Han Zhenfeng: An Analysis of Xi Jinping's New Ideas, Strategic Perspectives, and Key Theses on Comprehensively Deepening Reform

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee scientifically planned the overall deployment for further comprehensively deepening reform centered on Chinese-path modernization. The Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization (hereinafter referred to as the Decision) adopted at the Plenary Session is a programmatic document guiding further comprehensively deepening reform on the new journey. In expounding the guiding ideology for further comprehensively deepening reform, the Decision emphasizes that we must "fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and deeply study and implement the series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping on comprehensively deepening reform." This series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments provides scientific theoretical guidance and a roadmap for action to further comprehensively deepen reform and open up broad prospects for Chinese-path modernization on the new journey.

I. Comprehensively Deepening Reform Must Adhere to the Party's Overall Leadership

In managing China's affairs, the key lies with the Party. Adhering to and improving the Party's leadership is the fundamental basis and lifeblood of the Party and the state; it is where the interests and happiness of the people of all ethnic groups in the country reside. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee took "adhering to the Party's overall leadership" as the first principle that must be followed in further comprehensively deepening reform, fully reflecting the firm determination and resolute will of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to "ensure that reform always moves forward in the correct political direction."

The core requirement of emphasizing that further comprehensively deepening reform must adhere to the Party's overall leadership is to, under the premise of resolutely upholding the Party Central Committee's authority and centralized, unified leadership, fully "leverage the Party's role as the core of leadership in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties, integrate the Party's leadership into all aspects and the entire process of reform, and ensure that reform always moves forward in the correct political direction." Three layers of meaning are emphasized here: first, in the process of further comprehensively deepening reform, we must always play the "role of the Party as the core of leadership in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties"; second, the Party's leadership must be integrated into all aspects, fields, and the entire process of further comprehensively deepening reform; third, the purpose of emphasizing that further comprehensively deepening reform must adhere to the Party's overall leadership is to ensure that reform always proceeds in the correct political direction, resolutely preventing the reform process from veering off course or making subversive errors ^[1].

Why must further comprehensively deepening reform adhere to the Party's overall leadership? First, adhering to the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the success of further comprehensively deepening reform. In his speech at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping clearly pointed out: "The Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization." Why is this so? Because in its essence, "Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China." "The most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the greatest advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China." Comprehensively deepening reform is the fundamental method and path for advancing the self-perfection and development of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics; it naturally must be carried out under the leadership of the CPC. "The more arduous the tasks of reform and opening up, the more we must strengthen and improve the Party's leadership, and the more we must ensure that the Party remains the strong core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics." Why must we emphasize the Party's leadership position in the construction of Chinese-path modernization? Because "the Communist Party of China is the leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, in a position to oversee the overall situation and coordinate all parties. In contemporary China, there is no political force or any other force greater than the Communist Party of China. Party, government, military, civilian, and academic; east, west, south, north, and center—the Party leads everything; it is the supreme political leadership force." Whether or not we adhere to the Party's leadership is directly related to the fundamental direction and the future and destiny of Chinese-path modernization.

Second, adhering to the Party's leadership in comprehensively deepening reform is also a precious experience gained from over 40 years of reform and opening up. In summarizing the valuable experience accumulated over 40 years of China's reform and opening up, Xi Jinping emphasized: "It is precisely because we have always adhered to the Party's centralized and unified leadership that we have been able to achieve the great historical turning point, open the new period of reform and opening up and the new journey toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, successfully respond to a series of major risks and challenges, overcome countless difficulties and obstacles, effectively respond to changes in the international situation, calm disturbances, fight floods, prevent SARS, resist earthquakes, and resolve crises. We have been able to neither take the old path of being closed and stagnant nor the crooked path of changing flags ^[2], but instead unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." From this perspective, the requirement that further comprehensively deepening reform must adhere to the Party's leadership is determined not only by the essential attributes and requirements of comprehensively deepening reform but is also a precious experience proven by more than 40 years of practice in reform and opening up. On the new journey, we must continue to unswervingly adhere to the Party's overall leadership in further comprehensively deepening reform to ensure reflect reform always moves forward in the correct political direction.

