Zhang Hefu: Pivotal Role of the CPC in Building China into a Modern Socialist Country

In the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed, "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." His statement carries profound meaning and is of great importance for understanding the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. In my opinion, we can grasp its concrete meaning from the following three aspects.

1. The great achievements and the great changes in the first decade of the new era hinges on the leadership of the CPC.

Over the course of a century of endeavor, the Communist Party of China has tempered itself and grown stronger. It has grown better at providing political leadership, giving theoretical guidance, inspiring society, and organizing the people. In the past decade of the new era, the Communist Party of China has withstood risks, challenges, and trials in the political, economic, ideological, and natural domains, won the largest battle against poverty in human history as scheduled, and achieved moderate prosperity which had been the millennia-old dream of the Chinese nation. As a result, we have secured historic achievements and seen historic changes in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and taken China on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects. All these achievements, more than anything else, are attributable to the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China as it exercises overall leadership and coordinates the efforts of all sides, to General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core of both the CPC Central Committee and the entire Party who takes the helm and charts the course, and to the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The most important achievement of the 20th CPC National Congress is the election of a new central leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. With General Secretary Xi continuing to act as the navigator and helmsman, the great ship of China will resolutely advance in the right direction, catch the wind, cut through the waves, and fulfill the development strategies and objectives formulated at the Congress.

2. The key to building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects lies on the leadership of the CPC.

It is noted in the report to the 20th National Congress 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." It is also stressed that, "Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the Communist Party of China." The report elaborated the essential requirements of Chinese modernization, the most important of which is "upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China." These statements offered a clear explanation of the defining feature and the greatest strength of Chinese modernization. The Party has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese people; it stands with them through thick and thin and shares a common fate with them. The Party has no special interests of its own—it has never represented any individual interest group, power group, or privileged stratum. This has enabled it to constantly demonstrate its advanced nature and integrity in practice, to rally the overwhelming majority of the people to make one remarkable achievement after another, to pioneer a distinctively Chinese path to modernization, and to create a new model for human advancement. In the face of a more complicated environment and higher requirements, we must and can only uphold the leadership of the CPC in building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.

3. To build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, we must make the Party stronger and ensure that the Party exercises effective self-supervision and full and rigorous self-governance. 

Focusing on exercising full and rigorous self-governance and advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era, seven requirements has been put forth in the report to the 20th National Congress, demonstrating the Party's attitude and determination in tackling the special challenges it faces. 

They are as follows: 1) upholding and strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee to ensure the implementation of its major decisions and plans as well as the Party's solidarity and unity; 2) enhancing ideological and understanding level and the ability to make decisions and solve problems with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and turning this latest theoretical innovation of the Party into a powerful force for strengthening ideals, enhancing Party consciousness, guiding practice, and advancing our work; 3) improving the systems and regulations for the Party's self-reform, running the Party with systems and regulations, and making Party building more effective; 4) cultivating officials capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation to ensure that we have qualified successors to carry forward our cause; 5) enhancing the political and organizational functions of Party organizations to fully exerting the Party's advantages and strength; 6) taking strict steps to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline, so as to ensure that all Party members, especially officials, can strictly discipline themselves and take responsibilities; and 7) winning the tough and protracted battle against corruption, eradicating the tumors endangering the health of our Party, and carrying out the most thorough kind of self-reform in accordance with Party's nature, purpose, and goals. Taking aim at building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, the CPC put forward these requirements to address problems within the Party. These requirements embody the Party's willingness to learn from history and its commitment to remaining firmly grounded in the present while setting sights on the future. They are of pivotal importance for the CPC in preserving its advanced nature and integrity and strengthening its governance capacity as it leads China's modernization drive.

Excerpt from Zhang Hefu's Speech at "Hong Ting Forum: Understanding the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China".