Gong Zheng: Striving to Fully Play the Leading and Exemplary Role in Advancing Chinese Modernization
The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was a meeting of immense importance, convened at a critical juncture as our nation prepares to enter the stage of consolidating foundations and launching comprehensive efforts to basically achieve socialist modernization. Shanghai must regard the study and implementation of the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session as a major political task for the present and the foreseeable future. This must be closely integrated with the thorough implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches delivered during his inspection tours of Shanghai. We must shoulder responsibilities on behalf of the nation, act courageously as a vanguard, accelerate the construction of a socialist modernized international metropolis with global influence, and strive to fully exercise a leading, driving, and exemplary role in advancing Chinese-path modernization.
Profoundly Understanding the Great Significance of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee
The important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Plenary Session is visionary, profound in thought, and rich in substance; it points out the way forward and provides the fundamental guidance for promoting high-quality development and advancing Chinese-path modernization on the New Journey. The "Recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan" [1] deliberated and adopted at the Session constitute the top-level design for our country’s economic and social development over the next five years and beyond. It is a programmatic document ensuring that decisive progress is made toward basically achieving socialist modernization. We must profoundly grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech from a historical, holistic, and strategic height, and fully recognize the great significance of this Plenary Session.
The Plenary Session accurately grasped the historical positioning of our country’s development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. It represents another general mobilization and total deployment to advance the construction of Chinese-path modernization by building on existing momentum. Within the "two-step" strategic arrangement [2] for building a great modern socialist country in all respects, the goal of basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 will be accomplished through three five-year plans, from the 14th to the 16th. Therefore, the "15th Five-Year Plan" period holds an important position as a bridge between the past and the future. Looking back at the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united and led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups in effectively responding to the severe impact of the pandemic of the century and a series of major risks and challenges. China's economic strength, technological prowess, and comprehensive national power have leaped to a new level, laying a solid foundation for basically achieving socialist modernization. Looking forward to the development of the "15th Five-Year Plan," General Secretary Xi Jinping has expounded on a series of fundamental and directional major issues regarding economic and social development, setting the course for advancing Chinese-path modernization in stages and steps. By 2035, Shanghai is to basically become a socialist modernized international metropolis with global influence. The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is thus a crucial stage for consolidating this foundation and launching full-scale efforts. We must seize this window of opportunity, pool our strengths and advance with enterprise, making a greater Shanghai contribution to the advancement of Chinese-path modernization.
The Plenary Session conducted an in-depth analysis of the profound and complex changes facing the environment for our country's development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, providing an important basis for us to accurately judge the situation and scientifically plan for development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "our country’s development is in a period where strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing." This requires us to better grasp the dialectical relationship between crisis and opportunity, and between certainty and uncertainty, responding to challenges and promoting development with greater proactivity. On the one hand, we must strengthen our confidence, face difficulties head-on, foster new opportunities amidst crises, and open new frontiers amidst shifting dynamics. The world’s once-in-a-century changes are accelerating; the relations between major powers affect the international situation, and the evolution of the international situation profoundly impacts domestic development. This is especially true for Shanghai, which has a high degree of economic outward-facingness and is affected by the external situation earlier, more significantly, and more directly. We must be even more proactive in perceiving, responding to, and seeking change. We must be "daring to struggle and good at struggling" [3], possessing the courage to face the severe tests of "high winds and surging waves" or even "tempestuous seas." As the saying goes, "let the winds blow from the north, south, east, and west; remain steadfast despite the buffeting" [4], firmly holding the strategic initiative of development. On the other hand, we must give full play to our own advantages and concentrate on running our own affairs well. We must leverage the "four major advantages" unique to China—the institutional advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the advantage of a super-large scale market, the advantage of a complete industrial system, and the advantage of abundant human resources—using the certainty of our own work to counter the uncertainty of the changing situation, striving to create a new situation for the construction of Chinese-path modernization.
The Plenary Session made a comprehensive deployment of the main goals and major strategic tasks for economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, sketching a grand blueprint for writing a new chapter for the "two miracles" [5] on the New Journey. Based on grasping the basic positioning and stage-specific requirements of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the Plenary Session comprehensively considered domestic and international development trends and China’s development conditions. Balancing a systematic, holistic view with a focus on key priorities, and coordinating proactive initiative with realistic feasibility, the Session clarified the main goals for the next five years across seven aspects. In particular, taking "per capita GDP reaching the level of moderately developed countries" as an important marker for basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 is heartening and inspiring. Centering on the coordinated advancement of the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" and the "Four Comprehensives" strategic layout, the Plenary Session insisted on economic construction as the center, deploying strategic tasks and major measures sector by sector that play a significant role in leading, driving, and supporting Chinese-path modernization. This has clarified the practice path for basically achieving socialist modernization. Shanghai must give full play to its advantages as a leading driver—its strengths in reform and opening up, its advantages in science, technology and talent, and its advantages in modernization of governance. With the "spirit of driving a nail" [6], we must effectively implement the Central Committee’s decision-making intentions, target requirements, major measures, and work priorities, better serving the overall national development.
