Zhou Feng: Deeply Grasping the Connotations and Essentials of the "Six Must-Holds"
A scientific worldview and methodology serve as powerful ideological weapons for people to understand and transform the world. In the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Six Must-Upholds": we must uphold the supremacy of the people, must uphold self-confidence and self-reliance, must uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, must uphold a problem-oriented approach, must uphold a systemic core, and must uphold a global vision. These "Six Must-Upholds" constitute the worldview and methodology permeating Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They are the essence and soul of the scientific method for studying and implementing this Thought, and the "golden key" for us to resolve the questions of the times, seize historical initiative, and create a bright future. We must profoundly grasp their connotative significance.
We must uphold the supremacy of the people. Upholding the supremacy of the people is the fundamental stance of a proletarian party toward the masses, and moreover, it is the consistent value adherence of the CPC.
For over a century, Chinese Communists have faithfully upheld Marxism, consistently pursued the value of being people-centered, and always remembered "who I am, for whom I work, and upon whom I rely." By always placing the people in the highest position in their hearts, and through independent practical exploration and scientific theoretical innovation, they have comprehensively explained the fundamental issues of why we must always adhere to the people’s standpoint and how to uphold the principal status of the people. From Comrade Mao Zedong’s proposition that "the people, and only the people, are the driving force in the making of world history" to Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s use of the people’s will as the criterion for judgment; from Comrade Jiang Zemin’s proposition that "the CPC must always represent the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people" to Comrade Hu Jintao’s Scientific Outlook on Development centered on people-first [1]; and finally to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s declaration that "the people's aspiration for a better life is our goal," the supremacy of the people has always been the fulcrum of our Party's theoretical thinking, the origin of its value stance, and the base point of its political practice.
The most fundamental standpoint, viewpoint, and method of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is "staying people-centered." This Thought consistently places the people in the highest position, respecting their principal status in creating history, in being masters of the country, and in building the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It emphasizes that "the country is the people, and the people are the country" [2] and that "the great achievements of the New Era were won through the joint efforts, hard work, and struggle of the Party and the people." This Thought consistently places the interests of the people above all else, wholeheartedly realizing, safeguarding, and developing those interests. From the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, it emphasizes the historical responsibility and commitment to seek happiness for the Chinese people; from the shift in the principal contradiction in society [3], it emphasizes that the people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal; from the essence of common prosperity, it emphasizes the practical purpose of Chinese-path modernization; and from the height of well-rounded human development, it emphasizes the all-round realization of the people’s material, political, and developmental interests. In the process of studying and implementing this Thought, we must courageously shoulder the mission of the times, pool our strengths for progress, further stimulate the vitality of workers in the philosophy and social sciences, and promote the flourishing of our cause.
We must uphold self-confidence and self-reliance. Self-confidence and self-reliance are the most distinct theoretical characters of Marxism. From the moment scientific socialism was born, it revealed the inevitability of the realization of communism with powerful theoretical confidence. Chinese Communists use the powerful scientific theory of Marxism to grasp the laws of human social development and continually open new horizons for socialist modernization, reflecting the spirit of independent exploration and practice of the CPC and the Chinese people.
Mao Zedong Thought and the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics both uphold emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and advancing with the times; they uphold the Party’s mass line and the principle of independently following one's own path, demonstrating a spiritual temperament and cognitive realm of self-confidence and self-reliance. This trait has been further amplified in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is precisely the shaping of this theoretical character that has enabled Chinese Communists to have the courage to restlessly explore the Chinese path, achieving three leaps in the Sinicization of Marxism [4], and subsequently three leaps in the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with its high degree of unity between truth and practicality, fully interprets the scientific connotation of self-confidence and self-reliance. On one hand, confidence is a spiritual grace inherent to the CPC, originating from the scientific and innovative nature of the Party's guiding ideology. On the other hand, self-reliance is an important principle for our Party and country’s foundation, originating from the full verification provided by the great practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Today, in the process of building a modern socialist country in all respects, this Thought continues to release the powerful force of self-confidence and self-reliance everywhere. For example, the Thought proposes that the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC, and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC, reflecting a clear-cut political confidence. The Thought proposes the construction of a new development landscape (dual circulation), reflecting a developmental confidence based on relying on our own strength. The Thought proposes advancing the path of Chinese-path modernization, reflecting historical confidence in creating a new form of human advancement. The Thought proposes leading a great social revolution through the Party's great self-revolution, reflecting a spiritual confidence in staying advanced forever. The Thought proposes that we must dare to struggle and be good at struggle, reflecting a winning confidence to open new prospects amidst changes. In our study and implementation, we must draw ideological strength, strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," firm up the "Four Confidences," and resolutely achieve the "Two Upholds," putting the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and deployments into practice with a realistic and pragmatic style. Meanwhile, we should enhance our confidence in relying on our own strength, leveraging our own advantages, and promoting our own development in practical work.
