2024-07-10 18:55:54 | Author:Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee | Source:theorychina 2024-07-10
Action Program and Scientific Guide to National Strength
and Rejuvenation through Chinese Modernization:
An Analysis of Xi Jinping’s Book Entitled Chinese Modernization
Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee
Chinese modernization is the broad avenue for our country’s development and national rejuvenation, as well as the only path for China to contribute to human progress and world harmony. The history of the CPC uniting with and leading the Chinese people in the pursuit of national rejuvenation for over one hundred years is also a history of continuous exploration of the path to modernization. Based on the long-term exploration and practice since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy, and through theoretical and practical innovations since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has successfully advanced and expanded Chinese modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of major statements on Chinese modernization, further deepening the understanding of its connotations and essence. He has summarized the unique features, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese modernization, and preliminarily established its theoretical system, making Chinese modernization clearer and more scientific and feasible. The recently published book by Xi Jinping, entitled Chinese Modernization, consisting of 522 of his important excerpts, is organized into seven topics. Studying these statements is of great significance for fully promoting the great cause of building a great country and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization on the new journey in the New Era.
I. Chinese Modernization Is CPC-Led Socialist Modernization
The political report to the 20th CPC National Congress states: “Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that this is a defining statement about Chinese modernization, fundamental and overarching. The first and second topics of his book fully reflect his major related statements.
Chinese modernization is a significant achievement resulting from the long-term practical exploration carried out by the people under the leadership of the Party. Achieving modernization has been the dream for which the Chinese people have been striving since modern times. After the Opium War in 1840, to escape the tragic fate of backwardness, subjugation, and being at the mercy of others, the Chinese people rose in resistance. Numerous dedicated patriots made relentless efforts to explore various paths to national rejuvenation, attempting to achieve modernization through various schemes, all of which ended in failure. The historic mission of exploring the path to China’s modernization fell to the CPC.
During the new-democratic revolution, the Party united with and led the people in overthrowing the three mountains of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism, establishing the People’s Republic of China, where the people run their own country. This achieved national independence and people’s liberation, creating the fundamental social conditions for modernization. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Party united with and led the people in a socialist revolution, establishing the basic socialist system and laying the fundamental political prerequisite and institutional foundation for modernization. The Party’s unique theoretical achievements and significant accomplishments in the socialist revolution and development provided valuable experience, theoretical preparation, and material foundation for modernization.
In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, the Party made the historic decision to shift the focus of Party and state work to economic development and to implement reform and opening up. This initiated a new Long March of Chinese modernization, providing institutional guarantees full of new vitality and rapidly developing material conditions for Chinese modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has continued to advance on the existing foundation, deepening understanding, constantly improving strategies, and enriching practice. This has provided fundamental guidelines, solid strategic support, more comprehensive institutional guarantees, a more robust material foundation, and a more proactive source of strength for Chinese modernization.
Practice has proven that Chinese modernization is feasible and steady, and it is the only correct path for building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the concept of Chinese modernization is a major achievement forged by the Chinese people under the Party’s leadership through long-term exploration and practice, innumerable hardships, and great sacrifices. We must deeply cherish, always uphold, and continue to expand and develop it.
The leadership of the Party determines the fundamental nature of Chinese modernization. Why do we emphasize the Party’s leadership over Chinese modernization? This is because 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 also this leadership. The Party is the highest force for political leadership. The Party’s leadership is directly related to the fundamental direction, future, and ultimate success of Chinese modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the nature, purpose, founding mission, convictions, policies, and principles of our Party determine that Chinese modernization is socialist moderation, and not modernization in any other form. Our Party has always upheld socialism with Chinese characteristics and firmly followed the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics to ensure that Chinese modernization advances along the right track. With Marxism as its fundamental guide, our Party has constantly opened up a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times and provided sound guidance for Chinese modernization. It has upheld and improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, further modernized China’s system and capacity for governance, and formed a set of institutions that includes the fundamental, basic, and other important systems for socialism with Chinese characteristics, thereby providing a strong institutional guarantee for the steady progress of Chinese modernization. It has also upheld and developed a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics to ignite the cultural creativity of the entire nation, thus providing a powerful source of inspiration for Chinese modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that only by firmly upholding Party leadership can we create a bright and prosperous future for Chinese modernization. Without it, Chinese modernization will veer off course, lose its soul, or even make catastrophic mistakes.
