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Xiao Guiqing: Constructing an Institutional System to Advance Chinese Modernization

Xi Jinping Thought (New Era)

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out: "To turn the blueprint for Chinese-path modernization into reality, the fundamental prerequisite lies in further comprehensively deepening reform, continuously improving systems and mechanisms in all aspects, and providing institutional safeguards for the advancement of Chinese-path modernization." The current stage and the period ahead represent a critical juncture for comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. Further comprehensively deepening reform and constructing an institutional system to advance Chinese-path modernization are of vital significance for accelerating the building of a great modern socialist country and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

I. The Intrinsic Link Between Improving and Developing the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization

The socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the state governance system are "systems and governance structures capable of continuously promoting the progress and development of a great nation with a population of nearly 1.4 billion, ensuring that the Chinese nation, with its civilization of over 5,000 years, achieves the 'Two Centenary Goals' [1] and realizes great rejuvenation." On the one hand, improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity are essential components of advancing Chinese-path modernization; on the other hand, the increasingly refined, mature, and finalized socialist system with Chinese characteristics provides an effective institutional safeguard for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

1. The construction of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is synchronized with the practice of Chinese-path modernization

The CPC's construction of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has emerged and developed in tandem with the practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization, with the two complementing each other. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Mao Zedong, at the Seventh National Congress of the Party, expounded the vision of transforming China from a backward agricultural country into an industrial country following the victory of the Chinese Revolution. On the eve of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in his report to the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh CPC Central Committee, Mao pointed out the direction for development—transitioning from an agricultural to an industrial country, and from a New Democratic society to a socialist society—and drafted the blueprint for the industrialization and institutional construction of the New China. After the founding of the People's Republic, the practice of socialist industrialization and the construction of the socialist system began in earnest. In 1953, the Party announced the General Line for the Transition Period, proposing the gradual realization of socialist industrialization and the gradual socialist transformation of individual agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce. Socialist industrial construction and the transformation of ownership proceeded simultaneously; they were related as "the body and its two wings," designed to establish relations of production compatible with socialist industrialization and an institutional system to advance it. In September 1954, at the first session of the First National People's Congress, Mao Zedong proposed "building our country into a great socialist country with modern industry, modern agriculture, and high modern cultural standards." Simultaneously, the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China adopted by the First National People’s Congress established the state system of the people's democratic dictatorship and the fundamental political system of the People's Congress. By the end of 1956, with the basic completion of the socialist transformation, the socialist system was fundamentally established in China. This establishment laid the fundamental political prerequisite and institutional foundation for socialist modernization.

In the early years of the People's Republic, China's industrial development model and the construction of the basic socialist institutional system were inevitably influenced by the Soviet model. In practice, the CPC's understanding of the laws governing socialist modernization continued to deepen. The first session of the First National People's Congress in 1954 explicitly proposed the task of achieving the "Four Modernizations" in industry, agriculture, transport, and national defense. On the eve of the Eighth National Congress, Chinese communists, with Mao Zedong as their chief representative, proposed "taking the Soviet Union as a mirror" [2] to explore a path for socialist modernization suited to China’s national conditions and characteristics. During this period, the Party conducted active explorations in reforming economic and political structures. In December 1964, Zhou Enlai officially proposed the strategic goal of the "Four Modernizations" at the first session of the Third National People's Congress: "to build China into a powerful socialist country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense, and modern science and technology."

Entering the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping proposed the concept of "Chinese-style modernization" based on the "Four Modernizations" goal, and opened up a path for Chinese-style modernization through the practice of reform and opening up. Simultaneously, reflecting on historical experience, Deng pointed out that "issues regarding leadership and organizational systems are more fundamental, comprehensive, stable, and long-term in nature." Therefore, it was necessary to simultaneously build an institutional system matching Chinese-style modernization to provide institutional safeguards for reform and opening up. In early 1992, during his Southern Tour talks, Deng Xiaoping noted, "It will probably take another thirty years for us to form a complete set of more mature and finalized systems in all aspects." Since the beginning of reform and opening up, Chinese-style modernization has placed greater emphasis on the improvement, development, and innovation of systems and structures. On the one hand, previously effective systems, such as the People’s Congress system, were restored and developed; on the other hand, reforms in the economic and political spheres were continuously advanced, effectively ensuring the steady progress of reform and opening up and socialist modernization. Successive generations of collective leadership in the new period explored these goals in a relay-like fashion, continuously building and improving systems in economic, political, cultural, and social fields. In July 2011, in his speech at the assembly celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Hu Jintao officially introduced the concept of the "socialist system with Chinese characteristics," clarifying that "socialism with Chinese characteristics" comprises the path, the theoretical system, and the system itself. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics provides a powerful institutional safeguard for reform and opening up and Chinese-style modernization.

