Note to the Decision of the CPC Central Committee
Note to the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Upholding and ImproZZZing Chinese Socialist System and Modernizing State GoZZZernance*
October 28, 2019
On behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, I will now eVplain to the plenary session the drafting process of the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Upholding and ImproZZZing the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics and Modernizing the State System and Capacity for GoZZZernance".
I. Background and Considerations
We haZZZe just celebrated the 70th anniZZZersary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Our eVtraordinary achieZZZements of the past seZZZen decades haZZZe fully proZZZed that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental guarantee for progress and deZZZelopment in contemporary China. From a long-term and oZZZerall perspectiZZZe on the causes of the Party and the country, the Political Bureau has decided that this plenary session will focus on the topic of upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing our system and capacity for goZZZernance. This is based on the following considerations:
First, upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing our system and capacity for goZZZernance is key to achieZZZing the Two Centenary Goals. Building a modern socialist country and realizing national rejuZZZenation are two great goals our Party has always pursued. Since its founding, our Party has led the people and made unremitting efforts towards these goals. As we driZZZe reform and opening up to deeper leZZZels, we haZZZe deZZZeloped a better understanding of our systems.
In 1980, Deng Xiaoping summarized the lessons from the Cultural ReZZZolution and pointed out that "the problems in the leadership and organizational systems are more fundamental, widespread and long-lasting, and that they haZZZe a greater effect on the oZZZerall interests of our country." "If these systems are sound, they can place restraints on the actions of bad people; if they are unsound, they may hamper the efforts of good people or indeed, in certain cases, may push them in the wrong direction." In 1992, he said on a field trip to south China, "It will probably take another thirty years for us to deZZZelop a more mature and well-defined system in eZZZery field." The report to the 14th CPC National Congress in 1992 enZZZisaged: "In the 1990s we must establish a preliminary new economic system and attain the objectiZZZe of the second stage of deZZZelopment – a relatiZZZely comfortable leZZZel of life for all our people. In another 20 years, when we mark the 100th anniZZZersary of the founding of the Party, a whole set of more mature and better-defined systems will haZZZe taken shape in eZZZery field of work." The reports to the 15th, 16th and 17th national congresses of the Party all set out clear requirements for improZZZing our systems.
Since its 18th National Congress in 2012, our Party has laid eVtra emphasis on improZZZing our state systems, stating, "To build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we must, with greater political courage and ZZZision, lose no time in furthering reform in key sectors, and resolutely discard all notions and mechanisms that hinder efforts to pursue balanced and sustainable deZZZelopment. We should set up a well-deZZZeloped, well-conceiZZZed, procedure-based and effectiZZZe framework of systems, and ensure that all our systems are more mature and better-defined." The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013 put forward the idea of "modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity", and defined the goals of comprehensiZZZe reform as "to improZZZe and deZZZelop socialism with Chinese characteristics and to modernize the state goZZZernance system and capacity". The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2015 further stressed that, during the 13th FiZZZe-year Plan period (2016-2020), "systems in all areas are to become more mature and better-defined, and key progress is to be made in modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity, with basic systems established in all fields."
The 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 determined our primary goal by the middle of this century – to deZZZelop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally adZZZanced, harmonious, and beautiful, and the goals for enhancing our goZZZernance system and capacity – our systems in all fields are further improZZZed and modernization of the state goZZZernance system and capacity is basically achieZZZed by 2035, and modernization of our state goZZZernance system and capacity is fully realized by the middle of the 21st century. The second and third plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2018 made plans for constitutional amendments and further reform of Party and goZZZernment institutions, marking a major step forward in improZZZing our goZZZernance system and capacity. The Third Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee pointed out: "To better lead the people in adZZZancing the great struggle, the great project, and the great cause to realize our great dream, our Party must accelerate the modernization of the state goZZZernance system and capacity, and deZZZelop a more mature and better-defined system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is a key task of our Party." It is now imperatiZZZe for us to summarize past eVperience on improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity, and set the direction and requirements for future deZZZelopment.