The Party’s leadership generates strong momentum, consolidates tremendous strength, and ensures that Chinese modernization remains anchored to its goals and advances steadily and far. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that building a modern socialist country has been a consistent goal of our Party. Based on summarizing the achievements and experiences of reform and opening up and the practice of the New Era, the 20th CPC National Congress has more clearly outlined the goals and requirements for our country’s development by 2035 and has scientifically depicted the grand blueprint for building a modern socialist country and promoting the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in all respects. The Party’s leadership ensures that Chinese modernization remains anchored to its goals and advances steadily and far. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that reform and opening up is the critical move that determines the destiny of contemporary China and the success of Chinese modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has comprehensively deepened reform with tremendous political courage, injecting an inexhaustible source of motivation into Chinese modernization. The people are the main body of Chinese modernization, the most solid foundation, and the deepest source of strength for advancing modernization. We adhere to the Party’s mass line, take the people’s aspiration for a better life as our goal, and uphold the people-centered development philosophy. We develop whole-process people’s democracy, inspire, motivate, and rally people with the beautiful vision of Chinese modernization, and encourage Chinese people both at home and abroad to work together, thereby consolidating the tremendous power for building a modern socialist country in all respects.
II. The Highest Top-Level Design for Advancing Chinese Modernization
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the features, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese modernization, which constitute the centric top-level design for advancing Chinese modernization, must be adhered to unwaveringly. The third topic of the book compiles important discussions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on this subject.
The Unique Characteristics of Chinese Modernization
The path to modernization most suitable to a country is determined by that country’s historical heritage, social system, development conditions, external environment, and multiple other factors. Paths may vary under different national conditions. Practice proves that a country’s modernization process follows the general laws and also has features based on that country’s own conditions. Chinese modernization 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. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee emphasized these features from five aspects, and the political report to the Party’s 20th National Congress summarized the features of Chinese modernization and expounded on its underlying implications. This is a theoretical summary that is also essential for guiding our practice. It illustrates the right way to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieve rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Modernization of a Huge Population
This is a prominent feature of Chinese modernization. The essence of modernization is the modernization of people. Different population sizes entail different tasks for modernization, varying in difficulty and complexity, and thus the development paths and promotion methods must have their own characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that Chinese modernization is the only one of its kind in history and massive on an unprecedented scale. By achieving modernization of our 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today, we will completely change the world landscape of modernization. This modernization will be of the largest scale in human history and also face the greatest difficulty. We should, as always, bear in mind China’s reality, such as its large population base and unbalanced development in urban and rural areas and among different regions, 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.
Modernization of Common Prosperity for All
This is an essential characteristic of Chinese modernization and a significant marker distinguishing it from Western modernization. Chinese modernization takes the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and goal of modernization efforts. It focuses on maintaining and promoting social fairness and justice, promoting common prosperity for all, and resolutely preventing polarization. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that place promoting the common prosperity of all our people in a more important position, putting in persistent, down-to-earth work as we make more active and effective efforts toward this goal. We must promote the well-rounded development of individuals and all-around social progress. Achieving prosperity for all will be a long historical process that cannot be completed in one go, therefore we must stay patient in advancing the course of history and make sustained efforts. All of us in the
Achieving common prosperity for all people is a long-term historical process and cannot be accomplished overnight. It requires maintaining historical patience and making unremitting efforts. While promoting high-quality development to make the pie bigger, we must also better share it, ensuring that the achievements of modernization benefit all people more equitably.
Modernization of Material and Cultural-Ethical Advancement
The pursuit of both material abundance and cultural-ethical wealth is a lofty goal of Chinese modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that material want is not socialism, nor is cultural impoverishment. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great cause of promoting all-around development and progress. Chinese modernization seeks not only to greatly enrich material wealth but also to enhance cultural wealth, fostering cultural confidence and self-reliance. We must pursue both material and cultural-ethical progress, ensuring they are coordinated and mutually supportive, thereby promoting comprehensive material enrichment and well-rounded development of individuals.
Modernization of Harmony between Humanity and Nature
Respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature to promote harmony coexistence between humans and nature is a distinct feature of Chinese modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the modernization that we pursue is one characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and nature. In addition to creating more material and cultural wealth to meet people’s ever-increasing needs for a better life, we need also to provide more quality ecological goods to meet people’s ever-growing demands for a beautiful environment. Building a Beautiful China should be placed prominently in the country’s endeavors for strength and rejuvenation. We must maintain strategic resolve in promoting ecological advancement, continue to advance the green and low-carbon transformation of production and lifestyles, support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, accelerate the modernization of harmony between humans and nature, and comprehensively promote the development of a Beautiful China.
