Zhang Peng: Deeply Understanding the Scientific Connotation and Great Significance of Upholding Fundamental Principles and Breaking New Ground
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is an original and hallmark concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [1], General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered several important speeches centered on this theme, profoundly noting that we "must persist in the unification of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground." The report to the 20th National Congress included "upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground" as one of the "Six Must-Persists" [2] regarding the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Furthermore, the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee listed it as one of the "Six Persists" [3]—principles that must be followed to further deepen reform comprehensively. Accurately understanding and scientifically grasping the ideological essence of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground holds great theoretical and practical significance for the in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and for advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation using scientific ideas and methods.
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground pervades the Marxist worldview and methodology
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground permeates the Marxist worldview and methodology; it contains the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method, and possesses a formidable power of truth.
From an ontological dimension, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground reflects the Marxist worldview that the material world and human society possess inherent regularities and that objective laws must be respected and grasped. Engels noted: "Historical events appear on the whole to be likewise governed by chance. But where on the surface accident holds sway, there actually it is always governed by inner, hidden laws and it is only a matter of discovering these laws." Upholding the fundamentals means adhering to the scientific worldview of the primacy of matter and the primacy of practice, acknowledging and revealing objective laws; breaking new ground means, on this basis, exerting historical initiative to creatively promote the development of things and social progress. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is the historical activity of scientifically applying objective laws to transform the objective world based on following those very laws.
From an epistemological dimension, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground reflects the basic Marxist viewpoint that matter determines consciousness while consciousness reacts back upon matter. It is a vivid interpretation of the Marxist epistemology that knowledge originates in practice and in turn serves practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Although dialectical materialism emphasizes that the unity of the world lies in its materiality, it does not deny the reaction of consciousness on matter, but rather believes that this reaction is sometimes very great." Upholding the fundamentals means persisting in obtaining correct understanding from practice; breaking new ground means timely refining and sublimating this understanding into ideological theory, then using scientific theory to guide practice. Within the cycle of "practice, knowledge, again practice, and again knowledge," upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground ensures that the "content of each cycle of practice and knowledge rises to a relatively higher level," thereby promoting the continuous forward development of the socio-historical process.
From a methodological dimension, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground reflects the basic laws of Marxist materialist dialectics. Marx noted: "The coexistence of two contradictory sides, their conflict and their fusion into a new category, constitutes the dialectical movement." Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground constitute a unity of opposites; they are mutually conditional and interdependent. Upholding the fundamentals is the principled foundation for breaking new ground, defining the bottom-line boundaries and clarifying the direction and path for innovation; breaking new ground is the internal requirement for upholding the fundamentals, imbuing the fundamentals with new temporal connotations and making them more solid and consolidated amidst movement and change. Breaking new ground without upholding the fundamentals is blind and disordered, leading ultimately to "changing flags and banners" [4]; upholding the fundamentals without breaking new ground is static and conservative, leading ultimately to closure and ossification. Only when the two promote each other and advance together can lasting vigor and vitality be maintained.
From an axiological dimension, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground reflects the fundamental value pursuit of Marxism. Marx and Engels pointed out in the Communist Manifesto that "the proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority," and that Communists "have no interests separate and apart from those of the proletariat as a whole." Upholding the fundamentals means upholding the "fundament" of Marxism; at its core, this means adhering to the materialist conception of history that the masses are the creators of history and sticking to the Marxist standpoint of the people. Breaking new ground means creating the "new" of 21st-century Marxism and the "new" of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era; primarily, this involves adapting to the requirements of the times to enrich and develop Marxism. The entire starting point and ultimate goal of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground are to serve the people, rely on the people, and benefit the people—persisting in a people-centered approach, maintaining the supremacy of the people, and treating the people’s yearning for a better life as our goal.
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is the continued inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture
"Although Zhou was an ancient state, its mission was renewal." [5] The Chinese nation is a nation that upholds the fundamentals and breaks new ground; this concept is interconnected with the cultural genes of the Chinese nation.