Since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has "improved systems in all aspects through comprehensively deepening reform, promoting the socialist system with Chinese characteristics toward greater maturity and finalization, and significantly improving the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity." The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee established the general goal of comprehensively deepening reform as "improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity." Through comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era, the core framework of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, functioning as "four beams and eight pillars" [3] across major fields, has been fundamentally established, and breakthroughs have been achieved in reforms in key areas and critical links. The fundamental systems of socialism with Chinese characteristics have been further consolidated, basic systems have been continuously improved and developed, and important systems have been innovated. The institutional systems in fields including Party leadership, economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, national defense, and foreign affairs have been further refined, providing a strong guarantee for the comprehensive build-out of a moderately prosperous society and laying a solid institutional foundation for the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country.

2. Improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is closely related to promoting the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity

Xi Jinping pointed out: "To promote the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity, we must fully understand and grasp the general goal of comprehensively deepening reform. This is a single whole composed of two parts: improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and promoting the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity." That is to say, the two are inseparable and together constitute a unified whole.

All work and practice in China’s state governance are carried out according to the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. "The socialist system with Chinese characteristics is a rigorous and complete scientific institutional system; those that serve as the 'four beams and eight pillars' are the fundamental systems, basic systems, and important systems." Fundamental systems (根本制度) are those that play a decisive role in the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, determining the nature and direction of China's state governance. Among them, the fundamental system of Party leadership is the general program of China's state governance, and all governance activities must accept the Party’s leadership; the state system of the people’s democratic dictatorship is the most fundamental system within China’s socialist system; the People’s Congress system is our fundamental political system; the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the field of ideology is our fundamental system in the ideological and cultural sphere, determining the fundamental direction of commanding ideology with Marxism. Basic systems (基本制度) are those that exert a major influence on economic and social development and play a foundational role in state governance. Among them, the system of CPC-led multi-party cooperation and political consultation is our party system and an important manifestation of socialist democratic politics; the system of regional ethnic autonomy is a creative institutional arrangement for solving ethnic issues; the system of community-level mass self-governance fully demonstrates the breadth and authenticity of socialist democracy. The basic socialist economic system includes three aspects: an ownership structure in which public ownership remains the mainstay while diverse forms of ownership develop together; a distribution system in which distribution according to work remains the mainstay while multiple modes of distribution coexist; and the socialist market economy system. These are foundational institutional arrangements in the economic field. Important systems (重要制度) are specific systems derived from fundamental and basic systems that regulate various fields, aspects, and links of state governance, playing an important role in the nation's administration. Specifically, these include the system of the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, the socialist administrative system with Chinese characteristics, the system for promoting advanced socialist culture, the system for guaranteeing people's livelihoods in both urban and rural areas, the social governance system based on collaboration, participation, and common interests, the ecological civilization system, the "one country, two systems" framework, the foreign affairs system, and the Party and state oversight system. These cover all aspects of governance including internal affairs, diplomacy, and national defense, providing important institutional adherence and safeguards for state governance.

The state governance system and governance capacity are the concentrated expression of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and its implementation capacity. The modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity is an inherent requirement of Chinese-path modernization. As a synthesis of the state system and institutional execution capacity, the state governance system covers structures, mechanisms, laws, and regulations in various fields such as economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and Party building; it is a complete set of closely linked and coordinated mechanisms. Governance capacity refers to the ability to use state systems to manage social affairs in all aspects, including reform, development, and stability; internal affairs, diplomacy, and national defense; and governing the Party, the state, and the military. There are both connections and distinctions between the state governance system and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. The latter is a scientific institutional system formed through the long-term practice and exploration of the Party and the people; the state governance system is the concretization and substantiation of this system in practice; while governance capacity is the power and efficacy of this system as manifested at the governance level. Therefore, in this sense, whether the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is scientific and complete directly determines the effectiveness of the state governance system and governance capacity, and thus significantly affects the advancement of Chinese-path modernization. In the actual operation of a system, there is also a link of institutional execution between institutional design and institutional effectiveness. Without execution, institutional advantages cannot be transformed into governance efficacy. Xi Jinping pointed out in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress: "We must continue to demonstrate the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, continuously enhance the momentum and vitality of socialist modernization, and better transform our institutional advantages into state governance efficacy." In the practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization, strengthening institutional execution and better transforming institutional advantages into governance efficacy are intrinsic requirements.

3. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics provides the institutional safeguard for Chinese-path modernization

Xi Jinping pointed out: "Institutions are a fundamental, comprehensive, stable, and long-term issue concerning the development of the cause of the Party and the country." Institutions are a key factor affecting a country's level of modernization. In the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, we must emphasize the safeguarding role of our system and give full play to its advantages.

First, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics possesses significant advantages. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee pointed out that China's system and governance structure possess advantages including Party leadership, the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law. These benefits cover economic, political, cultural, social, ecological, defense, and diplomatic spheres, reflecting powerful vitality and immense superiority. Among these, CPC leadership is the greatest advantage of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, providing the fundamental guarantee for ensuring long-term national stability and development and for advancing Chinese-path modernization. Furthermore, in terms of design, the system possesses the advantage of being scientific and complete. It covers all fields of economic and social development, forming a rigorous and integrated system. Within this framework, systems and mechanisms in all aspects can be organically combined and coordinated to jointly promote economic development and social progress.

Secondly, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics demonstrates a powerful capacity for risk resistance. "Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an unprecedented and pioneering undertaking that will inevitably encounter all kinds of predictable and unpredictable risks, challenges, difficulties, and even turbulent waves" [4]. Particularly within the context of the "two overall situations" [5], new risks and challenges are emerging across various fields—economic, political, cultural, social, ecological, and international—resulting in a significant increase in uncertainty. Facing these diverse risks and challenges, the Communist Party of China (CPC) is adept at wielding the might of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, enabling it to respond swiftly and implement effective countermeasures. This robust risk-resistance capacity allows us to maintain a steady pace of development amidst complex and volatile domestic and international environments, providing a strong guarantee for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

Finally, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics possesses the capacity for self-perfection and development. "The so-called 'socialist society' is not something immutable; rather, like any other social system, it should be viewed as a society in a constant state of change and reform." The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is characterized by its ability to advance with the times. Through reform and innovation, it can continuously adjust those parts of the relations of production that are no longer suited to the development of the productive forces, as well as those elements of the superstructure that do not adapt to the economic base. It continuously breaks down the institutional obstacles hindering the development of Chinese-path modernization to meet the demands of the New Era. This capacity for self-perfection and development allows the system to promote its own dynamic adjustment and continuous optimization according to changing historical conditions, providing an inexhaustible impetus for building a great modern socialist country.

Beyond this, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics ensures the continuity and stability of the strategic goals and policy arrangements of Chinese-path modernization, thereby guaranteeing that the "single blueprint is drawn to the end" [6].

II. Comprehensively Deepening Reform in the New Era Provides the Driving Force and Institutional Guarantee for Advancing Chinese-path Modernization

Xi Jinping has noted: "Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, the Party Central Committee has, with unprecedented determination and intensity, broken through the shackles of outdated ideas and the barriers of entrenched interests. It has resolutely eliminated institutional flaws in all areas and actively responded to the risks and challenges brought by changes in the external environment, embarking on a magnificent and soul-stirring process of reform." Comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era is a process of "combining breaking and establishing": on one hand, it continuously adjusts the relations of production to meet the requirements of the development of productive forces and improves the superstructure to fit the needs of the economic base; on the other hand, it summarizes and refines practical experiences and standardizes them, promoting institutional innovation to provide the institutional guarantee for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

1. Comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era continuously eliminates deep-seated institutional obstacles restricting Chinese-path modernization

Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must resolutely eliminate the concepts and institutional flaws that hinder the advancement of Chinese-path modernization, and continuously provide strong momentum and institutional guarantees for it." As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, reform increasingly confronts deep-seated institutional issues that act as obstacles to building a great modern socialist country. Comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era adheres to institutional building as its main thread, continuously breaking down institutional barriers and imparting powerful momentum to Chinese-path modernization.