Modernization of Peaceful Development
Pursuing peaceful development, seeking self-development while firmly maintaining world peace and development, and better safeguarding global peace and development through our own progress are prominent features of Chinese modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China’s pursuit of peaceful development is not an act of expediency, still less diplomatic rhetoric. Rather, it is the conclusion drawn from an objective assessment of China’s history, its present and future. It showcases confidence in thinking and readiness for practice. No force can shake China’s commitment to peaceful development. We must always uphold the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. By pursuing an open strategy of mutual benefit, we will continue to offer new opportunities to the world through China’s development. We will actively participate in the reform and improvement of the global governance system, practice true multilateralism, promote common human values, and implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative. In doing so, we strive to make greater contributions to global peace and development.
The Essential Requirements of Chinese Modernization
The essential requirements of Chinese modernization are interconnected with its unique characteristics. The 20th CPC National Congress scientifically summarized these essential requirements as follows: upholding the leadership of the CPC 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. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the summary is a crystallization of the Party’s thought and theory, based on a profound review of the modernization experience of China and other countries, about how to accelerate the modernization of a large Eastern country like China, as the Party has acquired a deeper understanding, become mature strategically, and gained diverse experience. We need to possess a holistic understanding of this summary and apply the requirements within in all aspects of our work. All members of the Party must continue to uphold its basic theory, basic line, and basic policy, enhance confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture, and stay independent and self-reliant. We must keep to our path and not sway in our commitment, not return to the isolation and rigidity of the past or veer off course by changing our nature or abandoning our system. We will unwaveringly stay dedicated to our own path and our own cause. We must develop our country and our nation with our own strength, and maintain a firm grasp on the future of China’s development and progress. We need to have a global vision, remain committed to reform and opening up, draw on the successful experience of other countries with their modernization, and continue to expand and advance Chinese modernization through exchanges and mutual learning with other countries.
Major Principles That Must Be Firmly Grasped in Advancing Chinese Modernization
In his political report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping deeply elaborated on the following major principles that must be firmly grasped in advancing Chinese modernization: upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership, following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, applying a people-centered development philosophy, remaining committed to deepening reform and opening up, and carrying forward our fighting spirit. He emphasized that upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership has a direct bearing on the future of our Party and country. It is the foundation, the defining feature, and the greatest strength of all our undertakings.
We must safeguard the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and uphold the Party’s leadership in all aspects of the cause of the Party and the country. To keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must continue to pursue economic development as our central task, uphold the Four Cardinal Principles,[1] remain committed to reform and opening up, and stay independent and self-reliant. We must develop our country and our nation with our own strength and maintain a firm grasp on the future of China’s development and progress.
To apply a people-centered development philosophy, we must put the people first, 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.
To remain 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.
To carry 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.
III. Coordinated, Systematic, and Comprehensive Advancement of Chinese Modernization
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that for a country to develop, it is crucial to have clear goals and paths. As we have set the goals, plans, and strategies, we will be sure to achieve Chinese modernization. We will move forward step by step to advance Chinese modernization in a solid and realistic manner. Topics 4 through 6 of the book fully reflect General Secretary Xi’s profound considerations on this subject.
We have set goals, plans, and strategies for Chinese modernization. We also have a roadmap and timeline for it. After the reform and opening up policy was policy, our Party proposed a three-step socialist modernization strategy for our country. On this basis, the 18th CPC National Congress defined the Two Centenary Goals. The 19th and 20th CPC National Congresses, after comprehensive analysis of both international and domestic situations and our development conditions, proposed the goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects, adopting a two-step strategy: basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 through 2035 and 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.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stated, emphasized that from this day forward, the central task of the CPC 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.
We must deeply understand the arduousness and complexity of achieving the goals and tasks of building a modern socialist country in all respects, and enhance our consciousness and determination in implementing them. We need to plan and deploy systematically. Based on understanding the overall goals, directions, and requirements, we should refine various targets and tasks, come up with specific implementation plans, and establish clear timelines and blueprints to advance steadily.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must focus on the theme of high-quality development, further coordinate implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, and fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy in all stages and aspects of economic and social development. We must work faster to address the imbalances and inadequacies in development, and promote innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development, in a bid to improve the quality and effect of development.