II. Comprehensively Deepening Reform Must Unswervingly Follow the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Direction determines the future, and the path determines destiny. Reform and opening up explored for us a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Further comprehensively deepening reform must "unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics," and "through comprehensively deepening reform, continuously expand the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously enrich the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and continuously improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics." The Decision adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasizes that the overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reform is to "continue to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity." This clearly demonstrates that further comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era and on the new journey is to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, rather than changing the nature of the socialist system ^[3].

Why must further comprehensively deepening reform unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continue to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics? First, this is determined by the fundamental direction, stance, and principles of comprehensively deepening reform. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Our reform and opening up have direction, stance, and principles." "Our reform is a reform that continuously moves forward on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, neither taking the old path of being closed and stagnant, nor taking the crooked path of changing flags." What kind of path a country takes depends on whether that path can solve the historical tasks facing the country. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the organic unity of the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of Chinese social development; it adheres to the basic principles of scientific socialism while imbuing them with distinct Chinese characteristics based on the conditions of the times. It is the only way to build a strong modern socialist country and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Second, this is also a precious experience repeatedly proven by China's practice of reform and opening up. In his speech at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the theme of all our Party's theory and practice has been to adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics." "Forty years of practice fully prove that the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics opened up by our Party since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee ^[4] are completely correct, and the Party's basic theory, basic line, and basic strategy formed are completely correct." "The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a broad road for contemporary China to catch up with the times in wide strides and lead the development of the times; it must be followed unswervingly."

Finally, looking toward future development, further comprehensively deepening reform must maintain a firm grasp on the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform: to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee formally established "continuing to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity" as the overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reform. In his speech at the second plenary session of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Adhering to and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity is a major issue concerning the prosperity and development of the cause of the Party and the state, the long-term peace and stability of the country, and the happiness and well-being of the people." The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the national governance system possess significant advantages in many respects; "maintaining and continuously strengthening these advantages is the direction of our efforts to adhere to and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity in the New Era." To this end, "planning for comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era must take adhering to and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity as the main axis." "What to change and how to change must use the overall goal of improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity as the fundamental yardstick; what should be changed and can be changed, we will resolutely change; what should not be changed and cannot be changed, we will resolutely not change." Xi Jinping's series of important expositions on how comprehensively deepening reform must grasp this overall goal have pointed out the direction for further comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era.

III. Comprehensively Deepening Reform Must Adhere to a People-Centered Approach

The Decision reviewed and adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee takes "adhering to a people-centered approach" as another principle that must be upheld in further comprehensively deepening reform. It emphasizes that further comprehensively deepening reform must "adhere to a people-centered approach, respect the people's principal status and pioneering spirit, respond to the people's calls through reform, and ensure that reform is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits are shared by the people." Always adhering to the people-centered value orientation in comprehensively deepening reform is a core content and fundamental requirement of Xi Jinping's new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments on comprehensively deepening reform.

Why must further comprehensively deepening reform adhere to a people-centered approach? First, this is determined by the Party's fundamental nature and its original aspiration and founding mission. The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, and the leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is the original aspiration and mission of Chinese Communists. This being the case, comprehensively deepening reform must always adhere to a people-centered value orientation. Xi Jinping emphasized: "Only when reform is for the people does it have meaning; only when reform relies on the people does it have momentum." "The people's yearning for a better life is our goal. Grasping reform and promoting development is, in the final analysis, to let the people live better lives."

