Comrades,
Now I
would like to make a report to the Seventeenth National Congress of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) on behalf of the Sixteenth Central Committee.
The
Seventeenth Congress is one of vital importance being held at a crucial stage
of China's reform and development. The theme of the congress is to hold high
the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance
of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents,
thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, continue to emancipate
the mind, persist in reform and opening up, pursue development in a scientific
way, promote social harmony, and strive for new victories in building a
moderately prosperous society in all respects.
The great
banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the banner guiding
development and progress in contemporary China and rallying the whole Party and
the people of all ethnic groups in the country in our common endeavor.
Emancipating the mind is a magic instrument for developing socialism with
Chinese characteristics, reform and opening up provide a strong driving force
for developing it, and scientific development and social harmony are basic
requirements for developing it. Building a moderately prosperous society in all
respects is a goal for the Party and the state to reach by 2020, and represents
the fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups.
The world
today is undergoing extensive and profound changes, and contemporary China is
going through a wide-ranging and deep-going transformation. This brings us
unprecedented opportunities as well as unprecedented challenges, with the
formeroutweighing the latter. The whole Party must unswervingly hold high the
great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and lead the people in
starting from this new historical point, grasping and making the most of the
important period of strategic opportunities, staying realistic and pragmatic,
forging ahead with determination, continuing to build a moderately prosperous
society in all respects and accelerate socialist modernization, and
accomplishing the lofty mission bestowed by the times.
I. The
Work of the Past Five Years
The five
years since the Sixteenth Congress was an extraordinary period. In order to
accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development in a complicated and
volatile international situation, the Party led the people of all ethnic groups
in holding high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important
thought of Three Represents, overcoming difficulties and risks, creating a new
situation in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and attaining
a new realm in adapting Marxism to conditions in China.
At its Sixteenth Congress the Party established the important
thought of Three Represents as its guide and made the strategic decision to
build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In order to implement
the guiding principles of the congress, the Central Committee convened seven
plenary sessions, at which it made decisions on and arrangements for major
issues of overall significance such as deepening institutional restructuring,
improving the socialist market economy, strengthening the governance capability
of the Party, drawing up the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2006-10), and building a
harmonious socialist society; and it formulated and applied the Scientific
Outlook on Development and other major strategic thoughts. All this helped the
Party and the state score great new achievements.
Economic
strength increased substantially. The economy sustained steady and rapid
growth. The GDP expanded by an annual average of over 10%. Economic performance
improved significantly, national revenue rose markedly year by year, and prices
were basically stable. Efforts to build a new socialist countryside yielded
solid results, and development among regions became more balanced. The endeavor
to make China an innovative nation registered good progress, with considerable
improvement in the country's capacity for independent innovation. Notable
achievements were scored in the construction of infrastructure including
energy, transport and telecommunications facilities and other key projects.
Manned spaceflights were successfully conducted. Fresh progress was registered
in energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation. The Tenth
Five-Year Plan (2001-05) was fulfilled successfully and implementation of the
eleventh is in smooth progress.
Major
breakthroughs were made in reform and opening up. Comprehensive reforms in
rural areas gradually deepened; agricultural tax, livestock tax and taxes on
special agricultural products were rescinded throughout the country; and
policies were constantly strengthened to support and benefit agriculture, rural
areas and farmers. Significant headway was made in reform of the state assets
management system, state-owned enterprises, banking, public finance, taxation,
investment, pricing, and the system for managing science and technology. The
non-public sector of the economy grew stronger. A sound market system was being
put in place, macroeconomic regulation continued to improve, and transformation
of government functions was accelerated. The total volume of imports and exports
increased sharply. Solid steps were taken in implementing the "go
global" strategy, and the open economy entered a new stage of development.
Living
standards improved significantly. Both urban and rural incomes increased
considerably, and most families had more property than before. The system of
subsistence allowances for urban and rural residents was basically in place,
guaranteeing basic living conditions for the poor. Residents improved their
consumption patterns, had increasingly better food, clothing, housing,
transport and other daily necessities, and enjoyed markedly improved public
services.
