Liu Wei and Fan Xin: Achieving Chinese Modernization through High-Quality Development to Advance the Irreversible Historical Process of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation
Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization is not only a major theoretical innovation made by Chinese Communists, but also a significant practical summation by the Party and the state based on the construction of socialist modernization. Looking at the developmental trajectory of global modernization, the modernization of different countries possesses both the common characteristics of modernization and unique practical paths. This has resulted in the modernization process featuring both irreversible success stories and historical lessons of reversal. As a late-developing modernization, Chinese-path modernization has achieved great historical accomplishments; this is the result of the organic unity and mutual assistance of three elements: the theoretical foundation, the economic base, and institutional guarantees.
In the New Era and on the new journey, the "changes in the world, the times, and history" [1] brought about by the accelerating evolution of the "changes unseen in a century" have profoundly shaped the current internal and external environment of China's development, and the connotations of strategic opportunities have undergone new changes. To this end, Chinese Communists should enhance their awareness of potential dangers, adhere to bottom-line thinking, take proactive initiative, and confront difficulties head-on. On the basis of always following the major principles of the "Five Adherences," [2] they should build a Great Modern Socialist Country by accelerating the construction of the "dual circulation" development paradigm and focusing on promoting high-quality development, in order to realize the grand goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Keywords: Chinese-path modernization; high-quality development; the Chinese nation; great rejuvenation; irreversibility
Faced with the superposition of multiple factors including the accelerating evolution of the changes unseen in a century, the sluggish recovery of the global economy, and the profound impact of the pandemic of the century, General Secretary Xi Jinping, proceeding from the reality of China's socio-economic development, pointed out in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: "Reform, opening up, and socialist modernization have been advanced. We have written a new chapter of the two miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. Our country now possesses a more solid material foundation and more complete institutional guarantees. The realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process."
This is a major judgment made by the Party Central Committee after assessing the situation from the perspective of the "big view of history" (大历史观) [3]—expressing confidence and the capacity of the CPC to lead the people of all ethnic groups in the country to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It also represents the CPC's grasp of the laws governing the future development of the Chinese nation while adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. As a new choice for humanity to achieve modernization, Chinese-path modernization is the "Chinese wisdom" and "Chinese solution" contributed by the CPC, proceeding from national conditions and targeting the common problems faced by humanity. "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 a Chinese path to modernization." This indicates that Chinese-path modernization is the only way and the inherent requirement for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Therefore, analyzing Chinese-path modernization through the unified perspective of historical, theoretical, and practical logic—comprehensively clarifying and summarizing the stage-based inevitability and practical necessity of Chinese-path modernization, and exploring how to better achieve Chinese-path modernization through high-quality development to advance the irreversible historical process of the great rejuvenation—is not only a major theoretical question that Marxist political economy in the New Era must answer, but also helps us firmly grasp the strategic opportunities on the new journey, taking proactive initiative and overcoming difficulties to build a great modern socialist country.
I. The Phenomenon of Reversal in the Global Modernization Process
Modernization is a historical category; its related theories have been continuously enriched and perfected alongside the development of the times. In classical modernization theory, modernization is equated with "Westernization," suggesting that late-developing countries should catch up by learning Western socio-economic systems and cultural concepts in order to reach the economic development levels of Western modernized countries (Research Group on Chinese-path Modernization, 2022). Due to differences in the level of productive forces, economic structures, and institutional environments, the modernization of different countries and nations shares common characteristics but also possesses distinct features.
In the global modernization process, some countries have successfully joined the ranks of modernized nations, while others have moved forward tortuously, experiencing stagnation, interruption, or regression. Therefore, to correctly understand the irreversible historical process of achieving Chinese-path modernization through high-quality development, one must first view the modernization process of nations globally from the "big view of history," clarify the scientific connotation of modernization, and have a clear understanding of the historical conditions that form modernized countries and the deep-seated reasons for the reversals in the global modernization process.
(1) Modernization possesses distinct characteristics of the times
Modernization is a dynamic process of development in which a country or region moves from tradition to modernity. It reflects the dialectical unity of productive forces and relations of production, and of the economic base and the superstructure; it is the organic unity of the law-governed nature of development and practical diversity. From the perspective of absolute development, modernization reflects the process of a country or region moving from a traditional agricultural state toward a modern industrial state, manifesting as a leap in its own economic strength. From the perspective of relative development, considering that the modernization processes of different countries or regions vary globally, modernization reflects the relative level of development a country or region occupies in the world during a specific period, directly expressed as the distance between that country or region and the world's advanced levels. In essence, the substance of modernization is to close this development gap and achieve growth leaps and catch-up development (Han Baojiang and Li Zhibin, 2022).
Reviewing the history of global modernization, it is easy to find that the wave of modernization originated in Western Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, later expanding to Central and Eastern Europe and North America, and then spreading throughout the world, reflecting the evolution of human civilizations. As an irresistible global trend, modernization has gradually become the common goal pursued by countries worldwide in modern times. In this process, every revolution in science and technology has brought about a transformation in the mode of production, becoming the fundamental driving force for a country or region to achieve growth leaps and move toward becoming a modernized nation.
The first industrial revolution occurred first in Britain, where coal, iron, steam power, and the steam engine were widely applied, ushering in the "Age of Steam." This allowed Britain, which had originally lagged behind European countries like France and Spain, to develop its industry rapidly, optimize its economic structure, and leap to the center of world civilization. The modernization driven by the first industrial revolution was essentially an industrialization process spreading from Britain to Western European countries; its driving force was the economic transformation characterized by the material-technical revolution and the political revolution marked by the Atlantic Revolutions (Liu Wei, 2023).
The second industrial revolution, marked by electricity and steel, the internal combustion engine, and the electric motor, became an important driver of modernization, ushering in the "Age of Electricity." This caused the scope of modernization, with industrialization at its core, to expand rapidly from Western Europe to Central and Eastern Europe, North America, and other nations of the Christian world, also affecting Japan in the Eastern world. Catching up as a latecomer became the primary theme of this period. Before World War I, the United States began to replace Britain's economic status, and a multi-centric capitalist world economy began to take shape.
The third industrial revolution, based on new material-technical foundations such as petroleum energy, synthetic materials, microelectronics, and other new energies, new materials, and high technologies, ushered in the "Information Age." This not only promoted the further upgrading of industrialization and the advancement of industrial structures in developed economies but also allowed a large number of developing countries to begin developing through catching up, forming a global wave of modernization. However, it cannot be denied that the first three industrial revolutions also brought about a series of ecological and environmental problems, such as excessive resource consumption and environmental degradation. To solve these problems, a new round of technological revolution emerged.
The fourth industrial revolution is a green industrial revolution with artificial intelligence, new material technology, quantum information technology, clean energy, and biotechnology as its new material-technical foundation, and with informationization, digitalization, networking, and intelligence as its main characteristics. Although technology-leading countries or regions represented by the United States are still at the forefront, China and a group of emerging industrialized countries have, for the first time, become important participants and drivers in the modernization wave, catching up and overtaking during their development.
Viewing modernization from the "big view of history," it refers not only to the transformation from a traditional rural agricultural society to an industrialized and urbanized society but also involves a systemic, complex, long-term, and revolutionary transformation process involving politics, economics, society, and culture (Huntington, 1971; Gilbert Rozman, 2010). Economic modernization is the core content of national modernization, and technological change is the crucial driving force for national and even global modernization. In the process of socio-economic development, each round of technological change promotes technological upgrades through iteration, leading to the continuous optimization of economic structures, while the connotations of modernization are constantly adjusted and enriched by the development of the times.