Second, this is determined by the purpose and requirements of comprehensively deepening reform itself. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The fundamental purpose of our efforts to promote reform is to make the country more prosperous and strong, make society more fair and just, and make the people's lives better." If reform "cannot bring tangible benefits to the common people, if it cannot create a fairer social environment, or even leads to more unfairness, then reform loses its meaning and cannot be sustained." The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized taking "promoting social fairness and justice and enhancing the people's well-being" as the starting point and goal of further comprehensively deepening reform, which fully reflects the people-oriented characteristic of further comprehensively deepening reform. On the new journey, we must always adhere to the people-centered value orientation, putting the people in the highest position in our hearts, taking the people's yearning for a better life as the Party's goal, and uniting and leading the people to create a beautiful future together.

IV. Comprehensively Deepening Reform Must Dare to Blaze New Trails and Innovate

Comprehensively deepening reform is an unprecedented historical undertaking. Every step forward requires carrying forward the spirit of pioneering progress and courageous innovation, continuously promoting innovation in theory, practice, systems, and other areas. Only by continuous innovation can we "keep pace with the times, adapt to the development of practice, treat all new things with warm enthusiasm, continuously expand the breadth and depth of our understanding, dare to say new things that our predecessors did not say, dare to do things that our predecessors did not do, and guide new practice with new theory." Daring to blaze new trails and innovate is an important characteristic of comprehensively deepening reform and an internal driver for ensuring significant results in reform.

Why must further comprehensively deepening reform adhere to pioneering innovation? First, innovation is an important driving force for promoting comprehensively deepening reform. In summarizing China's valuable experience in reform and opening up, Xi Jinping explicitly proposed...

The significant thesis that “innovation is the lifeblood of reform and opening up” was emphasized by Xi Jinping, who pointed out: “Development is the primary task, innovation is the primary motive power and the strategic support for building a modern economic system,” and that “to persist in grasping innovation is to grasp development; to plan for innovation is to plan for the future.” The reason we emphasize the major role of innovation in comprehensively deepening reform is primarily because only through innovation can we truly resolve various deep-seated contradictions and problems, fundamentally driving economic and social development. As Xi Jinping stated, “Looking across the history of human development, innovation has always been an important force for the development of a country and a nation.” “Innovation is the soul of a nation's progress, an inexhaustible motive power for a country’s prosperity, and the profoundest national endowment of the Chinese nation.” Secondly, this is an inevitable choice against the backdrop of fierce international competition. Xi Jinping noted: “In fierce international competition, only the innovators progress, only the innovators grow strong, and only the innovators prevail.” In such a contemporary context, whoever rejects reform or refuses innovation will fall behind the times and fall into a state of strategic passivity; whoever “seizes innovation, seizes the ‘ox’s nose’ ^[5] that drives the overall situation of economic and social development.” On the new journey of further comprehensively deepening reform, we must continue to persist in pioneering and innovating in light of actual conditions; only in this way can we effectively prevent missing opportunities for development and prevent falling behind the times.

V. Comprehensively deepening reform must persist in a problem-oriented approach

Persisting in a problem-oriented approach ^[6] is an important component of the worldview, methodology, and the positions, viewpoints, and methods running through Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is also a principle established by the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee that must be followed in further comprehensively deepening reform. Persisting in a problem-oriented approach is a basic requirement of Marxist methodology and an important ideological and working method that we must uphold to further comprehensively deepen reform and open up broad prospects for Chinese-path modernization.

