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Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Opening Up to Give Greater Impetus to Chinese Modernization

Xi Jinping

President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from November 9 to 12, 2013. The session was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Photo by Xinhua reporter Lan Hongguang

I

Reform and opening up has been crucial in making China what it is today, and will remain crucial to achieving the Two Centenary Goals and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As vital today as it ever was, reform and opening up, along with the development of our practice and the freeing of minds, are processes without end; halting or reversing our course will lead us nowhere. Although there are great difficulties to be faced in carrying out reform, we cannot afford to not reform. We need to be courageous, adhere to the correct direction of reform and opening up, grapple with the toughest of problems, and brave the most treacherous waters. We must summon the courage to break through fixed ways of thinking, smash the barriers of entrenched interests, and never pause or falter in pressing ahead with reform and opening up.

—Excerpt from a collection of speeches given during a visit to Guangdong Province (December 7-11, 2012)

II

Reform and opening up is revolutionary and must move in the right direction along the right path. The direction determines the path, and the path determines the future. What is most important for the success of China’s reform and opening up is that we take our Party’s basic line as the lifeline of the Party and the country. In building socialism with Chinese characteristics, we have always kept economic development as our central focus while adhering to the two basic points of upholding the Four Cardinal Principles and carrying out reform and opening up. We have rejected the old and rigid closed-door policy as well as the erroneous path of abandoning socialism.

In carrying out reform and opening up, we must have the courage to free our minds, but freeing our minds must be done with an orientation, a standpoint, and underlying principles; so too in reform and opening up. Some claim that reform and opening up means moving toward the “universal values” and the political systems of Western countries; otherwise, it cannot be called reform and opening up. This is a complete misinterpretation. We cannot make generalizations about China’s reform lagging behind in some given respect. It is true that reforms have proceeded more quickly or slowly in certain respects or at particular times, but on the whole, it is incorrect to say that reform is occurring in some areas but not in others. The question is what to change and what not to change. Certain things that cannot be changed now will never be changed. We cannot slavishly imitate other countries.

As the world develops and society advances, failure to reform and open up would lead us to a dead end. Similarly, carrying out reform and opening up in a way against a socialist orientation would also lead us to a dead end. We must, therefore, remain keenly aware of the direction in which we are heading, namely to keep improving and developing socialism, not to set out on a different path. We need to adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles, the foundation for building our nation. We should use them to ensure that we stay on the right track as we reform and open up. We should also ensure that these principles remain up to date as we reform and open up. We need to eliminate all interference and remain firmly committed to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

—Excerpt from a speech at the second group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee (December 31, 2012)

President Xi Jinping presents a flower basket to the statue of Deng Xiaoping at Lianhuashan Park in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, afternoon of October 14, 2020. Xi delivered an important speech at a grand gathering held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on the same day. Photo by Xinhua reporter Wang Ye

III

We will remain committed to improving and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance as our overall objective for comprehensively deepening reform. In 1992, Deng Xiaoping said that it would probably take another 30 years for us to build a complete set of mature and established institutions. On the basis of his strategic thought, the decision is made at this Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance.

This is necessary for improving and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is an inseparable part of our efforts to achieve socialist modernization. We decided that this plenary session would focus on comprehensively deepening reform; not on pushing forward reform in just one or two particular areas, but in all areas. We made this decision based on our overall thinking about improving China’s system and capacity for governance.

—Excerpt from a speech at the second meeting of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (November 12, 2013)

IV

The people are the ones who make history, and they are the source of our strength. The most fundamental reason the people wholeheartedly support and actively participate in reform and opening up is that from the very beginning we have deeply rooted it among them. The resolution made at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee incorporates valuable experience accumulated through reform and opening up. A very important lesson derived from this is to stress the necessity of always putting the people first, respecting their principal position, giving free rein to their creativity, and relying heavily on them in carrying out reform. Without the people’s support and participation, no reform can possibly succeed, but with it, we can overcome any difficulties and challenges we may encounter. Therefore, as we implement the Party’s mass line, we need to maintain close affinity with the people, stand alongside the people through times of hardship and times of joy, and mount a common effort with the people.