Advancing Chinese modernization requires correctly handling several major relationships. Achieving the rejuvenation of the nation through Chinese modernization has no precedent in human history, so we must adhere to the correct methodology and advance through continuous practical exploration. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that a scientific worldview and methodology is the key to studying and solving all problems. We must use this scientific worldview and methodology to address China’s issues, focusing on solving real problems for reform, opening up, and socialist modernization in the New Era. We must continually provide correct answers to questions concerning the present and future of China, its people, and the wider world—answers that align with China’s realities and the demands of our times.
We need to fully grasp the worldview, methodology, and the stance, viewpoint, and methods embedded in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must put the people first, maintaining self-confidence, standing on our own feet, upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground, adopting a problem-oriented approach, applying systems thinking, and maintaining a global vision. We must master the leadership methods, thinking approaches, and work strategies contained within the Thought, and continuously improve the ability of fulfilling duties and responsibilities. This will enable us to maintain a clear mind and a clear direction and act decisively and effectively in the face of various conflicts, issues, and risks and challenges and achieve fresh progress and breakthroughs in pursuing Chinese modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic project that requires coordinated planning and comprehensive advancement, correctly addressing a series of major relationships.
Regarding the relationship between top-level design and practical exploration, we need to ensure that the plans and policy systems we formulate reflect the times, grasp regularities, and are creative, combining long-term and short-term goals, connecting top-down and bottom-up efforts, and ensuring content coordination. Moreover, we should boldly explore in practice, promoting the development of our cause through reform and innovation.
Regarding the relationship between strategy and tactics, we need to enhance our strategic thinking ability, ensuring the foresight, comprehensiveness, and stability of our strategies. We must also adhere to the principles of our strategy while employing tactics flexibly, leveraging local conditions, adapting to circumstances, and seizing opportunities to maintain strategic initiative.
Regarding the relationship between upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, we first preserve the origin, root, and soul of Chinese modernization. We should stay on the right path toward Chinese modernization. At the same time, we need to give innovation a higher priority in the country’s overall development. We should proactively identify, respond to, and steer changes, continue to open up new areas and new arenas in development, and create new drivers and strengths for growth.
Regarding the relationship between efficiency and fairness, to pursue Chinese modernization, we need to achieve higher degree of efficiency than the capitalist system and ensure social fairness more effectively. We need to balance and coordinate efficiency and fairness and make them mutually reinforcing and linked
Regarding the relationship between vitality and order, in pursuing Chinese modernization, we should, and indeed can, achieve a dynamic balance of being vibrant without disorder and being active with order.
Regarding the relationship between self-reliance and opening up, we must remain independent and self-reliant, expand high-standard opening up and unleash the potential of Chinese modernization.
We should open up new horizons for the development of our cause through tenacious struggle. Advancing Chinese modernization is an unprecedented, pioneering endeavor. On this path forward, we will inevitably encounter numerous novel issues, face various difficulties and obstacles, and endure many significant tests, including turbulent and even perilous challenges. This necessitates a great struggle characterized by many new historical features. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we must be more aware of potential dangers and keep in mind worst-case scenarios. We must be alert to dangers even in times of calm, take preemptive action against risks. We must meet challenges head-on and adopt effective approaches, thus opening up new prospects for our cause through resolute efforts.
We must maintain strategic clarity and have a thorough understanding of various risks and challenges. It is crucial to be highly alert to “black swan” events and guard against “gray rhino” events; to not only have proactive measures in place to prevent risks but also possess effective strategies for addressing and mitigating them; to fight well-prepared battles against risks, as well as strategic proactive battles to turn danger into safety and crises into opportunities. We must manage all risks but focus particularly on those that could delay or interrupt the process of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that we should maintain strategic confidence and build up our confidence to win the fight. Where does our confidence come from? It is from our increasingly strong and stable economic foundation, firm ideals and convictions, persistent pursuit of truth, and unswerving commitment to the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission. We should seize the strategic initiative and boost the fighting capacity. We should gain an understanding of the contemporary features of the great new struggle, uphold the spirit of struggle, grasp the direction of the struggle, maintain the initiative in struggle, strengthen our will to struggle, and understand the laws of struggle. This will improve our struggle skills to effectively respond to major challenges, withstand major risks, overcome major obstacles, address major conflicts, and overcome all difficulties and barriers on our way forward
We should pay close attention to strategies and methods and master the art of struggle. We should focus on enhancing our capabilities, allowing leaders, especially young officials, to gain experience, broaden their perspectives, strengthen their resilience, and develop their talents through severe and complex struggles. This way, they can truly be forged into gold tested by fire.
