Qu Qingshan: A Programmatic Document for Furthering Comprehensive Reform on Our New Journey: Grasping the Guiding Principles from the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee

A Programmatic Document for Furthering Comprehensive Reform on

Our New Journey: Grasping the Guiding Principles from

the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee*

By Qu Qingshan

President of the Institute of Party History and Literature

of the CPC Central Committee

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was a momentous meeting convened at a critical juncture in the nation’s journey toward building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation in all respects through Chinese modernization. It closely revolved around the theme of advancing Chinese modernization, charting the strategy for furthering comprehensive reform. It fully embodied the historical initiative of the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, committed to upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernizing the national governance system and capacity. It reflected an unwavering determination to blaze a broad trail for Chinese modernization through further comprehensive reform.

The essence of the session was principally manifested in the work report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping on behalf of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization (hereinafter referred to as the “Resolution”) reviewed and adopted at the session, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s explanatory remarks on the Draft Resolution to the plenary session, and his pivotal address at the second plenary meeting. Studying and implementing the guiding principles from the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is a major political task for the entire Party and country in the current and upcoming period. We must unify our thoughts with the guiding principles from this session and align our actions with the major decisions and plans made therein.

Profound Significance of Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

What is the profound significance of further deepening reform comprehensively? To better understand this, we must adopt a historical perspective and reflect on the crucial milestones in the history of reform and opening up. Over the past 40-plus years, several key moments stand out:

In 1978, the 11th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session inaugurated a new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. The keyword for this period was “reform.”

In 2013, the 18th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session launched a new journey of comprehensive reform, characterized by systematic and holistic design in the New Era. The keyword for this period was “comprehensive deepening of reform.”

The just-concluded 20th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session marks the beginning of a new era of furthering comprehensive reform and advancing Chinese modernization. The defining phrase for the foreseeable future is “further deepening reform comprehensively.”

The three Third Plenary Sessions of the Party stand as historical milestones, bridging past achievements with future aspirations and marking eras of profound transformation. Each session holds a unique and epochal significance in the history of the Party and the People’s Republic of China. Since the 11th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session in 1978, reform has propelled the Party and the people’s cause to stride forward in step with the times. From the 18th CPC National Congress onward, comprehensive deepening of reform has led to historic achievements and transformative changes in the Party and the country. Now, following the 20th National Congress, the Party has united and led the Chinese people on a new journey toward achieving the Second Centenary Goal: by 2035, to basically realize socialist modernization, and by the middle of this century, to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. Undoubtedly, these ambitious goals must be realized through further comprehensive deepening of reform. The future is bright, but the road ahead is challenging.

History has demonstrated that reform and opening up are vital tools that have enabled the Party and the people to keep pace with the times. It is the only path to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, the key to determining the destiny of contemporary China, and the crucial move in achieving the Second Centenary Goal and national rejuvenation. Practice has shown us that reform and opening up is an ongoing process, never fully completed, and we must carry these reforms through to the end.

In discussing the profound significance of further comprehensive deepening of reform, the Resolution outlines three key challenges and six essential imperatives. The three challenges are as follows: To deal with complex developments both at home and abroad, adapt to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and live up to the new expectations of our people, it is vital that we continue to advance reform. Why? The Resolution provides a deep analysis of the current era and historical context, emphasizing the urgency of the situation—like rowing against the current, we must either forge ahead or fall behind.

The Resolution then elaborates on the “six essential imperatives,” offering a thorough explanation of why comprehensive deepening of reform is critical to advancing Chinese modernization. According to the Resolution, “Advancing reform is essential for upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, for putting the new development philosophy into practice and better adapting to the evolution in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, and for adhering to a people-centered approach to see that the gains of modernization benefit all our people fairly. It is also crucial for responding to major risks and challenges and ensuring steady and sustained progress in the cause of the Party and the country, for promoting the development of a human community with a shared future and winning the strategic initiative amid accelerating global changes of a like not seen in a century, and for further advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era and making our Marxist party stronger.”

The Resolution elaborates on and underscores the critical importance and necessity of deepening comprehensive reforms from multiple perspectives, including institutional building, guiding philosophies, values and positions, risks and challenges, the responsibilities of a major country, and the strengthening of the Party. It is rich in both political and strategic significance, offering a vision that is as deeply rooted in history as it is broad in its global outlook. If we were to distill its profound significance into a single sentence, it would be this: to provide powerful momentum and institutional safeguards for the full-scale advancement of Chinese modernization.