Why does Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasize that comprehensively deepening reform must persist in a problem-oriented approach? First, persisting in a problem-oriented approach is a distinctive feature and basic requirement of Marxism, and an important ideological and working method that the Communist Party of China has long upheld. Marxist epistemology tells us that problems always exist objectively; only through recognizing and discovering problems can we continuously analyze and solve them. Xi Jinping emphasized: “Persisting in a problem-oriented approach is a distinctive characteristic of Marxism. Problems are the starting point of innovation and its source of motive power.” Only by persisting in a problem-oriented approach can we ultimately achieve the goals of recognizing and solving problems. Second, only by persisting in a problem-oriented approach can we continuously discover new situations and solve new problems while advancing with the times. Xi Jinping pointed out that problems are the voice of the times: “Only by listening to the voice of the times, responding to the call of the times, and earnestly researching and solving major and urgent problems can we truly grasp the pulse of history, find the laws of development, and promote theoretical innovation.” Persisting in a problem-oriented approach is an important prerequisite for helping us grasp the pulse of history and find the laws of development. Currently, “our country’s development is standing at a new historical starting point. We must, according to the new requirements of the new development stage, persist in a problem-oriented approach, implement the new development philosophy more accurately, effectively solve the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development, and promote high-quality development.” From the perspective of the historical positioning of our country’s current reform and opening up, our reform has entered a ‘deep-water zone’ and a period of ‘confronting hard bones.’ ^[7] “Today, the complexity of the problems we face and the difficulty of solving them have significantly increased.” “We must enhance our awareness of problems and focus on new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, the urgent anxieties and neglected longings of the masses ^[8], major problems in the changing international situation, and prominent problems facing Party building, continuously proposing new philosophies, new ideas, and new methods that truly solve problems.” In March 2024, during an inspection in Hunan, Xi Jinping emphasized again that “further comprehensively deepening reform must highlight a problem-oriented approach, focusing on solving ‘stuck points’ and ‘bottlenecks’ ^[9] that restrict the construction of a new development pattern and the promotion of high-quality development, ‘pain points’ and ‘difficult points’ in the development environment and people’s livelihoods, and ‘focal points’ and ‘hotspots’ that run counter to social fairness and justice, effectively preventing and defusing major risks, and continuously adding motive power and vitality to economic and social development.” These important expositions by Xi Jinping provide a fundamental following ^[10] for our profound understanding and mastery of the key and critical issues that comprehensively deepening reform must focus on solving.

VI. Comprehensively deepening reform must further liberate the mind

Liberating the mind is an intrinsic requirement for comprehensively deepening reform. Looking at the course of more than 40 years of reform and opening up in our country, every step forward in liberating the mind has led to a step forward in reform and opening up. Xi Jinping pointed out that to comprehensively deepen reform, we must “further liberate the mind, further liberate and develop the social productive forces, and further liberate and enhance social vitality.” Among these “three further liberations,” “liberating the mind is the prerequisite; it is the ‘master switch’ for liberating and developing the social productive forces and for liberating and enhancing social vitality.” “Liberating and developing the social productive forces and liberating and enhancing social vitality are the inevitable results of liberating the mind, as well as an important basis for liberating the mind.” Once we depart from liberating the mind, reform and opening up will stagnate.

Our country's reform and opening up started with the liberation of the mind. Years ago, without that grand movement to liberate the mind centered on the theme of the "criterion of truth," ^[11] it would have been impossible for our Party to make the timely historic decision to shift the focus of Party and state work to economic construction and implement reform and opening up, and the historic achievements brought by the subsequent 40-odd years of rapid development would not have existed. So, having reached the present stage of reform and opening up, do we still need to further liberate the mind? The answer is undoubtedly yes. On the new journey of the New Era, further comprehensively deepening reform still requires further liberating the mind. First, liberating the mind is the precursor to further comprehensively deepening reform. According to the requirements of Marxist epistemology, any practical activity must be conducted under the guidance of certain ideological theories. If people’s thinking is not liberated and their understanding cannot keep up with the development of the situation, it will be impossible to effectively guide new practice. As social practice continuously advances with the times, human thought must also be liberated and developed accordingly. Liberating the mind is an important spiritual force for promoting reform and development: “The process of reform and opening up is a process of liberating the mind. Without a great liberation of the mind, there will be no great breakthrough in reform.” Second, liberating the mind is an important prerequisite for breaking through the shackles of traditional ideas and eradicating institutional and mechanistic defects. Reviewing the course of over 40 years of reform and opening up, it is clear that crossing every major threshold of reform is inseparable from the liberation of the mind and breakthroughs in concepts. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Facing various new problems, new situations, and new challenges encountered in the process of modernization, political parties must dare to take responsibility and act courageously, breaking through the shackles of ideas, eradicating institutional and mechanistic defects, exploring optimized methods and paths, and continuously achieving innovative breakthroughs in theory and practice, injecting a steady stream of powerful vitality into the modernization process.” Currently, our country’s reform has entered a deep-water zone and a period of confronting hard bones. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must remove various ideological and institutional obstacles through the further liberation of the mind, pushing comprehensively deepening reform toward new breakthroughs. Of course, liberating the mind is by no means a flight of fancy detached from reality, nor is it subjective imagination behind closed doors. The purpose of liberating the mind is to better persist in proceeding from reality in all things, to better achieve seeking truth from facts, and by researching new situations, to continuously solve new problems, summarize new experiences, and create new prospects.

