Advancing the Great Cause of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Pioneered by Deng Xiaoping

Advancing the Great Cause of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Pioneered by Deng Xiaoping

By the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee

of the Communist Party of China

Deng Xiaoping is universally recognized by the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people as an exceptional leader of great stature, a distinguished Marxist, a remarkable proletarian revolutionary, politician, military strategist, and diplomat, an unyielding communist fighter, the chief architect of China’s socialist reform and modernization, the pioneer of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the principal founder of Deng Xiaoping Theory. As we commemorate the 120th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping’s birth, and as the entire Party, military, and Chinese people earnestly study and implement the guiding principles from the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, remembering his monumental contributions and learning from his noble character are of profound significance. This is essential for uniting closely around the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core and for fully advancing the great cause of building a great country and rejuvenating the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

I. Deng Xiaoping’s Immortal Contributions to the Independence and Liberation of the Chinese Nation and the Socialist Modernization of China

Deng Xiaoping is a name etched in the hearts of millions. His life is inextricably woven into the founding and development of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Liberation Army, and the People’s Republic of China. It is also deeply intertwined with the historical trajectory of China’s revolution, development, and reform, as well as the Chinese nation’s struggle for independence and revitalization—a life marked by brilliance, resolve, and greatness.

During the new-democratic revolution, Deng Xiaoping made outstanding contributions to the cause of national independence and people’s liberation led by the Party, earning him a place as one of the founding fathers of the People’s Republic of China. From the Baise Uprising to the bloody battles in the Taihang Mountains, from breaking through to the Central Plains to the decisive Huai-Hai Campaign, from crossing the Yangtze River to leading the forces to the Southwest, Deng, as a close comrade-in-arms of Mao Zedong, demonstrated exceptional courage and achieved remarkable military victories. His contributions played a pivotal role in the triumph of the new-democratic revolution and the birth of the People’s Republic of China.

In the period of socialist revolution and development, Deng Xiaoping made outstanding contributions to successfully completing the socialist revolution and exploring the path of socialist development in China. As a key member of the first generation of the Party’s central collective leadership, with Mao Zedong at its core, Deng Xiaoping made significant contributions by proposing many correct policies and carrying out effective work to explore a path of socialist development suited to China’s conditions and to overcome economic difficulties.

In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the core of the Party’s second generation of central collective leadership, making historic contributions to the founding of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Facing the severe challenges left by the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping resolutely opposed the misguided “Two Whatevers,” supported and led the discussion on the criterion of truth, and spearheaded efforts to rectify mistakes across various sectors. Under his leadership, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reaffirmed the guiding principle of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, discarded the erroneous focus on “class struggle as the key link,” and shifted the Party’s emphasis toward socialist modernization. The decision to pursue reform and opening up marked a profound and historic shift in the Party.

Notes: The five members of the General Front Committee during the Huai-Hai Campaign, with Deng Xiaoping second from the left. On November 16, 1948, to ensure the victory of the Huai-Hai Campaign, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission decided to form the Huai-Hai Campaign General Front Committee, consisting of Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping, Su Yu, and Tan Zhenlin, with Deng Xiaoping serving as the secretary.

