Lin Zhenyi: The Fundamental Political Guarantee of Chinese Modernization
Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). This is the explicit definition of Chinese-path modernization provided in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress. This definition determines the essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization, the first of which is "upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China"; it also determines the major principles of Chinese-path modernization, the first of which is "upholding and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party." In his important speech at the opening ceremony of a study session for newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee and provincial-level officials, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded on a series of major theoretical and practical issues regarding Chinese-path modernization. He emphasized: "The Party’s leadership directly relates to the fundamental direction, the future and destiny, and the ultimate success or failure of Chinese-path modernization." Only by profoundly understanding the leading role of the CPC in Chinese-path modernization can we correctly grasp and solidly push forward the construction of Chinese-path modernization.
I. Chinese-path modernization was achieved through long-term exploration and practice by our Party uniting and leading the Chinese people.
Reviewing the historical process of the CPC leading the exploration of Chinese-path modernization, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement attained by our Party leading the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country through long-term exploration and practice, undergoing untold hardships and paying a massive price. We must cherish it all the more, always uphold it, and continuously expand and deepen it."
In the modern era, China gradually became a country characterized by poverty and weakness [1], suffering from the wanton bullying of Great Powers. Although a bourgeois-democratic revolution [2] occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, overthrowing more than two thousand years of feudal autocratic rule and dealing a heavy blow to imperialist aggressive forces, the country still could not escape the fate of being a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. It was impossible to develop advanced social productive forces or achieve modernization within the framework of the old society. The Chinese nation’s call for national rejuvenation and its demand for modernization necessitated a powerful political party to reorganize social resources and lead a campaign of catching up in development. The CPC emerged as the times required, uniting and leading the Chinese people to overthrow the "three great mountains" [3] and establish the People's Republic of China where the people are masters of the country. This achieved national independence and people's liberation, creating the fundamental social conditions for realizing modernization. Subsequently, our Party united and led the people in carrying out the socialist revolution, eliminating the feudal system that had persisted in China for thousands of years, and establishing the basic socialist system. This realized the most extensive and profound social transformation in the history of the Chinese nation and established an independent and relatively complete industrial system and national economic system. The socialist revolution and construction achieved original theoretical results and great successes, laying the fundamental political prerequisites, providing valuable experience, theoretical preparation, and the material foundation for modernization.
Promoting the realization of modernization in a large, poor, and backward Eastern country has been the consistent goal of our Party’s struggle. On the eve of the founding of the New China, Comrade Mao Zedong presented a historical task to the whole Party: to enable China to step-by-step transform from an agrarian country into an industrial country, and to build China into a great socialist country. The First National People's Congress proposed the "construction of powerful modern industry, modern agriculture, modern communications and transportation, and modern national defense" [4]. At the beginning of reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping emphasized: "What we mean by politics is the four modernizations." In March 1979, Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed the concept of "Chinese-style modernization," emphasizing that "Chinese-style modernization must proceed from China's characteristics," starting from the realistic national conditions of a "thin foundation" and "a large population with little arable land." Our Party concentrated its energy on construction and single-mindedly pursued development, proposing and adhering to the basic line of the primary stage of socialism, establishing and improving the socialist market economy system, and promoting sustained high-speed economic growth. This achieved a historic breakthrough from relatively backward productive forces to becoming the world's second-largest economy, and a historic leap from the people's living standards being insufficient in food and clothing to reaching overall moderate prosperity [5] and moving toward a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This "provided the institutional guarantee full of new vitality and the material conditions for rapid development for Chinese-path modernization."
Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to a problem-oriented approach, focusing on resolving prominent contradictions and issues in modernization construction. It has unswervingly and comprehensively deepened reform and opening up, centering on the major contemporary question of what kind of great modern socialist country to build in the New Era and how to build it. Through continuous deepening of understanding, continuous improvement of strategies, and continuous enrichment of practice, the Party has successfully advanced and expanded Chinese-path modernization through innovations and breakthroughs in theory and practice. It is precisely through a series of transformative practices, breakthrough progress, and landmark achievements since the New Era—including the elimination of absolute poverty, the comprehensive building of a moderately prosperous society, the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, the enhancement of the country's cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, the strengthening of ecological civilization construction, the promotion of green development, the joint construction of the "Belt and Road," and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity—that the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-path modernization have been established and manifested. General Secretary Xi Jinping summarized the "five aspects of Chinese characteristics" of Chinese-path modernization in a speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. He further expounded on Chinese-path modernization in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress and systematically discussed it in his important speech at the opening ceremony of the study session for newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee and provincial-level officials. This has initially constructed a theoretical system for Chinese-path modernization, making it clearer, more scientific, and more perceptible and feasible. The theory of Chinese-path modernization is the latest major achievement of scientific socialism, raising our Party's understanding of the laws governing socialist modernization to a completely new level, and providing an important guide for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The arduous struggle of the Party over the past 100 years, the painstaking exploration over the 70-plus years since the founding of the New China and 40-plus years of reform and opening up, and especially the innovations and breakthroughs in the ten years of the New Era, fully prove: without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, no reform and opening up, and certainly no Chinese-path modernization. The CPC's leadership of Chinese-path modernization is the inevitable choice of the historical development of modern China and its greatest achievement. The CPC has not failed the choice of history or the trust of the nation. It united and led the Chinese people to complete in decades the industrialization process that took Western developed countries centuries, allowing this ancient and great Eastern country to be reborn through fire on the road to modernization. Without the leadership of the CPC, it would have been impossible to carry out a thorough social transformation of old China; the Chinese nation could not have fundamentally changed its tragic fate of poverty and weakness, and realizing modernization would have been a mere pipe dream. It is precisely because of the strong leadership of the CPC that the miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability were created, ensuring that Chinese-path modernization always advances steadily along the correct track.
II. The leadership of the Communist Party of China concerns the success or failure of Chinese-path modernization.
The Party, the government, the military, society, and academia—north, south, east, west, and center—the Party leads everything; it is the highest force for political leadership. As a Marxist governing party, our Party always represents the fundamental interests of the broadest possible range of people, sharing the same fate and breathing the same air as the people. It has no special interests of its own and never represents the interests of any interest group, power bloc, or privileged stratum. The nature, purpose, status, and role of the CPC determine that the Party's leadership plays a decisive role in Chinese-path modernization. The key to comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies with the Party.
The Party's leadership determines the fundamental nature of Chinese-path modernization. For China to modernize, it can only rely on socialism, not capitalism. The leadership of the CPC determines that Chinese-path modernization can only be socialist modernization and nothing else. Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly pointed out: "If we do not persist in socialism, even if we eventually develop, we would only become a vassal state, and it would not even be easy to develop in the first place." For China to persist in socialism, it cannot take the old path of being closed and rigid, nor the crooked path of changing flags [6]; it must forge a new path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In leading the great practice of reform and opening up, our Party unswervingly followed the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, formed and developed the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, persisted in and improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and vigorously developed socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, ensuring the correct direction of Chinese-path modernization in terms of path, theory, system, and culture. It can be said that only by unswervingly upholding the Party's leadership can Chinese-path modernization have a bright future and prosper. Otherwise, Chinese-path modernization will deviate from its course, lose its soul, and even make subversive errors.
The Party's leadership ensures that Chinese-path modernization remains anchored to its goals and moves forward steadily. All the struggles carried out by our Party in uniting and leading the people over the past century have been for building China into a great modern country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. No matter how the situation and tasks change, no matter what kind of stormy waves are encountered, our Party has consistently grasped historical initiative, anchored itself to its goals, marched courageously along the correct direction, and pushed forward through successive generations, achieving brilliant results that have attracted worldwide attention and were inscribed in history. From establishing a relatively complete industrial system to building a modern economic system, from moderate prosperity [7] to a moderately prosperous society in all respects, from the basic realization of modernization to building a great modern socialist country, and from the "two-step" strategy to the "three-step" [8], "new three-step," and finally the "two-step" development strategy for the new journey in the New Era—our goals have been consistent and progressive. Such continuous development and accumulation are unimaginable under the competitive multi-party systems of the West, where "one party leaves the stage while the other enters" or where parties "take turns sitting in the seat." Today, the bright prospects of the grand rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are clearly before us, requiring even more unremitting, continuous, and tenacious struggle. Only by upholding the leadership of the CPC can we lead and ensure that Chinese-path modernization braves the wind and waves and advances smoothly.
The Party's leadership stimulates the powerful momentum for building Chinese-path modernization. This is a profound revelation of the source of momentum for Chinese-path modernization. Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an incomparably magnificent undertaking as well as a pioneering one without precedent. There is no ready-made experience to copy; we must rely on our own exploration and practice and inject momentum and vitality into it through reform and innovation. The CPC never sticks to conventions or remains complacent; it is always courageous in reform and adept at innovation. Comprehensively deepening reform and opening up in the New Era fundamentally means breaking through the constraints of old ideas, eliminating the defects of systems and mechanisms, and breaking down the barriers of vested interests. It involves giving free rein to the vitality of all labor, knowledge, technology, management, and capital, allowing all sources of social wealth to flow fully. Today, our Party possesses a strong will to struggle, a stronger sense of historical self-consciousness, and a more proactive spiritual force, which will surely gather even more powerful developmental momentum in the process of comprehensively deepening reform and opening up.