We must uphold the fundamentals and break new ground. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is permeated with the principle of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn); it grasps the laws of human cognition and the objective laws of the development of things, representing an innovative application of Marxist epistemology. Upholding the fundamentals means always firmly grasping the essential prescribed nature of things, adhering to the right path, and pursuing truth; only by upholding the fundamentals can we avoid losing our way or making subversive errors. Breaking new ground means ensuring qualitative stability during development while achieving positive qualitative change through active quantitative change; only by breaking new ground can we grasp and lead the times. Upholding the fundamentals is the foundation, while breaking new ground is the source; the two complement each other, reflecting the dialectical unity of "change" and "constancy," inheritance and development, and principle and creativity. In fine traditional Chinese culture, there are also rich and incisive philosophical analyses regarding "change and constancy" [5].
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era upholds the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists. Based on the millennial cause of the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, it summarizes profound lessons from both positive and negative historical experiences. Looking toward the world’s once-in-a-century changes, it has opened new realms of theory and practice through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. Regarding "upholding the fundamentals," it emphasizes upholding the "fundamental" of Marxism, constantly consolidating the foundation of faith, replenishing the "calcium" of the spirit, and steadying the "rudder" of ideology. It emphasizes upholding the "fundamental" of the Party's nature, firming up ideals and convictions, standing firm on the people's position, remembering the original aspiration and founding mission, and ensuring the Party never changes its nature, its color, or its character [6]. It emphasizes upholding the "fundamental" of the Party's overall leadership, clarifying that the CPC is the highest force for political leadership and that upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee is the highest political principle. It emphasizes upholding the "fundamental" of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, clarifying that this is the only way to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation—neither taking the old path of closed-off stagnation nor the crooked path of changing flags and banners [7]. It emphasizes upholding the "fundamental" of fine traditional Chinese culture, firmed in historical and cultural confidence. While upholding the fundamentals, it has also rectified chaos in areas such as the improvement of Party conduct, the building of a clean government, and ideology. Regarding "breaking new ground," it has established a series of new concepts, thoughts, and strategies. With a strategist’s foresight, it grasps the "two overall situations" [8], warning and guiding the whole Party to actively recognize, adapt to, and seek change. It consistently places innovation at the heart of the overall situation, driving the cause of the Party and the country to achieve historical achievements and undergo historical transformations. In our study and implementation, we must further maintain a high degree of horizontal alignment in ideology, politics, and action with the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, firmly grasping the political attributes of work in philosophy and social sciences, while innovating concepts, mechanisms, and methods to improve the quality and level of scientific research.