Following the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, Deng Xiaoping led the Party in making a series of significant decisions that gradually advanced reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. He guided the Party in systematically reviewing the historical experiences since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, addressing two interrelated challenges: scientifically evaluating the historical position of Mao Zedong and the scientific system of Mao Zedong Thought, and establishing the correct path for China’s socialist modernization in line with new realities and development needs. On the basis of revolutionary and construction practices since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Deng Xiaoping successfully led the Party in blazing a new trail of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Deng Xiaoping emphasized the need to prioritize economic development, adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles, and persist in reform and opening up. He led the Party in formulating the basic line for the primary stage of socialism and devised the three-step development strategy for modernization. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Deng Xiaoping firmly supported the Party and government’s efforts to defend socialism with Chinese characteristics, delivering his “Southern Tour” speeches. These speeches provided profound theoretical answers to many longstanding and constricting ideological questions, proposed thoughts of great practical and long-term significance for the entire process of socialist modernization, and ensured that the Party and the country continued to forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Deng Xiaoping’s contributions to the Party and the people are both historic and global in scope, transforming not only the fate of the Chinese people but also the course of world history. This truth becomes particularly clear when we reflect on the path we’ve traveled, compare it with the paths of others, and look forward to the road ahead. Reflecting on the arduous exploration our Party undertook in leading socialist development, considering the severe setbacks socialism faced in some countries, and witnessing the tremendous success of socialism in today’s China, one cannot help but feel a deep sense of gratitude that China had Deng Xiaoping to lead us in pioneering the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China recognized Deng Xiaoping, alongside Sun Yat-sen and Mao Zedong, as one of the “three great figures of the 20th century who stood at the forefront of the times.” General Secretary Xi Jinping has praised the reform, opening up, and the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics spearheaded by Deng as one of the “three major milestones in the realization of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation since modern times.” Such praise is truly deserved. Deng Xiaoping once said, “Without Chairman Mao the Chinese people would, at the very least, have spent much more time groping in the dark.” Similarly, it must be said that without Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese people would not have the new life they enjoy today, nor would China have the new landscape of reform, opening up, and the bright future of socialist modernization.

Throughout his illustrious life of relentless struggle for the Chinese people, Deng Xiaoping fully embodied the noble virtues, broad vision, exceptional courage, and revolutionary style of a true Communist. He is indeed a great son of the Chinese people. The most distinctive political quality of Deng Xiaoping was his unwavering conviction, his deepest emotional bond was his love for the people, his most important intellectual trait was seeking truth from facts, his most striking leadership style was his spirit of innovation, his grandest revolutionary characteristic was his strategic thinking, and his most radiant personal charm was his openness and selflessness. His steadfast faith in Marxism and Communism, his profound love for the motherland and the people, his ability to “act according to dialectical principles” in both thought and leadership, his courage to innovate and press forward, his global vision and strategic foresight, and his broad-mindedness, characterized by a profound selflessness, are both endearing and deeply respected. Deng Xiaoping remained optimistic and open-minded in adversity, handled heavy responsibilities with apparent ease, combined visionary thinking with pragmatic action, and achieved great feats without ever seeking personal credit. Deng Xiaoping’s monumental achievements and noble character will forever be etched in the hearts of the Chinese people, continually inspiring us to forge ahead on the new journey in the New Era. Today, we sincerely say once more: “Hello, Xiaoping!”

II. Deeply Recognizing the Historical Status and Guiding Significance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, and Continuously Expanding the Frontiers of Marxism’s Adaptation to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times from a New Starting Point

The most important intellectual and political legacy that Deng Xiaoping left us is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he pioneered, and the Deng Xiaoping Theory he founded. Deng Xiaoping Theory is the product of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the practical realities and contemporary features of China. It represents the continuation and development of Mao Zedong Thought under new historical conditions, marking a new stage in the development of Marxism in China. It is the Marxism of contemporary China, and a crystallization of the collective wisdom of the Communist Party of China.

What is socialism, and how should it be built? These were fundamental questions that Deng Xiaoping constantly raised and pondered during the process of leading reform, opening up, and modernization. The setbacks and mistakes experienced by China’s socialism before the reform and opening up policy was introduced, as well as some of the confusions encountered after, were largely due to a lack of clarity on these questions. Deng Xiaoping once remarked, “In carrying out the reform and the open policy and in shifting the focus of our work to economic development, we are not abandoning Marx, Lenin and Mao Zedong. We cannot forget our forefathers! The problem is to get a clear understanding of what socialism is and how we can build and expand it.” It was precisely by focusing on this fundamental issue that Deng Xiaoping, as the principal representative of the Chinese Communists, profoundly reviewed the positive and negative experiences since the founding of the People’s Republic of China and drew lessons from the global history of socialism. This led to the creation of Deng Xiaoping Theory.