With any important reform, we need to ensure that major issues pertaining to reform are approached and addressed from the people’s perspective. We need to put the interests of the people first as we are making reform plans and taking reform measures. Wang Fu, a philosopher of the Han Dynasty, once said, “A bird cannot soar into the sky using only one feather, and a horse cannot gallop using only one hoof.” If China wants to fly high and run fast, it must rely on the strength of its 1.3 billion people.

As we comprehensively deepen reform, we will encounter problems pertaining to interests that involve complex relations and difficult trade-offs. At such times, we should think seriously about the actual situations the people are in. What do they expect? How can their interests be safeguarded? Are they satisfied with our reforms? To better make reform-related decisions, it is vital for us to listen extensively to the people’s opinions and suggestions; to be quick to review the new experience they generate; to spark their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity for reform; to apply their wisdom and energy to reform; and to work with them to push reform forward.

—Excerpt from a speech at the second meeting of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (November 12, 2013)

V

To uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must adjust the relations of production to adapt to the development of productive forces and improve the superstructure to adapt to the economic base. After 35 years of reform and opening up, we have made major achievements in social and economic development. The fundamental reason is that we have unlocked the vitality of productive forces through adjusting the relations of production and adapted to the development of the economic base through improving the superstructure. This is also why we conduct reforms of economic, political, cultural, and social systems and those pertaining to ecological conservation and development of our Party.

In emphasizing reform, we are committed to promoting social development by adapting to the changes in the movement of the basic social contradictions. The basic social contradictions are always developing, so we need to keep adjusting the relations of production and improving the superstructure. I have said that the evolution of our practice, the freeing of minds, and reform and opening up are processes without end. Reform and opening up is an ongoing process that will never be complete. This is in line with historical materialism.

—Excerpt from a speech at the 11th group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee (December 3, 2013)

VI

As early as when we were considering the agenda for the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, we decided to adopt a plan for comprehensively deepening reform rather than just focusing on the reform of economic structure or economic and social structures. We made this decision because it would be very difficult to solve the outstanding problems and difficulties we face through reform confined to one sector or one level. It is necessary to strengthen top-level design and overall planning, and make reforms more interconnected, more systemic, and better coordinated. To produce an all-around effect, we have to solve the problem of the relations of production being out of synch with the productive forces, and of the superstructure not meshing with the economic base.

We also emphasized the need to focus on economic development and make full use of the leading role of economic structural reform. In other words, development is critical for dealing with the main aspects of the fundamental problems in our society at the present stage. We will be able to better adapt the relations of production to the productive forces, and the superstructure to the economic base, only if we stay focused on development as our top priority while planning reforms in all areas. Releasing and developing the productive forces provides a powerful impetus pulling reform forward. China’s experience since we began reform and opening up proves that focusing firmly on releasing and developing the productive forces provides strong incentives for other reforms, stimulating their advancement.

—Excerpt from a speech at the 11th group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee (December 3, 2013)

VII

It is no easy job to advance reform in a country like China with a population of over 1.3 billion. After more than 30 years, China’s reform has entered a more critical phase. The easy reforms that make everyone happy have all been completed. The choice cuts have been eaten, and all that is left now is hard nuts to crack. This requires us to be courageous and take sure steps. Being courageous means pressing ahead no matter how difficult reform is, daring to take responsibility, grappling with the toughest of problems, and braving the most treacherous waters. Taking sure steps means being certain of our orientation and maintaining stability as we move ahead, taking particular care not to make catastrophic mistakes.

—Part of an exclusive interview with Russia TV (February 7, 2014)

VIII

What direction should we be taking in modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance? This is a fundamental question that demands a correct answer. In considering this question, we must fully understand the overall objective of comprehensively deepening reform. This objective is comprised of two parts: to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics; and to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. The relationship between the two is very important.

The first part specifies the fundamental orientation, which is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, not any other path. As I always say, we will firmly take the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will take neither the old path of being closed and inflexible, nor the erroneous path of abandoning socialism. The second part makes clear the direction we will take to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics guided by this fundamental orientation. Only together do the two parts constitute a whole. The second part alone, without the first, is incomplete.

—Excerpt from a speech at the Seminar for Principal Officials at the Provincial and Ministerial Level on Studying and Implementing the Guiding Principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and on Comprehensively Deepening Reform ( February 17, 2014)

IX

All local authorities and central departments should develop a holistic view of reform and maintain a strong sense of responsibility, making reform a political priority. With strong resolve and confidence in reform, they should take a more proactive approach to reform both in thinking and through action, simultaneously promoting and implementing reform. They should work tenaciously to implement reforms with targeted and persistent efforts, and dare to take on the toughest problems until they have achieved their goals.