We must uphold a problem-oriented approach. Every era has its own major issues, which prominently reflect the direction and themes of the times. The report to the 20th National Congress pointed out: "Problems are the voice of the times; answering and guiding the resolution of problems is the fundamental task of theory." The fundamental reason the CPC has been able to continuously overcome difficulties and achieve great victories over its century-long course is that the Party has been able to identify major issues of the times in different historical periods, grasp their essence, and resolve them with scientific theory, thereby finding the signposts leading to progress and creating a new great era.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a cause without precedent. Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era is moving forward amidst the accelerating evolution of the world's once-in-a-century changes. The contradictions and problems we face are unprecedented, as are the risks and challenges. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era guides theoretical innovation with a problem-oriented approach, answering a series of major questions facing the cause of the Party and the country, and providing a series of new concepts, ideas, and methods to resolve them. Adhering to a problem-oriented approach is a sense of responsibility. Permeating this Thought is a responsibility toward the Party, the people, and the nation. This responsibility is characterized by the state of "always being concerned" (shí shí fàng xīn bù xià), reflecting the heart of a CPC leader, as well as the sense of anxiety and the political concept of "hardship and toil prosper a nation" [9] found in fine traditional Chinese culture. The problem-oriented approach essentially reflects a sense of mission; it is not only a method of thinking and working but also a value condensed within the ideology. Adhering to a problem-oriented approach requires taking on responsibility—to solve complex contradictions, overcome arduous difficulties, and break through major obstacles, one must have the spiritual realm of "I shall be selfless" (wǒ jiāng wú wǒ) [10], the indomitable will to move forward courageously, and the fighting posture of daring to struggle. Only in this way can we truly guide the direction of theoretical and practical innovation with problems and ultimately solve them. In our study and implementation, we must utilize the problem-oriented method of thinking and working, focusing on new types of problems in practice and deep-seated problems in reform, using the opportunity of the thematic education campaigns to tackle tough issues and strive for practical results.
We must uphold a systemic core. All things are interconnected and interdependent. Only by observing things with a viewpoint of universal connection, comprehensive systems, and developmental change can we grasp the laws of their development. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a theoretical system composed of the "Ten Clarifications," the "Fourteen Upholds," and the "Thirteen Areas of Achievement." It is a cognitive system that unifies the relationships between the whole and the part, the present and the long term, the macro and the micro, principal and secondary contradictions, and the special and the general. It is a system of thinking that embodies strategic, historical, dialectical, systemic, innovative, rule-of-law, and bottom-line thinking. Every aspect of the important thoughts, discourses, and viewpoints within Xi Jinping Thought is a logically rigorous and complete system, whether at the theoretical or practical level. Regarding important thoughts and discourses, for example, there are the "Thirteen Clarifications" of Xi Jinping's economic thought and the "Eleven Upholds" of Xi Jinping's thought on the rule of law. Regarding important viewpoints, for example, the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" and the "Four Comprehensives"; the new development philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing; the five characteristics and nine essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization; the simultaneous advancement of law-based governance, law-based exercise of state power, and law-based administration; and the integrated construction of a rule-of-law country, government, and society. At the same time, these contents are interconnected, unified, and integrated. Only by grasping the systemic content and systemic perspective can we profoundly comprehend and correctly apply them. In our study and implementation, we should strive to master the essence, improve our understanding and thinking abilities, and grasp the relationships between political building and professional building, basic research and applied research, as well as between scientific research, auxiliary support, publication, teaching, and management, continuously enhancing work efficiency through coordinated development.
We must uphold a global vision. From the moment of its birth, Marxism took the liberation of all humanity as its sacred mission. Fine traditional Chinese culture has consistently advocated the value pursuit of "taking the world as one's responsibility" and "being the first to worry about the world's worries." Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which achieves innovative development through the "Two Combinations" [11], possesses excellent political and cultural genes, manifesting a grander vision and a broader mind that embraces the world. This Thought itself is an open system with an open structure, capable of absorbing all excellent achievements of human politics, ideology, science and technology, and culture, especially the latest ones. It observes the general trends of the world and voices the vanguard of thought, not only correctly guiding China but also profoundly influencing the world. This Thought transcends the narrowness and prejudice of cultures, systems, and regions. Through the great theory and vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, it has revitalized scientific socialism and pointed out the future of human social development. It reveals that essentially, civilizations are not superior or inferior, but only differ in their characteristics and regions. This is an innovation and sublimity of civilization theory, which will not only promote progress in human understanding of civilization but also foster the development of cultural diversity and the choice of diverse models and paths. The development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era under the guidance of this Thought continues to make Chinese contributions to creating a new form of human advancement, demonstrating an increasingly broad global theoretical and practical significance. In our study and implementation, we must expand the world vision and global perspective of scientific research, forming an open, inclusive, and cooperative research atmosphere to adapt to new development requirements and keep up with the new trends of the times.
(Author: Zhou Feng, Party Group Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences)