Marxism Research Network
Unofficial English Translation

Yan Xiaofeng: On the Philosophical Spirit of the New Era

Academy News

Philosophy is the essence of the spirit of the age. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; it is the essence of the age for Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit, as well as for Marxist philosophy. It is a philosophical spirit that crystallizes the profound foundations of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This philosophical spirit serves as a distinct hallmark of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, permeating the theoretical system and manifesting the character of its discourses. It represents the intellectual core and a vital path toward a deep understanding of the philosophical thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

I. The Spirit of the Age that Inaugurated the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Thought reflects its era, and philosophy distills history. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the theoretical crystallization of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The spirit of the age contained within this thought must be understood through the New Era’s practical foundations and essential characteristics.

(I) The Essential Connotation of the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Beginning with the Party’s 18th National Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a New Era. This is an era for the continued advancement and leap-frog development of socialism with Chinese characteristics; an era for achieving the Two Centenary Goals; an era for the continuous creation of a better life; an era for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation at a critical juncture; and an era for China to make new and greater contributions to humanity. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Party pointed out: "The great changes in the ten years of the New Era have milestone significance in the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of the development of socialism, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation." This identifies the unique and profound historical and temporal connotations of the New Era. Regarding the history of China’s socialist construction, the New Era aims to push socialism with Chinese characteristics to new historical heights; regarding the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it aims to create a new form of human civilization; regarding the world socialist movement following the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe [1], it aims to drive socialism from setback to recovery; and regarding human development and progress, it aims to stand at the forefront of human development and lead the trends of the times.

"The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a new historical coordinate [2] for our country’s development." This new historical coordinate contains the essential connotations of the New Era. First, the primary task facing the Party has shifted: it must promote the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong, with the Party leading the people irreversibly toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Second, the principal contradiction in our society has transformed: the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development must be resolved, moving from "whether it exists" (quantity) to "how good it is" and "how beautiful it is" (quality). Third, major questions of the times have been clearly posed, including how to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, how to build a great modern socialist country, and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party—all of which expand and deepen the fundamental and major questions answered by the Party since the beginning of reform and opening up. Fourth, China's international influence, appeal, and power to shape the world have significantly increased, becoming a major force in promoting human development and progress; the Chinese nation will stand tall among the nations of the world with a more vigorous posture.

(II) The New Era Engenders New Connotations of the Spirit of the Age Each era has its own spirit of the age, and each era forms its own philosophical spirit. While the "New Era" is not yet an "era" in terms of the spatiotemporal scale of world history, it holds a special status within its own epoch due to its great historical significance, presenting new characteristics in the themes of the times and engendering new connotations of the spirit of the age. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Contemporary China is undergoing the most extensive and profound social transformation in our country’s history, and is also engaged in the most magnificent and unique practical innovation in human history." This social transformation and practical innovation must contain a transformation of the social spirit and an innovative spirit of practice; they will inevitably be converted into and generate a new spirit for the times and the spirit of the New Era. Founded within the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era possesses both long-standing and profound historical roots and a deep and unique realistic foundation. It is the essence of the spirit of the age in the New Era, crystallized into a philosophical spirit and infused into the scientific system of this thought.

The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics was inaugurated by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core through a commitment to pioneering innovation and overcoming challenges, thereby forming a series of strategic measures, transformative practices, breakthrough developments, and landmark achievements. The New Era unifies seeking happiness for the people with seeking progress for humanity, demonstrating a mission-driven responsibility to achieve national rejuvenation while maintaining a global vision. Rooted in the world’s "changes unseen in a century" and the critical period of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the New Era accurately grasps the intersection of these two overall situations [3] to drive historical change. The New Era continuously opens new frontiers for Marxism, keenly perceiving the "voice of the age" and scientifically answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, thereby assuming the mission of continuing theoretical innovation. Facing new risks and challenges, as well as deep-seated contradictions and problems, the New Era carries out a "great struggle" to eradicate long-standing ailments and malpractices. The New Era coordinates all undertakings of the Party and the state, harmonizing work in various fields with the various components of socialist modernization. These practical characters of the New Era are deeply integrated into the new connotations of the spirit of the age, becoming a distinct feature of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

(III) The Spirit of Historical Initiative in the New Era The spirit of the age that inaugurated the New Era manifested in many aspects with rich connotations, but its most concentrated expression and distinct feature is a high degree of the spirit of historical initiative. The Party’s third historical resolution [4] stated: "The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with great historical initiative, huge political courage, and a strong sense of responsibility... has promoted historical achievements and historical changes in the cause of the Party and the state." This spirit of historical initiative stems from the spiritual wealth of the Party’s century of struggle—the more severe the situation, the more numerous the difficulties, and the harsher the conditions, the more necessary it is to turn passivity into initiative and disadvantage into advantage. It also stems from the sense of responsibility among Chinese Communists in the New Era: faced with unsolved difficulties and major tasks yet to be accomplished, one cannot be idle or stick to old ways; one must create history and create a new era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "History has its laws, but people within it are not completely passive. As long as we grasp the laws and general trends of historical development, seize the opportunities for historical change, act with the tide, and strive for progress, we can advance better."