—Excerpt from a speech at the 21st meeting of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform (February 23, 2016)

X

We will continue to comprehensively deepen reform. Only with socialism can we save China; only with reform and opening up can we develop China, develop socialism, and develop Marxism. We must uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continue to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. We must have the determination to get rid of all outdated thinking and ideas and all institutional ailments, and to break through the blockades of vested interests. We should draw on the achievements of other civilizations, develop a set of institutions that are well conceived, fully built, procedure-based, and efficiently functioning, and do full justice to the strengths of China’s socialist system.

—Excerpt from the Report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (October 18, 2017)

President Xi Jinping applauds the personnel awarded with medals during a grand gathering to celebrate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, December 18, 2018. Xi made an important speech at the gathering. Photo by Xinhua reporter Xie Huanchi

XI

The Chinese people believe in great dreams, and the Chinese nation champions reform and openness. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors embarked on their great journey of creating Chinese civilization based on the belief that “Although an old state Zhou is, its mission is to pioneer new approaches.” Since its early days, the Chinese land has witnessed countless movements to strengthen the country through reform and transformation, each inspired by visionary proclamations such as “There is more than one way of governance and the ancient way is not the sole path to the state’s welfare.” Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has, with confidence and an open mind, engaged in interactions and cultural exchanges with other nations based on the broad visions of “peace among all” and “harmony throughout the world.” This gave rise to the symphony of camel bells resonating across the vast expanse of the Silk Road, as envoys traveled from the far reaches of the known world to Chang’an (now Xian), the capital of the thriving Tang Dynasty.

It is precisely the belief in reform and openness that makes Chinese civilization the only one in human history to have stretched on for more than 5,000 years without interruption. This belief is expressed in many traditional Chinese sayings. For example, “As Heaven maintains vigor through movement, a man of virtue should never cease to pursue self-improvement; as the Earth is vast and receptive, a man of virtue should continually cultivate the virtue to bear all things.” A review of the past several thousand years shows that reform and openness have been the norm throughout China’s history. Such a profound historical and cultural heritage indicates that the Chinese nation will continue to embrace the future in the same way: through reform and opening up.

—Excerpt from a speech at a grand gathering to celebrate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up (December 18, 2018)

XII

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 1978 was a landmark event that ushered in a new historical period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.

The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013 was also a milestone because it started a new era for further reform on all fronts and for planning and advancing reform in a systematic and holistic way. It broke new ground in our drive for reform and opening up.

We have taken comprehensive steps to further reform with unprecedented determination and strength. As we traversed dangerous rapids and broke down one barrier after another, we pushed forward reform across the board, achieving breakthroughs in multiple areas. Moreover, the principal frameworks for reform in major areas have generally been established, enabling the vigorous promotion of all kinds of undertakings.

—Excerpt from a speech at the meeting reviewing further reform of Party and state institutions (July 5, 2019)

XIII

Reform and opening up in the new era has taken on many new elements and features, of which an important one is that more emphasis is placed on the improvement of systems. Reform now aims more to solve deep-seated problems of our systems and mechanisms, and this sets higher requirements for top-level design. As it becomes more imperative to pursue reform in a systematic, holistic, and coordinated way, we are confronting an even heavier task to establish corresponding frameworks of systems and institutions.

When making plans for furthering reform comprehensively in the new era, we must focus on upholding and improving Chinese socialism and modernizing the state governance system and capacity, with a deep understanding of the requirements for national development and the trends of the times. To achieve this, we will continue to reform systems and mechanisms in all sectors and areas, ensuring that our institutions become more mature and better-defined, and thus modernize the state governance system and capacity.

—Excerpt from the Note to the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Upholding and Improving Chinese Socialist System and Modernizing State Governance System and Capacity (October 28, 2019)

XIV

Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, with unprecedented resolve and strength, the CPC Central Committee has abandoned outdated ideas and notions, broken through the barriers of entrenched interests, removed institutional obstacles in all areas, and properly responded to the risks and challenges brought about by changes in the external environment, thereby sparking spectacular progress in furthering reform.