(2) The phenomenon of reversal in the global modernization process
The modernization process reflects the changes in the development of human civilization; it is a journey of growth leaps that is most rich and profound, yet complex and unpredictable. In the history of global modernization, Western modernization has moved forward through twists and turns, with some countries successfully entering the ranks of modernized nations, while the modernization of others has experienced reversals. This reversal phenomenon is not only manifested in the inability of some countries or regions to escape the "poverty trap" or cross the "middle-income trap," but also in the inability to achieve a leap from a lower stage of modernization to a higher stage after becoming a modernized nation.
According to the World Bank's 2021 standards for high, middle, and low income, among 218 countries or regions globally, there are 28 low-income countries, 109 middle-income countries, and 81 high-income countries or regions. Among low-income countries, from 1987 to 2021, 22 countries such as Afghanistan and Ethiopia remained in the low-income stage, accounting for 78.57%. Six countries, including Sudan and Syria, entered the lower-middle-income stage; although their entry times, durations, and trends varied, they all eventually fell back into the low-income stage. Looking at the modernization process of these countries, their own economic foundations are relatively weak, and factors such as political instability, civil war, and frequent natural disasters have hindered their modernization. Furthermore, under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the decline in international aid and the severe impact on pillar industries like tourism have caused these countries to fall from the middle-income stage back to the low-income stage.
As late-developing countries continue to catch up, many developing countries have begun to escape the "poverty trap" and enter the middle-income stage. Among middle-income countries, there are currently 54 lower-middle-income countries and 55 upper-middle-income countries. Because the power mechanisms of some countries or regions fail to transition successfully during economic development, they fall into the "middle-income trap." This phenomenon is such that the later a country or region enters the middle-income stage, the greater the probability it will be locked in that range (Liu Wei and Fan Xin, 2019).
From the trend of per capita GNI (Gross National Income) in lower-middle-income countries from 1987 to 2021, although some countries like India, Cambodia, and Laos moved from the low-income stage to the lower-middle-income stage and successfully escaped the "poverty trap," other countries or regions have shown wave-like fluctuations. For example, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan showed a "lower-middle—low—lower-middle" trend, while Indonesia and Iran showed a "lower-middle—upper-middle—lower-middle" trend. Looking at the per capita GNI trends of upper-middle-income countries from 1987 to 2021, although countries like Bulgaria and China successfully moved from lower-middle to upper-middle income status, some countries like Argentina and Russia fell out after reaching high-income status. A few countries, such as Georgia and Turkmenistan, fell from lower-middle income back to low income before rising again to the upper-middle-income stage.
As the level of economic development continues to rise, some developing countries have begun to leap over the "middle-income trap" to join the ranks of high-income countries. However, are all high-income countries modernized countries? How should we scientifically measure the modernization level of a country or region? Judging from existing research, there is currently no clear quantitative standard for modernization. In fact, the connotation of modernization is constantly adjusted and enriched along with the development of the times, and its standards change accordingly. Considering actual conditions such as the global level of economic development and the fact that economic modernization is the core content of modernization—and integrating our "two-step" strategy's goals of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035 and building a great modern socialist country by 2050—we adopt the specific methods of scholars such as Sheng Laiyun and Zheng Xin (2017) and Liu Wei and Fan Xin (2019). We use the per capita GDP of the United States as a frame of reference to divide 81 high-income countries or regions globally into four stages for analysis: the quasi-modernization stage, the primary modernization stage, the intermediate modernization stage, and the advanced modernization stage. Currently, 16 countries, including Singapore and the Netherlands, have entered the advanced modernization stage; 12 countries or regions, including Germany and the United Kingdom, have entered the intermediate modernization stage; and 13 countries, including Japan and Italy, have entered the primary modernization stage. Looking at the development trends of quasi-modern countries between 1987 and 2021, countries or regions such as Hungary and Poland remained in the ranks of high-income countries for a long time without entering or stabilizing within the ranks of modernized countries. Although countries such as Greece and Portugal once entered the primary modernization stage, they have fallen back to the quasi-modernization stage in recent years. Furthermore, regarding the development trends of modernized countries or regions, although most have remained in the ranks of modernized countries long-term, many have fluctuated across different levels of modernization.
It can be seen that national modernization on a global scale is not always smooth sailing; reversals occur from time to time in the process of world modernization. When a country or region begins to explore modernization in practice, it will inevitably encounter various difficulties and obstacles; the slightest oversight can lead to a reversal.
(3) Deep-seated reasons for the phenomenon of reversal in the process of world modernization Viewing modernization from a macro-historical perspective [4], modernization has brought about changes in the mode of production and is an irreversible process of dynamic development. However, due to significant differences in basic national conditions, economic development levels, economic structures, institutional environments, and national governance capabilities, the modernization of different countries exhibits characteristics such as non-synchronicity and developmental diversity. It is evident that the emergence of reversals is the result of the combined effect of institutional, technical, and natural factors during a country or region's exploration of a practical path with its own characteristics under the leadership of a political party; moreover, the dominant factors differ at different stages. Generally speaking, low quality of government governance, the unsustainability of development driving mechanisms, and high economic vulnerability are the primary reasons hindering the process of national modernization.
First, the low quality of government governance. The quality of government governance is the concentrated expression of a country or region's institutions and their execution capabilities. It directly concerns the developmental prospects and national destiny of a country and is an important guarantee for the smooth initiation and advancement of the modernization process. Looking across the developmental history of various countries, we see that as the core of national economic and social stability, the quality of government governance and modernization efforts support and complement each other. High-quality government governance helps promote modernization, while problems such as corruption and institutional voids that arise during the modernization process require the government to make corresponding preventative institutional arrangements. This is especially important in situations where social contradictions and conflicts of interest intensify. Looking at countries currently still in the low-income stage—whether those that once leaped into the middle-income ranks only to fall out, or those that have remained in the low-income stage long-term—the obstruction of their modernization process is closely related to low quality of government governance, characterized by political instability, frequent civil wars, and the intensification of social contradictions. Measures taken by Western developed countries such as the United Kingdom and Sweden to maintain political stability—such as innovating party theories and programs and focusing on the coordination of economic development and social equity—have also laid a solid foundation for their modernization. At the same time, analysis through the World Bank Governance Indicators shows that countries or regions experiencing reversals score relatively low in indicators such as voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption; their growth rates in these areas are relatively slow or even declining. To this end, Xi Jinping pointed out: "The issue of the rule of law versus the rule of man is a basic question in the history of human political civilization, and it is also a major issue that all countries must face and resolve in the process of achieving modernization. Looking at modern world history, among the countries that successfully achieved modernization, there is not one that did not relatively well resolve the issues of the rule of law and the rule of man. Conversely, although some countries once achieved rapid development, they did not smoothly cross the threshold of modernization, but instead fell into one 'trap' or another, resulting in a situation of economic and social stagnation or even regression. This latter situation is largely related to the failure of the rule of law." It can be seen that the failure to establish an institutional system compatible with a country or region's level of economic development is an important reason for the reversals in these countries.
Second, the unsustainability of development driving mechanisms. In the process of modernization, the unsustainability of a country or region's economic development driving mechanism is reflected not only in the weakening of original driving mechanisms but also in the inability to transform old driving mechanisms into new ones in a timely and effective manner. In fact, a country's modernization brings about not only the expansion of economic scale and growth in total volume but also an upgrade in the quality and state of the economic structure, all of which depend on the sustainability of the economic development driving mechanism. It is undeniable, however, that the driving mechanisms differ at different stages of modernization. Specifically, for countries in the low-income stage, factor inputs such as capital and labor are important drivers of economic growth. But after entering the middle-income stage, the driving mechanism relying on factor inputs begins to attenuate; if an effective transformation cannot be achieved, it is easy to fall into long-term economic stagnation (Gill and Kharas, 2007). From the typical facts of developing countries, some are easily locked into the middle-income stage due to the failure to transform driving mechanisms timely and effectively, resulting in the "middle-income trap." Using the criterion of whether a country can leap over the "middle-income trap" within 30 years of entering the middle-income stage, there were 19, 21, and 24 upper-middle-income countries in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s respectively, but the proportion of countries failing to successfully leap to the high-income stage has grown increasingly high, at 26%, 43%, and 50% respectively (Zhang Derong, 2013). Once a country or region enters the quasi-modernization stage, improving total factor productivity—especially technological progress—remains an important driver for achieving a leap in modernization levels. Based on PWT 10.0 data, calculation results using the DEA-Malmquist method show that although the growth rate of total factor productivity in modernized countries exhibits wave-like fluctuations, most countries generally show positive growth. From the decomposition of total factor productivity growth, technological progress is the main driver, while the effect of technical efficiency varies, indicating that technological progress has become an important driver for whether a modernized country can achieve a leap. In short, the sustainability of the development driving mechanism is an important pillar for whether a country can achieve sustainable development.
Third, high economic vulnerability. As an important manifestation of the ability to withstand damage caused by external shocks or disturbances during economic development, economic vulnerability is not only a key marker for measuring whether a country's development is healthy and stable but also an important factor affecting whether modernization can proceed smoothly. Looking at the history of world modernization, countries that successfully modernize often rank among the world's best in certain industries and possess a complete modern industrial system—such as electronic information and biomedicine in the US, or automobiles and advanced equipment manufacturing in Germany. Conversely, an important lesson for countries where the modernization process has stagnated, been interrupted, or regressed is the incompleteness of their industrial and supply chain systems, making them unable to resist external shocks. This is particularly evident in countries or regions with a relatively singular economic structure. From the perspective of human history, major sudden public events and other exogenous events occur from time to time, such as the Plague of Athens, the Black Death, SARS, and other raging epidemics and viruses, as well as the continuous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years—all of which have, to some extent, hindered the modernization process of countries with high economic vulnerability. Furthermore, whether it is the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis, the 2008 international financial crisis, or current ongoing international political and military conflicts like the Ukraine crisis, all bring extreme environmental risks to a country or region's modernization process. In this process, issues of energy supply, asset price fluctuations, and the integrity of global industrial and supply chains all face significant risks, affecting not only the countries involved but also bringing great uncertainty to the modernization process of other relevant countries or regions.
II. The Scientific Basis for the Irreversibility of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation
The history of world modernization shows that national modernization is an organic combination of the general nature of human social development and the specific particularity of individual countries. As a socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, Chinese-path modernization has not only achieved major breakthroughs in theoretical exploration but has also driven the rapid socio-economic development of our country. The major conclusion that "the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process" is established upon the historic achievements of socialist modernization and represents the organic unity of history and logic, theory and reality. This not only announces that the CPC has led the people of all ethnic groups across the country in achieving the great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong, and is advancing toward the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it also marks that scientific socialism is radiating new and vigorous vitality in 21st-century China, providing Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach for humanity to achieve modernization.
(1) The "Two Inevitabilities" [5] laid the scientific theoretical foundation for the irreversibility of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation Marx and Engels analyzed the laws of human social history through the successive evolution of five social formations, scientifically revealing the general laws of human social development and the specific laws of the capitalist mode of production. Taking capitalist society as their research object and using historical materialism to analyze the inherent contradictions and laws of motion of the capitalist mode of production, Marx and Engels reached the scientific conclusion that "the demise of the bourgeoisie and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable"—the "Two Inevitabilities." As a core category of Marxism, the "Two Inevitabilities" is not only a major discovery in the laws of human social development but has also become a vital component of scientific socialism.
The thought of the "Two Inevitabilities" was reflected as early as the Manifesto of the Communist Party. "The Communist Manifesto had as its object the proclamation of the inevitably impending dissolution of modern bourgeois property." It also pointed out that "the fall of the bourgeoisie and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable." This expression was primarily directed at the typical capitalist societies of Europe and became the initial form of the "Two Inevitabilities." However, from the perspective of reality, Eastern societies did not experience a typical stage of capitalist development; their development possessed its own characteristics. The Asiatic mode of production and the communal ownership of land in Russia meant they could not directly copy the Western model. "Now the question is: can the Russian obshchina [6], though greatly undermined, yet a form of the primeval common ownership of land, pass directly to the higher form of Communist common ownership? Or, on the contrary, must it first pass through the same process of dissolution such as constitutes the historical evolution of the West? The only answer to that possible today is this: If the Russian Revolution becomes the signal for a proletarian revolution in the West, so that both complement each other, the present Russian common ownership of land may serve as the starting point for a communist development." In other words, it was possible for the Russian peasant commune to "not pass through the Caudine Forks [7] of the capitalist system" while still "appropriating all the positive fruits of the capitalist system." It is easy to see that the theoretical extension of the "Two Inevitabilities" was expanded, and later Marxist scholars have continued to enrich and perfect it on this basis.
In fact, the theory of the "Two Inevitabilities" [8] is established upon the foundation of Marx's theory of surplus value. Using the methods of historical materialism and dialectical materialism, and basing themselves on the labor theory of value, Marx and Engels scientifically revealed the generation, source, and essence of surplus value by analyzing the processes of capital production and social reproduction. This not only reflects the exploitation of wage laborers by capitalists under the capital-dominated modernization of capitalist society but also provides the theoretical premise for the argumentation of the "Two Inevitabilities." As Marx noted: "The existence of the capitalist class, and therefore of capital itself, is based on the productivity of labor; not on its absolute, but on its relative productivity... This productivity is based on relative productivity, namely, that the worker not only replaces the old value, but creates new value; that the labor-time objectified in his product is greater than the labor-time objectified in the products required for his maintenance as a worker. This wage labor of production is the basis of capital, the basis of the existence of capital." This demonstrates that under the capitalist system, all factors are subordinate to the needs of capital valorization; it is a process of value formation that "reaches a certain point" and then exceeds that "certain point"—a unity of the process of compensating the value of advanced capital and the process of valorization. With the continuous development and adjustment of the productive forces and relations of production, the fundamental contradictions of capitalism have also undergone profound changes, becoming obstacles to the development of socialized production and giving rise to socio-economic problems such as economic crises of overproduction and contradictions between production, consumption, and the production environment. The development of capitalism will ultimately provide the material premise for a new social system—the socialist system (Pu Deshu, 2022). As Marx pointed out in the Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy: "No social order is ever destroyed before all the productive forces for which it is sufficient have been developed, and new superior relations of production never replace older ones before the material conditions for their existence have matured within the framework of the old society." This delineated the timing and direction for the demise of capitalism and the victory of communism, serving as a beneficial supplement to the theory of the "Two Inevitabilities." In fact, the shift from capitalist society to communist society and the realization of the transformation from the old society to the new cannot be achieved overnight; the primary task for this transformation is to increase labor productivity. To this end, Lenin once pointed out: "Labor productivity is, in the last resort, the most important, the principal thing for the victory of the new social system." "Communism is the higher productivity of labor—compared with that existing under capitalism—of voluntary, class-conscious and united workers employing advanced techniques." He also noted that after the proletariat seizes state power and basically completes the task of expropriating the expropriators, "it must inevitably set in the forefront the fundamental task of creating a social system superior to capitalism, namely, raising the productivity of labor, and in this connection (and for this purpose) securing better organization of labor." "After the proletariat has conquered state power, its most important and fundamental interest is to increase the quantity of goods and greatly enhance the productive forces of society... Unless this condition is fulfilled, the whole cause of emancipation—the liberation of labor from the yoke of capital—cannot be successful, and the victory of socialism is impossible." Under the socialist system, the nature and objectives of socialism dictate that the productive power of labor manifests as the social productive power of labor. In this process, the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of workers combined with socialist modes of production will greatly increase labor productivity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "We must, through deepening reform, allow the vitality of all factors such as labor, knowledge, technology, management, and capital to burst forth, and let all sources of social wealth flow freely." The increase in labor productivity will lay the material foundation for the free and well-rounded development of individuals under the socialist system.
The global landscape is constantly adjusting and shifting through development, and the times are also advancing through change. "Although the era we live in has undergone vast and profound changes compared to Marx's era, viewed from the grand perspective of 500 years of world socialism, we are still in the historical era specified by Marxism." The "Two Inevitabilities" remain the inevitable trend of human social development. Persisting in and developing the theory of the "Two Inevitabilities" will lay the theoretical cornerstone for China to successfully cross the "Kafdtine Canyon" [9] of capitalist society, comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, and render the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation irreversible.
(2) Robust economic strength has laid a solid material foundation for the irreversible process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
Since its founding, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has always adhered to "seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation" as its original aspiration and founding mission. It has scientifically applied materialist dialectics to analyze fundamental contradictions and the principal contradictions at different stages. Based on this, it has defined periodic tasks, formulated realistic strategic goals, and identified effective paths, achieving the world-renowned "twin miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability (Liu Wei and Fan Xin, 2022). The creation of these "twin miracles" has not only achieved an increase in China's total economic volume and a qualitative leap but has also created favorable developmental conditions for the future high-quality development of the Chinese economy.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the economic strength of the country has continuously grown as Chinese Communists have deepened their understanding of economic laws. "In the period of socialist revolution and construction, the main task facing the Party was to realize the transition from New Democracy to socialism, carry out the socialist revolution, promote socialist construction, and lay the fundamental political premise and institutional foundation for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." During this period, Chinese Communists formulated the general task and general line for the socialist transition period, implemented the "One Industrialization and Three Reforms" [10], and comprehensively established the basic socialist system. Regrettably, because the Chinese Communists' understanding of economic laws was not yet deep enough, the basic program of this stage underwent adjustments and fluctuations, causing the national economy to suffer serious damage. Generally speaking, however, although the economy during the period of socialist revolution and construction showed wave-like fluctuations with large rises and falls, it maintained an overall trend of rapid growth, establishing a relatively complete industrial system and national economic system. This not only laid the material and technical foundation for the independent and sustainable development of China's economy but also provided valuable experience and theoretical preparation for initiating socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new historical period. In terms of economic aggregates, between 1952 and 1976, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 67.9 billion yuan to 296.5 billion yuan, and per capita GDP rose from 119 yuan to 319 yuan. In terms of growth rates, between 1953 and 1976, the average annual GDP growth rate was 5.9%, with rapid growth in the output of major industrial products such as steel, crude oil, raw coal, and automobiles. The successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee opened the curtain on reform and opening up and clearly shifted the focus of work to economic construction. "In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, the main task facing the Party was to continue exploring the correct path for building socialism in China, liberating and developing the social productive forces, lifting the people out of poverty and making them prosperous as quickly as possible, and providing a vibrant institutional guarantee and the material conditions for rapid development to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." During the period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, faced with realities such as low levels of development of productive forces, the "Three-Step" strategy [11] was proposed, accompanied by a series of strategic measures to achieve the goal of building a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious socialist modern country. Under the leadership of the CPC and through the joint efforts of all ethnic groups across the country, a moderately prosperous society (xiaokang) was built in general terms by the end of the 20th century. In 2010, China surpassed Japan to become the world's second-largest economy and entered the ranks of upper-middle-income countries.
As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, the principal contradiction in Chinese society transformed into the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. In this period, "the main task facing the Party was to achieve the First Centenary Goal [12], embark on the new journey toward the Second Centenary Goal, and continue advancing toward the grand goal of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." To this end, the CPC, based on its historical position and stage of development, and targeting current periodic contradictions, has persisted in using the New Development Philosophy to solve developmental challenges in the New Era. It has attempted to drive transformations in the quality, efficiency, and drivers of the economy through a series of effective strategic measures, aiming to achieve high-quality development. In terms of economic totals, between 2012 and 2021, GDP grew from 54 trillion yuan to 114 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth of 6.7%; per capita GDP grew from 39,800 yuan to 81,000 yuan. In terms of economic structure, continuous adjustment and optimization have occurred, primarily reflected in the industrial structure, urbanization levels, digitalization levels, degree of industrialization, and agricultural modernization. Regarding industrial structure, the structure of the three strata of industry has been further optimized, with the added value of the tertiary industry as a proportion of GDP rising from 45.5% in 2012 to 53.3% in 2021. In terms of urbanization, the level has steadily improved, with the urbanization rate of the permanent population rising from 53.1% in 2012 to 64.72% in 2021. Regarding digitalization, the "stabilizer" role of the digital economy in the national economy became prominent under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; in 2021, the scale of the digital economy reached 45.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 39.8% of GDP. Within this, the scales of digital industrialization and industrial digitalization were 8.4 trillion yuan and 37.2 trillion yuan, respectively, up 11.9% and 17.2% year-on-year. Regarding the degree of industrialization, China has entered the late stage of industrialization, and various regions are implementing the "New Four Modernizations" [13] with specific focal points and variations, striving to achieve resonance between mature industrialization and the "New Four Modernizations." In terms of agricultural modernization, the proportion of agricultural labor employment fell from 33.49% in 2012 to 22.87% in 2021, though there remains significant room for further reduction compared to developed countries. Naturally, the increase in economic totals and the optimization of structure are inseparable from the support of developmental conditions. From the current stage of development, China already possesses sufficient capital scale, the human capital dividend is gradually becoming apparent, the industrial system is becoming more complete, transportation infrastructure is increasingly refined, and innovation capabilities have significantly strengthened. In terms of capital scale, China's capital scale has grown rapidly, with asset scale increasing from 745.32 trillion yuan in 2012 to 1,695.02 trillion yuan in 2019—an increase of 127.42%, creating a "miracle of capital accumulation." In terms of human capital, the allocation of educational resources has been continuously optimized, educational forms have become increasingly diversified, and human capital has accumulated rapidly. In terms of the industrial system, China possesses the most complete range of industrial categories, with its manufacturing scale ranking first in the world. In terms of infrastructure, the scale and networking of high-speed rail, expressways, ports, airports, and information infrastructure have been further enhanced. Taking high-speed rail as an example: as of September 2022, China's operational and under-construction high-speed rail mileage stood at 40,500 km and 13,100 km, respectively, accounting for 68.79% and 66.28% of the world's high-speed rail mileage, ranking first globally. In terms of innovation capability, total social R&D investment grew from 1.03 trillion yuan in 2012 to 2.79 trillion yuan in 2021. Basic research and original innovation capabilities have been continuously strengthened, major breakthroughs have been made in key core technologies, strategic emerging industries have grown in development, and the number of patent applications and grants has steadily increased. Data shows that in the 2022 Global Innovation Index rankings, China ranked 11th, taking first place in nine indicators including domestic market scale and resident patent applications, thereby entering the ranks of innovative countries. The achievement of these milestones will lay a solid material foundation for the irreversible nature of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(3) The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics provides a perfected institutional guarantee for the irreversible process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
Institutional stability ensures national stability; institutional strength is a country's greatest competitive advantage. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a scientific institutional framework formed by the Party and the people through long-term practical exploration. It encompasses fundamental, basic, and important systems, representing the organic unity of Party leadership, the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law. It is the organic integration of the state system and the legal system, and a unique theoretical innovation and creation of the Communist Party of China (Sun Zhengyu, 2021). "The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and state governance system are systems of governance guided by Marxism, rooted in Chinese soil, possessing deep foundations in Chinese culture, and deeply supported by the people," while "the state governance system and capacity for governance are the concentrated expression of a country's institutions and its capacity to execute those institutions." In other words, upholding and improving the basic system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously promoting the modernization of the state governance system and capacity for governance provide the institutional guarantee for the new journey toward becoming a great modern socialist country. This is a major issue concerning the prosperity and development of the Party and state's cause, the long-term stability of the country, and the happiness and well-being of the people.