Developing the spirit of historical initiative in the New Era is manifested in the conscious following of historical laws. This involves guiding the governance of the country in the New Era according to the materialist conception of history, while simultaneously following the mastery of historical initiative and the promotion of historical change as important laws of historical dialectics. Developing the spirit of historical initiative is also manifested in a profound insight into the general trend of history. In May 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "With the combined impact of the changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, unstable, uncertain, and insecure factors in the international situation have become increasingly prominent. However, the theme of the era—peace and development—has not changed; the pursuit of a better life by the people of all countries has not changed; and the historical mission of the international community to stick together through thick and thin for win-win cooperation has not changed." Only by grasping the general trend can one act effectively; this is manifested in the accurate grasping of historical opportunities. The New Era is closer, more confident, and more capable than any other period in history of achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The Party's central task must align with the trend of the times and the will of the people to move forward with the tide. This is further manifested in the resolute breaking of historical obstacles. The process of national rejuvenation is by no means smooth sailing; one must effectively respond to major challenges, resist major risks, overcome major obstacles, and resolve major contradictions. By developing the spirit of historical initiative, the Party and the state have mastered the historical initiative for development and achieved great success for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

II. The Intellectual Realm of Putting the People First and Achieving Great Harmony for the World

Every school of thought faces the fundamental question of whom it represents, whom it is for, and whom it serves; this determines the height of its intellectual realm and the breadth of its philosophical spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Marxism is broad and profound, but in the final analysis, it can be summarized in one sentence: seeking liberation for humanity." "The reason Marxism has influence across borders and eras is that it is rooted in the people and points out the right path of relying on the people to push history forward." The Communist Party of China has always adhered to this fundamental Marxist standpoint and has carried it forward even more significantly in the New Era. Adhering to "putting the people first" and "maintaining a global vision" are the primary and basic principles of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through it.

(I) Harboring the Chinese People and All Humanity, the Chinese Nation and the Whole World The Party’s third historical resolution stated: "The cause of the Party and the people is an important part of the cause of human progress. Over the past century, the Party has sought happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, while also seeking progress for humanity and Great Harmony for the world." The Party is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, as well as the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation; seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation inevitably becomes the Party's primary task. As a Marxist party, it always adheres to communist ideals and socialist beliefs, which inevitably requires an international perspective on the future and destiny of humanity, taking human liberation as its own responsibility. The interests of the Chinese people are closely linked to those of all humanity, and the fate of the Chinese nation cannot be disconnected from the fate of the whole world, for "an integrated world is right there; whoever rejects this world will be rejected by it." The happiness of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are the foundations for the Party to seek progress for humanity and Great Harmony for the world; conversely, human progress and world harmony are the conditions for the Party to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.

Seeking happiness for the Chinese people means the Party adheres to "putting the people first," representing the fundamental interests of the broadest range of the Chinese people, and always adhering to the fundamental purpose of "serving the people heart and soul." As the report to the 20th National Congress emphasized: "Stand firmly on the people's position, grasp the people's wishes, respect the people's creativity, and pool the people's wisdom." Seeking rejuvenation for the Chinese nation means the Party leads the people in successfully opening the correct path to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, pushing it step-by-step to a new historical stage—China has become a highly unified country with ethnic unity, a prosperous and strong country with moderate prosperity in all respects, and an independent, self-reliant, and self-confident country. Seeking progress for humanity means the Party leads the people in successfully creating the Chinese path to modernization and a new form of human civilization, providing new choices for humanity to achieve modernization and making new and greater contributions to the noble cause of human peace and development. Seeking "Great Harmony" (Datong) for the world means promoting the common values of humanity—peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom—and promoting the construction of a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, and cleanliness, providing more and better Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength to solve the common problems facing humanity.

(II) The Practical Content of the "Four Seekings" in the New Era In the New Era, the Party's efforts to "seek happiness for the Chinese people" are concentrated on meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. This involves both continuing to meet requirements for material and cultural life and paying more attention to increasing demands for democracy, the rule of law, equity, justice, security, and the environment, thereby enriching the people’s spiritual world. It is also concentrated on promoting "well-rounded human development" and making more substantial progress toward "common prosperity" for all—common prosperity is a necessary condition for well-rounded development, while well-rounded development is the value goal of common prosperity. The Party’s efforts to "seek rejuvenation for the Chinese nation" are concentrated on clarifying that the overall task of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is to realize socialist modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. This unifies Chinese-path modernization with the realization of rejuvenation: building a great modern socialist country is the necessary path, while national rejuvenation is the powerful engine for modernization, thus mapping out the general strategy for the nation's rejuvenation in the New Era.

Entering the New Era, the Party's efforts to seek progress for humanity and seek the Great Harmony [6] for the world are centrally embodied in its promotion of building a community with a shared future for humanity. The world is undergoing great changes unseen in a century, and the accelerated evolution of these changes has brought unprecedented influence, transformation, and impact to the globe. Changes in the world, in the times, and in history are unfolding in an unprecedented manner, urgently requiring answers to the questions of our time: "What is happening to the world?" and "Where is humanity headed?" The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has proposed adhering to principles such as sovereign equality, communication and consultation, the rule of law and justice, openness and inclusiveness, and humanitarianism as the basic observances for building a community with a shared future for humanity. It advocates that the international community make efforts in areas such as cooperative relations, security frameworks, economic development, cultural exchanges, and the construction of ecological civilization to build this community. It promotes the construction of a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) serving as a vivid practice of building a community with a shared future for humanity. Since the outbreak of the pandemic of the century, China has launched the largest global emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the People's Republic of China, strengthening international anti-epidemic cooperation, actively carrying out research and development cooperation for medicines, jointly building multiple lines of defense against the epidemic, and accelerating the construction of a global community of health for all, thereby demonstrating its image as a responsible major power.

