Wang Weiguang: Achieving the "Two Combinations" is the Inevitable Path to Opening and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
In his speech at the Cultural Inheritance and Development Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the deep foundations of over five thousand years of Chinese civilization, the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture is the essential path. This is a law-based understanding we have reached in our exploration of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The so-called “essential path” [1] refers to a road that must be traversed to achieve a goal, emphasizing the laws that must be followed and the principles that must be observed during the developmental process. The essential path for opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics refers to the fundamental principles and inevitable route upheld during the process of China’s socialist modernization. It is the road to success for advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, guiding Chinese Communists in achieving continuous great accomplishments from the periods of revolution, construction, and reform to the practices of the New Era. Defining the “Two Combinations” [2] as the essential path for opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is done because the “Two Combinations” highly encapsulate the benign interactive relationship between the basic tenets of Marxism, China’s specific realities, and fine traditional Chinese culture throughout the century since the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). This not only contains the practical experience of the CPC leading the Chinese people through untold hardships to achieve the brilliant successes of Chinese-path modernization, but also embodies the historical consciousness, cultural consciousness, and theoretical consciousness possessed by the CPC in answering new questions of the times, grasping the changes of the times, and leading the process of the times.
I. The “Two Combinations” Are the Fundamental Way to Advance the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism
On October 28, 2022, while inspecting the Yin Ruins [3] in Anyang, Henan Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that fine traditional Chinese culture is the “root” of our Party’s innovative theories, and the fundamental way to advance the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism is the “Two Combinations.” The scientific, people-centered, practical, and open nature of Marxism constitutes the genetic code that allows it to grow and flourish incessantly; these are also the essential conditions for Marxism to draw nutrients, grow foliage, and bear fruit. The “Two Combinations” indicate the fundamental way to advance the Party’s theoretical innovation and reveal the secret behind the evergreen nature of the theoretical tree of Sinicized and modernized Marxism.
Chinese civilization is the only civilization in the world that has continued from ancient times to the present without interruption. It has maintained an open posture, drawing on all the strengths of other world civilizations while flourishing along its own unique civilizational trajectory and historical logic. Marxism is a product of world history; its theory possesses universal value, but it also carries distinct national characteristics. How can Marxism become the theoretical basis for guiding Chinese social practice and continuously advance with the times, weeding through the old to bring forth the new in forming new theoretical achievements? The most critical factor is to realize the objective truth and universal validity inherent in the theory itself by combining them with the particularity of China’s specific realities and the nationality of fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby creatively developing its own innovative forms within China. This innovative form must uphold the fundamentals and break new ground regarding Marxism—upholding the scientific and truthful nature of Marxism—while continuously providing ideological momentum and theoretical guidance for social transformation through practice, thereby manifesting the practical and open nature of Marxism.
Marxism is the “soul” of the CPC’s realization of the “Two Combinations,” while fine traditional Chinese culture is the “root.” The “Two Combinations” represent the high-level integration of this “soul and root,” constituting the internal logic and inevitable law for realizing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Chinese Communists are firm believers, practitioners, and innovators of Marxism, as well as loyal inheritors, promoters, and innovators of fine traditional Chinese culture. The “Two Combinations” serve as both the guiding principle for Chinese Communists to understand and grasp the theoretical characteristics and internal laws of Marxism, and the fundamental path for driving the Party’s theoretical innovation to continuously open up new horizons for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. For over 100 years, in the historical process of advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, our Party has activated the long-standing Chinese civilization with the power of Marxist truth, and enriched Marxism by interpreting it through Chinese civilization, allowing it to radiate vigorous vitality. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Cultural Inheritance and Development Symposium that “the ‘combination’ has opened up space for innovation” and “the ‘Second Combination’ allows us to master ideological and cultural initiative and serves to powerfully influence our path, theory, and system.” More importantly, “the ‘Second Combination’ is another round of ideological liberation, allowing us to fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture within a broader cultural space to explore theoretical and institutional innovations oriented toward the future.” The “Second Combination” is not a forced, semantic “exchange” or “smorgasbord” [4] of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture; rather, it is about achieving “correspondence” and “integration” in concepts and values. This allows Marxism to take root in China, becoming a Chinese national form for solving the innovative development of its expanded space; a practical form for guiding the road of Chinese revolution and construction; a narrative form that triggers resonance, mutual interpretation, and fusion with fine traditional Chinese culture; and a theoretical form that summarizes Chinese experience from Chinese practice, utilizes innovative theory to guide Chinese practice, and solves Chinese problems.