Unwaveringly Following the Major Principles for Economic and Social Development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" Period
The "Six Perspectives to Uphold" [7] major principles proposed by this Plenary Session are a scientific summation of the experience of economic and social development since the start of reform and opening up and especially in the New Era. They are a major achievement of our Party’s continuous deepening of its regular understanding of economic and social development, and they fully demonstrate the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Shanghai must integrate these with its own reality and effectively practice the "Six Perspectives" in its work.
Upholding the Party's overall leadership. This is the fundamental guarantee for economic and social development. Shanghai is the birthplace of the Party, the place where its original aspiration began, and the nursery of the Great Party Building Spirit. We must better carry forward the "red lifeline" [8], continuously using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unify our thoughts, will, and actions. From the height of profoundly comprehending the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments" and resolutely achieving the "Two Upholds," we must integrate the Party's leadership throughout all aspects and the entire process of economic and social development.
Upholding a people-centered approach. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the important concept of the "People's City" [9] in Shanghai; thus, Shanghai should lead the way in meeting the people’s growing needs for a better life. We must always remember that development is for the people, development relies on the people, and the fruits of development are shared by the people. We should continuously implement "projects of the people's heart" [10] and practical programs for the public, resolving the urgent and anxious concerns of the masses with heart and soul, so that the achievements of modernization benefit all people more extensively and equitably.
Upholding high-quality development. High-quality development is the primary task of building a modern socialist country in all respects. As the nation’s largest economic center, Shanghai has the foundation and the responsibility to further build a high-quality "main engine" for development. We must persist in taking the accelerated construction of the "Five Centers" [11] as the main direction of attack, coordinating and driving all aspects of economic and social development. We strive to be the pioneers and examples in promoting high-quality development, better "taking the lead" [12] and contributing to the nation.
Upholding the comprehensive deepening of reform. As the frontline of China's reform and opening up and an important window for the world to observe China, Shanghai has undertaken a series of major national strategic tasks, such as the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the Pudong Leading Area, the Free Trade Zone and the Lingang Special Area, and the construction of the Hongqiao International Open Hub. We must persist in benchmarking against the highest international standards and best levels, continuously promoting pioneering reforms and leading-edge opening up, further demonstrating the role of a "wind vane" for comprehensively deepening reform and expanding high-level opening up.
Upholding the combination of an effective market and a proactive government. Shanghai’s various market entities are thriving, presenting a "tripod" state of state-owned capital, private capital, and foreign capital. This places higher requirements on building a unified, open, competitive, and orderly market system. We must give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, better exercise the role of the government, continuously optimize the business environment, stimulate the vitality of all types of market entities, serve the construction of a national unified large market, and promote the formation of an economic order that is both "dynamic in its vitality" and "well-managed."
Upholding the coordination of development and security. Megacities are complex, massive systems. Shanghai has a high concentration of various elements: the total daily population in Shanghai reaches 27 million, the rail transit operation mileage reaches 896 kilometers, it has nearly 350,000 elevators, and nearly 60,000 high-rise buildings of eight floors or more—all of which rank among the top in world cities. This places higher requirements on the prevention of safety risks. We must focus more on strengthening "bottom-line thinking" and "limit-case thinking," effectively preventing and resolving various risks, and ensuring high-quality development with high-level security.
Solidly Advancing the Implementation and Grounding of the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee
General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to Shanghai's development and has high expectations for it. We must keep the "two big pictures" [13] in mind, persist in the "four placements" [14], and fully implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We will focus our efforts on planning and implementing Shanghai’s economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period to ensure that the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments take root, blossom, and bear fruit in Shanghai.
"Anchoring one overall goal" means anchoring the goal of accelerating the construction of a socialist modernized international metropolis with global influence. Since the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has twice visited Shanghai for inspection and guidance, making a new strategic sketch for Shanghai’s development on the New Journey. He pointed out that Shanghai should accelerate the construction of a socialist modernized international metropolis with global influence and fully play a leading, driving, and exemplary role in advancing Chinese-path modernization. The General Secretary's important instructions are the fundamental guidance for Shanghai to plan and promote development during the "15th Five-Year Plan." We must shoulder responsibilities for the country, be courageous pioneers, and further transform the grand blueprint he sketched for Shanghai into a "construction map" and a "realistic painting," making new and greater contributions to Chinese-path modernization.