All-round efforts have been made in fulfilling the objectives and tasks set out at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. Basic institutional frameworks have generally been established in all sectors, with many sectors transformed and restructured in historic, systematic, and holistic ways. This has laid down solid foundations on which a well-conceived, procedure-based, and effectively functioning set of institutions can be developed. This has made institutions in all sectors more mature and well-defined, resulting in historic achievements in comprehensively deepening reform.

We must reaffirm our conviction, pool our strengths and make persistent efforts to press ahead with reform in the new development stage, so that greater breakthroughs and contributions can be made.

Over years of reform work, we have put forth a series of innovative theories, adopted a series of major measures, and scored a series of key breakthroughs. All these efforts were revolutionary and have broken new ground in achieving historic changes and achievements in the cause of our Party and country through reform and opening up.

—Excerpt from a speech at the 17th meeting of the Central Commission for Deepening Reform (December 30, 2020)

XV

We must remain committed to deepening reform and opening up. We must intensify efforts to advance reform and explore new ground, and we must remain steadfast in expanding opening up. We must work hard to remove deep-seated institutional barriers so as to fully tap into the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously imbue our socialist modernization endeavors with fresh dynamism and vitality. We must do better in translating our country’s institutional strengths into effective governance.

—Excerpt from the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (October 16, 2022)

XVI

We must utilize reform effectively as a crucial tool to develop the socialist market economy, make such reform more systematic, integrated, coordinated, and efficient, and consolidate and further our reform achievements in removing institutional obstacles and creating new policies, so that new breakthroughs can be made in key areas and critical links.

—Excerpt from a speech at the First Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee (October 23, 2022)

Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi sit on the platform during the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from February 26 to 28, 2023. Photo by Xinhua reporter Xie Huanchi

XVII

Our Party’s 20th National Congress has put forth a number of important reform measures, which comprise the Central Committee’s major strategic plan for deepening reform on all fronts on the new journey in this new era.

In order to achieve the goal of building a modern socialist country, we should launch a series of strategic, creative, and pace-setting reforms, enhance the integration, synergy and efficiency of these reforms, and strive to make new breakthroughs in important fields and key links.

We must uphold and improve China’s basic socialist economic system. To this end, we will further reform state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and strengthen the core competitiveness of SOEs. We will provide an enabling environment for private enterprises to boost their confidence and facilitate their growth. We will improve the modern corporate system with distinctive Chinese features, put in place a high-standard market system, improve the system of macroeconomic governance, and ensure that the market plays the decisive role in resource allocation and that the government better plays its role. We will strengthen and refine modern financial regulation, reinforce the systems that safeguard financial stability, and conduct law-based regulation and guidance to promote the healthy development of capital. We will pursue high-standard opening up. To do so, we will steadily expand institutional opening up with respect to rules, regulations, management, and standards. We will push for high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. While prioritizing economic reforms, we should also make overall plans for reforms in the fields of education, science and technology, human resources, politics, the rule of law, culture, society, ecological conservation, national security, and Party development.

We should focus on improving the mechanisms for implementing reform measures to ensure they produce intended results, fully tap into the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously imbue our socialist modernization endeavors with fresh dynamism and vitality, and better transform our institutional strengths into effective national governance.

—Excerpt from a speech at the second meeting of the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee (February 28, 2023)

XVIII

This year is the first year for fully implementing the guiding principles from the Party’s 20th National Congress. It is also the 45th anniversary of the launch of the reform and opening up policy and the 10th anniversary of the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

As we strive to achieve our goals on the journey in this new era, deepening reform across the board is not only the fundamental driving force for Chinese modernization but also the basic method for maintaining overall stability, responding to changes, and opening up new vistas. We must pinpoint the correct direction, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, and make concrete efforts so as to write a new chapter in reform and opening up on the new journey.

—Excerpt from a speech at the first meeting of the 20th Central Commission for Deepening Reform (April 21, 2023)

President Xi Jinping visits an exhibition of sci-tech innovation and industrial development achievements in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, afternoon of April 22, 2024. He toured Chongqing from April 22 to 24. Photo by Xinhua reporter Wang Ye

XIX

We will further deepen reform and opening up.

