Qu Qingshan: Gain a Deeper Understanding of the Worldview and Methodology 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 has achieved a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. Marxism is the fundamental guiding thought 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. Opening up a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is a proposition with profound connotation of thinking and great political significance proposed and elaborated by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his report of the 20th Congress.

       Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is a process of seeking, revealing, and applying truth. With changes and practical demands emerging both in and outside of China since the 18th National Party Congress, the Chinese Communists, such as General Secretary Xi Jinping, have integrated the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the specific reality of China and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. We have upheld Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development. They have profoundly reviewed and made full use of the historical experience gained since the founding of the Party to create Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. From an entirely new perspective, they have deepened our understanding of the laws that underlie governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society, providing sound theoretical guidance for advancing the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

To uphold and develop Marxism, we must integrate it with China’s specific realities. The life, vitality and charisma of Marxism lie in its innovation and in its integration with the specific realities and characteristics of the times of each country and nation. Marxism is our guide to action, not 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, the best of traditional Chinese 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.

We should adhere to and make good use of the stance, viewpoint and method of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. 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 Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and adhere to and make good use of its stance, viewpoint, and method.

The stance, viewpoint, and method are to put the people first, maintain self-confidence and stand on our own feet, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, adopt a problem-oriented approach, apply systems thinking, and maintain a global vision. People-centeredness is an essential attribute of Marxism. Our Party’s theories are from the people, for the people, and beneficial to the people. Maintaining self-confidence and standing on our own feet is a profound summary of the historical experience of the Party and the people. 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. Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground is a major principle that our Party adheres to in its practical exploration. 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. Problems represent the voice of the times. The fundamental task of theory is to respond to problems and provide guidelines for finding solutions. 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. The CPC 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. Putting the people first the fundamental starting point for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; maintaining self-confidence and standing on our own feet is the basic foothold for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground is the main focus for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; adopting a problem-oriented approach is the realistic focus for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; applying systems thinking is the key coordinating point for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; and maintaining a global vision is an important standpoint for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

Source from Qu Qingshan, "Gain a Deeper Understanding of the Guiding Principles from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China", China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Daily, November 3, 2022, p. 5.

Translated by theorychina.com.cn