The Party's leadership gathers the majestic force for building Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization is the undertaking of hundreds of millions of Chinese people themselves; it requires deep and extensive social mobilization and the full play of the creative power of the people. This is where the advantage of the CPC lies. Our Party comes from the people, is rooted in the people, was born for the people, and thrives because of the people. It always adheres to the principle of putting the people first, persists in the Party's mass line, regards the people's yearning for a better life as its goal of struggle, adheres to the people-centered development philosophy, develops whole-process people's democracy, and fully stimulates the spirit of the people as masters of the country. Using Chinese-path modernization to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the common goal of struggle for the Chinese people on the new journey in the New Era. Our Party uses this to inspire, encourage, and call upon the people, forming common ideals, a common cause, and common action, ensuring that the people of the whole country possess a powerful political cohesion and developmental self-confidence for united struggle, gathering a majestic force to work with one heart and mind to overcome all difficulties.
III. Upholding and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party throughout the entire process of Chinese-path modernization.
Upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the unique advantage of Chinese-path modernization. Upholding and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party is a major principle that must be firmly grasped in advancing Chinese-path modernization. On the new journey in the New Era, the overall leadership of the Party must be integrated into the entire process of Chinese-path modernization, without deviating for a moment or wavering for a second.
At present, changes in the world, in the times, and in history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. Our country's development has entered a period where strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. We must face daunting and heavy tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability, while also facing a turbulent international environment. New situations and new tasks especially require the strong leadership of the CPC, requiring our Party to always be the most reliable "backbone" [9] for all the people when the storms hit.
Defend the "Two Establishments" and achieve the "Two Upholds." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the reason Chinese-path modernization has been able to continue advancing on its existing foundation and be promoted and expanded during the ten years of the New Era is, most fundamentally, due to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s role at the helm as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party, and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On the "new journey to take the examinations" [10], we must resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s status as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party, and resolutely uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership. We must continuously improve our political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, maintaining a high degree of consistency in thought, politics, and action with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. It is necessary to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully study, grasp, and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, correctly understand Chinese-path modernization, and profoundly comprehend the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments." We must keep the "greatest concerns of the nation" [11] in mind, strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses" [12], firm up the "Four Confidences" [13], achieve the "Two Upholds," and strive to create a new situation for the development of the cause of the Party and the state on the new journey.
Establish and improve the systems and mechanisms for the Party's comprehensive leadership. The Party's leadership is comprehensive, systematic, and integrated; it must be implemented in a comprehensive, systematic, and integrated manner. We must improve the system of Party leadership that oversees the overall situation and coordinates all parties, and refine the mechanisms for implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee. This ensures that the entire Party remains highly consistent with the Party Central Committee in political stance, political direction, political principles, and the political path, thereby ensuring the unity and solidarity of the Party. The Party's comprehensive leadership is concrete; it must be implemented in every field, every aspect, and every link of the cause of the Party and the state, and be reflected in the design, arrangement, and operation of the organs, systems, and institutions of state power. We must persist in the Party’s core leadership role in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties, strengthen the leadership position of Party committees (and Party leadership groups) among organizations at the same level, enhance the organizational and leadership power of the Party’s primary-level organizations, and continuously promote the institutionalization and rule-of-law character of the Party’s comprehensive leadership.
Forge powerful leadership through comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. With the clear-headedness and consciousness that comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and the Party's self-revolution are always "on the road" [14], we must comprehensively promote the Party's self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation, and self-improvement. We must strengthen the arming of the Party with innovative theories and improve the ability of the entire Party to use the positions, viewpoints, and methods of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to solve prominent contradictions and problems. We must improve the system of norms for the Party's self-revolution, persist in institutional Party governance and governing the Party according to regulations, and encourage cadres to dare to take responsibility and be proactive. Leading cadres, especially young cadres, must be guided to undergo rigorous ideological tempering, political tempering, practical training, and professional training. They must "brave the wind and rain, see the world, strengthen their bones, and grow their talents" [15] in complex and severe struggles. This will enhance their capability to promote high-quality development, serve the masses, and prevent and resolve risks, making them worthy of the heavy responsibility of leading the construction of Chinese-path modernization.
(Author: Director of the Research Department of the Central Party School [National Academy of Governance] and Secretary-General of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)