"The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and state governance system did not fall from the sky, but grew out of China's social soil, formed through long-term practice in revolution, construction, and reform." Since its founding, the CPC has united and led the people of all ethnic groups, persisted in integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's actual conditions, and continuously carried out reform and innovation through practical exploration. It established and improved the socialist system, forming and developing systems for Party leadership and for economic, political, cultural, social, ecological, and military affairs. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution [14], facing differences in central tasks across various stages brought about by changing national and social conditions, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, began exploring how the Party should lead political power. Regarding the relationship between the Party and political power, Comrade Mao Zedong clearly emphasized in The Struggle in the Jinggang Mountains that "the Party's task is to exercise leadership over the government." Regarding inter-party relations, in response to the different central tasks of various periods, the Party initiated cooperation with the Kuomintang [15], accumulating rich experience for the subsequent establishment of the Party's leadership position. Through practical exploration in different periods, Mao Zedong proposed in On the People's Democratic Dictatorship the concept of a "state of the people's democratic dictatorship led by the Communist Party," further clarifying the relationship between the Party and the People's Republic. It can be seen that during the New Democratic Revolution, the Party's leadership position was established, creating the fundamental social conditions for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. During the period of socialist revolution and construction [16], along with the promulgation of the first Constitution of the People's Republic of China in 1954, a new type of state system—characterized by Party leadership and the people as masters of the country—was established, providing a constitutional basis for the Party's leadership over the state apparatus. During this period, Chinese Communists chose a path of simultaneous socialist construction and transformation. Through "One Industrialization and Three Transformations" [17], they comprehensively established the socialist system, laying the institutional foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. During the period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, as reform and opening up commenced and advanced, the scientific category of "socialism with Chinese characteristics" was formally proposed. At the gathering marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Comrade Hu Jintao summarized "socialism with Chinese characteristics" as consisting of the path, the theoretical system, and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is evident that the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics became a vital component of the broader concept. During this period, the system was initially proposed and further enriched and perfected. As the foundation of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the socialist economic system also became a major means of reforming the constraints on the development of productive forces. This involved not only focusing on structural changes and forms of realization regarding the ownership of the means of production, but also on the modes of income distribution and the socialist market economy system. The explorations at the institutional level during this period provided a systemic guarantee full of new vitality for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Since the New Era, new characteristics, opportunities, and challenges have emerged in China's socio-economic development, and the principal contradiction in society has shifted accordingly. The people's need for a better life is reflected not only in higher requirements for material life but also in the growing demand for democracy, the rule of law, fairness, and justice, which requires the further perfection of institutional building. Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Compared to the past, reform and opening up in the New Era possess many new connotations and characteristics. One vital point is that institutional building carries more weight. Reform faces more deep-seated institutional and mechanistic issues, requires higher levels of top-level design, and demands stronger systematicity, integrity, and synergy. Correspondingly, the tasks of establishing rules and constructing systems are heavier." This places new requirements on strengthening institutional building in the New Era, emphasizing the need for systematic research. To this end, since the 18th National Congress, Chinese Communists have applied dialectical materialism to correctly handle complex relationships—such as those between the whole and the part, the present and the long term, and the primary and the secondary—highlighting the systematic and synergistic nature of reform. By comprehensively deepening reform through overall coordination, the fruits of reform and institutional building can benefit all people more equitably. After a decade of institutional building, "the framework for foundational systems in various fields has been basically established, historical transformations and systemic restructuring have been achieved in many areas, a new round of reform of Party and state institutions has been completed, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has become more mature and stable, and the level of modernization of the state governance system and capacity for governance has significantly improved." This will provide a powerful institutional guarantee to ensure that the process of building a great modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the new journey is irreversible.
III. Scientifically Grasping the Strategic Opportunities of the New Journey to Comprehensively Promote the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation through Chinese-Path Modernization
On the new journey of the New Era, the "changes in the world, the times, and history" brought about by the accelerating evolution of the changes unseen in a century have profoundly shaped the internal and external environment of China's development. The connotation of strategic opportunities has also undergone profound changes. China is currently in a critical period for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The closer we get to this goal, the less likely the road ahead will be smooth, and the greater the risks and challenges will be. Therefore, we should systematically analyze the evolutionary path of strategic opportunities, correctly understand their scientific connotation on the new journey, firmly grasp the "Five Major Principles" [18], take high-quality development as the theme, accelerate the construction of the dual circulation development pattern, and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
(1) New Changes in the Connotation of "Strategic Opportunities" on the New Journey
The period of strategic opportunity is a comprehensive judgment made by Chinese Communists based on an assessment of the situation and the strategic environment of China's social development. As the economy and society develop, the internal and external environments change, and the scientific connotation of strategic opportunities evolves with the times.
The concept of a "period of strategic opportunity" was first proposed in the report to the 16th National Congress of the CPC: "Looking at the situation as a whole, the first twenty years of the 21st century are an important period of strategic opportunity for our country, which we must firmly grasp and in which much can be achieved." From a historical perspective, this was a clear understanding and scientific judgment of China's current stage and historical position by Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their chief representative, who viewed and analyzed problems from a strategic standpoint since the start of reform and opening up. In 1985, Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "The truly big issues in the world today, issues of global strategic significance, are the issue of peace and the issue of economy or development. The peace issue is an East-West issue, while the development issue is a North-South issue. In short, it can be summarized in four words: East, West, North, South." The peace issue was the primary issue between the East and West, concerning the survival of a country or region and serving as the foundation for development. Since the 1970s, the East and West camps, represented by the US and the USSR, reached a state of relative equilibrium. Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, opened China-US exchanges and established diplomatic relations through "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" [19] and other means. The peace issue saw a phase-specific easing, creating conditions for China to shift its focus to economic construction. Under these circumstances, the "North-South issue" began to stand out, and the development issue became the primary problem. Under the development logic dominated by capital, the capitalist mode of production objectively required the international division of labor to cross borders, forming industrial and supply chains in the world market. At that time, China already possessed a complete industrial system, rich labor resources, and a massive market scale. This not only created a favorable investment environment and opportunities for international capital but also provided development opportunities for the Chinese economy. To this end, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their chief representative, fully assessed the internal and external environment, took proactive action, and proposed the "three-step" strategy. Under its guidance, Chinese Communists gave full play to their subjective initiative, continuously promoted institutional reform, and achieved the strategic goal of quadrupling the GNP ahead of schedule. Entering the 21st century, the changes unseen in a century brought about changes in the world, the times, and history. The "change in the world" was mainly reflected in the fact that the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Eastern European socialist states allowed for the formation of a "center-periphery" world hegemony dominated by Western developed countries led by the US; meanwhile, the comprehensive strength and influence of emerging economies and developing countries, represented by China and India, continued to grow, leading to new changes in the world pattern and the balance of power. The "change in the times" was reflected in the innovation of production modes brought by a new round of technological revolution, leading to changes in socio-economic forms and the accelerated formation of a "global village." The "change in history" was mainly reflected in the shifting contest between ideologies and social systems. As the "Sinicization and modernization of Marxism achieved continuous success, Marxism was presented to the world with a brand-new image, causing a major shift in favor of socialism in the historical evolution and contest between the two ideologies and two social systems of socialism and capitalism on a global scale" (Xin Ming, 2022). Chinese Communists, with Jiang Zemin as their representative, discovered through an in-depth analysis of the internal and external environment that peace and development remained the general trend of the times. They clearly pointed out that the first 20 years of the 21st century remained an important period of strategic opportunity and formulated the goal of comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society by 2020. Although China faced shocks such as the international financial crisis during its development, it completed its established goals as scheduled. So, after the realization of the First Centenary Goal, does China's development still face new strategic opportunities? General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The concept of the period of strategic opportunity, when it was first proposed, referred to the first 20 years of this century. Today, 20 years later, how to judge the period of strategic opportunity is a major issue."