II. The “Two Combinations” Are a Profound Summary of the Historical Experience of the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism
The century-long history of the Party is a history of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. The “First Combination”—the integration of basic Marxist tenets with China’s specific realities—is the process by which generations of Chinese Communists have creatively applied and developed Marxism based on China’s historical, social, cultural, contemporary, and practical characteristics, forming the lines, strategies, and tactics for China’s revolution and construction. It solves the problem of unifying theory with practice and the subjective with the objective. It emphasizes that Marxism is not a dogma but a guide to action, combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s actual conditions in different periods to explore a Chinese road suited to the national conditions of those times.
The “Second Combination”—the integration of basic Marxist tenets with fine traditional Chinese culture—is a major theoretical innovation made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the basis of the fundamental principle that Marxism must be combined with a country’s specific realities. It is “our Party’s profound summary of the historical experience of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism and a profound grasp of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization. It demonstrates that our Party’s understanding of the Chinese road, theory, and system has reached a new height; that our Party’s historical and cultural confidence has reached a new height; and that our Party’s consciousness in advancing cultural innovation while inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture has reached a new height.” Socialism with Chinese characteristics was opened up and developed upon the deep historical accumulation of Chinese civilization. Fine traditional Chinese culture provided the rich cultural soil for the emergence and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Standing upon the magnificent history of Chinese civilization, the CPC fully recognizes and understands the historical inevitability, cultural connotations, and unique advantages of the Chinese road. In accordance with the needs of the times, it absorbs excellent elements from traditional Chinese culture and transforms fine traditional Chinese culture into an endogenous momentum for solving practical problems. The “Second Combination” elucidates the historical process of “connecting the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of fine traditional Chinese culture and integrating it with the common values that the people practice daily without even realizing it” [5]. It is also a summary of the experience of the CPC in the process of revolution, construction, and reform practices to carry out the creative transformation and innovative development of the philosophical ideas, humanistic spirit, value concepts, and moral norms contained within fine traditional Chinese culture.
During the Period of the New Democratic Revolution [6], Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized that Marxism must be combined with Chinese reality, Chinese history, and Chinese culture. He set a personal example and established a paradigm. For instance, he provided a new interpretation of the term “seek truth from facts” (实事求是), which originated from the Book of Han [7], turning it into our Party’s ideological line and most important ideological and working method. Comrade Deng Xiaoping also provided a model for how we realize the “Second Combination.” He borrowed the term “moderately prosperous” (xiaokang), a national discourse rich in traditional Chinese cultural resonance, to describe the stage-by-stage goals of our country’s modernization. The “moderately prosperous society” (xiaokang shehui) became an important concept for expressing “Chinese-path modernization,” injecting new categories and concepts into Sinicized and modernized Marxism. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has further deepened the understanding of the historical experience of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism and the grasp of the laws of Chinese civilization’s development, continuously strengthening the consciousness to advance Marxist theoretical innovation while inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture. For instance, the concept of “appreciating the beauty of others and sharing beauty together to achieve Great Harmony in the world” (美美与共，天下大同), which Chinese civilization advocates in handling relations between different cultures, has been transformed into a diplomatic philosophy of openness, inclusiveness, and peaceful development for China in the New Era. This led to the major strategy of “moving toward an Asian community with a shared future to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity,” providing a brilliant example for our realization of the “Second Combination.”
Expressing the CPC’s ideas and values vividly through the categories and concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture gives Marxism a Chinese character, style, and flair. Fine traditional Chinese culture has also achieved creative transformation and innovative development by absorbing Marxism. This two-way fusion has created an innovative form of Sinicized and modernized Marxism.
