Qu Qingshan: Deng Xiaoping’s Reform Thought and Its Contemporary Value
General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the symposium commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Deng Xiaoping's birth, affectionately reviewed the glorious, militant, and great life of Comrade Deng Xiaoping. He spoke highly of the great historical achievements of Comrade Deng Xiaoping in leading the Party and the people to successfully initiate the new period of our country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, creating socialism with Chinese characteristics, and founding Deng Xiaoping Theory. He emphasized the need to continue the in-depth study and application of Deng Xiaoping Theory, to learn from Comrade Deng Xiaoping's noble revolutionary style, and to continue pushing forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he initiated.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics was formed and developed through the great practice of reform and opening up. As the chief architect of China's socialist reform, opening up, and modernization, Comrade Deng Xiaoping made a series of incisive expositions on China's reforms, forming a complete ideological system that has become an essential component of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Today, revisiting and studying Deng Xiaoping's reform thought is of great significance for further comprehensively deepening reform and for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization.
The Historical Background and Temporal Conditions of the Emergence of Deng Xiaoping's Reform Thought
Marx and Engels pointed out: "The true content of all epoch-making systems is formed by the needs of the period in which these systems arise." [1] The emergence of Deng Xiaoping’s reform thought was by no means accidental; rather, it possesses profound political and economic roots and social-historical conditions, which can be summarized as the "Four Bases."
Based on a profound grasp of the future and destiny of the Party and the country. At the end of the "Cultural Revolution," the nation's construction awaited restoration across all sectors. The general trend of development both at home and abroad required our Party to make political determinations and strategic choices regarding major policies tied to the future and destiny of the Party and the state. At this critical historical juncture where the Party and state
The facts prove eloquently that Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s guidance of our Party in making the decision to implement reform and opening up was wise and correct. Comrade Deng Xiaoping is well-deserving of the titles of chief architect of China's socialist reform, opening up, and modernization, and the pioneer of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "It is precisely because of the outstanding leadership of Comrade Deng Xiaoping, and because of the reform and opening up he vigorously advocated and fully advanced, that socialism with Chinese characteristics is flourishing, the Chinese people are able to live a moderately prosperous life, and the Chinese nation and the People's Republic of China are able to stand tall in the East of the world with a new posture."
The Practical Significance of Deng Xiaoping's Reform Thought for Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform
Reform and opening up is a process that is always "in progress" and never "finished." From the beginning of the new period to the start of the new century, and from standing at a new starting point to entering the New Era, the situation and tasks facing our country's reform and opening up have been renewed day by day. However, the historical process of reform and opening up is continuous, and the underlying historical, theoretical, and practical logic is consistent throughout. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has deepened reform comprehensively with unprecedented determination and intensity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new thoughts, new perspectives, and new judgments regarding comprehensively deepening reform, pushing reform to exert force across the board, achieve breakthroughs at multiple points, move with "swift hooves and steady steps" [1], and advance into deep waters. This has realized historical transformations, systemic reshaping, and holistic reconstruction in many fields. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee was epoch-making, as it inaugurated the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was also epoch-making, as it inaugurated the new journey of comprehensively deepening reform and advancing reform through systemic and holistic design in the New Era, creating a brand-new situation for our country's reform and opening up. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee mapped out the further comprehensive deepening of reform centered closely on advancing Chinese-path modernization, which will surely be recorded in the annals of the Party and the people. The "Six Persists" major principles proposed at this Plenary Session are a profound summary and scientific application of the valuable experience gained since the beginning of reform and opening up, especially in the comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era. They fully demonstrate 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. They also represent the persistence in, enrichment of, and development of Deng Xiaoping's reform thought under new historical conditions.
Taking the persistence of the Party’s overall leadership as the fundamental guarantee for further comprehensively deepening reform. To manage China’s affairs well, the key lies with the Party. Comrade Deng Xiaoping repeatedly emphasized the need for correct centralization, the need for a "core" for the whole Party, and the need for the authority of the Party Central Committee. Precisely because we have always persisted in the Party’s leadership, we were able to achieve the great historical turning point, inaugurate the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, push socialism with Chinese characteristics into the New Era, successfully respond to a series of major risks and challenges, overcome countless difficulties and obstacles, and ensure that the whole Party and the whole country are unified in thought, will, and action on the issue of reform and opening up. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must resolutely uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s status as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party, resolutely uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and give full play to the Party’s role as the leadership core that oversees the overall situation and coordinates all parties. We must incorporate the Party’s leadership into all aspects and the entire process of reform, implement reform with the "spirit of driving nails" [2], and earnestly transform the strategic deployments of the Party Central Committee into a powerful force for advancing Chinese-path modernization.