Guiding Thought for Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

Guiding thought is the compass for action, akin to the brain and soul of an individual. Just as a person has guiding thought, so too must a political party, a nation, and any significant endeavor or plan. So, what is the guiding thought for further deepening reform comprehensively? The Resolution states:

“We must stay committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s new ideas, viewpoints, and conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform and fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts. We must adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability and continue to free our minds, seek truth from facts, move with the times, and take a realistic and pragmatic approach, as we work to further unleash and develop the productive forces and tap into and boost the vitality of our society. Keeping in mind both domestic and international imperatives, we will ensure coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy.[1] Regarding economic structural reform as the spearhead and greater social fairness and justice and increased wellbeing of the people as our ultimate objectives, we will channel greater energy into making our reforms integrated, focused, and effective. We will work to better adapt the relations of production to the productive forces, the superstructure to the economic base, and national governance to social development so as to provide strong impetus and institutional support for Chinese modernization.”

This passage encapsulates the guiding thought for further deepening reform comprehensively. It clearly defines the theoretical banner, the direction of progress, the political stance, the development philosophy, the general principle, the overall requirements, the overarching framework, the strategic layout, key focuses, and practical approaches—all of which are broad, fundamental, and essential principles. As we advance with further reforms, we must firmly grasp and steadfastly adhere to this guiding thought, ensuring that we remain unwavering and unshaken at all times. It serves as our “anchor” and “compass,” guiding us steadily on the path of reform.

It is paramount to underscore the importance of deeply immersing ourselves in and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s fresh perspectives, innovative viewpoints, and profound conclusions on the comprehensive deepening of reform. Since the 18th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has utilized Marxist stance, viewpoint and method to distill lessons from both historical and contemporary reform experiences, and has creatively advanced a series of pivotal insights on the subject. For instance, he has articulated that “our reform is one that constantly advances along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” emphasized that “strengthening and enhancing Party leadership is crucial for deepening reform,” and asserted that “the fundamental driving force behind advancing Chinese modernization must be comprehensive deepening of reform.” He has also advocated for “upholding and refining the socialist system with Chinese characteristics while advancing the modernization of the national governance system and capacity,” and highlighted that “promoting social equity and justice, and improving people’s wellbeing must be both the starting point and the ultimate goal of reform.” Moreover, Xi has urged for “strengthening top-level design and overall planning” and employing “rule-of-law thinking and methodologies” in driving reform forward.

These crucial statements from General Secretary Xi Jinping not only address the rationale behind reform, its beneficiaries, and its methodology but also provide the fundamental principles that should guide the process. They embody the very spirit and essence of this endeavor to further deepen reform comprehensively.

Overall Objectives of Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

The overall goal represents the ultimate destination of our efforts, a confluence of multiple, interconnected objectives. It is a visionary plan, derived from practical experiences, with clearly defined timelines and progressive steps. The Resolution articulates that we will continue to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance.

The overall objectives set forth at the 18th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session and those proposed at the 20th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session are in fundamental harmony. The latter, however, introduces two key adverbs: “continuously” before “improving and advancing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics,” and “further” before “deepening reform.” Reflecting the strategic framework outlined at the 19th National Congress and reaffirmed by the 20th National Congress—which envisions completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020 and building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by mid-century—the Resolution delineates the overall reform objectives: By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century.

To achieve our overall objectives, we must concentrate on seven pivotal areas:

1. Economic Reform: Build a high-standard socialist market economy.

2. Political Reform: Advance whole-process people’s democracy.

3. Cultural Reform: Develop a strong socialist culture in China.

4. Social Reform: Improve the people’s quality of life.

5. Eco-Civilization Reform: Build a Beautiful China.

6. National Security Reform: Advance the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level.

7. Party Building Reform: Improve the Party’s capacity for leadership and long-term governance.

In this way, we will continue to advance reform so that the reform tasks laid out in this resolution shall be completed by the time the People’s Republic of China celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2029. The overall objectives act as a blueprint, providing a clear roadmap and timetable for our reform journey.

Core Principles for Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

Core principles are the guiding philosophies that act as the “bridge” and “vessel” for navigating complex challenges. They emerge from practical experience, are distilled into theoretical insights, and must continually guide our efforts. The Resolution emphasizes that to further deepen reform comprehensively, on the basis of reviewing and applying the valuable experience we have gained since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly from our endeavor to comprehensively deepen reform in the New Era, we will implement the following principles:

1.      Upholding the Party’s overall leadership. We must firmly uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership and ensure that the Party fulfills its core role of exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides. We must ensure that Party leadership is exercised in every aspect and throughout the entire process of reform so that it always advances in the correct political direction.

2.      Adhering to a people-centered approach. We must respect the principal position and pioneering spirit of the people and make our reform measures highly responsive to the call of the people, so as to ensure that reform is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared among the people.

3.      Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. Staying committed to socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must keep pace with the times, adapt to the evolution of practice, and take a problem-oriented approach, so that from a new starting point, we can promote innovations in theory and practice, in our institutions and culture, and in all other aspects.