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground inherits the spirit of adhering to the "Right Way" (正道, zhèngdào) in Chinese culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Fine traditional Chinese culture has been passed down from generation to generation; the resilience, patience, and resolve it displays are part of the spirit of the Chinese nation." Having spanned several millennia, Chinese culture has always valued cultural inheritance and the continuity of values. From the day of its birth, the CPC took the promotion and inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture as its own responsibility. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "We are Marxist historicists; we should not cut off history. From Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we should summarize and inherit this precious legacy." Comrade Deng Xiaoping noted: "All progressive and outstanding elements in our country's ancient literary and artistic works and performing arts, as well as those from abroad, should be drawn upon and studied," and he borrowed the term "moderately prosperous" (xiǎokāng) [6] from the Book of Songs to propose the goal of building a moderately prosperous society. Since the 18th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has elevated the promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture to the height of strengthening "Four Confidences" (confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture). He has transformed the people-oriented concepts of "the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is solid, the state is at peace" and "water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it" [7] into the fundamental standpoint that "the country is its people, and the people are the country." He has sublimated the patriotic sentiments of "seeking benefit for the country without regard for wealth or rank" and "every man shares responsibility for the fate of his country" [8] into a collective conviction that our territory must not be divided, the state must not fall into chaos, the nation must not be dispersed, and our civilization must not be broken. This has allowed the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture to demonstrate unique charm through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground.
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground reflects the character of Chinese civilization in "discarding the old and establishing the new." General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Chinese civilization possesses prominent innovativeness, which fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation in upholding the fundamentals without being archaic and respecting the past without returning to the past; it determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation in not fearing new challenges and having the courage to accept new things." The phrase "daily renewal is called supreme virtue" in the Book of Changes and "if you can renovate yourself one day, do so from day to day; yea, let there be daily renewal" in the Book of Rites both emphasize the importance of innovation and change. In its long-term practice of leading revolution, construction, and reform, the CPC has always taken the construction of a new national, scientific, and popular Chinese culture as its mission, actively promoting cultural construction and the prosperity of literature and art. Since the 18th National Congress, based on a profound grasp of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed the "Second Integration," [9] resolving the "dispute between the ancient and the modern, the East and the West," expanding the cultural foundations of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and imbuing Chinese-path modernization with deep cultural layers. For instance, in the field of economic development, by combining traditional ideas such as "enriching the people and supporting their livelihood" (fùmín hòushēng) and "balancing righteousness and profit" (yìlì jiāngù), he proposed solid progress toward common prosperity for all; in social governance, by combining traditional wisdom such as "harmony is to be prized" and "combined governance of rites and law," he developed the "Fengqiao Experience" [10] for the New Era and improved a rural governance system combining self-governance, the rule of law, and the rule of virtue; in ecological civilization, by combining traditional concepts such as "the unity of heaven and humanity" and "Tao follows nature," he promoted green development, the building of a Beautiful China, and the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. This fully demonstrates that upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground makes the "soul-vein" of Marxism and the "root-vein" of fine traditional Chinese culture more secure, and broadens the prospects for Chinese-path modernization.
Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is in the same lineage as the ideological essence accumulated through the CPC’s century of struggle
The CPC has traversed a journey of struggle lasting over a hundred years, accumulating much ideological essence that shines with the light of Marxist truth during its magnificent and great practice. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is in the same lineage as this ideological essence, providing important methodological guidance for advancing Chinese-path modernization.
The prerequisite for upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is emancipating the mind. Emancipating the mind is the golden key to breaking through ossification and incarceration and opening the door to the era. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground shares a spiritual trait with emancipating the mind: both involve having the courage to break through fixed mindsets and path dependency and daring to open new paths never trodden by predecessors, all while adhering to the correct political direction and fundamental political principles. In the early days of the CPC, there was an erroneous tendency within the Party to dogmatize Marxism and to treat the resolutions of the Comintern and Soviet experience as sacrosanct. The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, did not blindly follow existing theories and experiences. Instead, they profoundly grasped China’s basic national condition as a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, integrated Marxism with China’s specific realities, and opened the correct revolutionary path of "encircling the cities from the rural areas and seizing power by armed force." Since the 18th National Congress, facing the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world’s profound changes unseen in a century, General Secretary Xi Jinping has led the whole Party in continuing to emancipate the mind. By upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, he has persisted in and improved socialism with Chinese characteristics, ushered in a New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, created a "new form of human civilization," and the Chinese nation has welcomed a great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong.
The essence of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is seeking truth from facts. Seeking truth from facts is our Party's basic ideological, working, and leadership method. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is methodologically linked to seeking truth from facts; both persist in starting from objective reality, integrating theory with practice, and discovering, testing, and developing truth through practice. The 18th National Congress proposed the goal of comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society by 2020. On July 1, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly declared from the Tiananmen Rostrum: "Through the continued struggle of the whole Party and the entire nation, we have realized the First Centenary Goal [11] and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the land of China." In the reports to the 19th and 20th National Congresses, General Secretary Xi Jinping scientifically judged and comprehensively analyzed the international and domestic situations and China’s development conditions, proposing the goal of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and making a "two-step" strategic arrangement: first, basically realizing socialist modernization from 2020 to 2035; and second, building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful from 2035 to the middle of this century. By making this two-step strategic arrangement and implementation of successive Five-Year Plans, China’s economic, technological, and comprehensive national strength has reached new heights, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has become an unstoppable trend. Our Party, by scientifically analyzing and grasping the situation through seeking truth from facts, and by proposing and completing phased missions and tasks through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, walks steadily step-by-step and advances stage-by-stage, thereby accumulating small victories into great ones and ensuring the steady and long-term progress of the cause of the Party and the state.
The key to upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is advancing with the times. Advancing with the times is the secret to why a century-old party remains in its prime despite the vicissitudes of time. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is theoretically linked to advancing with the times; both involve following the pace of the times, treating all new things with enthusiasm, and constantly expanding the breadth and depth of understanding so that thoughts, concepts, strategies, and actions better adapt to and lead the times. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee first proposed the New Development Philosophy. The 19th National Congress first stated that China's economy had shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development. The 20th National Congress established high-quality development as the primary task in comprehensively building a modern socialist country. In April 2020, the seventh meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs first proposed the construction of a new development pattern with "dual circulation" as the mainstay. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly provided profound expositions on the characteristics, connotations, and development requirements of "new quality productive forces." This series of new concepts, thoughts, and strategies has guided the Chinese economy to move forward under pressure and develop toward innovation and optimization, successfully continuing the "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. The theoretical character of advancing with the times and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground has enabled our Party to always stand at the forefront of the times and maintain vigorous vitality amidst various storms and tests, remaining the strong leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The ultimate aim of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is finding truth and being pragmatic. In...
At the democratic life meeting [12] of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held at the end of 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Communists are materialists; pragmatism is an essential character trait. We must seek truth from facts, be realistic and pragmatic, and take concrete steps to achieve tangible results." Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is consistent with seeking truth and being pragmatic in terms of value orientation; both aim to establish and practice a correct view of political performance [13]—creating achievements for the people and through hard work, so as to properly realize, safeguard, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest possible masses of the people.
As early as his time as an educated youth sent down to Liangjiahe in Shaanxi [14], Comrade Xi Jinping traveled to Sichuan for field investigations to solve the villagers' fuel shortage. He conducted in-depth research integrated with the climate of Yanchuan and led the masses to successfully build biogas digesters, greatly improving the villagers' lives. During his tenure in Zhengding, Hebei, Comrade Xi Jinping rode a bicycle from village to village to investigate the people's conditions, set up tables on the streets to solicit public opinion, and listened to the views of the masses. Adapting measures to local conditions, he proposed a new path for developing a "semi-suburban" economy and summarized the "Twenty-Character Classic" [15]: "Give them what they like, supply what they need, utilize their strengths, compensate for their weaknesses, and respond to their changes."
While working in Fujian, Comrade Xi Jinping vigorously advocated for "Going Down to the Grassroots in Four Areas" [16] and "Immediate Action and Tangible Results," which became important requirements for government organs at all levels in serving the people. During his time in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping clearly proposed that "in terms of implementation requirements, one must emphasize the word 'new,'" and based on extensive investigation and research, he proposed the "Eight-Eight Strategy" [17], which remains the scientific guide for high-quality development in Zhejiang. While working in Shanghai, Comrade Xi Jinping proposed extending the World Expo theme of "Better City, Better Life" into Shanghai’s future development to promote the improvement of citizens' living environments.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized "firmly establishing a view of political performance that benefits the people" and "benefiting the people is the greatest achievement." He has always kept the safety and well-being of the people in his heart and set a leading example in seeking truth and being pragmatic. He personally commanded the battle against poverty to achieve a complete victory, with nearly 100 million rural poor lifted out of poverty. Our country has built the world's largest social security system; the popularization level of education at all levels has reached or exceeded the average of middle-to-high-income countries; and average life expectancy has reached 79 years. The relative income gap between urban and rural residents continues to narrow, the quality of life for the people continues to improve, and the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security has been significantly enhanced, with common prosperity for all people making solid progress.
Upholding the Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground Promotes Historical Achievements and Historical Changes in the Cause of the Party and the Country
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is an important ideological method for our Party’s governance of the country in the New Era. Only by upholding the fundamentals can we avoid losing our way and making subversive errors; only by breaking new ground can we grasp the era and lead the era." "The exploration of Chinese-path modernization is a historical process of developing through inheritance and breaking new ground while upholding the fundamentals." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has, on the basis of upholding the core and source, the root and soul of Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, vigorously promoted theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects, ensuring that the cause of the Party and the country is always full of creative vitality and continues to open up new development horizons.
Persistent theoretical innovation has achieved a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, we have formed the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Upholding the fundamentals means we cannot deviate from Marxism and socialism, but it is not 'carving a mark on a moving boat to find a dropped sword' [18]; we must move forward and advance with the times, otherwise we will be rigid, stale, and obsolete." The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has remained unswerving in its adherence to Marxism as the foundation for founding and strengthening the Party and the country. It has never stopped developing Marxism by rooting it in the fertile soil of our country's and nation's history and culture. By advancing theoretical innovation and creation in close connection with contemporary conditions and practical requirements, and by profoundly answering a series of major questions of the times, it founded Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; it is the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit in our times, achieving a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism and providing a scientific guide for action to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization.
Persistent practical innovation has successfully promoted and expanded Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "For a country to move toward modernization, it must both follow the general laws of modernization and, more importantly, conform to its own reality and possess its own characteristics. Chinese-path modernization has both the common features of modernization in all countries and distinct characteristics based on our own national conditions." "To persist in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, one must have the strong determination of not changing the path or the original will, unswervingly adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles [19] and the 'Four Confidences' [20], while also possessing the sharp courage and spirit to dare to innovate and tackle tough problems, ensuring that reform continues to achieve new breakthroughs." The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has consistently taken the realization of modernization—the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese people since modern times—as the mission and task of the Party in the New Era and on the new journey. Through top-level design, theoretical summary, and phased and field-specific promotion of Chinese-path modernization, the First Centenary Goal was victoriously achieved, and the Second Centenary Goal [21] has had a good start. Historical achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country have laid a more solid foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization.
Persistent institutional innovation has promoted the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, we must adhere to and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics." "Compared to the past, reform and opening up in the New Era possess many new connotations and characteristics, a very important point of which is that institutional building carries more weight." The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has remained unswerving in its adherence to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the state system of the people's democratic dictatorship, and the political system of the People's Congress. By defining the improvement and development of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the promotion of the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity as the general goal of comprehensively deepening reform, it has constructed a system of socialism with Chinese characteristics that includes fundamental, basic, and important institutions. By formulating the Regulations on the Work of the Communist Party of China Leading Comprehensive Law-Based Governance, the Party has improved the scientific, institutionalized, and standardized level of its leadership in overall law-based governance, building a more complete system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. By persisting in institutional Party governance and governing the Party according to regulations, the Party has standardized the exercise of power and perfected institutional mechanisms where authorization, use, and restriction of power are unified, clear, transparent, and traceable. It has strengthened the enforcement of institutions, striving to transform institutional advantages into governance effectiveness, providing a strong institutional guarantee for Chinese-path modernization to brave the waves and move steadily forward.
Persistent cultural innovation has enhanced the nation's cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have insisted on placing cultural construction in a prominent position in national governance, made a series of major deployments, formed the Thought on Culture of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and promoted historical achievements in cultural construction through 'returning to the source' and upholding the fundamentals while breaking new ground." The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, deeply implemented the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory, and consolidated the Party's foundation for governance and its mass base ideologically, spiritually, and culturally. By persisting in the guidance of socialist core values, it has continuously constructed Chinese spirit, Chinese value, and Chinese power, while developing and strengthening mainstream values, mainstream public opinion, and mainstream culture to cultivate the high-spirited spirit of the entire nation. By insisting that cultural construction focuses on and lands upon the people, it uses new styles, high-quality, and personalized cultural supply to better meet the diverse, multi-level, and multi-faceted spiritual and cultural needs of the masses, promoting the common prosperity of the people's spiritual life. By persisting in stimulating the vitality of cultural innovation and creation, it has promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, nourishing the spiritual home with culture. The "museum craze" and "intangible cultural heritage craze" continue to heat up; "Wukong" and "Nezha" [22] have swept the world; and ancient charm and national style have become the "top-tier aesthetics" in the eyes of young people. Chinese culture is shining with more brilliant light, and the ideological leadership, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics are increasingly evident.
Persistent innovation in the theory and practice of Party building has opened up a new situation for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To govern the country, one must first govern the Party; only when the Party flourishes can the country be strong. The more effective the management and governance of the Party, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development." The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has remained unswerving in its adherence to the Party's nature, purpose, ideals, convictions, and original aspiration and founding mission. By persisting in managing and governing the Party with the spirit of reform and strict standards, and by adhering to and strengthening the Party's overall leadership, it has improved the institutional system of the Party's leadership that oversees the overall situation and coordinates all parties. It has perfected the implementation mechanism for the major decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, ensuring that the Party's leadership is implemented comprehensively, systematically, and holistically. It proposed and implemented the general requirements for Party building in the New Era, insisting on putting the Party's political construction first to lead all aspects of Party building. By persisting in ideological Party building and strengthening the Party through theory, it has unremittingly used Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to solidify hearts and cast souls. By adhering to a rigorous organizational system that connects the higher and lower levels and is effective in execution, it has created a high-quality team of cadres who are loyal, clean, and responsible, gathering talents from all over the world to be used. The Party's leadership is like "the body moving the arm, and the arm moving the fingers" [23]. By persisting in tackling Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline together, integrating the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, and exerting force simultaneously in ideological Party building and institutional Party governance, the Party has improved the supervision system of the Party and the state and implemented the political responsibility for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. Since the New Era began, the intensity of promoting comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and the anti-corruption struggle has been unprecedented, and the results are obvious to all. In the process of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, the century-old Party has opened up a new realm of self-revolution, with its political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal significantly enhanced, providing a fundamental guarantee for the cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
(The author is the Executive Vice President of the China Jianggangshan Leadership Academy) Source: People's Daily (February 2, 2026) Editor: Huihui