"Achieving five unswerving commitments." First, unswervingly accelerating the construction of the "Five Centers." The construction of the "Five Centers" is an important mission entrusted to Shanghai by the state and the key to Shanghai's role as a leader and exemplar in Chinese-path modernization. On the one hand, we must strengthen the core functions of the "Five Centers." Closely revolving around implementing national strategies, safeguarding national interests, and ensuring national security, we must continuously strengthen the function of global resource allocation, the function of sourcing scientific and technological innovation, the function of leading high-end industries, and the function of being an open hub gateway, continuously enhancing the city's capacity and core competitiveness. We will work to elevate the status of the international economic center and the influence of global economic governance. On the basis of the city's GDP reaching the new level of 5 trillion yuan, we will further promote the effective improvement of economic quality and reasonable growth in quantity, better representing the country in international cooperation and competition. We will focus on improving the internationalization level of the international financial center, accelerating the improvement of the system of financial markets, products, institutions, and infrastructure, doing well in the "five major articles" [15], and better serving the real economy, technological innovation, and the "Belt and Road" initiative. We will focus on strengthening the hub function of the international trade center, deepening the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and accelerating the development of new trade formats and models. We will focus on enhancing the resource allocation capability of the international shipping center, vigorously developing high-end shipping services, promoting the digital, intelligent, and green transformation of shipping, and consolidating Shanghai Port’s global leading position in container throughput. We will focus on strengthening the sourcing function of the international scientific and technological innovation center, improving the system of strategic technological forces, strengthening original innovation, and promoting decisive breakthroughs in key core technologies in key fields such as integrated circuits across the entire chain, better serving high-level technological self-reliance and strength. On the other hand, we must deepen the linked development of the "Five Centers." We will persist in holistic planning and collaborative advancement, increasing exploration in linkage points such as "tech-fin" (technology finance) and international shipping-trade integration. We will plan offshore finance, offshore trade, and offshore R&D as an integrated whole, strengthening the holistic effect, platform effect, amplification effect, and radiation effect of the "Five Centers."
Second, unswervingly cultivating and developing new quality productive forces. We must persist in taking technological innovation as the lead and the real economy as the foundation, laying out the innovation chain, industrial chain, and talent chain around the development of new quality productive forces, and promoting the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. First, we must focus on enhancing technological innovation capabilities. We will improve the overall efficiency of the innovation system, aiming at the international frontiers of science and technology and major national strategic needs, gathering high-quality innovation resources, and increasing efforts to promote original and disruptive technological innovations, while increasing the proportion of investment in basic research. We will build...
We must build an innovation ecosystem that integrates "government, industry, academia, research, finance, and end-users," [16] strengthening the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation and promoting the efficient transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Second, we must accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system. Adhering to the directions of intelligence, greening, and integration, we will promote the digital and green low-carbon transformation of industries, facilitating the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern services. We will promote the quality upgrading of manufacturing, optimize and enhance traditional industries, and strengthen the strategic leadership of the three leading industries—integrated circuits, artificial intelligence (AI), and biomedicine. We will plan ahead for a batch of future industries and vigorously promote "AI+," [17] better empowering industrial transformation and upgrading. We will promote the innovative development of the service industry, accelerating the extension of producer services toward the high end of the industrial and value chains, and the upgrading of consumer services toward high quality and diversification. Third, we must advance the development of education, technology, and talent as an integrated whole. Leveraging the concentration of scientific and educational resources, we will focus on frontier technological fields and key industrial needs, optimizing the discipline settings of universities and talent cultivation models to improve the quality of human capital. Leveraging the comprehensive advantages of open talent recruitment, we will implement talent policies with greater international attraction and competitiveness, vigorously gathering global strategic scientific talent, world-class technological leaders, and innovation teams.