Fresh
progress was registered in improving democracy and the legal system. Political
restructuring progressed steadily. Constant improvement was made in the system
of people's congresses, the system of multiparty cooperation and political
consultation under the leadership of the CPC and the system of regional ethnic
autonomy. Primary-level democracy increased its vitality. The cause of human
rights witnessed sound development. The patriotic united front grew stronger. A
socialist law system with Chinese characteristics was basically in place. The
rule of law was effectively implemented as a fundamental principle. Reform of
the government administration system and the judicial system continued to
deepen.
A new
situation was created in cultural development. Efforts to establish the system
of socialist core values made steady headway and marked achievements were
scored in the Project to Study and Develop Marxist Theory. Extensive efforts
were made to raise ideological and ethical standards and the whole of society
became more culturally advanced. Cultural restructuring made important
progress, cultural programs and the cultural industry developed rapidly, and
the people enjoyed a richer cultural life. Fresh progress was made in public
fitness programs and competitive sports.
Social
development proceeded in an all-round way. Education of various kinds and at
different levels developed rapidly. Free compulsory education was made
available in all rural areas. More job opportunities were created. The social
security system was strengthened. The battle against SARS came to a great
victory. The public health system and basic medical care constantly improved,
contributing to better health of the people. Social management improved step by
step. Social stability was ensured and the people lived and worked in peace and
contentment.
Historic
achievements were scored in the development of national defense and the armed
forces. The revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics was
accelerated. The armed forces were reduced by 200,000 troops. Efforts were
intensified in all respects to make the armed forces more revolutionary,
modernized and standardized, which notably increased their capacity to
accomplish their historical missions at this new stage in the new century.
Work
related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs was intensified. Hong Kong and
Macao maintained their prosperity and stability and developed closer economic
partnership with the mainland. Political parties on both sides of the Taiwan
Straits started communication, and cross-Straits visits as well as economic and
cultural exchanges reached a new high. The Anti-Secession Law was enacted to
resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Major
progress was made in all-directional diplomacy. Pursuing an independent foreign
policy of peace, China energetically carried out diplomatic activities,
enhanced exchanges and cooperation with other countries in various fields and
played a major constructive role in international affairs. This created a
favorable international environment for building a moderately prosperous
society in all respects.
The great
new undertaking to build the Party made solid progress. Endeavors to strengthen
the Party's governance capability and vanguard nature were intensified. Efforts
to make theoretical innovations and arm Party members with the achievements
proved successful. The campaign to educate Party members to preserve their
vanguard nature yielded substantial results. Intra-Party democracy continued to
expand. Major headway was made in strengthening the Party's leading bodies and
the ranks of its cadres, and especially in educating and training cadres. Work
in relation to talented personnel was strengthened. Efforts were stepped up to
reform the cadre and personnel system and make innovations in the
organizational system. Remarkable results were achieved in improving the Party's
style of work, upholding integrity and combating corruption.
While
recognizing our achievements, we must be well aware that they still fall short
of the expectations of the people and that there are still quite a few
difficulties and problems on our way forward. The outstanding ones include the
following: Our economic growth is realized at an excessively high cost of
resources and the environment. There remains an imbalance in development
between urban and rural areas, among regions, and between the economy and
society. It has become more difficult to bring about a steady growth of
agriculture and continued increase in farmers' incomes. There are still many
problems affecting people's immediate interests in areas such as employment,
social security, income distribution, education, public health, housing, work
safety, administration of justice and public order; and some low-income people
lead a rather difficult life. More efforts are needed to promote ideological
and ethical progress. The governance capability of the Party falls somewhat
short of the need to deal with the new situation and tasks. In-depth
investigations and studies have yet to be conducted on some major practical
issues related to reform, development and stability. Some primary Party organizations
are weak and lax. A small number of Party cadres are not honest and upright,
their formalism and bureaucratism are quite conspicuous, and extravagance,
waste, corruption and other undesirable behavior are still serious problems
with them. We must pay close attention to these problems and continue our
efforts to solve them.