VII. Comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively governing the country by law must complement each other

Comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively governing the country by law are important components of the “Four Comprehensives” strategic layout proposed by Xi Jinping. The Decision adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee explicitly listed persisting in comprehensively governing the country by law as a principle that must be followed in further comprehensively deepening reform, emphasizing: “Persist in comprehensively governing the country by law, deepen reform and promote Chinese-path modernization on the track of the rule of law, achieve the unity of reform and the rule of law, ensure that major reforms have a legal basis, and promptly elevate reform achievements into legal systems.” This requires that in the process of further comprehensively deepening reform, we must unswervingly follow the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, improve and perfect the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, and lay a solid legal foundation for further comprehensively deepening reform and promoting Chinese-path modernization.

Why emphasize the “unity of reform and the rule of law” in the process of further comprehensively deepening reform? First, the rule of law is the basic way of governing the country and must run through all aspects of governance. In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping required that we “must better play the role of the rule of law in consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations, and benefiting the long term, and comprehensively build a modern socialist country on the track of the rule of law.” Comprehensively deepening reform is a great transformation of special significance. To manage this great transformation well, the rule of law must run through its entire process and all aspects. We must, on the one hand, ensure that “major reforms have a legal basis” and, on the other hand, “promptly elevate reform achievements into legal systems.” Second, the rule of law plays an important leading, regulating, and guaranteeing role for comprehensively deepening reform. Comprehensively deepening reform is a systematic project with grand goals and arduous tasks; completing each reform task requires various innovative explorations. How can we ensure that reform always advances in the right direction? In addition to persisting in the Party's overall leadership, we must rely on the rule of law to provide a strong guarantee. Especially in the face of complex international and domestic situations, to ensure that comprehensively deepening reform achieves significant results, we must be adept at using rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods, upholding the yardstick of the law, making good use of legal means, and giving full play to the leading, regulating, and guaranteeing roles of the rule of law in the process of comprehensively deepening reform. Finally, reform and the rule of law complement and bring out the best in each other. Xi Jinping emphasized: “‘Reform and the rule of law are like the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart’; we must persist in promoting reform under the rule of law and improving the rule of law during reform.” This important exposition profoundly reveals the dialectical relationship of mutual complement and integration between reform and the rule of law. The process of alarmingly deepening reform is, in essence, the process of promoting the coordinated development of reform and the rule of law. As Xi Jinping pointed out, “Doing all work in reform, development, and stability well is inseparable from the rule of law; the deeper reform and opening up goes, the more the rule of law must be emphasized.” To break through various institutional and mechanistic obstacles, comprehensively deepening reform will inevitably trigger many contradictions or even conflicts, and the rule of law is undoubtedly the most effective way to solve and defuse these contradictions and conflicts. It is in this sense that further comprehensively deepening reform must complement and develop in coordination with comprehensively governing the country by law.

VIII. Comprehensively deepening reform must persist in a scientific methodology

“An artisan who wishes to do his work well must first sharpen his tools.” ^[12] Xi Jinping pointed out, “Reform and opening up is a brand-new undertaking without precedent; we must persist in a correct methodology and advance through continuous practical exploration.” “If one obtains the correct method, one achieves twice the result with half the effort; if one does not, one gets half the result with twice the effort, or even produces negative effects.” To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must persist in a scientific methodology.

