On October 16, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China opened. The report of the congress pointed out that from now on, the central task of the CPC is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country to build a socialist modern power in an all-round way, achieve the goal of the second centenary struggle, and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization.
What is "Chinese-style modernization"? What kind of "modernization" is "Chinese-style modernization"? The Beijing News reporter combined the content of the report, combed through the relevant expressions in the past and the discussion of this topic in the theoretical circles for the reader's reference.
On October 16, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China opened. Beijing News reporter Tao Ran photo
Where did "Chinese-style modernization" come from?
Theoretical circles believe that the path of Chinese-style modernization was formed after decades of struggle under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
Gong Weibin, vice president of the Central Party School (National Academy of Administration) and secretary of the party committee of the organ, divided China's modernization exploration into different stages, with the founding of New China as the node.
Before the founding of New China, China's modernization could be divided into two stages, the first stage was from the Opium War to the Xinhai Revolution, Chinese devoted to modernization at the material level. After the defeat at the Battle of Jiawu, there were also attempts to carry out institutional reforms, but they were unsuccessful. In the second stage, from the Xinhai Revolution to the founding of New China, China worked hard to build a modern state according to the Western capitalist model, but in the end it did not find the right path in theory and practice.
After the founding of New China, the mainland established the basic socialist system, marking that China's modernization has entered a new period of development. Since then, the Communist Party of China has become the core of leading China's modernization drive, and the socialist system has become the institutional guarantee for China's modernization development.
Since then, through the continuous exploration of the "four modernizations", the decision of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee to shift the focus of the Party's work to socialist modernization, and the new goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way put forward by the Fifth Plenary Session of the Fifteenth Central Committee, the path of Chinese-style modernization has gradually become clear.
In August 2022, Shenzhen, Guangdong, from the sea, Qianhai Free Trade Zone is already lined with high-rise buildings, and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Yanjiang Expressway Bridge spans the Qianhai. Photo/IC photo
Since the Nineteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China has won a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and its next goal is to build a socialist modern power in an all-round way
On July 1, 2021, Xi Jinping's "July 1st" important speech pointed out that "we adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote the coordinated development of material, political, spiritual, social and ecological civilization, and create a new path of Chinese-style modernization and a new form of human civilization." This important statement attracted attention and discussion at the time.
In November of the same year, the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee pointed out that "the Party led the people to successfully walk out of the path of Chinese-style modernization, created a new form of human civilization, expanded the way for developing countries to modernize, and provided new choices for countries and nations in the world that want to accelerate development and maintain their independence."
What kind of "modernization" is "Chinese-style modernization"?
Yin Jun, assistant dean and researcher of the Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Peking University, once pointed out that since the industrial revolution, Western capitalist countries have started earlier, ahead of other countries in terms of productivity, and the capitalist mode of production has shown its advanced and superiority, but this does not mean that modernization has only one path.
The report points out that Chinese-style modernization is socialist modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, which not only has the common characteristics of modernization of all countries, but also has Chinese characteristics based on their own national conditions. Chinese-style modernization has five important characteristics: Chinese-style modernization is the modernization of a huge population scale, the modernization of the common prosperity of all the people, the modernization of material civilization and spiritual civilization in harmony, the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and the modernization of taking the road of peaceful development.
With a population of more than 1.4 billion, the mainland is larger than the existing developed countries combined, and at the same time it is the largest developing country in the world, which is the national condition that we must see when we talk about Chinese-style modernization.
Han Wenxiu, deputy director of the Central Finance Office in charge of daily work, once said that the more than 1.4 billion people must enter the modernization as a whole, which is unprecedented in human history, and it is inevitable to make greater efforts and overcome more difficulties, and it will inevitably have a broader worldwide impact and make greater contributions to the cause of human progress.
On May 10, 2022, in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, overlooking Baliwan Village in Huxi Town from the air, green rice and other crops and beautiful villages contrasted with the countryside and beautiful villages, presenting a beautiful picture of rural revitalization. Photo/IC photo
At present, there is still a gap in the income of residents between urban and rural areas, regions, and different groups on the mainland, and in order to realize the second feature, that is, the modernization of common prosperity for all the people, it is necessary to make the "cake" bigger and divide the "cake" well. Han Wenxiu said that in the process of modernization, it is necessary to consciously and actively solve the problems of regional disparities, urban-rural disparities, and income disparities, resolutely prevent polarization, and enable all people to share the fruits of modernization.