(3) The Ideological Realm of "Four Seekings for Four Subjects" in the New Era Explicitly proposing that the Party's original aspiration and founding mission is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and seek rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is a further elaboration on the Party's nature and purpose, as well as a deepening of the Marxist views on the people and the state in the New Era. How to always maintain and practice the Party's original aspiration and founding mission under conditions of long-term governance is a major issue upon which General Secretary Xi Jinping has reflected deeply. He profoundly pointed out: "History has fully proven that the country is the people, and the people are the country; the support or opposition of the people concerns the life and death of the Party." This clarifies the view of the people and the state held by Chinese Communists in the New Era. Why did all previous ruling cliques in China before the founding of the PRC fail to escape the historical cycle of "order and chaos, rise and fall" [7]? The fundamental reason is that they fought for the country for the sake of a tiny minority, and after winning it, they guarded the country for a tiny minority. They did not gain the firm support of the masses and lacked a mass base for long-term peace and stability; eventually, whether sooner or later, they were abandoned by the people and eliminated by history. Only by persisting in fighting for the country for the people and guarding the country for the people, and by insisting that both are for the people's happiness and the country's prosperity, can the whole Party be ensured not to forget its original aspiration and to keep its mission firmly in mind. By having the courage to carry out self-revolution, the Party can leap out of the historical cycle, ensuring long-term governance through seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation, and using long-term governance to ensure the same.

Explicitly proposing that the Party's century of struggle seeks progress for humanity and the Great Harmony for the world is an attribution of value pursuit to the profound influence the Party's century of struggle has had on the process of world history; it is also a deepening of the Marxist view of humanity and the global view in the New Era. Building a community with a shared future for humanity is an innovative development of Marxist world-history theory and the theory of human community. The Party's third historical resolution [8] emphasized: Building a community with a shared future for humanity has become a clear banner leading the trend of the times and the direction of human progress. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out: Building a community with a shared future for humanity is the future of the people of all countries. Its confidence and foundation lie in the fact that human society is increasingly becoming a community of shared destiny where "you are in me and I am in you." Although countries differ in history, culture, and systems, and although the current world still sees a contest between two ideologies and two social systems while economic globalization faces headwinds, human society is increasingly forming a community of interests and destiny where interests are intertwined and security is shared. Interconnection and interdependence are the major currents; common development and shared prosperity are the major trends. Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation no longer meet the requirements of the times. We must transcend the boundaries of country, nation, culture, and ideology, adhere to multilateralism, follow the path of solidarity and cooperation, and work together to tackle various global issues, turning the aspirations of people worldwide for a better life into reality.

III. The Strategic Vision of Coordinating the Two Overarching Situations

Strategy consists of judgments and decisions made from the perspective of the whole, the long term, and the general trend. Strategic vision is the cognitive premise of strategic decision-making and an important manifestation of philosophical thinking. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Strategic issues are fundamental issues for a political party and a country. If the judgment on strategy is accurate, the strategic planning scientific, and the strategic initiative won, then the cause of the Party and the people is full of hope." Strategic thinking provides scientific ideological methods for prospective thinking, holistic planning, and the integrated advancement of various undertakings of the Party and the state. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the most important strategic issue is the historical convergence of the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's great changes unseen in a century. The most important requirement for strategic vision and strategic thinking is the coordinated grasp of these two overarching situations.

(1) The Strategic Overall Situation of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation and the World’s Great Changes Unseen in a Century The proposal of the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation indicates that the great rejuvenation—for which generations of Chinese people and Chinese Communists have struggled unswervingly since the dawn of modern history—has formed a strategic totality in the New Era. It can now be planned and promoted at the level of a strategic overall situation. This is a qualitative leap and a new stage in the process of national rejuvenation. It indicates that national rejuvenation, this greatest dream, is no longer a distant goal but has had its roadmap, timetable, and construction blueprint formulated, becoming solid actions and steps and entering a stage of conscious, deep, and comprehensive practice. It indicates that the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been integrated with the building of a great modern socialist country and the persistence and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. This framework is constituted by coordinating the domestic and international overarching situations, the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan," the "Four Comprehensives" strategic layout, and the coordination of development and security. It indicates that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken up the major historical mission of leading and advancing the strategic overall situation of national rejuvenation, uniting and leading the people in common struggle, and standing at a new historical height for achieving this goal.

The major judgment regarding the world's great changes unseen in a century is a scientific conclusion made by General Secretary Xi Jinping based on his holistic grasp of the trends of the times and major changes in the international situation, starting from the interconnected evolution of various world forces. It possesses a broad strategic vision and is of great strategic guiding significance. Since the 20th century, human society has moved forward with difficulty in the pursuit of freedom from war and the creation of peace, the breaking of shackles and the struggle for independence, the expansion of cooperation and common development, and the response to risks as a community of shared destiny. It is now undergoing a new period of transformational change. These great changes are manifested in the profound shift in the international balance of power, with multiple development centers gradually forming in various regions of the world; the deep adjustment of the international system and order, as emerging market countries and developing countries push the international order in a more just and reasonable direction; the in-depth development of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, with continuous breakthroughs in frontier technologies and the emergence of numerous new industries, business forms, and models; and the profound evolution of international political and social trends of thought, as scientific socialism radiates strong vitality in 21st-century China. Particularly since 2020, the intertwining and overlapping of world changes and the pandemic of the century, along with the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the globe since 2022, have pushed the world into a new period of turbulence and transformation.