Why must further comprehensively deepening reform persist in a scientific methodology? First, persisting in a scientific methodology is an objective requirement of Marxist dialectical materialism. As early as...

In January 2015, while presiding over the 20th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must constantly receive nourishment from the wisdom of Marxist philosophy, more consciously adhere to and apply the dialectical materialistic worldview and methodology, enhance our capacity for dialectical thinking and strategic thinking, and strive to improve our ability to solve the fundamental problems of our country's reform and development." The dialectical materialistic worldview and methodology provide us with a scientific way of thinking and working to correctly understand and transform the world. To solve the problem of "crossing the river" ^[13] in practice, one must rely on a "bridge" or a "boat"; the methodology of Marxist materialist dialectics is the best "bridge" or "boat." Furthermore, the complexity and difficulty of comprehensively deepening reform itself require us to master scientific methodology. Currently, the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century ^[14], and our country is in a critical period for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; various international and domestic contradictions and interest relations are intricate and complex. In such a historical context, further comprehensively deepening reform "requires us to be adept at handling the relations between the local and the global, the present and the long-term, and the key and non-key areas, so as to weigh pros and cons, seek benefits while avoiding harm, and make the most favorable strategic choices. Comprehensively deepening reform must highlight the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of reform." At the same time, in further comprehensively deepening reform, we must attach great importance to analyzing and solving problems with a comprehensive, systematic, interconnected, and developmental perspective and method. We must "uphold a systemic concept, properly handle major relationships such as those between the economy and society, government and the market, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, and development and security, and enhance the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of reform." We must "adhere to planning and promotion based on a global perspective and systemic thinking, strengthen the coordination and integration of various reform measures, promote reform initiatives in all fields and aspects to work in the same direction and form a synergy, and enhance overall effectiveness." We must fully consider the interest demands of different regions, industries, and groups, accurately grasp the intersections and meeting points of all parties' interests, and ensure that the achievements of reform benefit all people more extensively and fairly.

IX. Comprehensively deepening reform must further expand opening up

The Decision ^[15] adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee listed "promoting high-level opening up to the outside world" as a key task for further comprehensively deepening reform, emphasizing that "opening up is a distinct hallmark of Chinese-path modernization. We must adhere to the basic state policy of opening up, persevere in promoting reform through opening up," and continuously "improve the systems and mechanisms for high-level opening up."

Why must we further expand opening up while persisting in comprehensively deepening reform? First, reform and opening up themselves constitute an inseparable organic unity. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Reform is the way for a country and a nation to survive and develop." "Opening up is an important driving force for the progress of human civilization and the only way for world prosperity and development." Reform and opening up complement and promote each other; reform inevitably requires opening up, and opening up inevitably requires reform. "The practice of 40 years of reform and opening up has taught us: opening up brings progress, while closure inevitably leads to backwardness. China's development cannot be separated from the world, and the world's prosperity also needs China." While clearly proposing to "deeply advance reform and innovation," the report to the 20th CPC National Congress also proposed to "unswervingly expand opening up," emphasizing the coordinated development and integrated promotion of reform and opening up. While emphasizing "further comprehensively deepening reform," the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee also emphasized "promoting high-level opening up," fully demonstrating the firm determination and confidence of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in the overall planning and integrated promotion of reform and opening up. Second, emphasizing the further expansion of opening up is also an inevitable requirement of the current development of the situation at home and abroad. With more than 40 years of reform and opening up, especially the continuous development of comprehensively deepening reform and opening up in the New Era, our country has formed a pattern of opening up that is broader in scope, wider in field, and deeper in level. In this new historical context, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the momentum for world economic recovery is insufficient. We should use opening up to alleviate development difficulties, gather the strength of cooperation through opening up, harness the momentum of innovation through opening up, and seek the blessing of shared benefits through opening up, so as to push economic globalization forward, enhance the development momentum of all countries, and let development achievements benefit the people of all countries more extensively and fairly." On the new journey, we will continue to work with the people of all countries to promote economic globalization toward a more open, inclusive, balanced, and win-win direction for all, and jointly create a better future for humanity.

X. Comprehensively deepening reform must be implemented with the spirit of driving nails

Top-level design is important, but implementation is even more important. The Decision adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized in its final article "implementing reform with the spirit of driving nails," requiring that "the whole Party must implement with a spirit of seeking truth and pragmatism, and implement with the courage to act and the ability to perform." If we do not settle down to focus on implementation, no matter how good the goals or blueprints are, they can only become flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water ^[16].

"Empty talk harms the country, while hard work prospers the nation." ^[17] Further comprehensively deepening reform depends on successful implementation. First, successful implementation is an objective requirement for ensuring that reform achieves practical results. No matter how good the blueprint or the plan, if it is not implemented in place, it will only be a scrap of paper. Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must take comprehensively deepening reform as the fundamental driving force for promoting Chinese-path modernization, as an important grasp for stabilizing the overall situation, responding to changes, and opening new prospects. We must grasp the direction, uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, and work with real results to write a new chapter of reform and opening up on the new journey." "We must conform to the new trends of the times, the new requirements of practical development, and the new expectations of the people. With the firm determination to carry out reform to the end, we must take real action, tackle tough problems, and apply precise, synergistic, and sustained efforts to resolutely break down all institutional and mechanistic obstacles that restrict the smooth progress of Chinese-path modernization." Second, the key to successful implementation of reform lies in carrying forward the spirit of driving nails. Xi Jinping has used the term "driving nails" many times as a metaphor for carrying forward the spirit of hard study and perseverance. He pointed out: "We must have the spirit of driving nails. To drive a nail is often not achieved with a single strike, but rather by strike after strike until the nail is driven solid and firm. Once one nail is driven firm, then drive the next one, and continue driving; this will inevitably yield great results. If one hammers here and there, the result will likely be that not a single nail is driven in or driven firm." "As long as a good blueprint is scientific, realistic, and in line with the people's wishes, everyone must work at it generation after generation," and "turn established scientific goals and good work blueprints into reality with feet on the ground." The Decision adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made a systematic top-level design and overall plan for further comprehensively deepening reform, clarifying the general plan, roadmap, and timetable for further comprehensively deepening reform in the coming period. To implement these goals and tasks, we need to earnestly formulate practical, effective, scientific, and efficient reform measures. According to the requirements of the Decision to "persist in the integration of vertical and horizontal coordination, scientifically formulate reform task books, timetables, and priority sequences, clarify the implementation subjects and responsibilities for various reforms, include the implementation of major reforms in the scope of supervision, inspection, and inspections, and test reforms with actual results and people's satisfaction," we must solidly promote the continuous development of comprehensively deepening reform toward greater depth with the spirit of driving nails.

In conclusion, the series of new thoughts, viewpoints, and judgments by Xi Jinping on comprehensively deepening reform are scientific answers to major questions such as what comprehensively deepening reform is, why we must comprehensively deepen reform, and how to comprehensively deepen reform. These were made by Xi Jinping from the strategic height of building a modern socialist powerful country in all respects and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, with great historical initiative, immense political courage, and a strong sense of responsibility, centering on the theme of promoting Chinese-path modernization. These new thoughts, viewpoints, and judgments are a scientific summary of the valuable experience of reform and opening up, especially comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era. They are the latest achievements of practical and theoretical innovation in comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era, and will become a powerful ideological weapon guiding us to further comprehensively deepen reform on the new journey. We must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's new thoughts, viewpoints, and judgments on comprehensively deepening reform, accurately grasp their core essence and spiritual substance, adhere to and utilize the positions, viewpoints, and methods contained therein, and make new and greater contributions to further comprehensively deepening reform and opening up broad prospects for Chinese-path modernization through practical actions.

Source: Journal of Ideological & Theoretical Education (思想理论教育导刊), October 8, 2024.