Deng Xiaoping Theory systematically addresses a series of interrelated fundamental issues concerning the path of socialist development in China, including the development stages, fundamental tasks, driving forces, external conditions, political guarantees, strategic steps, leadership forces, reliance on the people, and national reunification. For the first time, it provided a relatively systematic preliminary answer to the question of how to build, consolidate, and develop socialism in a country like China, which was still economically and culturally underdeveloped. By incorporating new ideas and perspectives, it continued and developed Marxism and advanced the understanding of socialism to a new scientific level.

Notes: Deng Xiaoping at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. In December 1978, the Third Plenary Session was successfully convened. It decisively ended the policy of “taking class struggle as the key link,” marked a strategic shift in the focus of the Party and the country’s work toward economic development, and ushered in a new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. This session represented a historic turning point of profound significance since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

 The essence of Deng Xiaoping Theory lies in “emancipating the mind” and “seeking truth from facts.” As early as 1958, Deng Xiaoping stated, “We must free our thinking, break away from superstition, and allow future generations to surpass us,” and “we must dare to think, dare to speak, dare to act, and be full of creativity,” as well as “we must craft a narrative that is uniquely China’s, grounded in China’s own realities.” After the reform and opening up policy was implemented, Deng Xiaoping emphasized, “It [Emancipating our minds] means that, guided by Marxism, we should break the fetters of habit, subjectivism and prejudice, and study new situations and solve new problems.” He further clarified, “Emancipating our minds means making our thinking conform to reality—making the subjective conform to the objective—and that means seeking truth from facts.” Throughout the process of reform, opening up, and modernization, every major decision made by Deng Xiaoping at critical junctures demonstrated the principles of “emancipating the mind” and “seeking truth from facts.”

It is precisely by relying on these principles that Deng Xiaoping led us to accomplish “entirely new endeavor, one that was never mentioned by Marx, never undertaken by our predecessors and never attempted by any other socialist country.” He also established new frontiers in Marxist thought with a series of pioneering ideas. For example: China is still in the primary stage of socialism; the essence of socialism is to unleash and develop productive forces, eliminate exploitation, reduce the gap between rich and poor, and ultimately achieve common prosperity; science and technology are a primary productive force; the implementation of the household responsibility system in rural areas; allowing some regions and individuals to become rich first so that they can help others to develop later; both planning and market forces are economic tools, and the extent of their use does not define the nature of socialism versus capitalism; there can be no socialism without democracy, and no socialist modernization without democracy; and the scientific concept of One Country, Two Systems to resolve the questions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Many of these groundbreaking assertions, which now seem commonplace, were groundbreaking at the time and had a profound and lasting impact on clearing the ideological fog in people’s minds and opening up new horizons for reform, opening up, and modernization.

The history of the Communist Party of China is a history of continuously adapting of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. In this great historical process, Deng Xiaoping Theory holds a pivotal position. This historic process was initiated by the Chinese Communists, with Mao Zedong as the principal representative, who achieved the first historic leap in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context through Mao Zedong Thought. Following the path of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context pioneered by Mao Zedong, our Party successively developed Deng Xiaoping Theory, formulated the Theory of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and established the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, achieving new leaps in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Deng Xiaoping Theory is both an inheritance and development of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought under new historical conditions, as well as the foundational work of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a grand undertaking. Deng Xiaoping laid down its fundamental principles and basic direction. The third-generation central collective leadership, with Jiang Zemin at its core, and the Party Central Committee with Hu Jintao as the General Secretary, have each contributed remarkable chapters to this great work. Now, it is our generation of Communists’ duty to continue writing this grand narrative.”

