direct the people forward, and  be good at improving our policies through the work and experience of the  people and their demands for development. We must ensure that more  fruits of reform and development are shared by the people in a fairer  way, and secure solid popular support for continuing reform and opening  up. 

　　Reform and opening up is always an ongoing task and will  never end. Without reform and opening up, China would not be what it is  today, nor would it have the prospects for a brighter future. Problems  occurring in reform and opening up can only be solved through reform and  opening up. To advance reform and opening up, we must carry out the  guidelines of the 18th National Congress, and follow the guidance of  Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the Three Represents and  the Scientific Outlook on Development. In response to the call of the  people and their expectations for further reform and opening up, we  should build a social consensus, and promote reforms in all sectors in a  coordinated way. 

　　* Main points of  the speech at the second group study session of the Political Bureau of  the 18th CPC Central Committee which Xi presided over. 

Source: Xi Jinping The Governance of China

From:  http://en.qstheory.cn