To sum
up, the past five years was a period in which substantial progress was made in
reform, opening up and building a moderately prosperous society in all
respects. During this period, China's overall strength grew considerably and
the people enjoyed more tangible benefits. China's international standing and
influence rose notably. The creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness of
the Party increased significantly, and the whole Party and the people of all
ethnic groups became more united. Facts have proved that the major policy
decisions made by the Central Committee at and since the Sixteenth Congress are
perfectly correct.
Our
achievements over the past five years are attributed to the concerted efforts
of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups. On behalf of the
Central Committee, I wish to express our heartfelt thanks to the people of all
ethnic groups, the democratic parties, people's organizations and patriots from
all walks of life, to our compatriots in the special administrative regions of
Hong Kong and Macao and in Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese nationals, and to
our foreign friends who care about and support China's modernization drive!
II. The
Great Historical Course of Reform and Opening Up
We will
soon be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the start of reform and opening up.
In 1978, the Party held the historic Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh
Central Committee, which ushered in the new historical period of reform and
opening up. Since then, the Chinese Communists and the Chinese people have, in
an indomitable enterprising spirit and with their spectacular practice of
innovation, composed a new epic recounting the Chinese nation's ceaseless
efforts to make progress and become stronger, and historic changes have taken
place in the visages of the Chinese people, socialist China and the CPC.
Reform
and opening up represent a great new revolution carried on by the people under
the Party's leadership in a new era to release and develop the productive
forces, modernize the country, bring prosperity to the Chinese people and
achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; to promote the
self-improvement and development of China's socialist system, inject new
vitality into socialism, and build and develop socialism with Chinese
characteristics; and to improve the building of the Party as it leads
contemporary China in development and progress, preserve and enhance its vanguard
nature, and ensure that it is always in the forefront of the times.
We must
never forget that the great cause of reform and opening up was conducted on a
foundation laid by the Party's first generation of central collective
leadership with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, which founded Mao Zedong
Thought, led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups in
establishing the People's Republic and scoring great achievements in our
socialist revolution and construction, and gained invaluable experience in its
painstaking exploration for laws governing socialist construction. The victory
in the new-democratic revolution and the establishment of the basic system of
socialism provided the fundamental political prerequisite and institutional
basis for every inch of development and progress in contemporary China.
We must
never forget that the great cause of reform and opening up was initiated by the
Party's second generation of central collective leadership with Comrade Deng
Xiaoping at its core leading the whole Party and the people of all ethnic
groups in the endeavor. In a precarious situation left by the "cultural
revolution" (1966-76), the second generation of central collective
leadership, persisting in emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts
and displaying immense political and theoretical courage, made a scientific
appraisal of Comrade Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought, thoroughly repudiated
the erroneous theory and practice of "taking class struggle as the key
link," and made the historic policy decision to shift the focus of the
work of the Party and the state onto economic development and introduce reform
and opening up. It established the basic line for the primary stage of
socialism, sounded the clarion call of the times for taking our own road and
building socialism with Chinese characteristics, founded Deng Xiaoping Theory,
and led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups in striding forward
on the great journey of reform and opening up.
We must
never forget that the great cause of reform and opening up was carried on,
developed and successfully carried into the 21st century by the Party's third
generation of central collective leadership with Comrade Jiang Zemin at its
core leading the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups on this
mission. From the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Central Committee
through the Sixteenth Congress, the third generation of central collective
leadership, which took over the helm at a critical historical juncture, held
high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, pressed ahead with reform and
opening up and kept up with the times. Relying on the Party and the people, it
stood the severe tests of political turbulences and economic risks at home and
abroad, safeguarded socialism with Chinese characteristics, initiated the new,
socialist market economy and ushered in a new phase of all-round opening up;
and it advanced the great new undertaking to build the Party, founded the
important thought of Three Represents, and steered the ship of reform and
opening up forward on the right course.