Eliminating institutional obstacles that do not meet the requirements of Chinese-path modernization is an inevitable demand of reform in the New Era. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee kicked off the process of reform and opening up. After over 40 years, a system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has been gradually established that meets the requirements of modernization, achieving world-renowned success. In the New Era, as historical conditions change, some mechanisms can no longer adapt to the requirements of Chinese-path modernization or even hinder its progress. This is manifested in two ways. First, due to institutional stability, some reforms are highly difficult; "chronic ailments" from past processes have not been thoroughly resolved. As Xi Jinping noted, reform "has entered deep waters; it can be said that the easy, crowd-pleasing reforms have been completed—the meat has been eaten, and what remains are the hard bones to crack" [7]. Second, some mechanisms that were effective in the past are no longer suited to the new development of productive forces. While some systems built early in the reform era met initial needs, they are now inadequate for advancing modernization after the comprehensive building of a moderately prosperous society. We must address these with a high degree of historical initiative. "Reform now faces more deep-seated institutional issues, requiring higher-level top-level design and greater systematicity, integrity, and synergy." At this new historical starting point, accelerating the elimination of deep-seated flaws is an urgent historical task.

The main thread of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era is to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. "From the perspective of forming more mature and well-defined systems, the first half of our socialist practice has passed. Our main historical task then was to establish the basic socialist system and reform on that basis. We now have a good foundation." Entering the "second half" of institutional building, "the major historical task before us is to promote the greater maturity and definition of the system... providing a more complete, stable, and effective set of institutional systems for the long-term peace and stability of the country." Consequently, institutional building occupies a central position in the strategic deployments of the New Era. In seminal documents such as the "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, the 19th Central Committee’s Fourth Plenary Session, and the 20th Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session, "institutional building" is a high-frequency term. According to these deployments, by 2016, the "four beams and eight pillars" [8] of the systemic framework were basically established. By the centenary of the CPC in 2021, historic achievements were made in making institutions more mature. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee proposed that "by 2035, a high-standard socialist market economy will be fully established, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics will be further improved, and the modernization of the national governance system and capacity will be basically realized."

2. Continuously improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics on the basis of summarizing the practical experience of reform in the New Era

"Improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a dynamic process... existing systems need continuous refinement, and new fields and practices require institutional innovation to fill gaps." Institutional building is not a once-and-for-all endeavor but a continuous historical process.

The "mature and well-defined" nature of the system is a relative concept. "Old problems are solved, but new ones arise; systems always need refinement. Thus, reform can neither be achieved overnight nor once and for all." No system is perfect. In the New Era, as reform enters "deep waters" and the "two overall situations" bring new problems, we must grasp the dialectics of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground—balancing institutional stability with innovation. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee proposed to "fortify fundamental systems, improve basic systems, and innovate important systems." Fundamental systems (which determine direction) must be consolidated; basic systems (which play a foundational role) must be refined; and important systems (for state governance) must be adjusted or created to meet the needs of Chinese-path modernization.

Refining and summarizing practical experience from reform and codifying it into stable institutional norms is a key method for improvement. Experience has proven that the maturity of the system is built upon summarizing the "trial and error" of the New Era. Xi Jinping noted: "For those experiences and practices proven effective, we must summarize, refine, and standardize them in a timely manner for broader application." Standardization means transforming practice into clear, actionable, and stable norms. For example, in the economic sphere, market access negative list systems were formed; in the political sphere, mechanisms for coordinating Party regulations with state laws were established; in the cultural sphere, the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological field was solidified; in the social sphere, the world’s largest social security system was built; and in the ecological sphere, the "River and Lake Chief System" [9] was established. By elevating the outcomes of reform to institutional results, the CPC provides a powerful institutional guarantee for the depth of Chinese-path modernization.

3. The organic unity of further comprehensively deepening reform, improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and advancing Chinese-path modernization

"Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an exploratory undertaking with many unknown territories. It requires us to explore boldly in practice and drive the cause forward through reform and innovation." Chinese-path modernization must be advanced through comprehensively deepening reform, and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics must also be continuously improved within this same process. Further comprehensively deepening reform and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics promote each other and complement one another, unified within the great practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization.

Comprehensively deepening reform is the fundamental driving force for improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advancing Chinese-path modernization. "Reform is the self-improvement of the socialist system, and within certain scopes, it has also involved a degree of revolutionary change." Reviewing the course of reform from the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee [10] to the present, its essence has been the self-improvement and development of the socialist system. From a practical standpoint, whether improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics or advancing Chinese-path modernization, both are complex systemic projects and constitute a long and tortuous process; their steady advancement is inseparable from the continuous deepening of reform. "Reform and opening up is the only path to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." For over 40 years of reform and opening up, China has undergone earth-shaking changes and achieved world-renowned accomplishments. This historical process has not only promoted the maturity and stabilization of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics but has also injected powerful momentum into advancing Chinese-path modernization, the great achievements of which are now exerting a global influence. Embarking on the new journey of the New Era, further comprehensively deepening reform touches upon all aspects and fields of economy and society—including the economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization systems. it promotes the eradication of outdated systems and mechanisms and the construction of a physical system that meets the development requirements of the New Era, injecting powerful momentum into the self-improvement of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the advancement of Chinese-path modernization.

Improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an important guarantee for further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. There is a relationship of dialectical unity between institutional building and comprehensively deepening reform: on one hand, the system is continuously improved through the process of comprehensively deepening reform; on the other hand, without institutional guarantees, it would be difficult for comprehensively deepening reform to persist, and it might even go astray. Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "A good system can prevent bad people from running amok at will, while a bad system can prevent good people from doing good deeds to their full potential, or even lead them to the opposite direction." In the process of further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization, the system functions as a benchmark and basis upon which all national governance work is carried out. However, the system is not static; as part of the superstructure, systems and mechanisms must inevitably adjust along with changes in the economic base. "With the change of the economic foundation, the entire immense superstructure is more or less rapidly transformed." Therefore, in this great transformation involving every aspect of Chinese economy and society, adhering to the principle of "advancing with the times" and the continuous improvement of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics concerns not only the overall situation of further comprehensively deepening reform but also the success or failure of the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation. In short, comprehensively deepening reform and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics are mutually reinforcing. Comprehensively deepening reform requires adhering to and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, while the improvement of the system must be realized through comprehensively deepening reform.

Further comprehensively deepening reform and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics must closely follow the theme of Chinese-path modernization. The 20th Party Congress clearly stated: "From this day forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization." Advancing Chinese-path modernization is the central task of the Party at present and for some time to come, and all work of the Party and the state should revolve around it. "Planning and deploying reform around the Party’s central task is a successful experience of the Party in leading reform and opening up." Advancing Chinese-path modernization is a systemic project involving multiple fields such as economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, national defense, and diplomacy; this places many new requirements on further comprehensively deepening reform and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. How to better promote the development of Chinese-path modernization through comprehensively deepening reform, and how to safeguard the great cause of Chinese-path modernization through institutional building, are the central problems that must be solved. In this process, it is especially necessary to grasp the internal connections between the three, using further comprehensively deepening reform to break through the numerous difficulties arising in the process of Chinese-path modernization, and providing institutional guarantees for its advancement by improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

III. Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform to Promote the Construction of an Institutional System that Guarantees the Steady and Sustained Progress of Chinese-path Modernization

"Chinese-path modernization has been continuously advanced through reform and opening up, and it will surely open up broad prospects through reform and opening up. Faced with a complex international and domestic situation, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and new expectations from the masses, we must continue to push reform forward." At this new historical starting point, we should give full play to our historical initiative and, centering on the strategic deployment of Chinese-path modernization, construct an institutional system that both fits China's reality and meets the requirements of advancing Chinese-path modernization in all aspects by further comprehensively deepening reform.

1. Further consolidating the institutional system of Party leadership Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. "The leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization." On the new journey of the New Era, the primary task in advancing Chinese-path modernization is to strengthen the Party's overall leadership. To this end, it is necessary to effectively guarantee the Party's overall leadership over Chinese-path modernization at the institutional level. First, construct a system of norms and regulations for the Party's self-revolution. The report to the 20th Party Congress pointed out: "We must thoroughly advance the Great New Project of Party Building in the New Era and lead social revolution through the Party's self-revolution." To strengthen the Party's ability to lead modernization, it is first necessary to carry out the Party's self-revolution, continuously strengthening its capacity for self-purification, self-improvement, self-innovation, and self-progression, consistently maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity, and enhancing its combat effectiveness. Second, construct an institutional system to improve the Party's ability to lead the cause of modernization. Improving the Party's level of scientific, democratic, and law-based governance is an inevitable requirement for enhancing its ability to lead Chinese-path modernization. It is necessary to build an institutional system that continuously strengthens the Party's learning capacity, ensuring that Party leadership can adapt to the changes of the times and always remain at the forefront. Third, construct an institutional system to implement the Party’s overall leadership over Chinese-path modernization. "The Party’s leadership must be comprehensive, systematic, and holistic, and must be reflected in economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction, as well as in national defense and the military, national reunification, foreign affairs, and Party building." Chinese-path modernization is a grand systemic project; only through the establishment of rules and systems can we truly guarantee that the Party's leadership runs through every aspect of advancing Chinese-path modernization.