4.      Strengthening institutional building as our main task. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning, always establishing new systems before abolishing old ones while attaching equal importance to efforts in both respects. We must consolidate foundational systems, refine basic systems, and innovate important systems.

5.      Staying committed to law-based governance on all fronts. We must deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization under the rule of law and ensure unity between reform and the rule of law, seeing that all major reforms have a solid legal basis and that reform achievements are elevated to law in a timely manner.

6.      Applying systems thinking. We must properly handle the major relationships between the economy and society, between the government and the market, between efficiency and fairness, between vitality and order, and between development and security, thus pursuing reform in a more systematic, holistic, and coordinated manner.

These    six core principles for further deepening reform comprehensively outlined in the Resolution are a profound reflection of our deepening understanding of reform’s principles. These guidelines are indispensable for ensuring that reform remains scientifically grounded, forward-thinking, proactive, and innovative. They offer vital guidance to keep our reform efforts steady and progressive. We must faithfully implement these principles: steadfastly uphold overall Party leadership, focus on the people’s needs, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, emphasize institutional building, adhere to the rule of law, and maintain a systemic perspective to advance reform with purpose.

Major Measures for Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

The major initiatives are the concrete measures and methods aimed at addressing key issues. The tasks of reform and these significant initiatives are essentially two sides of the same coin, representing different aspects of the same challenge. The Resolution, guided by economic reform, systematically outlines a comprehensive plan for further deepening reform comprehensively across five major areas listed in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan—economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement—along with national security, defense, and military development. In essence, these reforms encompass seven domains—often referred to as “5+2”—providing a clear roadmap and task list for further deepening reform comprehensively.

The Resolution emphasizes the need to build a high-standard socialist market economy, promote high-quality economic development, support all-around innovation, improve macroeconomic governance, promote integrated urban-rural development, pursue high-standard opening up, advance whole-process people’s democracy, promote socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, deepen reform in the cultural sector, ensure and improve the people’s wellbeing, deepen reform in ecological conservation, modernizing China’s national security system and capacity, and deepen national defense and military reform.

The Resolution underscores that a high-standard socialist market economy provides an important guarantee for Chinese modernization. We must better leverage the role of the market, foster a fairer and more dynamic market environment, and make resource allocation as efficient and productive as possible. We need to lift restrictions on the market while ensuring effective regulation and strive to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures. By doing so, we will ensure smooth flows in the national economy and unleash the internal driving forces and creativity of the whole of society.

We will stay committed to unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector. We will ensure that economic entities under all forms of ownership have equal access to factors of production in accordance with the law, compete in the market on an equal footing, and are protected by the law as equals, thus enabling them to complement each other and develop side by side. We will build a unified national market and refine the systems underpinning the market economy.

The Resolution highlights that high-quality development is our primary task in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. It is essential that we apply the new development philosophy to steer reform and ground our efforts in the new stage of development. We must deepen supply-side structural reform, improve incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and strive to create new growth drivers and strengths. We must improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions. We must improve the systems for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy. We must refine the institutions and mechanisms for developing the service sector. We must improve the institutions and mechanisms for modernizing infrastructure. We must improve the systems for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains.

The Resolution notes that education, science and technology, and talent function as basic and strategic underpinnings for Chinese modernization. We must fully implement the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, the strategy of developing a quality workforce, and the innovation-driven development strategy, make coordinated efforts to promote integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms pertaining to education, science and technology, and talent, and improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, so as to boost the overall performance of our country’s innovation system. We must deepen comprehensive reform in education, scientific and technological structural reform, and institutional reforms for talent development.

The Resolution underscores that sound macro regulation, along with effective governance by the government, is essential for ensuring that we can fully leverage the institutional strengths of our socialist market economy. It is, therefore, vital that we improve our macro regulation systems. We must pursue coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and work to enhance the consistency of macro policy orientation. We must improve the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms, deepen reform of the fiscal and tax systems, deepen reform of the financial system, and improve mechanisms for implementing the coordinated regional development strategy.

The Resolution highlights that integrated urban and rural development is essential to Chinese modernization. We must pursue coordinated progress in new industrialization, new urbanization, and all-around rural revitalization, facilitate greater urban-rural integration in planning, development, and governance across the board, and promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between urban and rural areas, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their shared prosperity and development. We must improve the institutions and mechanisms for advancing new urbanization, consolidate and improve the basic rural operation system, improve supporting systems to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich rural areas, and deepen reform of the land system.

The Resolution notes that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. We must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of China’s enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding international cooperation and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. We will steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, optimize the layout for regional opening up, and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Resolution emphasizes that developing whole-process people’s democracy is integral to Chinese modernization. We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve our country’s foundational, basic, and important political systems. We will develop diverse forms of democracy at all levels and ensure that the principle of the people running the country is manifested in concrete and visible ways in all aspects of China’s political and social activities. We will strengthen the institutions through which the people run the country, improve the mechanisms for consultative democracy, enhance democracy at the primary level, and build a broad united front.