(2) Coordinating and Grasping the Two Overarching Situations from a Strategic Totality The historical convergence of the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's great changes unseen in a century constitutes a more holistic, totalizing, and historical strategic situation. This places new and higher requirements on the Party's strategic thinking and strategic operational capabilities. First, it requires accurate judgment of the strategic totality. One must be adept at strategic thinking, starting from the historical context, synthesizing various factors of contemporary China and the world, clarifying the relational mechanisms of these complex factors, and making perceptions, analyses, and judgments from a strategic totality to provide a scientific basis for strategic decision-making. Second, it requires scientific planning on the strategic totality. One must be adept at seeing, thinking about, and solving problems from a strategic perspective, formulating political strategies and tactics that coordinate the two overarching situations and effectively guide the overall strategic situation, including both general principles and specific implementation plans, to create correct plans for strategic coordination. Third, it requires winning the initiative within the strategic totality. If the strategy wins, the opening wins; if the strategy loses, the whole situation is lost. Historical initiative is first and foremost strategic initiative. We must ensure that the historical convergence of the two overarching situations evolves in a direction favorable to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of human development. The progression from "maintaining the two overarching situations in mind" [9] after the 19th CPC National Congress, to "coordinating the two overarching situations" at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, and finally to "coordinating and grasping the two overarching situations" at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, demonstrates the Party's expanding strategic breadth and increasingly conscious strategic coordination.

The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has fully grasped the close connection and interactive relationship between the two overarching situations, seizing the period of important strategic opportunity, responding to risks, challenges, and uncertainties, and meticulously operating the two overarching situations. This has created a more favorable strategic environment for the Chinese nation's great leap from standing up and growing rich to becoming strong. This involves thinking about and planning the strategic overall situation of national rejuvenation against the backdrop of the world's great changes unseen in a century. National rejuvenation cannot be achieved on an "isolated island." Rather, we must fully recognize the trend of increasing global integration, make full use of the favorable conditions brought by the great changes to the new journey of national rejuvenation, and fully guard against the impact of "black swan," "gray rhino," and "great white shark" [10] events on China's socialist modernization process. At the same time, the world's great changes are not treated as a fixed or unchangeable existence. China is not a passive or inactive recipient in the face of these changes; instead, it strives for a strategic position of initiative. China acts as a major variable in the world's changes, calculating and maneuvering the situation, and treating the influence and transformation of these century-long changes as an inherent part of the strategic "game" of national rejuvenation, thereby seizing opportunities and opening new horizons.

(3) Opening New Horizons Amidst Great World Changes Coordinating the two overarching situations is the unification of strategic vision and strategic deployment, of strategic planning and strategic implementation. The world's great changes are both a continuation of world history and a reshaping of it, containing multiple possible paths and spaces. For different countries, the strategic resources, capabilities, and positions are different, and thus their place and actions within the world's great changes differ greatly.

Entering the New Era, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social mobilization capabilities have been significantly strengthened. This has greatly enhanced the Party's strategic ability to oversee the whole situation and coordinate all parties amidst the world's great changes. By grasping the new stage of development, implementing the new development philosophy, constructing the new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development, we have enhanced China's economic competitiveness, innovation, and risk-resistance. By making scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement the strategic support for national development, the country's economic strength, technological strength, and comprehensive national power have withstood the impact of the global economic recession. Deepening comprehensive reform has basically established a foundational institutional framework for systemic integration, synergy, and efficiency across all fields. Many fields have achieved historical transformations, systemic reshaping, and overall reconstruction. By implementing a more proactive opening-up strategy and building an open economic system that is mutually beneficial, diverse, balanced, and highly efficient, China's new advantages in international economic cooperation and competition have been continuously enhanced. By building a consolidated national defense and a powerful people’s army commensurate with China's international status and compatible with its national security and development interests, we have strengthened the military’s strategic function in shaping security situations, deterring and controlling crises and conflicts, and winning local wars. The People's Liberation Army has taken practical actions to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests. By fully implementing the holistic approach to national security, improving the national security system, accelerating the construction of a new security pattern, doing a good job in national security work in the New Era, preventing systemic risks, and avoiding subversive crises, we have established a solid security guarantee for opening new horizons amidst world changes. By promoting the governance of Hong Kong and Macau in accordance with the law, we consistently maintain the "time and momentum" [11] for the complete reunification of the motherland. By promoting the construction of a new type of international relations, advancing and improving an all-round, multi-level, and three-dimensional diplomatic layout, and actively participating in the reform and construction of the global governance system, China’s diplomacy is opening new horizons amidst the world's great changes and turning crises into opportunities amidst world chaos.

IV. The Spiritual Qualities of Emancipating the Mind, Seeking Truth from Facts, and Upholding the Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era contains within it the philosophical spirit of the New Era and its very essence. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at a seminar for provincial and ministerial-level leading cadres on studying and implementing the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in January 2022 that we must "persist in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground." One could say this is a highly refined distillation of the philosophical spirit of the New Era and an incisive expression of the theoretical character of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This philosophical spirit and theoretical character are embodied within the scientific theoretical system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, demonstrated across all the ideological viewpoints of this theoretical system, and have deepened the spiritual substance of Sinicized and modernized Marxism.

