General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "upholding integrity and innovation is an important ideological method for our party to govern the country in the new era". The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China stressed that to further deepen reform in an all-round way, it is necessary to sum up and apply the valuable experience of comprehensively deepening reform since the reform and opening up, especially in the new era, and implement the principles of upholding integrity and innovation. In the course of comprehensively deepening reform, we have adhered to integrity and innovation, reflecting our profound ideological heritage, important historical experience, and distinctive requirements of the times. The idea of combining the "soul vein" and the "root vein" follows the great practice of comprehensively deepening reform, which is carried out under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important exposition on comprehensively deepening reform demonstrates the firm theoretical characteristics of integrity and innovation, and vividly reflects the organic combination of the "soul" of Marxism and the "root" of China's excellent traditional culture. Adhere to the "soul vein" of Marxism. From the perspective of the basic principles of historical materialism, reform is the fundamental driving force for promoting social development and progress, and it itself is a process of dialectical unity between uprightness and innovation. As Engels pointed out: "The so-called 'socialist society' is not a static thing, but should be regarded as a society that is constantly changing and reforming, like any other social system." "Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the mainland has made great achievements in economic and social development, and the fundamental reason is that we have stimulated the vitality of the development of the social productive forces through the continuous adjustment of production relations, and have adapted to the requirements of the development of the economic foundation through the continuous improvement of the superstructure. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out from the height of historical materialism: "We propose to carry out comprehensive and deepening reform, which is to adapt to the changes in the movement of basic contradictions in mainland society and promote social development. The basic contradictions in society are always developing, so the adjustment of the relations of production and the improvement of the superstructure need to be carried out correspondingly. Inherit the "roots" of excellent traditional Chinese culture. Those who know how to change win, and those who keep integrity and innovate advance. The Chinese have a tradition of keeping upright. Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty, praised Zhao Yu in the "Historical Records · the Biography of Cool Officials" for "abiding by the law". The Tang Dynasty writer Pi Rixiu said in "The Discussion of Disdainful Filial Piety": "There are those who keep the righteous, although the great filial piety is not recorded; Those who are wrong, although the path is small, will be successful. Then what is the law after the system of saints? "The Chinese also have a tradition of innovation." The innovative nature of the Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the Chinese nation's enterprising spirit of upholding the right and not keeping the old and respecting the past and not going back to the past, and determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation that is not afraid of new challenges and has the courage to accept new things. Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the mainland put forward the idea that "although Zhou is an old state, its life is renewed", and there are also "wealth is a great cause, and a new day is Shengde", "Gou is new, every day is new, and every day is new" and other discussions. These expositions, together with the concepts of "new life in the old state", "consolidating the foundation and seeking the new", and "reforming the old and making the new" in traditional culture, provide rich ideological resources for upholding integrity and innovation. Adhering to integrity and innovation embodies the combination of "soul vein" and "root vein", and provides important methodological guidance for further deepening reform in an all-round way and promoting Chinese-style modernization. Only by keeping integrity can we not lose our way and not make subversive mistakes, and only by innovating can we grasp the times and lead the times. Only by adhering to integrity can innovation have a solid foundation and a clear direction; Only by continuous innovation can we obtain an inexhaustible source of vitality. Integrity and innovation complement each other and complement each other. To promote the comprehensive deepening of reform, we must adhere to the unity of integrity and innovation, innovate in the course of integrity, and develop in the course of innovation. Paying attention to the historical experience of upholding and unifying development and how to correctly treat the basic principles of scientific socialism is a crucial theoretical issue in the history of the world socialist movement, and it is also a practical issue related to the future and destiny of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The basic principles of scientific socialism reflect the essential provisions of socialism and provide basic guidelines for the practice of socialism. If we abandon the basic principles because of temporary difficulties and immediate challenges, we will deviate from the purpose of socialism and embark on a crooked and evil road. If we dogmatically treat the basic principles in disregard of the development requirements of the times, we will stifle the vitality of socialism. The Chinese Communists have profoundly summed up the historical lessons of the world socialist movement, and have strengthened their determination and confidence in upholding the basic principles of scientific socialism and in taking the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the beginning of reform and opening up, some ideological trends appeared in society and within the party, causing confusion among some people's thinking. In response to this situation, in March 1979, Deng Xiaoping made an important speech at the party's theoretical work retreat, proposing that the "four cardinal principles" must be adhered to. The question of what direction to go in comprehensively deepening reform is a fundamental issue. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "reform and opening up has a direction, a position and a principle". "The world is developing, society is progressing, and not implementing reform and opening up is a dead end, and engaging in 'reform and opening up' that negates the direction of socialism is also a dead end." "The basic principles of scientific socialism cannot be lost, and if they are lost, it will not be socialism." On the issue of direction, we must be very clear-headed. Our orientation is to constantly promote the self-improvement and development of the socialist system, rather than changing the course of the socialist system. It is necessary to dialectically unify the theoretical logic of scientific socialism with the historical logic of China's social development, and unswervingly follow our own path. We resolutely change what should be changed and can be changed, and resolutely not change what should not be changed and cannot be changed. For example, the common development of the economy under various forms of ownership with public ownership as the mainstay is an important part of the basic socialist economic system and an important pillar of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. In the face of the problems that have arisen in the operation of the public and non-public economies, we must undoubtedly use reform and innovation to solve them. However, "any viewpoint that wants to negate the public economy or the non-public economy is not in line with the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people, does not meet the requirements of the mainland's reform and development, and is therefore wrong." The Third Plenary Session of the 20 th CPC Central Committee pointed out that it is necessary to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector of the economy and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy. History and reality have shown that the basic principles of scientific socialism are the "root" and "source" of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and they are also the truth and the right path that must be firmly adhered to in comprehensively deepening reform. On this issue, to uphold integrity means to unswervingly adhere to the basic principles of scientific socialism; Innovation is to realize the development of the basic principles of scientific socialism. Integrity and innovation promote each other, reflecting the dialectical unity of persistence and development, principle and creativity. Since the beginning of the new era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has not only demonstrated the firmness of not changing its will and the same path, but also the determination to boldly try and reform bravely, and has yielded fruitful results in upholding integrity and innovation, making historic achievements in comprehensively deepening reform, and writing a new chapter in upholding and developing scientific socialism. Reflecting the requirements of the times to promote Chinese-style modernization, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that to achieve the goals and tasks of the new era and new journey, it is necessary to take the comprehensive deepening of reform as the fundamental driving force for promoting Chinese-style modernization, as an important starting point for stabilizing the overall situation, responding to the situation, and opening up a new situation. Stick to the fundamental direction of the right. "To comprehensively deepen reform, we must strengthen and improve the party's leadership, give full play to the party's role as the core of leadership in controlling the overall situation and coordinating all parties", and all party comrades must "resolutely safeguard the authority of the central government, ensure the smooth implementation of government decrees, and unswervingly realize the central reform decisions and arrangements". The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stressed that the leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for further deepening reform in an all-round way and promoting Chinese-style modernization. History and reality have fully demonstrated that the party's leadership determines the fundamental nature of Chinese-style modernization, and only by unswervingly adhering to the party's leadership can Chinese-style modernization have a bright future and prosperity. Otherwise, you will go off course, lose your soul, and even make subversive mistakes. To further deepen reform in an all-round way, it is necessary to uphold the party's overall leadership, continuously improve the party's ability and determination to set the direction, plan the overall situation, set policies, and promote reform, and ensure that reform and opening up move forward along the correct course and break the waves. Focus on innovation and breakthroughs. Problems are not only the logical starting point for the generation of understanding, but also an important driving force for the development of understanding. If we find out the problems, we will find the "target" of reform and the entry point of innovation. In recent years, along with the changes in the main contradictions in the mainland's society and the profound adjustment of the international balance of forces, the internal and external risks and challenges facing the mainland's development have risen unprecedentedly, and the complexity of the problems it faces and the arduousness of solving them have increased significantly. Reform measures should have a clear orientation and aim to solve the most prominent problems. Since the beginning of the new era, the CPC Central Committee has adhered to the major strategic judgment that development is still the key to solving all problems on the mainland, and has stressed the need to adapt to the changes in the movement of basic contradictions in mainland society to promote social development. In March 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection in Hunan that to further deepen reform in an all-round way, it is necessary to highlight the problem orientation, and strive to solve the problems of stuck points and blockages that restrict the construction of a new development pattern and promote high-quality development, the pain points and difficulties in the field of development environment and people's livelihood, and the focus and hot issues that are contrary to social fairness and justice, effectively prevent and resolve major risks, and continuously add impetus and vitality to economic and social development. Closely follow the theme of promoting Chinese-style modernization. Reform and opening up is an important magic weapon for contemporary China to catch up with the times in great strides, and it is a key move that determines the success or failure of Chinese-style modernization. Comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization is the central task of the Party and the country in the new era and new journey, and it is the biggest politics in the new era. To further deepen reform in an all-round way, it is necessary to closely follow the theme of promoting Chinese-style modernization, and add impetus to the fulfillment of central tasks and the realization of strategic goals. To further deepen reform and opening up in an all-round way and persist in upholding integrity and innovation, we must further emancipate the mind, emancipate and develop the social productive forces, and emancipate and enhance social vitality. "These 'three further emancipations' are both the purpose and the conditions for reform." Among them, further emancipating the mind is the ideological premise, further emancipating and developing the social productive forces is the primary task, and further emancipating and enhancing social vitality is the key. To further deepen reform in an all-round way, it is necessary to promote better adaptation of production relations and productive forces, superstructure and economic foundation, national governance and social development, so as to provide a strong impetus and institutional guarantee for Chinese-style modernization. Chinese-style modernization has been continuously promoted in the course of reform and opening up, and it is bound to open up broad prospects in the course of reform and opening up. (The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Peking University)
Source丨Learning to Power the Country Author: Sun Laibin Editor丨Li Dongmei Editor丨Kong Xiangshu Submission Email: [email protected]