On the new journey, the Great Changes Unseen in a Century are accelerating, and the changes of the world, of our times, and of history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. The "East-West issue" and the "North-South issue" are evolving and intertwining, and the instability and uncertainty of the strategic environment have significantly increased. In contrast to the relatively stable strategic environment of the past, the current environment is unpredictable, with risks and challenges that are difficult to discern; whereas the past strategic goals featured mostly areas of cooperation, the current strategic goals involve an increasing number of areas of competition. This dual shift in the strategic environment and strategic goals inevitably imbues "strategic opportunity" with new connotations. To this end, the report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that "our country has entered a period of development in which strategic opportunities, risks, and challenges co-exist and uncertainties and unpredictable factors are rising; 'Black Swan' and 'Gray Rhino' events may occur at any time."
From the perspective of the strategic environment, both domestic and international conditions bring potential impacts to our country’s development. Regarding the international environment, a profound realignment of power is occurring between emerging economies and Western developed nations. The comprehensive strength and international influence of emerging economies are continuously rising, breaking the "one-sided" global power structure and beginning to exhibit a state of relative equilibrium. At the same time, the far-reaching impact of the pandemic of the century has continuously increased the risks of a global economic downturn. Anti-globalization sentiments are resurgent, with unilateralism and protectionism rising significantly and the world economic recovery remaining weak. There are also uncertainties brought by local conflicts and turbulence, such as the Ukraine crisis. Overall, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Regarding the domestic environment, on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, several new contradictions, risks, and challenges have begun to surface. Scientific and technological innovation capabilities are not yet strong enough, and "chokepoint" issues remain prominent. Major problems remain to be solved in guaranteeing the supply of primary products and preventing financial risks. The gaps in development between urban and rural areas and the disparities in income distribution remain severe; the tasks of ecological and environmental protection remain arduous, and so on. It can be seen that the strategic environment faced by the new journey is more complex and severe. We need to strengthen our awareness of potential dangers, take proactive actions, and seek our own development within the dialectical unity of strategy and tactics.
Considering the strategic goals of the current stage, the new journey involves the objective and task of building a great modern socialist country, where strategic opportunities and risks/challenges coexist. On one hand, the risks and challenges faced on the new journey may increase, becoming more complex and systemic. As the comprehensive deepening of reform continues, it involves more and more interests. Reform, development, and stability face many deep-seated problems that cannot be dodged or bypassed; there are many "hard bones" to gnaw [20]. Party building, particularly the improvement of Party conduct, build-up of integrity, and the anti-corruption struggle, faces many stubborn and recurrent problems. We must resolutely prevent the collusion between government officials and businesspeople and the penetration of capital into the political sphere, which damage the political ecosystem and the environment for economic development. Alongside the growing strength of Chinese enterprises and products and the increase in competitive fields, external suppression and containment could escalate at any moment. The risks of "chain throttling" and "chain breaking" have increased, posing major risks and challenges to the reliability and security of our country’s industrial and supply chains. In recent years, from the bursting of the internet bubble to the global financial crisis, and from the Ebola outbreak to the pandemic of the century, various "Black Swan" and "Gray Rhino" events have occurred, and unpredictable factors are on the rise.
On the other hand, our country’s development possesses its own advantages and favorable conditions; opportunities are becoming more strategic and malleable. On the new journey, our development already possesses a solid material foundation, abundant capital, rich human resources, and enhanced capacity for independent innovation. Our institutional advantages are significant, society maintains long-term stability, the industrial structure is continuously optimized, and the economy possesses strong resilience, great potential, and wide room for maneuver. The fundamental reality that the economy is sound in the long term has not changed, and our ability to resist risks is strong. Faced with a turbulent and complex strategic environment, development opportunities under the strategic goals of the new journey have become more like development trends in a strategic sense and uncertainties in a malleable sense. "Challenges are unprecedented; if handled well, opportunities will also be unprecedented." This means that opportunities are not unconditional; only by meeting the prerequisite of handling risks and challenges well will opportunities emerge. To this end, we need to enhance bottom-line thinking and risk prevention awareness, give full play to our subjective initiative, and adopt correct political strategies and tactics to respond to unprecedented challenges and create new strategic opportunities for our country’s development.
(2) Firmly Grasping the "Five Insistences" as a Major Principle to Provide an Important Guarantee for the Irreversibility of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation on the New Journey
The hundred-year struggle of the Communist Party of China has been a path of modernization toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation under CPC leadership, insisting on the organic unity of the minimum program and the maximum program [21]. "Chinese-path modernization is a path that works and is steady; it is the only correct path for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation." The essence and characteristics of Chinese-path modernization provide valuable experience for us to respond to risks and challenges on the road ahead. On the new journey, facing unprecedented risks and challenges in the process of building a great modern socialist country, we should adhere to bottom-line thinking, enhance our awareness of potential dangers, foster an awareness of opportunity, meet challenges head-on, turn situations to our advantage, and nurture new opportunities amid crises and open new ground amid changes. To build a great modern socialist country and make the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation irreversible, we should vigorously promote Chinese-path modernization and firmly grasp the "Five Insistences" (五个坚持) as major principles.