(1) The New Era crystallization of the essence of Marxism and the New Era development of the Party's ideological line

Marxist philosophy is a constituent part and the philosophical foundation of Marxism; it concentrates and distils the essence of Marxism. Marxism is revolutionary and critical; materialist dialectics insists on the developmental nature of the world and the law of the negation of the negation, which determines that "liberating the mind" has become the Sinicized and modernized expression of the essence of Marxism. Marxism is scientific and practical; dialectical materialism insists on the principle of the primacy of matter and the objective reality of the world, which determines that "seeking truth from facts" has become the Sinicized and modernized expression of the essence of Marxism. The third historical resolution [12] of the Party took persisting in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and being realistic and pragmatic as the fundamental experience of the Party’s century-long struggle in its persistence in theoretical innovation; it is also the progress made by generations of Chinese Communists in their understanding and grasping of the essence of Marxism. Self-confidence and self-reliance, as well as upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, are the distinctive characteristics of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and also the distinctive characteristics of the philosophical spirit of the New Era; they are prominent markers of the practice of the New Era and also prominent markers of the thought of the New Era.

The Party's ideological line consists of proceeding from reality in all things, integrating theory with practice, seeking truth from facts, and testing and developing truth in practice. This ideological line is the ideological crystallization of the process of continuously advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism by persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s reality and the characteristics of the times; it is the precious conclusion reached by the Party through its history of successes and detours, experiences and lessons. When the Party's ideological line is upheld, the Party's cause advances and triumphs; when the Party's ideological line is violated, the Party's cause suffers failure, frustration, and loss. In the New Era, the most important requirements for persisting in the Party’s ideological line are to liberate the mind, seek truth from facts, and uphold the fundamentals and break new ground. Liberating the mind means that we cannot treat Marxism as an immutable dogma; we must discard the mindsets of complacency and ideological ossification and strengthen our courage for theoretical innovation. Seeking truth from facts means accurately grasping the great trends of the times, persisting in using the "arrow" of Marxism to shoot at the "target" of New Era China [13], listening to the voice of the people, and responding to realistic needs. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground means, as the report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out: "Only by upholding the fundamentals can we avoid losing our direction or making subversive errors; only by breaking new ground can we grasp the times and lead the times." This involves unifying the persistence in Marxism with the development of Marxism, using new theory to guide new practice.

(2) Important manifestations of persisting in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in the New Era

In terms of practical innovation, we have comprehensively strengthened Party leadership, continuously enriched and developed a new form of human civilization, realized the Chinese nation’s millennial dream of a moderately prosperous society (xiaokang), focused on promoting high-quality development, and pushed for the construction of a dual circulation development pattern. With immense political courage, we have comprehensively deepened reform, implemented a more proactive opening-up strategy, and fully developed whole-process people's democracy. A global and fundamental shift has taken place in the ideological sphere. The people's sense of gain, happiness, and security has become more substantial, better guaranteed, and more sustainable. Ecological and environmental protection has undergone historical, transitional, and global changes. The construction of a Peaceful China has moved to a higher level. The system, structure, pattern, and outlook of the people's armed forces have been completely renewed. We have pushed Hong Kong into a new stage of transitioning from chaos to governance and then toward prosperity, firmly grasped the initiative and lead in cross-strait relations, comprehensively advanced major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and deeply promoted the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, and so on. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the creative practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, has achieved a high degree of unity between liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, demonstrating the practical power of these principles.

In terms of theoretical innovation, by persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific reality and with China's fine traditional culture, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was established. This defined the basic strategy for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and proposed a series of new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies for state governance, achieving a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. The "Ten Clarifications," "Fourteen Persistences," and "Thirteen Aspects of Achievement" proposed at the 19th CPC National Congress and the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee summarize the main content of this Thought. For example, it proposed that the most defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China; that we should comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization; and it clarified that the principal contradiction in our society is the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. It proposed the New Development Philosophy, the people-centered development philosophy, and the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [14]. It proposed the Holistic Approach to National Security, established the Party's goal of strengthening the military in the New Era, and advanced "One Country, Two Systems" comprehensively and accurately. It proposed the overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the New Era. It proposed the promotion of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and found the "second answer" to escaping the historical cycle of rise and fall—self-revolution. In particular, it identified "persisting in putting the people first, persisting in self-reliance and self-confidence, persisting in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, persisting in a problem-oriented approach, persisting in a systems thinking, and persisting in maintaining a global vision" as the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as the positions, viewpoints, and methods running through it. These important innovative viewpoints all contain the theoretical character of liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and serve as vivid proof of the spiritual quality of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

(3) The philosophical spirit contained in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground

Liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground each have their own philosophical connotations and ideological orientations; they were proposed and emphasized in different historical periods of the Party against specific historical backgrounds. Building on the new starting point of the Party’s centennial journey, General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly proposed the holistic expression "persist in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground." This in itself requires a unified understanding of these three concepts and demands that they be deeply recognized as the spiritual quality of the Party's innovative theory in the New Era. Liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts are unified; to liberate the mind one must seek truth from facts, and seeking truth from facts is to liberate the mind—this has been the consensus of the whole Party since the beginning of Reform and Opening-up. That liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground are unified is a new consensus that needs to be formed on the new journey of the New Era. This expression integrates the spirit of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground—which is more prominent in the New Era—with the spirit of liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts, thereby forming a new philosophical spirit with the depth of the New Era. Both liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts require upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and must be manifested through it. Upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground follows the principles of liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts, while simultaneously emphasizing that the point of liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts is to maintain mutual connection and transformation between "upholding the fundamentals" (shouzheng) and "breaking new ground" (chuangxin), thus enriching the connotations of the former two. The unity of liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is an important philosophical innovation of Xi Jinping.