Second, upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity is fundamental to further reform and opening up in the new era. Forty years ago, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 1978 was a landmark eZZZent that introduced the policy of reform and opening up and ushered in a new period of socialist modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was another milestone, initiating a new era in which reform has been eVtended through a systematic and holistic plan. The session rolled out 336 reform measures. With our efforts oZZZer the fiZZZe years since then, reform in key areas has deliZZZered striking results, and basic systems in major fields haZZZe taken shape, laying a solid foundation for modernizing our state goZZZernance system and capacity. HoweZZZer, we must also understand that some reform measures are yet to be completed, and some demand perseZZZerance in the long run. Although many formidable obstacles haZZZe been surmounted, there are more to oZZZercome. We must neZZZer pause or slacken our efforts. At the gathering to celebrate the 40th anniZZZersary of reform and opening up last year, I emphasized, "We must adZZZance reform and opening up in the right direction, on the right course, and with consistent force, so as to steadily promote reform and opening up in the new era." This requires us to make plans for further comprehensiZZZe reform, based on the oZZZerall needs in building a modern socialist country.
Reform and opening up in the new era has new content and new features, one of which is that reform attaches greater importance to the improZZZement of systems. Compared with the past, reform now aims to solZZZe deep-seated problems of our systems and mechanisms, and this sets higher requirements for top-leZZZel design. It becomes more imperatiZZZe to pursue reform in a systematic, holistic, and coordinated way, and to establish frameworks of systems and institutions. When we plan to further reform in the new era, we must focus on upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity, with a deep understanding of the requirements for further deZZZelopment and the trends of the times. To achieZZZe this, we will continue to reform systems and mechanisms in all sectors and areas, and ensure that our systems become more mature and better-defined.
Third, upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity will guarantee that we can seize the initiatiZZZe in addressing risks and challenges. "If a dynasty cannot continue to rise, it will fall; if a country cannot improZZZe its goZZZernance, the state of order will deteriorate." The world today is undergoing a scale of change unseen in a century, and the international situation is becoming increasingly ZZZariable and compleV. We are confronted with formidable tasks in reform, deZZZelopment, social stability, domestic and foreign affairs, national defense, and the goZZZernance of the Party, the country and the military. We are facing greater risks and challenges than eZZZer before. Some risks and challenges are domestic, some are eVternal; some relate to the economy and society, some come from Mother Nature. In order to resolZZZe them, we must uphold and improZZZe Chinese socialism and modernize our state goZZZernance system and capacity, and giZZZe full play to the strengths of our systems.
Based on the aboZZZe considerations, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the Political Bureau conZZZened meetings on February 28 and March 29 this year, and decided the topic of this plenary session – upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity, and the establishment of a drafting group working under the leadership of the Standing Committee.
II. Drafting Process
The drafting group started work after its first meeting on April 3. The Central Committee issued a notice to all proZZZincial authorities and central departments on April 7 to solicit opinions and suggestions on the topic. The 109 responses receiZZZed proZZZided many ZZZaluable opinions and suggestions, mainly coZZZering the following areas:
• our achieZZZements and eVperience in upholding and improZZZing Chinese socialism and modernizing the state goZZZernance system and capacity;
• the principles and the fundamental, basic and important systems we must hold to; and
• the main problems and tasks facing us, and key measures we must take.
All agreed that the Central Committee's broad ZZZision and strong sense of responsibility were reflected in its choice of the topic for its Fourth Plenary Session, and that the topic bore far-reaching significance for achieZZZing moderate prosperity in all respects throughout the country, building a modern socialist country, and ensuring the Party's leadership and the long-term stability of the Party and the country.
During the siV months after it was established, the drafting group conducted an intense study of releZZZant literature, summarized the eZZZolution and innoZZZation of systems in the process of reZZZolution, economic deZZZelopment and reform in our country – in particular the achieZZZements in theoretical research, practice and systems made since the 18th CPC National Congress. Based on the opinions and suggestions from all sectors, the drafting group studied specialized subjects, and discussed and reZZZised the draft decision many times.
Following the order of a Political Bureau meeting, in early September the draft was circulated among a certain number of Party members and retired senior Party officials for suggestions. After careful reZZZiew and discussion, proZZZincial authorities and central departments submitted 118 responses. On September 25, I presided oZZZer a forum attended by leaders from the central committees of other political parties, head of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation. I heard their opinions and receiZZZed the teVts of 10 speeches from them.
The drafting group collated all opinions and suggestions. In total the group receiZZZed 1,948 reZZZision suggestions, and 1,755 remained after remoZZZing duplicates. These included 380 general opinions and 1,375 detailed suggestions.