One of the keys to achieving common prosperity lies in the distribution system, and the reporter noted that the report mentioned in improving the distribution system that it is necessary to persist in working more and getting rich, encourage hard work to get rich, promote fair opportunities, increase the income of low-income people, expand middle-income groups, standardize the order of income distribution, and standardize the wealth accumulation mechanism.
While income increases and material abundance, people's spiritual needs cannot be ignored, which is the third feature of Chinese-style modernization, that is, material civilization and spiritual civilization are coordinated. Han Wenxiu said that it is necessary to adhere to the core values of socialism, strengthen education in ideals and beliefs, carry forward the spirit of patriotism, collectivism, and heroism, and inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture.
At the same time, China proposes modernization in which man and nature coexist in harmony. Judging from the modernization process of some other countries in the world, the process of industrialization for hundreds of years has been accompanied by problems such as resource consumption and environmental pollution. Therefore, China does not follow the old road of pollution first and then treatment, but must take a new development path of saving resources, protecting the environment, and green and low-carbon.
At present, the mainland has proposed to strive to achieve carbon peak by 2030, strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 "double carbon" goal, and actively respond to global climate change. Xi Jinping stressed during his research in Fujian in March 2021 that it is necessary to incorporate carbon peak and carbon neutrality into the construction layout of the ecological province, scientifically formulate timetables and road maps, and build a modernization in which man and nature coexist in harmony.
In addition, China's modernization is also a modernization that follows the path of peaceful development. Unlike some established capitalist countries, which have taken the path of violent colonial plunder, Chinese-style modernization has overcome the inherent shortcomings of capitalist modernization. Han Wenxiu said that China has always regarded peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit and win-win results as the basic norms for handling international relations, adhered to multilateralism, opposed hegemonism and unilateralism, and actively promoted the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
How to achieve "Chinese-style modernization"?
At present, China has embarked on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The overall strategic arrangement is to take two steps: basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 to 2035; From 2035 to the middle of this century, we will build the mainland into a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist modern power.
Among them, the next five years will be a crucial period for the beginning of the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country.
On August 29, 2022, Hebei Xiong'an New District, as one of the first batch of market-oriented open projects in Xiong'an, "Huawang City" has now entered the stage of internal and external decoration, and will gradually complete the completion and acceptance. Photo/IC photo
Combing through the report of the conference, in the next five years, the mainland will comprehensively promote Chinese-style modernization from 12 aspects, such as building a new development pattern and high-quality development, rejuvenating the country through science and education, people's democracy in the whole process, comprehensively governing the country according to law, cultural self-confidence and self-improvement, people's livelihood and well-being, green development, national security, national defense army building, "one country, two systems" and the reunification of the motherland, building a community with a shared future for mankind, and comprehensively and strictly administering the party.
How to grasp the critical period of the start? There are many specific statements in the report, such as insisting on focusing on the real economy to develop the economy; Consolidate the foundation of food security in an all-round way and firmly adhere to the red line of 1.8 billion mu of arable land; Adhere to the core position of innovation in the overall situation of the mainland's modernization construction; Strengthen the implementation and supervision of the Constitution, and strengthen legislation in key areas, emerging areas and foreign-related fields; Promote equity of opportunity, increase the incomes of low-income earners and expand middle-income groups; Deepening the energy revolution; Unswervingly promote the great cause of the reunification of the motherland; Promote the construction of a new type of international relations and promote the democratization of international relations.
The report points out that comprehensively building a modern socialist country is a great and arduous undertaking with a bright future and a long way to go. We must enhance our sense of distress, adhere to the bottom-line thinking, think of danger in times of peace, take precautions, and be prepared to withstand major tests such as high winds and waves, and even terrifying waves.
On the road ahead, we must firmly grasp the following major principles: uphold and strengthen the party's overall leadership, adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to the people-centered development thinking, persist in deepening reform and opening up, and persist in carrying forward the spirit of struggle.
Beijing News reporter Jiang Huizi
Editor Chen Jing proofread Jia Ning