Third, we must unswervingly serve the construction of the new development pattern. We must persist in expanding domestic demand as a strategic basis, maintaining the close combination of improving people's livelihoods with promoting consumption, and investing in physical assets with investing in people. We will promote benign interaction between consumption and investment, and between supply and demand, further strengthening Shanghai's role as a central node in the domestic Great Circulation and a strategic link in the domestic and international dual circulation. On one hand, we will vigorously boost consumption. We will leverage Shanghai's role as an international consumption center city to contribute to the national effort to boost consumption. We will promote service consumption, expand the supply of high-quality consumer goods and services, and, while actively promoting commodity consumption, place greater emphasis on driving commodity consumption through service consumption. We will vigorously promote the deep integration of culture, tourism, commerce, sports, and exhibitions, linking resources from all parties to promote mutual traffic. We will expand inbound consumption, accelerating the creation of comfortable, convenient, vibrant, and charming world-class commercial districts. Through an excellent consumption environment, convenient services, and preferential policies, we will transform external traffic into a net increase in consumption. We will cultivate new types of consumption, vigorously developing digital consumption and "self-pleasing" consumption, [18] and actively developing the "debut economy," [19] silver economy, and cruise economy to create more new consumption scenarios and demands. On the other hand, we will enhance investment efficiency. We will plan and implement a batch of major projects in science and technology, transportation, energy, culture, sports, and the ecological environment, foresightedly deploying a batch of new infrastructure and promoting the high-quality construction of "Two Major" [20] projects. We will stimulate the vitality of private investment, optimize the structure of government investment, and increase the proportion of government investment in areas related to people's livelihoods.
Fourth, we must unswervingly implement high-level reform and opening up. Guided by national major strategies, we will strengthen pioneering trials and integrated exploration, accelerating the formation of a policy and institutional system with international competitiveness. First, we will deeply advance institutional opening up. We will fully utilize the "experimental field" roles of key areas such as the Pudong Leading Area, the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and its Lingang New Area, and the Hongqiao International Open Hub, while accelerating the creation of the Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone. We will proactively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, focusing on the service sector to continuously relax market access, better testing systems, measuring pressure, and exploring new paths for the nation. Second, we will deeply advance the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. Closely focusing on the two keys of "integration" and "high quality," we will target key areas such as cross-regional synergy in scientific and industrial innovation, serving the national unified large market, accelerating the construction of world-class industrial clusters, and jointly serving enterprises in "going global," [21] thereby introducing more institutional innovation achievements. Third, we will deeply advance the reform of the business environment. We will continue to build a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized world-class business environment. Benchmarking against the World Bank's new round of indicator systems, we will launch more innovative measures in factor acquisition, protection of rights and interests, cost reduction, and efficient administration, creating a stable, transparent, and predictable institutional environment.
Fifth, we must unswervingly advance the construction of the People's City. We will deeply practice the important concept of the People’s City, [22] promoting all-around human development and common prosperity, improving the modernization level of urban governance, and continuously enhancing the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security. First, we will create a high-quality life of livability and security. Always placing people's livability and security first, and building on the historic completion of the renovation of contiguous and scattered old neighborhoods and "carrying the commode" [23] renovations in the central city, we will continue to advance urban renewal tasks such as the renovation of "villages-in-the-city" and non-self-contained old housing. We will improve the multi-level rental housing supply system of "a bed, a room, a suite." We will continue to improve the balanced and high-quality level of public services, making services such as employment, social security, education, healthcare, elderly care, childcare, culture, and sports more accessible, higher quality, and more diverse, promoting high-quality population development. We will solidly promote comprehensive rural revitalization and continue to facilitate the steady increase of farmers' incomes. Second, we will create a green, low-carbon, and beautiful Shanghai. We will coordinately promote carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth. We will fight the battles to defend blue skies, clear water, and pure land [24] with higher standards, actively and steadily promote and achieve carbon peaking, and continue to create green ecological spaces in the "One River, One Creek, One Belt" [25] regions. Building on the early achievement of the goal of one thousand parks, we will launch a new round of "thousand parks" construction, striving to reach 2,000 parks citywide by 2035. Third, we will create a convenient and efficient smart city. We will utilize new technologies such as big data, blockchain, and AI more extensively, continuing to drive the iterative upgrading of "Government Online-Sourcing" [26] and "Unified City Management," creating a new paradigm for the "digital governance" of megacities. Fourth, we will create a safe, reliable, and resilient city. Adhering to the "Four Earlys and Five Mosts" [27] principle, we will better coordinate development and security, construct an urban safety risk spectrum, strengthen risk prevention capabilities in key areas, and enhance the city's operational guarantee capacity under extreme conditions, ensuring that Shanghai remains one of the safest and most resilient cities in the world.
The blueprint has been drawn, and struggle creates the future. We must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, forge ahead with determination, and move forward with courage. We will make greater contributions to the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation by comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization!
(The author is the Mayor of Shanghai) Source: Learning Times (November 14, 2025) Web Editor: Chu Yang