Reform and opening up is China’s decisive move that has enabled it to make great strides in catching up with the times. It is also crucial to the success of Chinese modernization. Thus, in advancing Chinese modernization, we must further comprehensively deepen reform and opening up so as to continuously unleash and develop our productive forces, and unlock and boost social dynamism. It is imperative to adapt to the new trends of the times, meet the new requirements of development, and fulfill the new expectations of the people. Steeling our resolve to see reform through, we must have the courage to tackle the toughest problems to achieve real results, and put in targeted, coordinated, and persistent efforts to remove all institutional obstacles that impede the smooth progress of Chinese modernization.

We will expand our economic reforms to fully leverage the decisive role of the market in resource allocation while ensuring that the government’s role is well utilized. We will accelerate the creation of a new pattern of development, build a unified national market, and improve the system of macroeconomic governance, so as to stimulate the vitality of various market entities. In this way, systems and mechanisms that are conducive to high-quality development will be fostered at a faster pace.

We will deepen structural reform in the areas of science and technology, make the best use of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide to make key technological breakthroughs, and boost China’s strength in strategic science and technology. We will reinforce the principal role of enterprises in innovation, better allocate innovation resources, and strive to make breakthroughs in key and core technologies. All these efforts will enable us to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

We will coordinate reform efforts in all areas including cultural, social, and environmental systems so as to inject new energy into Chinese modernization.

—Excerpt from a speech at a meeting to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong (December 26, 2023)

XX

Relations of production must meet the requirements for developing productive forces. To develop new quality productive forces, it is imperative to deepen reform across the board so as to create a new type of relations of production that is compatible with it.

Developing new quality productive forces requires not only the forward-looking planning and guidance and rational policy support of the government, but also the regulation of the market and the continuous innovation of micro-entities such as enterprises. As a matter of fact, this should be fostered and driven by the synergy between “the visible hand” of the government and “the invisible hand” of the market.

It is imperative to further structural reforms both in the economy and in science and technology in order to remove any impediment to the development of new quality productive forces. We also need to develop a high-standard market system and allocate factors of production in innovative ways so that they can flow smoothly toward the development of new quality productive forces. Meanwhile, high-level opening up must be expanded to create a sound international environment for the development of new quality productive forces.

—Excerpt from a speech at the 11th group study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee (January 31, 2024)

President Xi Jinping talks with shopkeepers and tourists at a cultural street in Changde City, central China’s Hunan Province, morning of March 19, 2024. He toured Hunan Province from March 18 to 21. Photo by Xinhua reporter Wang Ye

XXI

It is essential to deepen reform and opening up across the board in order to boost the internal momentum and vitality of development.

We will plan major measures to further deepen reform on all fronts, so as to continuously inject strong impetus into the endeavor to promote high-quality development and advance Chinese modernization.

To build a high-level socialist market economy, it is imperative to advance reforms for the market-based allocation of production factors, put in place a high-standard market system, and accelerate the improvement of basic systems underpinning the market economy such as those for property rights protection, market access, fair competition, and social credit.

We will improve and implement the institutions and mechanisms to firmly consolidate and develop the public sector and encourage, support and guide the healthy development of the non-public sector. We will facilitate the growth of the private sector and private businesses by removing obstacles hindering these businesses from participating in fair market competition, thereby stimulating the internal momentum and innovative strength of various business entities.

We will deepen the reform of systems involving science and technology, education and professional personnel, and work to remove barriers obstructing the development of new quality productive forces.

We will step up institutional opening up. We will continue to create a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized so as to foster new strengths for a higher-level open economy.

—Excerpt from a speech at the deliberation session of the Jiangsu delegation to the Second Session of the 14 National People’s Congress (March 5, 2024)

XXII

A problem-oriented approach should be adopted when furthering all-round reform. Efforts should focus on overcoming the bottlenecks and obstacles constraining the creation of a new development pattern and the promotion of high-quality development, responding to the challenges and difficulties related to the environment for development and people’s well-being, and addressing the key hot issues that conflict with social fairness and justice, so as to effectively prevent and mitigate major risks. In this way, we will provide engines and energy for economic and social development.

—Excerpt from remarks on an inspection tour to Hunan Province (March 21, 2024)

*These are excerpts from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s expositions on comprehensively deepening reform and opening up and injecting sustained and strong impetus into Chinese modernization between December 2012 to March 2024.

(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 10, 2024)