First, insist on and strengthen the overall leadership of the Party. The issue of leadership has always been a key question in the scientific socialist theory of political parties. The concept of a "political party" belongs to the category of the political superstructure; it is determined by the economic base and can, in turn, lead social development. In the history of modern civilization, political parties in any country or region bring about changes in social structures and institutions during the modernization process, but this also reflects the logic of the mode of production and the fundamental interests of the classes they represent. CPC leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It always represents the fundamental interests of the widest possible range of the Chinese people and is the core force leading our country’s modernization. It possesses incomparable organizational, leadership, and executive capacities and is where the interests and destiny of the people of all ethnic groups lie. Only by insisting on and strengthening the Party’s leadership and implementing it across all fields and links of socialist modernization can we ensure the correct direction of our country’s socialist modernization. History and practice have proven that for over a hundred years, the CPC—guided by Marxism—has always been able to strategically recognize, analyze, and judge the major historical tasks of the current stage, formulate effective strategies and tactics, and lead the people to overcome countless risks and achieve new leaps and miracles. It is evident that insisting on and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
Second, insist on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Direction determines the path, and the path determines destiny. The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the broad road for the CPC to lead the people in creating a better life and achieving national rejuvenation. In other words, this path is the only way to realize socialist modernization. The practical experience of global modernization shows that there is no single modernization path that is universally applicable or eternally valid for all generations. The national conditions and popular sentiments of different countries vary, and their choices of paths should naturally differ. As a true depiction of modernization in China, Chinese-path modernization is a late-comer modernization and an organic unity of generality and particularity. This requires Chinese Communists to rely on technological change to drive economic development while simultaneously innovating the relations of production. Institutional innovation and reform have become important manifestations of its particularity. Unlike the institutional innovations of capitalist countries—where the capitalist system replaced the feudal system and formed a combination of private ownership and a market economy—China has, through practical exploration, formed an organic combination of socialist public ownership and the market economy. China’s modernization practice also shows that only by taking Marxism as a guide, staying rooted in the objective reality of national development, and achieving the "Two Combinations" [22], can we explore a path that suits our national conditions and realize our modernization goals. It is evident that insisting on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the practical route for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
Third, insist on the people-centered development philosophy. Looking at the modernization models of various countries, there are primarily two: capital-centered modernization and people-centered modernization. The essence of capital-centered modernization is that the majority of society's material productive forces are held as capital in the hands of a few capitalists; it reflects "capital productivity," and the purpose of production is to extract surplus value to maximize capitalist interests. In fact, historical materialism holds that the people are the subjects of social practice and the creators of history. "If we are to investigate the motives that lie behind... the motives of historical figures and constitute the real ultimate driving forces of history, then the question involves not so much the motives of individuals, even the most eminent ones, as the motives that set in motion great masses, whole nations, and again, whole classes within each nation." This indicates that the real driving force of social history lies in the people; their practical activities construct the logical framework of social existence and evolution. As a Marxist proletarian party, insisting on the principal status of the people is a vivid manifestation of the CPC’s conscious adherence to scientific Marxist guidance. Comrade Mao Zedong also pointed out, "The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history." The people are the subjective force for promoting Chinese-path modernization, a fact confirmed by the practices of China's revolution, construction, and reform. In the process of socialist modernization, we must adhere to the work method of believing in the people, relying on the people, and using the "from the masses, to the masses" [23] approach. As a focal point of public concern, people's livelihoods are the basic components of meeting the people's needs for a better life and the fundamental purpose of advancing Chinese-path modernization. Only by continuously promoting social fairness and justice, realizing the expectations of the masses for broader and more beneficial social security, and striving to enhance their sense of gain, happiness, and security, can Chinese-path modernization move steadily and far. It is evident that insisting on the people-centered development philosophy is the value orientation for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
Fourth, insist on deepening reform and opening up. Reform and opening up are the fundamental driving forces for building a modern socialist country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. In 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee shifted the focus of work toward economic construction. Over more than forty years—from the start of the new period to the crossing into the new century, and from a new starting point to the entry into the New Era—the continuous advancement and deepening of reform and opening up have not only stimulated the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of laborers but have also continuously released "institutional dividends" through structural reforms. This has created "two miracles" [24] and become the most significant feature and magnificent landscape of contemporary China. In the New Era and on the new journey, reform and opening up have entered the "deep-water zone" and shifted toward a historical stage of institutional building and system construction. "We are now at a time when 'the boat is in midstream where the current is swiftest and the path is halfway up the mountain where the slope is steepest' [25]; it is a time when the further we advance, the more difficult and risky it becomes, yet we cannot regress—we must push forward. Reform and opening up have crossed countless mountains and rivers, yet there are still more to traverse; the mission before the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups is more glorious, the tasks more arduous, the challenges more severe, and the work more great." This requires a problem-oriented approach, taking the persistence and perfection of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the modernization of the national governance system and capacity as the main axis. Taking the maintenance of social fairness and justice and the enhancement of people's well-being as the starting and ending points, we must further liberate, develop, and protect the productive forces. "We must strive to break through deep-seated institutional and structural obstacles, continuously manifest the institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously enhance the drive and vitality of socialist modernization, and better transform our country’s institutional advantages into national governance efficiency."
Fifth, persist in promoting a fighting spirit. The Communist Party of China (CPC) creates history through struggle and will win the future through struggle. Having the courage and the ability to find the proper methods of struggle is a distinct character of the CPC and a powerful spiritual force for responding to various risks and challenges in the process of China’s socialist modernization. Chinese Communists have grown and strengthened themselves through struggle, and this fighting spirit has permeated every period of China’s revolution, construction, and reform. For over a century, facing the trials and challenges of complex and severe domestic and international environments, the CPC has bravely shouldered its heavy historical responsibilities, engaging in bloody battles against powerful enemies at home and abroad through armed struggle, the Land Reform [26], the Civil War, and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. Facing the severe shocks to world socialism in the late 1980s and early 1990s—such as the drastic changes in Eastern Europe and the dissolution of the Soviet Union—as well as domestic issues such as the political turmoil of 1989 [27], the CPC took decisive measures. It won this struggle concerning the life and death of the nation and strengthened its confidence in persisting on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. "If the leadership of the CPC and our country's socialist system had also collapsed in that domino-like change, or failed for other reasons, then socialist practice might have had to wander in the dark for a long time again, and the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation would have inevitably been interrupted." On the new journey, the risks and challenges we face may grow and become increasingly complex, with uncertain and unpredictable factors continuously rising. This requires us to grasp the historical characteristics and laws of development of the fighting spirit, strengthen strategic planning, grasp the general trend and the overall situation, and take proactive initiative. Only then can we seize strategic opportunities, turn crises into opportunities, transform danger into safety, and seize new victories in the Great Struggle [28] on the new journey.
(3) Providing strong support for the irreversibility of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the new journey by accelerating the construction of a New Development Paradigm
The core of Chinese-path modernization is economic modernization, and the realization of the goal of becoming a great modern power requires high-quality development as its foundation. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC also pointed out: "Development is the Party’s top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country. Without a solid material and technological foundation, it is impossible to build a great modern socialist country in all respects. We must completely, accurately, and comprehensively implement the New Development Philosophy, adhere to the direction of socialist market economy reform, persist in high-level opening up, and accelerate the construction of a New Development Paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international dual circulation promoting each other." This indicates that on the new journey in the New Era, the core of persisting in the New Development Philosophy and achieving high-quality development in our economy lies in building a modern economic system, and the focus of building a modern economic system lies in constructing the New Development Paradigm. Although China has achieved certain results in constructing the New Development Paradigm, the comprehensive completion of this paradigm still has a long way to go. Facing new changes in the connotation of strategic opportunities on the new journey, "Only by accelerating the construction of a New Development Paradigm can we consolidate the foundation of China’s economic development and enhance the security and stability of development; only then can we enhance China’s survivability, competitiveness, development power, and sustainability amidst various foreseeable and unpredictable storms and waves, ensuring that the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is not delayed or even interrupted, and victoriously achieving the goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects."
To accelerate the construction of the New Development Paradigm, we must first clarify its scientific connotation. From the perspective of political economy, the New Development Paradigm is the external synthesized expression of the internal structure formed by the interaction and joint action of various factors in the process of economic development on the new journey in the New Era; it is directly manifested as a new production pattern, a new supply-and-demand pattern, and a new trade pattern. The New Development Paradigm features domestic economic circulation as the mainstay with domestic and international dual circulation promoting each other; the two are complementary, representing a dialectical unity. As a large country with a massive population and a super-sized market scale, domestic economic circulation is the root and the basis for China’s participation in international economic circulation. Since the New Era, the "bottlenecks" [29] in China's national economic circulation have been mainly reflected in relative overcapacity caused by structural changes in demand, mismatch between supply and demand, and "chokehold" [30] technical problems (Xie Fusheng, Kuang Xiaolu, 2022). On the new journey, the core of accelerating the construction of the New Development Paradigm is to create a powerful domestic economic circulation system and a solid fundamental base (基本盘), which is also the firm foundation for implementing high-level opening up and achieving the mutual promotion of domestic and international dual circulation. To this end, we should base our actions on national conditions, seize the main problems, persist in the organic unity of short-term and long-term goals, coordinate development and security, formulate effective strategic measures, and accelerate the construction of the domestic economic circulation system.
First, uphold the logic of integrated urban-rural development, expand domestic demand with county seats as important carriers, and accelerate the cultivation of a complete domestic demand system. Expanding domestic demand is the strategic starting point for smoothing domestic circulation, and using the built environment of county seats as an important grip [31] to consolidate the foundational support for county operations is an important means of tapping the potential of domestic demand. In recent years, China's urbanization process has continued to advance, with the permanent population in over 1,800 counties and cities exceeding 900 million. According to the goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, it is expected that another 200 million people will enter urban life. At the same time, the shrinking migration radius of migrant workers and the trend of seeking employment locally or nearby have become new developments. To this end, in response to the reality that obvious weak links exist in urban and rural infrastructure such as disaster prevention and mitigation, we should take the county seat as an important carrier. We must persist in a "twin-wheel drive" of people-centered urbanization and rural construction based on industrial prosperity, reshaping urban-rural relations through coordinated development. This is conducive not only to resolving overcapacity but also to achieving integrated urban-rural development at the county level and creating a county-level domestic demand system. First, target key county seats. Considering the reality of economic development levels, location advantages, and industrial foundations, focus on 120 demonstration areas for county seat construction, aiming to undertake industrial transfers and develop characteristic industries, carrying out county construction in an orderly and step-by-step manner. Second, use key fields as the grip. Currently, county seat construction should focus on the construction of the built environment to create a favorable external environment for industrial transfer and the development of characteristic industries. As a long-term construction project, the built environment of county seats can focus on increasing infrastructure construction in flood control and drainage, public health, and underground pipe networks. This will attract large amounts of investment and provide many jobs, resolving overcapacity while promoting the local and nearby urbanization of the county population. Finally, use core problems as the breakthrough point. Addressing the weak industrial coordination between county seats and cities/villages and the large income gap, county seats should be integrated into the industrial division of labor system of their respective urban clusters. Work such as "converting townships into towns" (撤乡设镇) should be carried out according to local conditions to expand market scale, create small-town industrial clusters, and promote the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities with small towns, forming a linked and integrated development of cities (central cities), counties (central towns), and villages (central villages).
Second, take the improvement of supply system quality as the main direction of attack to achieve a benign interaction between supply and demand. The unimpeded flow of economic circulation is the key to constructing the New Development Paradigm. This requires that the combination of various productive forces such as capital and labor in economic activities be organically connected and flow smoothly through the stages of production, distribution, circulation, and consumption. This will help increase material products and enhance social welfare, thereby forming a development process of spiral ascent. However, if "blockages" or "blood stasis" appear in the economic circulation, its smooth operation will be hindered. This manifests macroeconomically as slowed economic growth and increased unemployment, and microeconomically as corporate overcapacity and declining resident income. In fact, the key to smooth economic circulation lies in whether supply and demand are adapted to each other; the core is whether effective supply capacity can match diversified demand. To this end, we should deepen supply-side structural reform. Based on continuing the important tasks of "Three Goings, One Lowering, and One Patching" [32], we must patch the shortboards [33] and strengthen weak points, using self-controllable, high-quality, and effective supply to meet and create demand, forming a dynamic benign circulation system of: "improving supply quality → meeting existing demand and tapping potential demand → promoting demand upgrading → leading supply upgrading → ..." Specifically: for fields such as basic software and core hardware that have a high degree of external dependence and face the risk of supply chain disruptions at any time, we must strive to improve independent innovation capabilities, leverage the advantages of the New Whole-of-Nation System [34] to concentrate resources on major undertakings, and accelerate the patching of shortboards. For diversified consumer services such as high-quality brand goods, elderly health care, and cultural creativity, as well as high-end producer services such as R&D and design, we should strengthen policy guidance, accelerate institutional construction, promote the optimization and upgrading of industrial structures, and adjust and optimize the supply structure. In response to the new changes and opportunities brought by the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, we should use this to vigorously develop the real economy, promote the high-end, intelligent, and green development of manufacturing, create a new system of high-quality and efficient services, and promote the development of new industries, new technologies, and new business forms, creating new demand through new supply.
Third, use innovation as the driving force to achieve high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening. Relying on innovation-driven development to achieve high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening is the most essential feature of constructing the New Development Paradigm. On the new journey, China's economic and social development has entered a new stage; the goals and constraints of development have undergone profound changes, the relative advantages of productive forces have shifted, and the importance of science and technology has risen across the board. Although China has achieved remarkable results in science and technology and has become an innovative country, it is undeniable that many key core technologies in high-tech fields are still "controlled by others," and the "chokehold" problem remains serious. Strengthening technological innovation and breaking through key core technologies to overcome industrial bottlenecks is the key to achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. To this end, we must comprehensively strengthen the strategic deployment of technological innovation, leverage the advantages of the New Whole-of-Nation System, concentrate superior resources, and advance the systems and mechanisms for innovation breakthroughs in a powerful and orderly manner, consolidating foundations, patching shortboards, and forging "longboards" [35] to enhance the independent and controllable capacity of industrial and supply chains. In the process of innovation breakthroughs, the government should categorize projects based on their nature and implement precise policies. For projects in strategic, overall, and urgently needed fields, the government should take a proactive role, organizing superior resources for concentrated breakthroughs. State-owned enterprises (SOEs), especially central SOEs, should bravely shoulder heavy responsibilities, set an example, act as the "Chain Leaders" (链长) of modern industrial chains, and guide private enterprises to actively participate in innovation breakthroughs, achieving complementary advantages and coordinated development. For projects in competitive and locally urgent fields, the government should provide full support; leading enterprises with strong innovation capabilities should play a leading role, joining forces with research institutes and upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry to tackle key problems, jointly building an innovation ecosystem and empowering high-quality industrial development through innovation.
IV. Conclusion
Modernization is a global and irreversible world-historical process of human civilization, but the specific process of practice is composed of the different historical practices of various countries or regions. Looking at the historical process of global modernization, it is not difficult to find that the modernization process of every country or region possesses its own practical path characteristics. Some countries successfully escape the "poverty trap" and cross the "middle-income trap" during their modernization, continuously achieving leaps in their level of modernization; however, others face a process full of twists and turns, experiencing stagnation, interruption, or regression. The reasons for this are invariably closely related to the quality of government governance, the sustainability of the development momentum conversion mechanism, and economic vulnerability. As the world's largest socialist developing country, "building a great modern socialist country in all respects is a great and arduous undertaking; the future is bright, but the road is long." Chinese Communists always adhere to their original aspiration and founding mission of "seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation," persist in the organic unity of the minimum program and the maximum program [36], and have led the people of the whole country to achieve the great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong. The realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process. It is evident that using high-quality development to achieve Chinese-path modernization and advancing the irreversible historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an organic unity of history and logic, theory and reality. The "Two Inevitabilities" [37] are the theoretical cornerstone for the irreversibility of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; strong economic strength is the material basis; and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the institutional guarantee. The theoretical cornerstone, economic foundation, and institutional guarantee together provide the foundational safeguard and endogenous power for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization on the new journey.
On the new journey, China's development faces new strategic opportunities. Only by strengthening the awareness of potential dangers, adhering to bottom-line thinking [38], taking proactive initiative, and advancing in the face of difficulties can we seize the initiative and transform crises into opportunities or turn peril into safety. In the process of building a great modern socialist country, we must consistently follow the "Five Insistences" (wu ge jianzhi) [39] as major principles: insisting on and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership, insisting on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, insisting on the people-centered development philosophy, insisting on deepening reform and opening up, and insisting on carrying forward the spirit of struggle [40]. These are not only a summary of the experience of the Chinese Communists in over a century of modernization efforts but also the major principles that must be upheld in building a great modern socialist country on this new journey. Building upon this foundation, with high-quality development as the theme and the accelerated construction of the dual circulation [41] development pattern as the focal point, we strive to build a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century, thereby realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(Author affiliation: School of Economics, Renmin University of China) Online Editor: Lian Yu Source: Management World (Guanli Shijie), Issue 4, 2023.