Persisting in the unity of these three reflects a historical thinking: a commitment to inheriting and carrying forward the Party’s historical experience and ideological crystallization, while continuing to write new historical chapters. It is a reflection of a high degree of historical consciousness and historical confidence. It reflects a dialectical thinking: the unity of materialism and dialectics, respecting reality without becoming ossified; the unity of epistemology and values, following objective laws while centering on the people; and the unity of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, where the former is the premise of the latter, and the latter is the pursuit of the former. It reflects a practical thinking: persisting in a problem-oriented approach and focusing on resolving contradictions. It reflects an innovative thinking: taking innovation as the primary driver of development, identifying changes accurately, seeking changes scientifically, and initiating changes proactively to create more "miracles on earth" that make the world look on in awe.

V. The Practical Will to Carry Forward the Fighting Spirit and Conduct the Great Struggle

Determined struggle is an important historical experience from the Party's century of endeavor. The report to the 18th CPC National Congress proposed that "we must be prepared to conduct a great struggle with many new historical features." General Secretary Xi Jinping once remarked that this is a statement with deep meaning. The New Era was forged through a readiness and an ability to struggle; the practical will to carry forward the fighting spirit and conduct the great struggle has been fully demonstrated in the New Era, becoming an important philosophical spirit of the age. The profound practice of conducting the new great struggle in the New Era has deepened the Party's understanding of the fighting spirit and enriched the experience of carrying out various struggles.

(1) Where there is contradiction, there will be struggle

Persisting in struggle is based on the theory of contradiction in Marxist philosophy. Contradiction exists universally; the two aspects of a contradiction transform into each other under certain conditions, and the struggle of contradictions is the decisive condition for this transformation. Struggle is divided into two forms: antagonistic and non-antagonistic. Society advances through the movement of contradictions and carves out a path forward through social revolution and continuous struggle.

Throughout its century of struggle, the Party has faced powerful enemies, traversed treacherous paths, and dealt with severe challenges. The Party has never feared or retreated; it has been undaunted by sacrifice and indomitable, being born, growing, and strengthening itself through the courage to struggle and the courage to win. Without the Party’s great struggle, there would be no great achievements of the Party. During the New Democratic Revolution [15], the Party led the people in an arduous struggle against powerful domestic and foreign enemies, toppling the "three big mountains" of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Party led the people in meeting difficulties head-on and struggling resolutely, winning the great victory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea and overcoming a series of severe political, economic, and military challenges. During the new period of Reform and Opening-up and socialist modernization, the Party led the people in unswervingly adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles [16] and persisting in Reform and Opening-up. It took a clear-cut stand against turmoil and won the struggle concerning the life and death of the Party and the state. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party has led the people in coordinating the Great Struggle, the Great Project, the Great Cause, and the Great Dream [17], withstanding risks and challenges from the political, economic, ideological, and natural spheres.

In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping listed "having the courage to struggle and the ability to struggle" as one of the "Three Musts" [18]. Courage and ability to struggle are unified. In the process of leading the great struggle, the Party focuses on grasping the interdependent relationship between the struggle and the identity (tongyixing) of contradictions. This prevents the emergence of one-sidedness or absolutism that would sever or oppose the two, and allows for the timely correction of erroneous tendencies in intra-Party struggles and other struggles—such as the "cruel struggle" and "merciless blows" under the leadership of "Leftist" dogmatist errors during the New Democratic Revolution, or the "overthrowing of everything" during the ten years of internal turmoil [19]. While insisting on the necessity of struggle, we do not deny the reality of harmony; we seek harmony through struggle and address struggle within harmony. This requires promoting social harmony and stability, with "harmony" becoming one of the goals of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. While emphasizing the necessity of struggle, we do not overlook the importance of unity; we speak of struggle but also of unity, promoting unity through struggle, as struggle is for the sake of better united endeavor. While acknowledging the universality of struggle, we do not exclude the utility of cooperation; we achieve cooperation through struggle, and the process of cooperation still involves struggle. We speak of both international struggle and international cooperation.

(2) Conducting a great struggle with many new historical features

After the start of Reform and Opening-up, the cause of the Party and the state achieved major successes, but many new risks and challenges also emerged. For instance, in some localities and departments, the "Four Winds" of formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance persisted despite repeated bans. Some corruption issues were shocking. Deep-seated institutional problems and the barriers of entrenched interests became increasingly apparent. Serious problems existed such as failure to abide by the law and lax law enforcement. Erroneous trends of thought such as money worship, hedonism, extreme individualism, and historical nihilism appeared from time to time. Chaos was rampant in online public opinion, environmental pollution was prominent, and national security faced severe challenges. The situation faced and the tasks to be achieved upon entering the New Era made the conduct of the new great struggle a matter of extreme urgency and necessity. Only by taking up the sharp weapon of struggle could we eliminate long-standing abuses and clear away obstacles. The great struggle is the pathbreaker, the tunnel borer, and the icebreaker.