2. An institutional system adapted to the requirements of developing new quality productive forces High-quality development is the primary task in building a modern socialist country in all respects. Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is sweeping the globe. To develop new quality productive forces, we must further comprehensively deepen reform, form new relations of production that correspond to them, and continuously promote the adjustment of the superstructure. First, accelerate the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system. This includes establishing efficient, standardized, fair-competition, and fully open national unified market rules and systems; improving basic market systems such as property rights and market access; adhering to the basic economic system and promoting the common development of economies under all types of ownership; and promoting the establishment and improvement of financial supervision and support systems to provide a favorable environment for the development of new quality productive forces. Second, continuously improve and develop a socialist legal system that matches new quality productive forces. In response to the emergence of new fields and business models, we must provide timely responses and legislation, especially strengthening the depth and breadth of legislation in the field of scientific and technological innovation, ensuring that innovation achievements can be quickly transformed and fully protected by law. Simultaneously, we must resolutely eliminate policy barriers that violate the principle of fair competition, infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, or hinder the stimulation of corporate vitality and innovation potential, creating a market environment of equal competition for all types of enterprises. Third, promote the integrated reform of education, science and technology, and talent to provide the fundamental driving force for developing new quality productive forces. "We must deepen reforms of the economic system and the science and technology system, focusing on clearing the bottlenecks and obstructions that constrain the development of new quality productive forces." We must deep-seated reforms in education, science and technology, and innovation systems, opening up channels for the integrated innovation of education, technology, and talent, and enhancing the overall efficiency of the national innovation system.

3. An institutional system to promote common prosperity for all people "Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all." Currently, China's development still faces problems of imbalance and insufficiency: the gap between urban and rural regional development and income distribution remains large, and there are still shortcomings in grassroots social welfare. Especially as the demographic structure changes, there is a need to further improve systems and mechanisms for guaranteeing and improving people's livelihoods, and to construct an institutional system that promotes common prosperity for all. First, improve a series of basic security systems in the field of people's livelihoods. We must focus on the practical issues of immediate concern to the masses, continuously improving the income distribution system, increasing the income of low-income groups, and steadily expanding the size of the middle-income group. We must improve the employment-first policy and the employment support system for key groups; refine social security systems such as old-age, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance to further increase coverage; deepen the reform of the refined medical and health system and continuously improve the public health system; and accelerate the establishment of a housing system that encourages both renting and purchasing to quickly build a new model for real estate development. This will truly achieve a state where "the young have nurturance, the students have education, the workers have rewards, the sick have treatment, the elderly have care, the residents have housing, and the weak have support" [11]. Second, establish a population institutional system adapted to demographic changes. "Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of a huge population." The population issue is a fundamental and long-term issue concerning the advancement of Chinese-path modernization. We must profoundly grasp the characteristics and trends of China's demographic changes. On the birth side, we must continuously improve the birth support policy system and incentive mechanisms to actively respond to the risks and challenges brought by population changes. On the elderly care side, we must continuously improve the policies and mechanisms for developing elderly care services and industries, constructing a population service system that covers the entire population and the entire life cycle, thereby promoting high-quality population development.

