Lv Xinbin: Strive to Create a New Situation for Chinese Modernization with Historic Initiative
Modernization will not fall from the sky; rather, it must be forged through the exertion of historical initiative. The Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee explicitly proposed to overcome difficulties, battle risks, and meet challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, concentrating efforts on managing our own affairs well, continuing to write new chapters of the "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, and striving to open up new horizons for Chinese-path modernization. The work report and important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Plenum, as well as the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development [1] deliberated and adopted by the Plenum, centrally embody the wisdom of the whole Party and the will of the people nationwide, demonstrating a great spirit of historical initiative. We must always stand on the right side of history, grasping the "timing and momentum" through theoretical initiative, cultivating the "roots and soul" through spiritual initiative, and coordinating "destruction and construction" through practical initiative. Within the organic unity of theoretical consciousness, spiritual self-reliance, and practical agency, we must grasp historical initiative, anchor ourselves to goals and tasks, and persevere in our struggle to basically achieve socialist modernization.
Theoretical Initiative: The Dialectical Unity of Conformity to Law and Conformity to Purpose
For a nation to stand at the forefront of the times, it cannot for a moment be without theoretical thinking, nor can it for a moment be without the guidance of correct ideas. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that possessing the guidance of scientific Marxist theory is the fundamental basis for our Party to solidify its faith and belief and to grasp historical initiative. Historical initiative lies first and foremost in theoretical initiative, manifested as a profound grasp of historical laws, a precise anchoring of our temporal position, and proactive innovation in ideology and theory. It exhibits distinct materialistic characteristics and represents a high level of unity between conformity to law and conformity to purpose. The work report and important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Plenum further pointed out the direction and provided a fundamental compliance [2] for economic and social practice during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
The spirit of historical initiative runs through the theory of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, manifesting as a profound realization of the vitality of truth and a proactive quest for theoretical innovation. The spirit of historical initiative requires both unswerving adherence to the basic principles of Marxism and the positions, viewpoints, and methods running through them, as well as the testing of theoretical truth in practice, allowing it to be continuously enriched and developed. The spirit of historical initiative is rooted in the Marxist historical materialist conception of history, manifesting as the profound grasp and active application of historical laws. Transforming the objective world requires historical subjects to fully recognize the laws of historical development, ensuring their thoughts, decisions, and actions consciously follow and conform to the requirements of objective laws. Simultaneously, historical subjects are not entirely passive or reactive objects but are capable of utilizing objective laws and exerting their own agency to create history. The Plenum’s judgment on the important status of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and its grasp of the stage-specific requirements profoundly reveal the inherent laws of socialism with Chinese characteristics and Chinese-path modernization, providing a powerful weapon for further transforming the subjective and objective worlds during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
The spirit of historical initiative is inherent in the Big Picture View of History [3] of contemporary Chinese Marxism, manifesting as profound insight into historical trends and the proactive grasping of the direction of the times. The Plenum accurately judged the global, national, and Party situations, grasping the changes in the world, the times, and history. It clearly pointed out that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical period for laying the foundation and exerting full force to basically achieve socialist modernization, holding an important position as a bridge between the past and the future in the process of basically achieving socialist modernization. Our country's development is in a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, and where uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. This provides a scientific guide for action, allowing us to anchor the key five years of the New Era, accurately identify changes, scientifically respond to changes, and proactively seek changes.
Spiritual Initiative: The High Unity of Historical Consciousness and Chinese Confidence
Great causes give rise to great spirits, and great spirits lead great causes. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that with the spiritual strength of confidence and self-reliance, the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of the Chinese people are further stimulated, and their ambition, integrity, and fortitude [4] are bolstered as never before. Historical initiative is internalized as spiritual initiative, manifesting as a high degree of historical consciousness characterized by "not fearing floating clouds from obscuring one’s vision," [5] a powerful spirit of historical confidence characterized by "the time will come to wind the long wind and break the waves," [6] and a surging spirit of historical creation characterized by "everything in life must be done by oneself." [7] The Plenum’s precise judgment on the conditions supporting China’s long-term positive economic outlook and basic trends, its important discourse on China’s "four major advantages," and its major decisions on the series of goals and tasks for the "15th Five-Year Plan" are the concentrated embodiment of historical consciousness and Chinese confidence.
The spirit of historical initiative is embedded in the CPC’s distinct political character of having the courage for self-revolution, manifesting as a problem-oriented consciousness that faces the era and contradictions head-on. The spirit of historical consciousness is the pioneer ambition to stand at the forefront of the era and consciously judge historical stages; it is the courage of struggle to face current problems and consciously confront principal contradictions; it is the innovative vigor to anticipate future trends and consciously arrange strategic blueprints. At this historical moment when the "14th Five-Year Plan" concludes and the "15th Five-Year Plan" sets sail, the Party Central Committee has consciously stood at the forefront of the tides of the times and the front line of overcoming difficulties. Keeping the "two overall situations" [8] in mind and basing itself on the new situation of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period—where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges and uncertain factors increase—the Party has consciously assumed the heavy responsibility for reform, development, and stability, facing contradictions, risks, and challenges head-on. This demonstrates the wisdom to identify changes, the methods to respond to changes, and the courage to seek changes, all derived from using the spirit of historical consciousness to gain insight into the general trends of the era.