IV. Chinese Modernization Creates a New Form of Human Advancement
Civilization is diverse, and pathways to development are varied. This diversity is the essence of the world. General Secretary Xi Jinping has asserted that modernization is not a question with a single answer. The people of each country are most qualified to determine which type of modernization suits them best. The successful practice of the Chinese people has shown the world that there is more than one path to modernization. Chinese modernization has created a new form of human advancement, unveiling a new blueprint for modernization. The seventh topic of the compilation includes important discussions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on this subject.
Chinese modernization represents a completely new form of human advancement. The modernization paths of different countries and regions, each with their unique characteristics, are rooted in rich and longstanding civilizational traditions. Through long-term exploration and practice, our Party has led the people in adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, promoting coordinated material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological advancement. This has created a new path for Chinese modernization and a new form of human advancement.
General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that Chinese modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern strength, while Chinese civilization provides profound foundations for Chinese modernization. Deeply rooted in the best elements of traditional Chinese culture, embodying the advanced essence of scientific socialism, and drawing from all outstanding achievements of human civilization, Chinese modernization represents the direction of progress in human civilization. As a new form of human advancement, Chinese modernization, through mutual learning with other global civilizations, will significantly enrich the garden of world civilizations.
Chinese modernization represents a significant transcendence of Western modernization theories and practices. The diversity of historical conditions dictates the diversity of development paths chosen by different countries. Since modernization began in Western capitalist countries, today’s developed nations are primarily in Europe and America or those heavily influenced by Western civilization. This has led to the misconception that modernization equates to Westernization and that Western civilization is synonymous with modern civilization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that world civilization is diverse, and there is no universally predominant model or standard for modernization. Modernization is not synonymous with Westernization; it is not a “patent” owned by only a few countries, nor is it a question that has only one answer. We should not adopt the same single approach or copy the models of other countries. Although the capitalist system and Western modernization models continue to evolve, their inherent nature of prioritizing capital, the law of the jungle, polarization, and hegemonic power remains unchanged, and their shortcomings are becoming increasingly evident.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the unique worldview, values, and outlook on history, civilization, democracy, and ecology embodied in Chinese modernization and their great practices are significant innovations in the theory and practice of global modernization. Our Party has successfully led the people in forging a path of Chinese modernization, solving many of the difficulties in the development of human society. This path rejects the Western routes of capital-centered modernization, polarized modernization, materialistic expansion, and external plundering. It shatters the myth that “modernization equals Westernization” and presents an alternative vision of modernization. As the latest significant achievement of scientific socialism, Chinese modernization offers a new model of modernization to the world. When our country builds a great socialist modern state, becoming the first to do so by following the socialist path rather than the capitalist one, the great social revolution led by our Party in China will more fully demonstrate its historical significance.
Chinese modernization provides a new choice for many other developing countries. Achieving modernization is a common pursuit among the peoples of the world, and the key is to find a development path that suits their national conditions and follows the laws governing the development of human society. From the end of World War II to the early 1990s, some developing countries, ignoring their national conditions and historical contexts, fully adopted the Western model, resulting in maladaptation and leading the majority into prolonged economic stagnation and socio-political turmoil. The “choice of path” has troubled many developing countries. The preliminary success and significant achievements of Chinese modernization have brought new hope and provided a new choice for many other developing countries.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that we have no intention of exporting Chinese modernization or the “Chinese model,” and we have never done so. However, as Chinese modernization has set an example for developing countries to move toward modernization independently, it will certainly become a source of inspiration for some other developing countries. Chinese modernization expands the paths available for developing countries to achieve modernization and offers Chinese approaches for exploring better social systems.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that what we are pursuing is not modernization for China alone, but modernization for both developing countries and all other countries. Global modernization should promote peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and shared prosperity for all. China is ready to work with all countries to provide new opportunities for world development with the new achievements of Chinese modernization, and to offer new support for humanity’s exploration of modernization and better social systems.
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s major statements on Chinese modernization are lofty in their vision, rich in content, and profound in thought. They form an essential component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must integrate our study of the book with a comprehensive learning and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the guiding principles from the 20th CPC National Congress. We need to deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations, reinforce the Four Consciousnesses, strengthen the Four-Sphere Confidence, and ensure the Two Upholds. Promoting Chinese modernization should be regarded as our highest political priority, focusing on economic development as the central task and high-quality development as the primary goal. We must work together for the comprehensive advancement of national strength and rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.
[1] The Four Cardinal Principles are keeping to the path of socialism, upholding the people’s democratic dictatorship, upholding the leadership of the CPC, and upholding Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.