III. The “Two Combinations” Provide a Theoretical Guide for the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
Socialism with Chinese characteristics has been the theme of all the Party’s theories and practices since the beginning of reform and opening up, as well as the theme in the New Era. The development of socialism with Chinese characteristics requires correct ideas as guidance. It requires the innovative development of the guiding ideology in an age-appropriate manner based on China’s specific realities and excellent cultural traditions, thereby forming the latest theoretical guide for steering reality and resolving difficult problems.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Every age has its own problems. As long as we recognize, grasp, and solve these problems scientifically and accurately, we can continuously push our society forward.” The proposal of the “Two Combinations” is based on a problem faced by the CPC in leading the revolution, construction, and reform—namely, how to achieve the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. This contains two directions for theory and practice: first, applying Sinicized and modernized Marxism to correctly understand China’s national conditions and guide Chinese practice; second, solving Chinese problems under the guidance of Sinicized and modernized Marxism and advancing theoretical innovation within Chinese practice.
Marxism provides Chinese Communists with a worldview and methodology for analyzing social problems and guiding social change. However, since differences exist in the economic, political, and cultural aspects of different countries, the specific application of Marxism to guide specific practice must involve a concrete analysis of concrete problems. The “Two Combinations” require that in the practice of China’s development, we must not only uphold and develop the basic tenets of Marxism but also conduct theoretical innovation based on China’s specific national conditions and cultural traditions. We cannot simply copy the classics or foreign experiences and models; rather, we must combine them with China’s specific national conditions to actively explore the path and model suitable for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This “combination” is not a simple theoretical deduction; it cannot be detached from reality or consist of empty talk, nor can it ignore theory or involve blind action. Instead, it requires in-depth research of theory aimed at specific problems. Theory must continuously fuse and mutually advance within practice, and the resulting theories and paths must be tested in practice. Development strategies should be adjusted and guided according to the universal laws of social development and specific practical circumstances, ensuring that theory and practice promote and verify each other. By realizing the “Two Combinations,” socialism with Chinese characteristics can better respond to domestic and international challenges and difficulties, ensuring it always advances along the correct path of development.
The “Two Combinations” emphasize that the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics must actively adapt to new developmental changes. It must integrate the basic principles of scientific socialism with the actual needs of the Chinese people, focusing on solving the practical problems of the masses and prompting the fruits of development to benefit all people more fairly. The “Two Combinations” require that in the process of promoting the cause of socialism, we must both inherit excellent values and cultural traditions and actively adapt to and lead the changes of the times. Through the combination of traditional culture and modern values, we can gradually form a theoretical guide, moral concepts, and a value system with Chinese characteristics. This promotes mutual trust, harmony, and solidarity among social members, builds social consensus, enhances social cohesion, and provides spiritual guidance and behavioral norms for the people. Consequently, China establishes a unique cultural image, demonstrating China’s cultural confidence and national image, and enhancing China’s influence and attractiveness on the international stage.
IV. The “Two Combinations” Shape the Cultural Form of Chinese-path Modernization
At the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the "two combinations" have created a new, organically unified cultural lifeform. He stated, "the 'second combination' makes Marxism Chinese, causes fine traditional Chinese culture to become modern, and allows the new culture formed through this 'combination' to become the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization."