The spirit of historical initiative is internalized into the CPC’s historical thinking of "using history as a mirror," manifesting as a powerful confidence formed based on a profound understanding of historical achievements. The historical confidence of Chinese Communists is both confidence in the achievements of struggle and confidence in the spirit of struggle; both are organically unified in the grand blueprint of the "15th Five-Year Plan." Scientifically formulating and successively implementing Five-Year Plans has become an important experience in our Party’s governance of the country and a significant political advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Upon the arrival of the "15th Five-Year Plan," we have sufficient fortitude and ample reasons to firm up our historical confidence.
The spirit of historical initiative is integrated into the CPC’s pioneering and innovative concept of "daring to be the first in the world," manifesting as an enterprising spirit that stimulates the creative power of the hundreds of millions of people. The people are the creators of history and the fundamental force promoting historical development. The spirit of historical innovation is fundamentally reflected in the people’s pioneering spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must fully stimulate the spirit of historical initiative among all the people. The Plenum has greatly encouraged, inspired, and energized the people nationwide; the morale for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is at an all-time high, and the creativity for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country is bursting forth as never before.
Practical Initiative: The Organic Unity of Strategic Resolve and Innovation/Creation
Realizing socialist modernization is a historical process of step-by-step progression and continuous development; it requires unremitting efforts and successive struggle. Historical initiative is externalized as practical initiative, which lies in proactively conforming to historical trends, seizing historical opportunities, and leading historical development. This requires us to persist in innovation and creation while maintaining strategic resolve, using developing Chinese theory to guide developing Chinese practice, and using the great Chinese spirit to promote great Chinese practice.
Shouldering the historical mission through successive responsibility. The spirit of historical initiative has been forged through the glorious journey of the CPC over the past century, as it has advanced wave upon wave and struggled tenaciously to achieve major victories in revolution, construction, and reform. It is manifested as the strategic resolve to "carry out one blueprint to the end." The focus of historical initiative in the New Era lies in practical initiative—firmly grasping high-quality development as the primary task. This requires a profound grasp of the dialectical unity between "acting immediately" and "persisting over the long term." Closely centering on the Party’s central task in the New Era and on the new journey, the Plenum profoundly analyzed the achievements made and challenges faced in current high-quality development. Based on the new stage of development, applying the new development philosophy, adhering to a problem-oriented approach, and maintaining strategic resolve, the Plenum ensures that decisive progress is made in basically achieving socialist modernization and promotes major breakthroughs in strategic tasks concerning the overall situation of Chinese-path modernization. This demonstrates the unique practical wisdom of "the governance of China." It not only provides a practical strategy for our endeavors and the promotion of the great cause of Chinese-path modernization but also, in the process of consciously practicing historical initiative, continuously expands the practical dimensions of a new form of human advancement.
Seizing historical opportunities through reform and innovation. The key to historical initiative in the New Era lies in practical initiative—using the "crucial move" of comprehensively deepening reform. This requires a profound grasp of the dialectical unity between "upholding fundamentals without wavering" and "innovating without ceasing." In the next five years, our country will be in a period of historical opportunity where much can be achieved; we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any time in history. Using a strategic vision that assesses the situation, the Plenum anchored the coordinates of reform. It not only integrated "upholding the Party's overall leadership" throughout the entire process of deploying comprehensively deepened reforms to provide the most fundamental political guarantee but also closely followed the core requirement of "persisting in comprehensively deepening reform." It introduced a series of forward-looking and targeted reform measures to activate the overall situation of development, making the direction of reform clearer and the path more distinct during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
Leading historical development through systems thinking. The spirit of historical initiative is cast in the CPC’s insistence on using systems thinking to understand and transform the world and in its strategic planning for the coordinated promotion of various Party and state undertakings. This is manifested as the coordinated deployment of "turning two wheels at once." Systems thinking is an important epistemology and methodology of Marxist philosophy; promoting Chinese-path modernization is a systemic project, and several major relationships must be correctly understood and properly handled. Among them, development and security are of the utmost importance. To practice the spirit of historical initiative in the New Era, we must profoundly grasp the dialectical unity between "high-quality development" and "high-level security," coordinating development and security. The Plenum adhered to holistic thinking and emphasized this coordination. It both persists in development as the top priority—continuously strengthening our country's economic, technological, and comprehensive national strength to promote high-level security through high-quality development—and persists in integrating the concept of security throughout all aspects of economic and social development. This promotes the modernization of the national security system and capacity and builds a Higher-Level Peaceful China, ensuring high-quality development through high-level security and providing a scientific strategy for the benign interaction between high-quality development and high-level security during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
Responding to the questions of the times and rousing historical initiative is the unshirkable responsibility of workers in the philosophy and social sciences. Only by anchoring the direction of truth through theoretical consciousness, stirring the momentum of advancement through spiritual self-reliance, and creating the great achievements of the era through practical agency—integrating the spirit of historical initiative into various tasks for implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and the spirit of the Plenum, and effectively transforming it into practical action for careers during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period—can we compose a glorious chapter worthy of history, the times, and the people!