Deng Xiaoping once said, “Marx had the language of his era, and we have the language of ours. Each era has its own language, and a new era will always bring new expressions.” In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era represents the “new language” of us Chinese Communists. This significant thought scientifically addresses the major questions of what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era, and how to uphold and develop it. It is both an inheritance and development of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development. It is contemporary Chinese Marxism, 21st-century Marxism, and embodies the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit in our time, achieving a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

Today, the scope and depth of changes in our era and the development of our country far exceed what the classical Marxist authors could have imagined, posing new and higher demands for theoretical innovation based on practical experience. Deng Xiaoping once said, “A true Marxist-Leninist must understand, carry on and develop Marxism-Leninism in light of the current situation.” We must earnestly shoulder the solemn historical responsibility of contemporary Chinese Communists by uniting the adherence to Marxism with its ongoing development. Guided and inspired by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we must continue to use the “arrow” of Marxism to address the “target” of contemporary China. This requires us to integrate the fundamental tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and rich traditional culture, consistently writing new chapters in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

III. Pressing forward along the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Pioneered by Deng Xiaoping: Building a Great Country and Moving toward National Rejuvenation on All Fronts through Chinese Modernization

Achieving modernization has been a relentless pursuit of the Communist Party of China for over a century. It embodies the lifelong dedication of revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping and remains an unfinished mission they entrusted to us. Deng Xiaoping affectionately termed our socialist modernization as “modernization of a Chinese type” and interpreted it with the culturally rich concept of “moderate prosperity.” With extraordinary vision, he outlined a grand blueprint for achieving modernization in three phases. He emphasized, “The overriding nationwide task for a considerable time to come will be to work single-mindedly for the four modernizations. This is a great enterprise which will determine our country’s destiny for generations to come.” Today, the best way to honor Deng Xiaoping is to steadfastly adhere to the major strategic decisions made at the 20th CPC Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session, and to relentlessly pursue tangible actions that build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

To advance Chinese modernization, we must unswervingly adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC. From the very beginning of the reform and opening up period, Deng Xiaoping emphasized that adherence to the Four Cardinal Principles “is the fundamental prerequisite for achieving the Four Modernizations,” with the core being “upholding the Party’s leadership.” He repeatedly stressed, “China’s drive for socialist modernization must be led by the Communist Party. This is an unshakable principle.” He also noted, “The unity of the people, social stability, the promotion of democracy and the reunification of our country all depend on Party leadership.” Deng Xiaoping further pointed out, “To accomplish modernization of a Chinese type, we must proceed from China’s special characteristics.... In our democratic revolution, we had to act in accordance with China’s specific situation and follow the path discovered by Comrade Mao Zedong of encircling the cities from the rural areas.” Chinese modernization is a socialist modernization under the leadership of the CPC, which not only shares common features with the modernization processes of other countries but also possesses distinctive characteristics tailored to China’s national context. We must implement the Party’s overall leadership across all fields and aspects of Chinese modernization, steadfastly adhering to the Party’s basic theories, basic line, and basic strategies. We must firmly grasp the unique characteristics, essential requirements, and fundamental principles of Chinese modernization, taking neither the old path of being closed and inflexible, nor the erroneous path of abandoning socialism. By doing so, we will ensure that Chinese modernization sails forward steadily and resiliently.

To advance Chinese modernization, we must prioritize high-quality development as the fundamental principle of the New Era. Deng Xiaoping noted, “Socialism’s tasks are legion, but the fundamental one is to develop the productive forces.” He repeatedly emphasized, “Development is the absolute principle.” This absolute principle is compelling because it is a truth repeatedly validated by practice and must guide and serve the overall work of the Party and the state. Deng Xiaoping deeply reflected on the past failures to shift focus to economic development in a timely manner or to maintain that focus amid disruptions. He forcefully underscored the importance of “taking economic development as the central task,” asserting that, “All other tasks must revolve around the pivot and must absolutely not interfere with or upset it.” Deng Xiaoping repeatedly stressed, “We shall seize every opportunity to develop,” “we should strive to reach a higher level every few years,” and “it is now both possible and necessary for us to bring about, in the prolonged process of modernization, several periods of rapid growth with good economic returns.” Development was, and continues to be, the key to solving all of China’s problems; the strategy that “development is the absolute principle” must be unwaveringly upheld. At the same time, we must recognize that today’s development environment and conditions have changed significantly from the past, and “the problems that arise after development are no fewer than those that existed before.” As we enter a new stage of development, high-quality development must be the primary task in the building of a modern socialist country in all respects. We must consider the development of new productive forces as an inherent requirement and a key focus for driving high-quality development. This involves fully, accurately, and comprehensively implementing the new development philosophy, accelerating the establishment of a new development dynamic, and focusing on promoting high-quality development. Deng Xiaoping pointed out that to achieve the Four Modernizations, science and technology are crucial, with education as the foundation. We must regard education, science, and talent as fundamental and strategic supports for Chinese modernization, and resolutely implement strategies to invigorate the country through science and education, strengthen the nation through talent, and drive development through innovation, continuously fostering new drivers and advantages for development.

