Tongfang Academy Micro-Party Class, Issue 282: Major Achievements in Comprehensively Deepening Reform in the New Era

Party Class Study

2024-08-06

Tongfang Academy

Micro Party Class · Issue 282

Major Achievements in Comprehensively Deepening Reform in the New Era

“Theoretical cultivation is the core of the comprehensive quality of Party members and cadres. Theoretical maturity is the foundation for political maturity, and political steadfastness stems from theoretical clarity.” For Party members and cadres, fostering a fine academic style and strengthening theoretical education are both fundamental requirements for cultivating Party spirit and an inescapable political responsibility.

Tongfang Law Firm provides all its lawyers with learning opportunities in the form of micro-party classes, thereby enhancing their ideological and political awareness as well as their spirit of learning and inquiry. By establishing a long-term educational mechanism, the firm has created a new platform for self-education and self-improvement.

This issue's speaker

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. In this new era, comprehensively deepening reform is both a continuation of the reform efforts initiated during the new period of reform and opening-up and socialist modernization, and also a fresh start for reform in the new era. The "Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Promoting Chinese-style Modernization," adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party, points out: “The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party was epoch-making, marking the beginning of a new period of reform and opening-up and socialist modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party was also epoch-making, launching a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, systematically and holistically designing and advancing reform, and opening up an entirely new landscape for China’s reform and opening-up.” Correctly recognizing and scientifically grasping the major achievements of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era is of great significance for the entire Party and all the people of the country to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party, unify thinking, enhance understanding, bolster confidence, and inspire morale.

At the 18th National Congress of the Party, while setting the ambitious goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the Party also clearly put forward a strategic plan for comprehensively deepening reform. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party officially ushered in a new era of comprehensive deepening reform, providing a comprehensive strategic blueprint for reform and defining the overall goal, strategic priorities, order of priority, main areas of focus, working mechanisms, implementation approaches, and timetable and roadmap for comprehensively deepening reform. The clarity of the overall reform goal, the comprehensiveness and systematic nature of its content, the intensity of the reforms, and their broad-ranging impact are unprecedented.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned and led the reform efforts, presiding over 72 meetings of the Central Commission for Deepening Overall Reform (Leading Group). At these meetings, he has unified thinking and understanding, made work arrangements, reviewed major reform proposals, analyzed the reform situation, and promoted the implementation of reforms, thereby providing strong and effective leadership support for deepening reform in a comprehensive manner. Under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee and through the concerted efforts of the entire Party, the armed forces, and all ethnic groups across the country, the reform tasks set forth at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee have been largely accomplished. In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has pressed forward with determination, overcome numerous difficulties, solved many long-standing problems that had long eluded resolution, and achieved many major undertakings that had been desired but never realized. The comprehensive deepening of reform in the new era is all-round, profound, and fundamental; the achievements it has made are historic, revolutionary, and groundbreaking.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of economic development. Economic system reform in the new era is closely centered on giving the market a decisive role in resource allocation and further enhancing the role of the government. We are committed to upholding and improving the basic economic system, accelerating the establishment of a modern market system, a macroeconomic regulation and control system, and an open economic system. We are also speeding up the transformation of the economic development model, intensifying efforts to build an innovative nation, and promoting higher-quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer economic development. We remain unwavering in consolidating and developing the public ownership economy, and in optimizing and restructuring the layout of state-owned enterprises. At the same time, we remain steadfast in encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector, and in fostering close yet clean relationships between government and business. We adhere to the principle of distribution according to work as the mainstay, while allowing multiple forms of distribution to coexist, and continue to improve the institutional mechanisms for distribution based on factors of production, thereby steadily expanding the size of the middle-income group. We are accelerating the improvement of the socialist market economic system, continuously refining foundational institutions such as property rights protection and fair competition, steadily advancing the construction of a credit system, and continually enhancing the business environment toward greater marketization, rule of law, and internationalization. The negative list system for market access has been fully implemented, anti-monopoly efforts and measures to prevent the disorderly expansion of capital have been continuously strengthened, and the construction of high-standard market systems is progressing smoothly, with the scale effect of the nationwide unified large market continuing to manifest itself. Economic system reform has powerfully propelled China’s economy toward high-quality development. From 2012 to 2023, China’s economic growth rate ranked among the highest among major global economies, making it the largest contributor to global economic growth. China’s GDP rose from 51.9 trillion yuan to 126.1 trillion yuan. Continuous breakthroughs have been made in achieving scientific and technological self-reliance and strength; new technologies, new business models, and new formats are thriving;Moreover, the institutional mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development are constantly being refined. Major regional strategies and coordinated development initiatives—including the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin—are being deeply advanced. Economic system reform has further unleashed market vitality. By the end of 2023, the number of various types of market entities exceeded 184 million, including over 124 million individual business households. The dynamism and creativity of these businesses are bursting forth and flowing freely. We have adopted a more proactive and initiative-taking opening-up strategy, and a new high-level open economic system is rapidly taking shape. Jointly building the “Belt and Road” initiative has taken root and yielded abundant results, and China-Europe freight trains continue to leverage their unique advantages in international rail transport. The pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list management system for foreign investment准入 has been fully implemented, and a global network for trade, investment, production, and services is accelerating its formation. Institutional openness—covering rules, regulations, governance, and standards—is being expedited, and the construction of 22 pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port is vigorously underway. Today, China has become the world’s largest goods trading nation, the second-largest service trading nation, the second-largest user of foreign investment, and the largest outward investor. It is a major trading partner for nearly 200 economies, and a new pattern of comprehensive, multi-level, and wide-ranging opening-up is accelerating its formation. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, China’s economic development has seen marked improvements in balance, coordination, and sustainability, and the country’s economic, scientific, and overall national strength has reached a new level.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of political development. The political system reform in the new era is closely centered on deepening reform while firmly upholding the organic unity of Party leadership, the people being masters of the country, and governance according to law. We are accelerating the institutionalization, standardization, and proceduralization of socialist democratic politics, and fostering a people’s democracy that is broader, more comprehensive, and more robust. We have strengthened and safeguarded the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, actively developed whole-process people’s democracy, improved the institutional framework for the people to be masters of the country in a comprehensive, broad, and organically linked manner, established diverse, unimpeded, and orderly democratic channels, enriched democratic forms, and expanded the people’s orderly political participation at all levels and in all fields. As a result, systems and state governance at all levels better reflect the will of the people, protect their rights and interests, and unleash their creativity. We remain committed to the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and promote the steady development of socialist democratic politics. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, the superiority of the political system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has been better brought into play, and the vibrant, stable, and united political landscape has been consolidated and further developed. The socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics continues to improve, and the building of a law-based China has taken solid steps forward. The role of the rule of law—securing the foundations, stabilizing expectations, and promoting long-term benefits—has been further enhanced, and the Party’s capacity to lead and govern the country using rule-of-law approaches has significantly increased.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of cultural development. The cultural system reform in the new era is closely centered on deepening reform to build a socialist core value system and a strong socialist culture. It accelerates the improvement of cultural management systems and cultural production and operation mechanisms, establishes and perfects a modern public cultural service system and a modern cultural market system, and promotes the great development and prosperity of socialist culture. We have established and upheld the fundamental institutional framework that Marxism serves as the guiding ideology in the ideological sphere, improved the responsibility system for ideological work, and encouraged the entire Party to actively engage in propaganda and ideological work. We are promoting the use of the Party’s innovative theories to arm the entire Party, educate the people, and guide practical actions. We attach great importance to the construction and innovation of communication channels, promote the integrated development of media, improve the leadership and management systems for the internet, and adhere to governing the internet according to law. We persist in using the core socialist values to guide cultural development, extensively carry out publicity and education on socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese Dream, normalize and institutionalize education on ideals and beliefs, and continuously improve the ideological and political work system. We are advancing the comprehensive development of both cultural undertakings and cultural industries, perfecting the public cultural service system, intensifying efforts to protect cultural heritage, and accelerating the building of international communication capabilities. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, China’s situation in the ideological sphere has undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation. The cultural confidence of the entire Party and all ethnic groups across the country has significantly strengthened, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the whole society have been greatly enhanced, providing a solid ideological guarantee and powerful spiritual strength for opening up a new chapter in the cause of the Party and the country in the new era.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of social development. Social system reforms in the new era are closely centered on further safeguarding and improving people’s livelihoods, promoting social equity and justice, deepening reform of the income distribution system, fostering common prosperity, advancing institutional innovation in the social sphere, promoting equalization of basic public services, and accelerating the establishment of a scientific and effective social governance system—thus ensuring that society remains both vibrant and harmonious and orderly. We have won the battle against poverty, historically resolving the issue of absolute poverty, and have achieved the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled. A series of major reform initiatives have been launched in areas such as income distribution, employment, education, social security, elderly care and childcare, health care, and housing security, yielding substantial progress in ensuring that children have access to care, students receive quality education, workers earn fair remuneration, the sick receive proper medical treatment, the elderly enjoy dignified care, everyone has adequate housing, and vulnerable groups receive necessary support. As a result, we have built the world’s largest social security system. We have also improved the social governance system by perfecting the grassroots governance framework in urban and rural areas—a framework that integrates self-governance, rule of law, and moral governance under the leadership of Party organizations—and by establishing a social governance system based on co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, China’s social development has been comprehensively strengthened, and people’s lives have been improved in every aspect. The level of social governance—socialization, rule of law, intelligence, and professionalism—has been significantly enhanced, creating a favorable situation characterized by peaceful and prosperous living conditions for the people and a stable and orderly society, and continuing the remarkable achievement of long-term social stability.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of ecological civilization construction. The reform of the ecological civilization system in the new era is closely centered on deepening reform to build a beautiful China, accelerating the establishment of an ecological civilization institutional framework, and improving the mechanisms for territorial space development, resource conservation and efficient utilization, and ecological environment protection, thereby promoting the formation of a new pattern of modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We have thoroughly implemented the philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," refined mechanisms for preventing and controlling air, water, and soil pollution, and made concerted efforts to win the battle against pollution. We have also promoted integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, leading to an overall improvement in environmental quality. We have established a foundational framework for ecological civilization that includes strict prevention at the source, rigorous process management, compensation for damages, and severe punishment for violations. We have intensified efforts to protect and restore ecosystems, and are working to shape spatial patterns, industrial structures, production methods, and lifestyles that conserve resources and protect the environment. We have also established and implemented a central ecological and environmental inspection system. Actively participating in global environmental and climate governance, we have solemnly committed to peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, demonstrating our sense of responsibility as a major country. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, the construction of a beautiful China has taken major strides forward; the whole Party and the entire nation have significantly enhanced their awareness and initiative in promoting green development, and China’s ecological and environmental protection has undergone historic, transformative, and systemic changes.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of national security construction. The reforms in the national security sector during the new era have been closely focused on further deepening reform to advance the building of a national security system and capacity. We have adhered to the Overall National Security Concept, established the Central National Security Commission, and improved the centralized, unified, efficient, and authoritative leadership system for national security. We have also refined the legal, strategic, and policy frameworks for national security, and set up coordination mechanisms for national security work as well as emergency management systems. The Party has integrated security development into every aspect and stage of national development, rigorously preventing and severely cracking down on infiltration, sabotage, subversion, and secession activities by hostile forces. We have stood firm against and counteracted extreme external suppression and containment, and waged struggles related to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, and maritime issues, thereby effectively safeguarding national security. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, national security has been comprehensively strengthened, successfully withstanding risks and challenges from political, economic, ideological, and natural domains, thus providing a robust guarantee for the prosperity and long-term stability of the Party and the country.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the fields of national defense and military development. The reform of national defense and the armed forces in the new era is closely centered on deepening reform to build a solid national defense and a powerful people’s army that are commensurate with our country’s international status and aligned with our national security and development interests. We adhere to the military strategic guidelines for the new era and implement the goal of strengthening the military in the new era. We unswervingly uphold the fundamental principle and system of the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s armed forces, ensuring that the highest authority and command over the people’s armed forces rest with the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, and fully and thoroughly implement the system of responsibility vested in the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. We have restructured the leadership and command system of the people’s armed forces, the modern military force system, and the military policy and institutional framework, thus establishing a new pattern characterized by the Central Military Commission exercising overall leadership, theater commands taking the lead in combat operations, and service branches playing the primary role in building capabilities. Through comprehensive deepening reform in the new era, the people’s armed forces have undergone a holistic and revolutionary reshaping, setting out anew with renewed vigor. National defense strength and economic power have risen in tandem, and the construction of an integrated national strategic system and capability has accelerated. The people’s armed forces resolutely fulfill their missions and tasks in the new era, safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests with tenacious fighting spirit and concrete actions.

In the new era, comprehensively deepening reform has achieved significant accomplishments in the field of Party building. The reform of the Party-building system in the new era is closely centered on deepening reform to enhance the levels of scientific governance, democratic governance, and governance based on the rule of law. It strengthens the construction of the system of democratic centralism, improves the Party’s leadership structure and governance methods, and safeguards the Party’s advanced nature and purity, thereby providing strong political guarantees for reform and opening-up as well as socialist modernization. The Party has perfected its leadership system, established and improved mechanisms for the Party’s leadership over major tasks, reinforced the functions and roles of the decision-making, deliberation, and coordination bodies under the CPC Central Committee, refined mechanisms for implementing major decisions made by the CPC Central Committee, strictly enforced the system of seeking instructions and reporting to the CPC Central Committee, strengthened political oversight, and deepened political inspections. The Party has formulated and implemented the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations, and persistently tackled the “Four Winds.” It adheres to the simultaneous efforts of ideological Party building and institutional Party governance, sets proper orientations for personnel selection, and rectifies unhealthy tendencies in selecting and appointing officials. Upholding the principle that discipline is stricter than law and ensuring seamless integration between disciplinary enforcement and law enforcement, the Party makes good use of the “four forms” of supervision and disciplinary action. A relatively complete system of internal Party regulations has been established, and the implementation of these regulations is rigorously enforced. Under the Party’s leadership, the Party and state supervisory systems have been improved; the establishment of the National Supervisory Commission has been promoted; a coordinated framework of inspection and巡察 at both central and local levels has been built; and a mechanism led by intra-Party supervision, with various forms of oversight integrated and coordinated, has been put in place to strengthen constraints and oversight over the exercise of power. Through comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, the Party’s leadership system has continued to improve, and the Party’s capacity for self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement has significantly increased. The situation of lax and weak Party governance has been fundamentally reversed. The fight against corruption has achieved an overwhelming victory and has been fully consolidated. The political guiding and safeguarding role of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party has been fully brought into play, making the Party stronger through revolutionary forging.

Source | People's Daily Online, Official Website for Party History Study and Education