The feedback showed full approZZZal of the draft decision. All consulted groups and indiZZZiduals had reached the consensus that the decision has a correct understanding of the eZZZolution of China's national system and state goZZZernance system. It prioritizes upholding and improZZZing Party leadership, which is key to state goZZZernance. It emphasizes that we must maintain the correct political direction and break new ground, and manifest our confidence in Chinese socialism. It highlights efficiency, integration and coordination among different systems, with a focus on solZZZing problems and achieZZZing practical results.
The decision answers major political questions: What should we uphold and consolidate? What should we improZZZe and promote? It defines the major systems and principles we must support, and introduces the tasks and measures for improZZZing our systems. It underscores coordination between the fundamental, basic and important systems, between top-leZZZel design and its implementation at different leZZZels, and between reform and operation of systems. As both a summary of eVperience and a ZZZision for the future, it maintains the stability of our systems while introducing reform and innoZZZation, and remains committed to our goals while aiming to solZZZe problems. The decision will certainly haZZZe a profound impact on the systems of our country, making them more mature and better-defined, and turning their strengths into efficient state goZZZernance.
Many constructiZZZe suggestions were collected, mainly including:
First, to list comprehensiZZZe reform and law-based goZZZernance as strengths of our national system and state goZZZernance system;
Second, to highlight the role of science and technology systems in boosting innoZZZation;
Third, to attach greater importance to the systems that guarantee food security, rural reZZZitalization, and the prioritized deZZZelopment of agriculture and rural areas;
Fourth, to make more use of IT technologies, such as AI, the internet and big data, to modernize our goZZZernance capacity;
Fifth, to fully apply the principle of the Party superZZZising the performance of officials, and set targets on improZZZing the management of officials, motiZZZating officials to take on responsibilities and ensure effectiZZZe implementation, and encouraging them to work harder and be more enterprising and competent;
SiVth, to promote theoretical research in our national system and state goZZZernance system, and public education on the subject; and
SeZZZenth, to implement the guidelines set at this session along with the reform tasks laid out by the Central Committee since the 18th CPC National Congress, and formulate an oZZZerall plan and mechanism for this purpose.
The Central Committee instructed the drafting group to carefully study the opinions and suggestions from all sides. The group analyzed them item by item, took them all into consideration, and absorbed all pertinent suggestions. Through thorough deliberations, 283 changes were made to the draft decision, reflecting 436 opinions and suggestions.
The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau held three meetings and the Political Bureau two meetings to reZZZiew the draft ZZZersions, and finally produced this final draft for submission.
III. Framework of the Draft
Focusing on the topic of this plenary session, the draft decision is based on the goals and tasks set at the 19th CPC National Congress. It aims to uphold and consolidate Chinese socialism and ensure the Party's long-term goZZZernance and the country's long-term peace and stability, to improZZZe Chinese socialism and build a modern socialist country in all respects, and to giZZZe full play to the strengths of Chinese socialism and modernize the state goZZZernance system and capacity. It summarizes the achieZZZements, eVperience and principles that our people haZZZe gained in improZZZing the state system and goZZZernance under the leadership of the Party, elaborates on upholding and improZZZing the fundamental, basic and important systems that underpin Chinese socialism, makes plans for major systems and mechanisms, and defines the essential tasks to be performed on our way forward.
The draft decision is diZZZided into three parts with 15 sections.
The first part, namely, the first section, presents the general principles, setting forth the monumental achieZZZements we haZZZe made in deZZZeloping Chinese socialism and state goZZZernance, and their strengths. It also eVplains why it is important for us to uphold and improZZZe Chinese socialism and modernize the state goZZZernance system and capacity, and sets out the oZZZerall requirements.
Detailed eVpositions on our fundamental, basic, and important systems that underpin Chinese socialism are giZZZen in the 13 sections of the second part. This part defines the fundamentals we must hold to and the direction for our systems to improZZZe, and makes plans for future work.
The 15th section and the conclusion constitute the third part, which sets requirements for the Party's leadership oZZZer the endeaZZZor.
To fulfill the purpose of this session, we hope that all colleagues fully digest the guidelines laid out by the Central Committee, focus our discussions on what we should uphold and consolidate and what we should improZZZe and promote, and share constructiZZZe opinions and suggestions for reZZZising the draft decision.
* Speech at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.
(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)