The Great Struggle in the New Era is comprehensive in nature. Building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a socialist modernized country in all respects are both comprehensive endeavors; consequently, the new Great Struggle is unfolding across all dimensions and all fields of national governance. For instance, in the realm of economic construction, we have fought the "Three Tough Battles" [20] of preventing and defusing major risks, targeted poverty alleviation, and pollution control. In the realm of political construction, we remain vigilant against and guard against the corrosive influence of Western political trends such as so-called "constitutionalism," multi-party rotation of power, and the "separation of powers." In the realm of cultural construction, we take a clear-cut stand in opposing and resisting various erroneous viewpoints. In the realm of social construction, we have launched specialized struggles to "sweep away black societies and eliminate evil" [21]. In the realm of ecological civilization construction, we have resolutely investigated and prosecuted a series of major typical cases of ecological destruction. In the realm of national defense and military construction, we have conducted military struggles with both firmness and flexibility. In diplomatic work, we resolutely oppose unilateralism, protectionism, hegemonism, and power politics, among others.

The Great Struggle in the New Era is deep-seated. Many of the challenges to be met, risks to be resisted, obstacles to be overcome, and contradictions to be resolved in the New Era involve deep-seated contradictions and problems. This new Great Struggle must inevitably unfold in "deep waters" and exert force at the most critical junctures. In comprehensively deepening reform, we have dared to "gnaw on hard bones" [22] and "wade through dangerous shoals," advancing reforms with "real swords and spears" [23], breaking through the barriers of entrenched interests, and achieving breakthrough progress in many fields. In comprehensively advancing the law-based governance of the country, we have resolutely corrected serious existing problems—such as failure to abide by the law, lax law enforcement, unjust justice, and failure to prosecute violations—while severely punishing corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary to maintain social fairness and justice. In maintaining national security, we "do not believe in heresies and do not fear ghosts" [24]; we have effectively struck back against various external activities of encirclement, suppression, disruption, and subversion. We will struggle to the end against all forces attempting to subvert the leadership of the Communist Party of China and our country's socialist system, or attempting to delay or even interrupt the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We will never blindly retreat or seek compromise at the expense of principle. In adhering to "One Country, Two Systems" and promoting the reunification of the motherland, we resolutely guard against and contain the interference of external forces in Hong Kong and Macao affairs; we resolutely oppose the separatist acts of "Taiwan independence."

A prominent feature of the Great Struggle in the New Era is the Party's self-revolution. The Great Struggle includes both the struggle against the external environment and the struggle against the problems existing within the Party itself. It is not easy for the Party to lead a social revolution, and it is even harder to conduct self-revolution. Turning the blade inward is a form of self-surgery, a revolution against oneself; it requires not only a strong will but also a selfless state of mind. In the process of exploring how the Party can escape the "historical cycle" [25], Comrade Mao Zedong proposed the answer of relying on the people's supervision, while General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the new answer of conducting self-revolution. In the New Era, the persistent rectification of the "Four Winds," the unwavering commitment to "striking tigers," "swatting flies," and "hunting foxes" [26], and the elimination of serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military are all major measures of the Party's self-revolution and important aspects of the new Great Struggle.

(3) Relying on Struggle to Win the Future

The Party relied on struggle to create history, and it must rely even more on struggle to win the future. Entering the new journey of building a socialist modernized country in all respects and embarking on the "new journey of a student taking a test" [27] to achieve the Second Centenary Goal, the new Great Struggle continues. We must still carry forward the spirit of struggle, enhance our ability to struggle, and achieve greater victories through continuous struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his important speech at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee: "On the new journey, the risks and tests we face will only become increasingly complex, and we may even encounter unimaginable 'turbulent waves' [28]. The various struggles we face are not short-term but long-term, and will accompany the entire process of achieving the Second Centenary Goal." This tells us that regarding the continuation of the new Great Struggle on the new journey, we must have full ideological, logistical, and organizational preparation; we must never lower our guard or indulge in the illusion of "living in peaceful times" through wishful thinking. In discussing the persistence in carrying forward the spirit of struggle in the report to the 20th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Enhance the ambition, integrity, and confidence of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups. Do not believe in heresies, do not fear ghosts, and do not fear pressure. Forge ahead in the face of difficulties, coordinate development and security, strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges on the road ahead, and rely on tenacious struggle to open up new horizons for the cause."

To carry out the new Great Struggle on the new journey, we must deepen our grasp of the historical characteristics of this struggle and our understanding of its laws. In the face of inevitable major struggles, one cannot suffer from "rickets" (lack of backbone) or "phobia"; one must more firmly strengthen the will to struggle. "When two armies meet, the brave win." This was true in the past when deciding whether to send troops to fight in the Korean War, and it is equally true today regarding issues concerning national sovereignty, security, and development interests. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only by taking the initiative to meet the challenge and struggling resolutely can there be a way out and a future, only then can we win dignity and seek development. Evasion, retreat, compromise, and concession will only lead to failure and humiliation, and can only be a dead end." [29] We must focus closely on the fundamental issues concerning the future and destiny of the Party and the country, seizing the key points to master the direction of the struggle. Regarding major risks and challenges that endanger the Party's governing status and the stability of state power, there must be no retreat or hesitation; they must be resolutely defeated. Regarding major risks and challenges that harm the country's core interests and the fundamental interests of the people, there must be no indulgence or concession; the struggle must be carried to the end. Regarding major risks and challenges that may delay or even interrupt the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, one must not fear this or that; one must strike decisively and always maintain strategic initiative.