Chinese-path modernization is a new form of socialist modern civilization with Chinese characteristics, created under the guidance of scientific socialist theory while giving full play to the advantages of fine traditional Chinese culture. The "two combinations" achieve an organic integration of Chinese-path modernization with the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. They adapt to new developments of the era, promote the creative transformation and innovative development [8] of fine traditional Chinese culture, and ensure that the basic tenets of Marxism combine with fine traditional Chinese culture to form a new cultural lifeform. This ensures that Chinese-path modernization both inherits the long-standing cultural traditions of the Chinese nation and can advance with the times to adapt to the needs of modern society. Fine traditional Chinese culture emphasizes interpersonal relationships, social harmony, and the harmony between the individual and nature. During the process of the "two combinations," this spirit of humanistic concern is preserved and carried forward within the process of Chinese-path modernization. This ensures that the development of Chinese-path modernization focuses not only on economic growth and scientific and technological progress, but also on social equity, human dignity, and the protection of the ecological environment, making the development of modernization more humane and sustainable. Combining traditional culture with modernization theory breaks the prejudice that traditional Chinese culture is incompatible with modern civilization and strengthens the Chinese people's identification with and confidence in their own cultural identity. This cultural identity and confidence are of great significance for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
V. The "Two Combinations" are the Practical Requirement for Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era
Since its birth, our Party has initiated the historical process of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture, achieving its nationalization and localization, and successfully opening the correct path to achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Practice has proven that only by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities can we better grasp China's national conditions and stage of development, and find the paths and methods suitable for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics while resolving practical difficulties and contradictions. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have persisted in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities. Focusing on new realities, they have continuously achieved innovative breakthroughs in theory and practice, established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and achieved a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. For example, by combining the Marxist theory of social contradictions with the developmental practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, they revealed the transformation of the principal contradiction [9] in our society. They have injected new connotations of the era into the theory of socialist social development, proposing the people-centered philosophy of development, the New Development Philosophy, and the New Development Paradigm. By combining the Marxist theory of the state with the CPC’s practical experience in governing the country, they proposed the coordinated promotion of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four Comprehensives, advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. By combining the Marxist theory of the proletarian party with our Party's experience in power, they proposed upholding and strengthening the Party's overall leadership, leading social revolution through the Party's self-revolution, comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and strengthening the construction of the Party's long-term governing capacity, advanced nature, and purity.
Entering the New Era, how to uphold and develop Marxism, promote the Core Socialist Values, and guide the masses to adhere to a correct worldview, outlook on life, and values is an important subject. How to promote the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture in the context of scientific and technological innovation—allowing Chinese traditional culture and modern technology to merge with one another—is a major challenge. In international cultural exchanges, socialism with Chinese characteristics needs to maintain its own cultural identity and core values while absorbing and drawing on the beneficial achievements of other civilizations, achieving the unity of globalization and localization. To adapt to the needs of the era and the needs of development, and to realize the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, we must persist in the guiding position of Marxism, strengthen the building of a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and promote the Core Socialist Values. We must strengthen guidance and construction in the ideological and cultural spheres, promote cultural innovation and creation, shape a positive and progressive socio-cultural atmosphere, and provide ideological and cultural support for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must pay special attention to excavating the essence of five thousand years of Chinese civilization, combine the promotion of fine traditional culture with Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods, and unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has inherited and carried forward the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture, forming a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for governing the country, opening a new realm for combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. For example, by combining the Marxist view of the masses [10] with the people-as-the-foundation thought [11] in traditional Chinese culture, the major judgment that "The people are the country, and the country is the people" [12] was proposed. By combining dialectical materialist methods with traditional Chinese philosophical wisdom, the systemic way of thinking required for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics was elucidated. By researching and explaining the spiritual characteristics and developmental forms of Chinese civilization—such as emphasizing benevolence, the people as the foundation, honesty, justice, harmony, and "Great Unity" [13]—the profound cultural heritage of the Chinese path was clarified, and the basic requirements for the development of advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era were interpreted. By combining the Marxist view of nature with the traditional Chinese idea of "the unity of heaven and humanity" [14], the ecological civilization concept of a "community of life for humanity and nature" was proposed... This reflects the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, demonstrating a high degree of cultural self-awareness, firm cultural confidence, and profound cultural heritage.
The proposal of the "two combinations" was made by the CPC at the significant moment of its centenary and the crucial juncture of the "Two Centenary Goals." It is a scientific summation of the CPC’s continuous advancement of theoretical innovation and creation; it is a scientific generalization for drawing lessons from history to create the future, and for continuing to develop Contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. Realizing the "two combinations" promotes the specification and localization of Marxism in China, transforming it into Sinicized and modernized Marxism, and ensuring that socialism with Chinese characteristics advances along the correct path.
(The author is a Professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a Lifetime Professor at Nankai University, and President of the Institute of 21st Century Marxism)