4. An institutional system to realize the well-rounded development of the individual "Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical [12] advancement in coordination." The essence of Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of the person, and the ultimate goal is to realize the free and well-rounded development of the individual. This involves not only the enrichment of material life but also the fulfillment of the spiritual world and the free development of personality. In the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, we need to construct an institutional system adapted to the modernization of the person and accelerate its realization. First, construct education systems and mechanisms that satisfy well-rounded individual development. Education is the basic condition for promoting human development. On one hand, we must promote educational equity and strive to realize the sharing of educational resources. We should optimize the allocation of regional educational resources, establish a supply mechanism for basic public education services coordinated with demographic changes, improve the mechanism for promoting the high-quality and balanced development of compulsory education, and explore the gradual expansion of the scope of free education. On the other hand, we must promote the high-quality development of education, constructing an education system that cultivates students comprehensively in virtue, intelligence, physical health, aesthetics, and labor [13], forming a higher-level talent cultivation system to promote well-rounded development. In addition, we need to promote the construction of educational mechanisms for lifelong learning and development to facilitate continuous human progress. Second, optimize the supply mechanism for cultural and spiritual products. On one hand, we must gradually improve the basic public cultural service system and establish a mechanism for high-quality cultural resources to reach the grassroots level directly, accelerating the equalization of basic public cultural services. We should continuously optimize the supply mechanisms for cultural services and products to improve their quality. On one hand, we must vigorously develop cultural industries to meet the multi-level and diverse cultural needs of the masses. Third, refine the institutional system of whole-process people's democracy. Continuously expanding the orderly political participation of the masses and guaranteeing that the people are the masters of the country is also an important part of realizing well-rounded individual development. By continuously enriching democratic forms at all levels and effectively enhancing the awareness and ability of the masses for political participation, we can truly realize whole-process people's democracy.

5. An institutional system to promote harmony between humanity and nature

"Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature." Humanity and nature form an inseparable community of life. The state of the ecological environment not only directly relates to the current quality of human life but also affects the well-being of future generations. Therefore, it is essential to establish and improve long-term mechanisms and institutional systems for protecting nature and the ecology, striving to realize harmony between humanity and nature. First, we must improve the foundational systems of ecological civilization [14]. As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the New Era, a series of effective institutional systems have already been established in the field of ecological and environmental protection. Moving forward, it is necessary to further refine foundational systems, formulate mechanisms for ecological environment assessment, monitoring, supervision, and evaluation across all processes, and explore the construction of fundamental systems for ecological and environmental protection. Second, we must refine the system for ecological and environmental governance. There is a need to further improve the relevant systems and mechanisms for environmental governance, placing greater emphasis on making governance more targeted and scientific. This involves improving mechanisms for targeted, scientific, and law-based pollution control, and refining mechanisms for the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts [15]. Third, we must improve mechanisms for green and low-carbon development. Economic development and ecological protection are not antithetical; they must be integrated. We must accelerate the formation of green modes of production and lifestyles, develop green productive forces, implement the concept that "clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as gold and silver mines" [16], and construct an institutional system conducive to the development of green and low-carbon industries.

  1. An institutional system for creating a favorable external environment

"Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of taking the path of peaceful development." Chinese-path modernization is an organic component of the modernization of all countries worldwide, developing continuously through exchange and interaction with them. At present and for the period ahead, China’s development remains in an important period of strategic opportunity. In particular, the simultaneous interleaving and mutual agitation of the "two overall situations" [17] provide new opportunities for advancing Chinese-path modernization while presenting many new challenges. With the rise of anti-globalization trends and the intensifying competition between major powers, it is necessary to accelerate the construction of an institutional system that creates a favorable external environment based on changes in domestic and international situations, providing advantageous external conditions for advancing Chinese-path modernization. First, we must accelerate the construction of a new system for an open economy of a higher standard. Economic globalization is the great trend of world history. We must steadily expand institutional opening-up, deepen the reform of the foreign trade system, deepen the reform of management systems for foreign investment and outbound investment, optimize the spatial layout of regional opening-up, and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. By integrating into the world with a more proactive stance, we can seize the initiative in global competition and continuously expand the developmental space for Chinese-path modernization. Second, we must improve the systems and mechanisms for maintaining national security. Currently, the international environment is becoming increasingly complex, and instability and uncertainty in the international situation are further intensifying, posing severe challenges to China's national security. In the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, we must coordinate development and security, accelerate the improvement of systems and mechanisms for maintaining national security, and steadily advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces to ensure that Chinese-path modernization proceeds steadily and reaches far. Third, we must accelerate the promotion of an institutional system for building a community with a shared future for humanity. "Our modernization emphasizes mutual benefit and win-win results with all countries, promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and strives to contribute to human peace and development." We must deepen the reform of foreign affairs work mechanisms and construct a set of foreign affairs mechanisms that ensure the resolute implementation of the CPC Central Committee’s foreign policy decisions and deployments, while actively adapting to new changes in the international situation and strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries. We must actively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, lead the direction of change in the international system and order, and promote the building of a more just and reasonable international order, thereby creating a more favorable external environment for advancing Chinese-path modernization.