VI. The Systematic Concept of National Governance in the New Era

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has put forward a series of new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies for national governance. Running through them is the systematic concept of national governance in the New Era. This is a requirement arising from the more prominent systemic nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era; it is the inherent logic of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a socialist modernized country in all respects, and it is an important aspect of the philosophical spirit of the New Era.

(1) National Governance in the New Era Requires Enhancing Systematic Concepts

The New Era is one that carries forward the past and opens up the future, advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics to a new historical stage. This requires treating the main tasks of the New Era as a system that integrates continuity and stages, gradual progress and leaps, and the past and the future, breaking new ground while inheriting history.

The New Era is one of winning the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a socialist modernized country in all respects by riding the momentum. The fundamental requirement of the two Centenary Goals is "comprehensiveness" (being in all respects), which requires grasping the systematic nature of the struggle's goals. A moderately prosperous society in all respects requires that not a single region, ethnic group, or village be left behind, necessitating the mending of shortcomings and strengthening of weak links. Modernization in all respects is the coordinated development of material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilizations; not a single civilization can be missing.

The New Era is one of constantly meeting the people's growing needs for a better life. The people's needs for a better life are all-dimensional and multi-layered. This requires treating the fulfillment of these needs as a systemic requirement—satisfying needs for economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological life—rather than merely satisfying needs in a single area. For example, the people demand common prosperity in both material and spiritual life, as well as the development of whole-process people's democracy.

The New Era is one of all people working together with one heart and striving in unity. This requires promoting social development by forming a "historical synergy" and enhancing the collective power of the people. Unity is strength; only with unity is there the strength to strive, and only then can systemic power be strengthened. The unity of all ethnic groups, the harmony of different groups, and the collaboration between regions are the foundations for condensing a powerful force for progress.

The New Era is one in which our country continuously makes greater contributions to humanity. China's development cannot be separated from the world, and the world's development cannot be separated from China. This requires the coordination of both domestic and international situations, planning the relationship between China and the world within a larger system. As pointed out in the Party's third historical resolution, we must "correctly understand and handle the relationship with the outside world based on the great trend of human development, the grand pattern of world change, and the long history of China's development."

(2) Principal Manifestations of the Systematic Concept in the New Era

Adhering to the systematic concept was one of the principles for economic and social development explicitly proposed at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the systematic concept is a fundamental ideological and working method." This concept is reflected in the major theories and practices of the New Era. In the report to the 20th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized adhering to the systematic concept: "We must be adept at seeing reality through history, seeing essence through phenomena, and grasping the relationships between the whole and the part, the present and the long term, the macro and the micro, the primary and secondary contradictions, and the special and the general. We must continuously improve our capacity for strategic thinking, historical thinking, dialectical thinking, systematic thinking, innovative thinking, law-based thinking, and bottom-line thinking."

The systematic concept of coordinating the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan (economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction) is the overall layout of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This layout constitutes the systemic arrangement of the major fields of the cause and has become the basic practice of the systematic concept of national governance in the New Era. Economic construction is the cornerstone of the overall layout; political construction is its pillar; cultural construction is its vein; social construction is its guarantee; and ecological civilization construction is its support. The five spheres develop together and promote one another.

The systematic concept of coordinately advancing the Four Comprehensives. Building a socialist modernized country in all respects, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively advancing the law-based governance of the country, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party constitute the strategic layout of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This layout constitutes the strategic goals and measures of the cause, forming the system of objectives and mechanisms for national governance in the New Era. Building a socialist modernized country in all respects is the systemic goal, while the other three "comprehensives" operate in coordination around this goal. Comprehensively deepening reform constitutes the power system for achieving the goal; comprehensively advancing the law-based governance of the country constitutes the legal system; and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party constitutes the organizational system.

The systematic concept of implementing the New Development Philosophy. The New Development Philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing is the most important and primary theory and concept for economic and social development in the New Era. It also represents a significant manifestation of the systematic concept of national governance. The New Development Philosophy constitutes a systemic framework for development: innovation is the primary driver of systemic development; coordination is its internal requirement; green is its necessary condition; openness is the path it must take; and sharing is its essential requirement. These five elements are an integrated whole with internal links; if any one is missing, it will affect the development of the entire system.

The systematic concept of modernization in all respects. Building a socialist modernized country in all respects is a leap from the "Four Modernizations" [30] to modernization in all respects. Modernization in all respects means a "modernization of the system" and a "systemic modernization," which places new and higher demands on the systematic concept. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Our modernization is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical progress, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development." This indicates that building a socialist modernized country in all respects is a comprehensive modernization in which demographic, wealth, cultural, ecological, and external conditions are all satisfied and realized.

The systematic concept of the Holistic Approach to National Security. The Holistic Approach to National Security integrates security in various fields, types, and levels into a single whole, strengthening national security from a perspective of "total security" and maintaining total security through various specific types of security. The purpose of this approach is the security of the people; its foundation is political security; its basis is economic security; its guarantee is military, technological, cultural, and social security; and its support is international security. The national security system covers many fields such as politics, military, land, economy, culture, society, technology, cyber, ecology, resources, nuclear, overseas interests, outer space, deep sea, polar regions, and biology. The Holistic Approach to National Security scientifically coordinates the relationships between development and security, openness and security, traditional and non-traditional security, self-security and common security, and the maintenance of national security and the shaping of national security. It maintains and shapes a systemic national security and a national security system, representing a major innovation in the systematic concept of national governance in the New Era.