The Resolution stresses that the rule of law provides an important guarantee for Chinese modernization. We must ensure full implementation of the Constitution and uphold its authority, coordinate the reforms to promote sound legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and improve the mechanisms for ensuring that all are equal before the law, so as to promote socialist rule of law, uphold social fairness and justice, and see that all work of the state is carried out under the rule of law. We will deepen reforms in legislation, advance law-based government administration, improve the institutions and mechanisms for impartial law enforcement and administration of justice, and improve the mechanisms for building a law-based society.

The Resolution notes that Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. We must boost our cultural confidence and work to develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. We must move faster to stay abreast of new dramatic developments in information technology, cultivate a vast pool of talented personnel in the field of culture, and ignite the cultural creativity of the entire nation. We will improve the responsibility system for ideological work, refine the mechanisms for supplying cultural services and products, improve the system for comprehensive cyberspace governance, and establish a more effective international communication system.

The Resolution highlights that ensuring and enhancing the people’s wellbeing in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization. In line with the principle of doing everything within our means, we will refine the systems of basic public services, with the focus on providing inclusive services, meeting essential needs, and providing a cushion for those most in need. We will strive to resolve the most practical problems that are of the greatest and most direct concern to the people so as to meet people’s aspirations for a better life. We will improve the income distribution system, improve the employment-first policy, improve the social security system, further reform the medical and healthcare systems, and improve the systems for supporting population development and providing related services.

The Resolution notes that Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. We must work to improve ecological conservation systems and make concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, and boost economic growth. We must actively respond to climate change and move faster to improve the institutions and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. We will improve the basic systems for ecological conservation, environmental governance systems, and the mechanisms for green and low-carbon development.

The Resolution stresses that national security provides a pivotal foundation for ensuring steady and sustained progress in Chinese modernization. We must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, improve the institutions and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and ensure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, so as to safeguard the country’s long-term stability and security. We will improve the national security system, the public security governance mechanisms, the social governance system, and the mechanisms for ensuring national security in foreign-related affairs.

The Resolution underscores that national defense and military modernization is an integral part of Chinese modernization. We must maintain the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s armed forces and fully implement the strategy of strengthening the military through reform, in order to provide a strong guarantee for realizing the centenary goal of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027 and basically modernizing national defense and the armed forces. We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for leading and managing the people’s armed forces, deepen reform of joint operations systems, and deepen military-civilian reforms.

The Resolution emphasizes that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future. We will stay committed to the common values of all humanity, pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and call for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. We will deepen institutional reforms related to the work of foreign affairs and get involved in leading the reform and development of the global governance system. We will resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests and foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.

The Fundamental Guarantee for

Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

The fundamental guarantee serves as the bedrock and precondition for achieving success. The CPC stands as the most reliable pillar of strength for the Chinese people in times of adversity and is the unwavering leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “The defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China.” In China, it is the CPC that advocates, implements, and advances reform. Only under the leadership of the CPC can reforms succeed. To lead these reforms effectively, the CPC must have the courage to carry out self-reform and consistently deepen its commitment to full and strict self-governance.

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has laid out requirements and made plans for strengthening and improving Party leadership, particularly in upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee, and for advancing the institutional reforms within the Party. The Resolution emphasizes that Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for further deepening reforms and advancing Chinese modernization. It is essential to fully grasp the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations, enhance the Four Consciousnesses, strengthen the Four-Sphere Confidence, and ensure the Two Upholds. This requires a profound commitment to guiding social revolution through the Party’s self-reform, upholding strict standards in Party self-governance, refining the institutional framework for the Party’s self-reform, ensuring that the Party cleanses, improves and reforms itself and remains the steadfast leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It is vital to uphold the Party Central Committee’s centralized, unified leadership over the endeavor to further deepen reform comprehensively, deepen institutional reforms related to the strengthening of the Party, intensify efforts to improve conduct, build integrity, and combat corruption, and ensure the implementation of reforms with relentless perseverance.

At the conclusion of the Resolution, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee issued a stirring call to the entire Party, the armed forces, and the people of China. They were urged to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core. The call emphasized the importance of upholding the banner of reform and opening up, pool all wisdom and strength, and forge ahead with enterprises. The session inspired all to work hard toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and strive to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

The grand blueprint has been drawn, the action plan has been formulated, and with the favorable winds of the Third Plenary Session at our backs, a bright future is surely within reach.

China Discipline Inspection Daily, July 25, 2024, p. 5

* China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Daily, July 25, 2024, p. 5.

[1] 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.