To advance Chinese modernization, we must continue to fully leverage the crucial tool of reform and opening up. Deng Xiaoping stated, “Reform is China’s second revolution” and “The future of China hinges on our adhering to reform and opening up policies.” The nature and purpose of reform are not to negate or abandon the socialist system but to improve and develop it. Deng Xiaoping urged, “We should be bold and take a confident step,” and advised, “Once we are sure that something should be done, we should dare to experiment and break a new path.” He also formulated the “Three Favorables” criterion for evaluating reform and various aspects of work, emphasizing that “practice is the most important criterion” and that “hundreds or thousands of examples should be used to prove that reform and opening up is socialist and benefits socialism.” Deng Xiaoping had a far-reaching and profound understanding of reform and opening up, stressing, “We should think not in terms of just three to five years, but in terms of the last 20 years of this century and the first 50 of the next,” and “reform and opening up should continue throughout the course of China’s development.”

Over the past 40-plus years of reform and opening up, our Party has led the people in achieving a great transformation from catching up with the times to leading the times. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the leadership of the Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, we have successfully deepened and expanded Chinese modernization by addressing the prominent contradictions and problems in the modernization process.

Reform and opening up is an ongoing process, not a completed one. The more magnificent and challenging Chinese modernization becomes, the more we must rely on reform for momentum and on opening up for vitality. The recently concluded Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made further plans to deepen reform comprehensively and advance Chinese modernization. This fully reflects the historical initiative of the Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to modernize the country’s governance system and capacity. It also reflects a steadfast commitment to further deepening reform comprehensively, paving a broad path for Chinese modernization and sending a clear message that reform will continue, and opening up will remain unwavering. We must thoroughly study, publicize, and implement the guiding principles from the Plenary Session, resolutely removing all institutional and systemic obstacles and constraints that hinder the smooth progress of Chinese modernization. By further deepening reform across the board, we will write a new chapter in the advancement of Chinese modernization on the new journey of our times.

Notes: Deng Xiaoping during his journey from Shenzhen to Zhuhai. From January 18 to February 21, 1992, he visited Wuchang, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shanghai, and other locations, delivering important speeches that directly addressed many significant and longstanding ideological issues that had been troubling and constraining people’s thinking. His remarks laid out ideas of both immediate and long-term significance for the entire socialist modernization process.

 To advance Chinese modernization, we must promote the well-rounded development of individuals and the common prosperity of all. In Deng Xiaoping’s view, pauperism is not socialism, and neither is polarization. He asserted that socialism cannot exist without democracy, nor can it exist without the rule of law. He also emphasized that socialism cannot succeed without material progress, and it cannot succeed without cultural-ethical progress either. He insisted, “In our efforts to realize the Four Modernizations we must attend to two things and not just one.” This led to a series of strategic initiatives where one hand focused on material progress and the other on cultural-ethical progress, one on development and the other on the rule of law, one on reform and opening up and the other on combating corruption.

Deng Xiaoping also placed great importance on the issue of common prosperity, stating, “Since the very beginning of the reform we have been emphasizing the need for seeking common prosperity; that will surely be the central issue some day.” He further noted, “The greatest superiority of socialism is that it enables all the people to prosper, and common prosperity is the essence of socialism.” Over the past 40-plus years of reform and opening up, the concept of Chinese modernization has continually evolved and demonstrated its advantages—from the initial emphasis on both material and cultural-ethical progress to coordinated economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement; from eradicating poverty and achieving moderate prosperity to placing a stronger emphasis on advancing common prosperity. These efforts have enriched the content of Chinese modernization, showcased its strengths, and created a new form of human advancement. We must take the people’s aspirations for a better life as the starting and ending points of modernization efforts. While strengthening the material foundation of modernization, we must also enrich the people’s cultural lives, develop whole-process people’s democracy, promote harmony between humanity and nature, and achieve substantive progress in the well-rounded development of individuals and the common prosperity of all.