Taking the persistence of a people-centered approach as the value orientation for further comprehensively deepening reform. Reform is only meaningful if it is for the people; reform only has momentum if it relies on the people. Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "The masses are the source of our strength, and the mass line and the mass viewpoint are our family heirlooms." For over 40 years, our focus on reform and promotion of development has been, in the final analysis, to allow the people to live better lives. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must persist in ensuring that reform responds to what the people call for, respect the principal status and pioneering spirit of the people, and plan and advance reform starting from the overall, fundamental, and long-term interests of the people, so that reform is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits are shared by the people.
Taking the persistence of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground as the basic principle for further comprehensively deepening reform. At the symposium commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Deng Xiaoping's birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must persist in the unity of upholding the fundamentals and innovation; what should be changed must be changed unflinchingly, and what should not be changed must remain unchanged." The great practice of reform and opening up inspires us that no matter how we reform, the fundamental things—such as persisting in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Party, and Marxism—must absolutely never be shaken. We must unify the persistence of taking economic construction as the center, the Four Cardinal Principles [3], and reform and opening up throughout the entire process of socialist modernization. We must neither take the old path of closed-off stagnation nor the crooked path of changing flags [4]. Simultaneously, we must keep pace with the times and advance theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects from a new starting point, so that the tree of theory and the tree of our cause remain forever green.
Taking the persistence of institutional building as the main line for further comprehensively deepening reform. Institutions are fundamental, overall, stable, and long-term issues related to the development of the cause of the Party and the state. Comrade Deng Xiaoping always emphasized that "the institution is the decisive factor." Since the New Era, our Party has placed institutional building in a more prominent position, striving to construct an institutional system that is systematically complete, scientifically standardized, and effective in operation. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must anchor the general goal of continuing to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning, simultaneously "breaking and establishing" while ensuring "establishing before breaking" [5], solidifying fundamental institutions, improving basic institutions, and innovating important institutions, so as to better transform institutional advantages into national governance efficacy.
Taking the persistence of the comprehensive rule of law as the effective path for further comprehensively deepening reform. Reform and the rule of law are like the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart. Comrade Deng Xiaoping consistently advocated "grasping construction with one hand and the legal system with the other." By persisting in the unity of reform and the rule of law, emphasizing the use of legal thinking and legal methods to advance reform, and ensuring that major reforms have a legal basis while timely elevating reform achievements into legal systems, we can enhance the penetration of reform and provide a powerful guarantee for it. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must actively give play to the role of the rule of law in guiding, promoting, regulating, and guaranteeing reform, always ensuring that reform is advanced under the rule of law and the rule of law is perfected during reform, ensuring that Chinese-path modernization is advanced on the track of the rule of law.
Taking the persistence of a systems thinking approach as the scientific method for further comprehensively deepening reform. Comrade Deng Xiaoping focused on designing reform and opening up as a systemic project, reflecting profound dialectics and rigorous systems thinking. The tasks of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era are unprecedented in their comprehensiveness, the depth of their content, and the breadth of their influence. It is a comprehensive and systematic reform and improvement, and a linkage and integration of reforms and improvements in various fields. To further comprehensively deepen reform, we must enhance the systematic, holistic, and synergistic nature of reform. Taking economic structural reform as the lead, we should promote the mutual coordination and efficient synergy of reforms in all aspects, and properly handle major relationships such as those between the economy and society, the government and the market, efficiency and equity, vitality and order, and development and security.
During his lifetime, Comrade Deng Xiaoping held high expectations for the cause of our country's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. What can console Comrade Deng Xiaoping is that through more than 40 years of reform and opening up, our Party has led the people not only to create the "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability—rare in the world—but also to successfully walk the path of Chinese-path modernization and create a new form of human civilization. Reform and opening up has become the most distinctive characteristic and the most magnificent spectacle of contemporary China.
Comrade Deng Xiaoping looked very far and thought very deeply about reform and opening up. As early as 1985, he pointed out with great foresight: "The significance of reform is to lay a good foundation for sustained development in the next ten years and the first fifty years of the next century. Without reform, there will be no sustained development in the future. Therefore, reform is not just a matter of looking at three or five years, but of looking at twenty years, and at the first fifty years of the next century. This matter must be resolutely carried out."
Today, reform and opening up has already crossed "a thousand mountains and rivers," but it still requires "traversing mountains and wading through rivers" [6]. The more great and arduous Chinese-path modernization is, the more we must seek momentum from reform and vitality from opening up. Let us unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Party and the Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee, hold high the banner of reform and opening up without wavering, and implement the various major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee regarding further comprehensively deepening reform with a sense of urgency that "time waits for no one." Let us continue to write a magnificent chapter in the cause of comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization.
(Author: President of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee) Online Editor: Tong Xin Source: Qiushi 2024/17