Jin Nuo: Adhering to the "Two Combinations" and Constantly Opening Up New Realms in the Development of Marxism (Earnestly Studying, Promoting, and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC)
Abstract: The "Two Combinations" [1] constitute the fundamental path for us to advance the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. To uphold the "Two Combinations" and promote theoretical innovation, we must take the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as our starting point and ultimate goal. We must continuously answer new questions raised by the New Era and the new journey, persistently endow scientific theory with distinct Chinese characteristics, and write new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
In the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China’s fine traditional culture, and only by persisting in the use of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions posed by the era and practice, and consistently maintain the exuberant vitality and vigorous energy of Marxism." This concept of the "Two Combinations" profoundly summarizes the basic experience of the Communist Party of China in promoting theoretical innovation over more than 100 years and elucidates the internal mechanism of the innovative development of Marxism in China. Upholding the "Two Combinations," unifying the persistence and development of Marxism, and forging ahead with firm ideals, convictions, and a high degree of historical consciousness under the guidance of scientific Marxist theory is an important secret of the CPC's success.
The Fundamental Path to Advancing the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism
Marxism has scientifically revealed the laws of development of human society, pointed out the path for humanity to seek its own liberation, and greatly advanced the process of human civilization. However, Marxism has not brought an end to truth; rather, it has opened a path toward truth. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "Marxism is a continuously developing and open theory; it can only take root through localization and remain full of vitality through modernization." Combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and China’s fine traditional culture provides a rich empirical basis and deep cultural foundation for the innovative development of Marxism. The "Two Combinations" are the fundamental path for us to advance the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. The proposal of the "Two Combinations" marks a new height in our Party’s understanding of the laws governing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
To uphold and develop Marxism, it must be combined with China’s specific realities. Marxism is a scientific truth for understanding and transforming the world and possesses universal applicability; however, the specific national conditions of various countries differ, and Marxism must never be treated as an immutable dogma. When Marxism came to China, it faced China’s unique national conditions and social contradictions, as well as the tasks and requirements of different historical periods—revolution, construction, and reform. Naturally, this presented the issue of combining it with Chinese realities and the characteristics of the era. Comrade Mao Zedong said: "We must learn how to apply Marxist-Leninist theory to the specific environment of China." General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Promote more deeply the combination of Marxism with the specific realities of contemporary Chinese development." Combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities is an inevitable requirement for advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Only by persisting in proceeding from Chinese realities, gaining insight into the general trends of the era, grasping the coordinates of the times, and continuously conducting new explorations based on new conditions can we obtain scientific understanding consistent with objective laws and form scientific theoretical achievements that advance with the times to better guide Chinese practice. If we cling to conventions, suffer from ideological ossification, or discuss Marxism in isolation from Chinese characteristics, we will fail to solve practical problems. Not only will the cause of the Party and the people fail to progress, but Marxism itself will lose its vitality.
To uphold and develop Marxism, it must be combined with China’s fine traditional culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must attach special importance to tapping into the essence of five thousand years of Chinese civilization and combine the promotion of fine traditional culture with the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method." For Marxism to take root in China, enter the hearts of the people, and be loved, recognized, and possessed by the masses, it must be combined with China’s history, culture, and national psychology to form expressions that are easily accepted by the people. China’s fine traditional culture is long-standing, broad, and profound—the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. The significant contents of its cosmology, world-view [2], social outlook, and moral outlook [3] possess a high degree of compatibility with the values and propositions of scientific socialism. We must persist in integrating the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of China’s fine traditional culture, and with the common values that the masses "use daily without realizing" [4]. This will use the power of Marxist truth to activate Chinese civilization and allow it to radiate renewed vitality, while simultaneously drawing nourishment from China’s fine traditional culture to continuously endow Marxism with distinct Chinese characteristics. By doing so, we consolidate the historical and mass foundations for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, allowing it to take firm root in China.
Profoundly Recognizing the Significance of Upholding the "Two Combinations"
The Communist Party of China has always attached importance to ideological Party building and strengthening the Party through theory. Since its birth, our Party has clearly inscribed Marxism upon its banner. Our Party adheres to the basic tenets of Marxism; insists on liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground; proceeds from Chinese realities; and gains insight into the trends of the times. Centering on what we are currently doing and focusing on new practices and developments, we have enriched and developed Marxism, endowing it with distinct practical, national, and temporal characteristics. We have neither abandoned the ancestors [5] nor failed to speak new words, making major original contributions to upholding and developing Marxism.
For over 100 years, our Party has persisted in the "Two Combinations," successively establishing Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, forming the Theory of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and establishing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This has opened the correct path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and guided the cause of the Party and the people to continuously open new horizons. Whether it was the opening of the correct revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing power by armed force, the start of socialist construction through independence and self-reliance, the raising of the curtain on reform and opening up, or the promotion and expansion of Chinese-path modernization—all were major theoretical and practical innovations made by our Party through persistence in the "Two Combinations."
As contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a model of upholding the "Two Combinations" and courageously promoting theoretical innovation. This Thought systematically answers, from the combination of theory and practice, major questions of the era such as: what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be upheld and developed in the New Era and how to uphold and develop it; what kind of great modern socialist power should be built and how to build it; and what kind of long-term governing Marxist party should be built and how to build it. It puts forward a series of original new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies for governance. This Thought is deeply rooted in China’s fine traditional culture, excelling at drawing governance wisdom, the methodology of "investigating things to attain knowledge" [6], and moral concepts for self-cultivation and social conduct from over five thousand years of profound civilization. it promotes the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s fine traditional culture, greatly inspiring the cultural confidence and spiritual strength of the Chinese people, and becoming the essence of the era for Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit. Eloquent facts prove that only by upholding the "Two Combinations" can we maintain the exuberant vitality of Marxism and provide scientific theoretical guidance that is both inherited from the same lineage and advances with the times, guiding the cause of the Party and the people to continuous victory.
Currently, our Party is leading the people in a united struggle to build a modern socialist country in all respects. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "That Chinese-path modernization works and is stable is the only correct path for building a strong country and national rejuvenation." Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an unprecedented and pioneering undertaking; there are still many unknown areas requiring bold exploration, and we will encounter various predictable and unpredictable risks and challenges. We need to face and solve new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, the urgent anxieties and hopes of the masses, major problems in the shifting international landscape, and prominent problems facing Party building. This requires us to continue upholding the "Two Combinations," using Marxism to observe, grasp, and lead the era. we must answer major questions posed by the era and practice, transform ideas, methods, and fresh experiences for resolving contradictions and problems into theoretical discourse, and draw historical experience, humanistic spirit, and national wisdom from the fertile ideological soil of China’s fine traditional culture. We must continuously make theoretical innovations to provide ideological and theoretical support for solidly advancing Chinese-path modernization.
Continuously Advancing Theoretical Innovation and Creation
There is no end to practice, and there is no end to theoretical innovation. The new journey and new practices provide powerful momentum and vast space for theoretical innovation. We must grasp the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, persist in and apply the standpoint, viewpoint, and method that run through it, uphold the "Two Combinations," and continuously promote theoretical innovation based on practice to write new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
We must take the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as our starting point and ultimate goal. The "people-centered nature" is the essential attribute of Marxism. The Party’s innovative theories come from the people, are for the people, and benefit the people; the peoples' creative practice is the inexhaustible source of theoretical innovation. Upholding the "Two Combinations" and promoting theoretical innovation requires taking the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and ultimate goal. We must stand firmly on the people’s side, grasp their desires, respect their creativity, and concentrate their wisdom. We must solve the urgent anxieties and hopes of the masses, maximize the enthusiasm and vitality of their practical creation, and timely discover, generalize, and summarize the good practices and experiences created by the masses, elevating them into theories and policies to guide new practice. Through close integration with the production and life of the masses and by responding to their realistic needs and concerns, we can continuously enhance the vitality, explanatory power, and innovative power of theory, forming a "product of its own era and its own people," and providing a powerful ideological weapon for people to understand and transform the world.
We must continuously answer new questions raised by the New Era and the new journey. Problems are the voice of the era and the starting point and source of momentum for theoretical innovation. We must earnestly listen to the voice of the era, respond to its call, and focus on the mission of comprehensively building a modern socialist power and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. We must promote theoretical innovation through researching major theoretical and practical problems facing the development of the Party and state, putting forward correct ideas and effective methods for solving problems. We must well-answer the "Questions of China" [7], basing ourselves on basic national conditions, staying close to the creative practices of hundreds of millions of people, responding to the new requirements of practical development, boldly exploring and innovating in unknown fields, and promoting and expanding Chinese-path modernization. We must well-answer the "Questions of the World," analyzing the trends and situation of world development with a concern for all under heaven and a global vision, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the resolution of major problems in the shifting international landscape. We must well-answer the "Questions of the People," listening to their voices, solving the most direct and realistic interest issues of greatest concern to them, and solidly promoting common prosperity. We must well-answer the "Questions of the Era," standing at the forefront of the era’s development and the vanguard of human progress to produce more theoretical innovations that lead the trends of the era.
We must continuously endow scientific theory with distinct Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "China’s fine traditional culture is the 'root' of our Party’s innovative theory," and "We must now do this with confidence and pride—to dig into and combine with China’s fine traditional culture, truly realizing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism." To uphold the "Two Combinations" and promote theoretical innovation, we must strengthen our historical and cultural confidence. We must persist in making the past serve the present and bringing forth the new from the old, deeply exploring and utilizing the rich treasures of Chinese culture. We must combine the activation of tradition with its promotion, and combine history with reality. We should deeply plant the historical roots and cultural lineage of theoretical innovation, putting forward more ideological viewpoints that contain Chinese wisdom and reflect the Chinese spirit. This will endow the Party’s innovative theories with distinct Chinese characteristics, add new vitality to Chinese civilization, and contribute ideological strength to the development and progress of human civilization.
(The author is the former Party Secretary of Renmin University of China)