To advance Chinese modernization, we must adhere to the path of peaceful development. With great foresight, Deng Xiaoping made the significant judgment that “peace and development are the two outstanding issues in the world today,” emphasizing that “for the interest of our own country the goal of our foreign policy is a peaceful environment for achieving the Four Modernizations.” He stated, “China will never seek hegemony or bully others.” He emphasized, “We should safeguard our reputation for acting independently, for keeping the initiative in our own hands and for refusing to be taken in by fallacies or to tremble in the face of danger.” He also declared, “No foreign country should expect China to be its vassal or to accept anything that is damaging to China’s own interests.”

Unlike some old capitalist powers that achieved modernization through war, colonization, and plunder, Chinese modernization follows a path of peaceful development. We must resolutely stand on the right side of history and on the side of human advancement, and pursue peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. We should uphold the common values of humanity, promote the building of a human community with a shared future, and seek our own development while firmly safeguarding world peace and development. In turn, our development will better serve the cause of world peace and development.

To advance Chinese modernization, we must deeply advance the great new project to strengthen the Party in the New Era. Deng Xiaoping articulated, “China needs our Party to accomplish modernization.” At the very beginning of the reform and opening up, he raised critical questions: “What should a party in power be like? What should a member of such a party be like if he is to be worthy of the name? How are we to judge whether its leadership is competent?” He earnestly warned, “If any problem arises in China, it will arise from inside the Communist Party,” stressing: “Only with a vigorous leadership that has eliminated bureaucratism, raised efficiency and mobilized the grassroots units and the rank and file can we have real hope of success in the Four Modernizations.” He called for “focusing on the strengthening of the Party,” emphasized that “to raise standards of conduct both inside and outside the Party, we must redouble our efforts and not relax them for a single day,” and insisted that “ we must oppose corruption throughout the whole process of reform and opening to the outside world.”

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has advanced the full and rigorous Party self-governance with unprecedented resolve and intensity, guiding the century-old Party to open up new horizons of self-reform. We must remain sober and steadfast in addressing the unique challenges faced by a large political party and must persistently advance the full and rigorous Party self-governance. Through the Party’s self-reform, we will lead the social revolution, ensuring that our Party always remains the strong core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This will provide a robust guarantee for fully advancing the task of building a strong nation and moving toward national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

In a vast country like China, upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and bringing over 1.4 billion people into a modern society, is an extraordinary feat that will profoundly reshape the global landscape of modernization. Deng Xiaoping once confidently asserted, “As long as China doesn’t collapse, one fifth of the world’s population will be upholding socialism.” He also optimistically predicted, “By the middle of the next century, when we approach the level of the developed countries, then there will have been really great changes. At that time the strength of China and its role in the world will be quite different. We shall be able to make greater contributions to humanity.”

Today, we can offer comfort to Deng Xiaoping as the land of China he cherished so deeply is undergoing remarkable transformation. The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he pioneered continues to broaden, the modernization drive he championed is full of vitality, and the grand blueprint he sketched out is gradually becoming a beautiful reality. Deng Xiaoping’s earnest words during his Southern Tour still echo in our ears: “The period from now to the middle of the next century will be crucial. We must immerse ourselves in hard work: we have difficult tasks to accomplish and bear a heavy responsibility.”

Now, as history advances, we find ourselves at a critical juncture in fully advancing the building of a great country and moving toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. Let us unite even more closely around the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply grasp the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations,” and increase commitment to Four Consciousnesses, the Four-Sphere Confidence,” and the Two Upholds. We must seize the day, work diligently, and strive to achieve new victories in the unprecedented and magnificent undertaking of Chinese modernization.

Translated from:  Qiushi, 2024, no. 16.