Since the
Sixteenth Congress, we have followed the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and
the important thought of Three Represents, kept up with new developments and
changes in and outside China, grasped the strategic opportunities in this
important period, promoted the truth-seeking, pragmatic and pioneering spirit
and persisted in innovation in both theory and practice. We have worked hard to
promote scientific development and social harmony, improved the socialist
market economy, and resolutely carried forward the great cause of reform and
opening up in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
Reform
and opening up constitute the most salient feature of the new period. From the
countryside to the cities and from the economic to other areas, the process of
sweeping reform has unfolded with irresistible momentum. From the coastal areas
to areas along the Yangtze River and the borders, and from the eastern to the
central and western regions, the door has been resolutely opened to the outside
world. This great undertaking of reform and opening up, never seen before in
history, has greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of
Chinese people and brought about China's historic transformation from a highly
centralized planned economy to a robust socialist market economy, and from a
closed or semi-closed state to all-round opening up. Today socialist China is
standing rock-firm in the East, oriented toward modernization, the world and
the future.
Rapid
development represents the most remarkable achievement in the new period. The
Party has been implementing the three-step strategy for modernization, leading
the people in working hard to promote China's sustained rapid development at a
rate rarely seen in the world. China's economy, once on the verge of collapse,
has grown to rank as the fourth largest in the world, and its import and export
volume, the third biggest. The Chinese people, once inadequately fed and clad,
are leading a fairly comfortable life on the whole. The impoverished population
in rural areas has dropped from more than 250 million to just over 20 million.
The country's achievements in political, cultural and social development have
captured world attention. China's development has not only enabled its people
to move steadily toward prosperity and happiness, but also contributed
substantially to the growth of the world economy and the progress of human
civilization.
Keeping
up with the times is the most prominent hallmark of the new period. Adhering to
the Marxist ideological line, the Party has been constantly seeking answers to
major theoretical and practical questions such as what socialism is and how to
build it, what kind of party we must build and how to build it, and what kind
of development China should achieve and how to achieve it. The Party has been
constantly adapting Marxism to conditions in China, and adhering to and
enriching its own basic theory, line, program and experience. Socialism and
Marxism have shown great vitality on Chinese soil, brought more benefits to the
people, and enabled the Chinese nation to catch up with the trend of the times
in great strides and see the bright future of national rejuvenation.
Facts
have incontrovertibly proved that the decision to begin reform and opening up
is vital to the destiny of contemporary China, that reform and opening up are
the only way of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and
rejuvenating the Chinese nation, that only socialism can save China and that
only reform and opening up can develop China, socialism and Marxism.
As a
great new revolution, reform and opening up are not to be plain sailing or be
accomplished overnight. Essentially they accord with the aspirations of the
Party membership and the people and keep up with the trend of the times. The
orientation and path of reform and opening up are entirely correct, and their
merits and achievements can never be negated. To stop or reverse reform and
opening up would only lead to a blind alley.
In the
historical course of reform and opening up, the Party has combined adhering to
the basic tenets of Marxism with adapting it to Chinese conditions, upholding
the Four Cardinal Principles with adhering to the reform and opening up policy,
respecting the people's pioneering initiative with strengthening the Party's
leadership, adhering to the basic system of socialism with developing the
market economy, effecting changes in the economic base with promoting reform of
the superstructure, developing the productive forces with improving the
cultural and ethical quality of the whole nation, raising efficiency with
promoting social equity, pursuing independent development with taking part in
economic globalization, promoting reform and development with maintaining
social stability, and advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics with making progress in the great new undertaking to build the
Party. In this course the Party has gained invaluable experience in eliminating
poverty, accelerating modernization, and consolidating and developing socialism
in a large developing country of over one billion people.
To sum
up, the fundamental reason behind all our achievements and progress since the
reform and opening up policy was introduced is that we have blazed a path of
socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of
socialism with Chinese characteristics. Essentially, to hold high the great
banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics means to keep to this path and
uphold this system.
Taking
the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics means we will, under the
leadership of the CPC and in light of China's basic conditions, take economic
development as the central task, adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles and
persevere in reform and opening up, release and develop the productive forces,
consolidate and improve the socialist system, develop the socialist market
economy, socialist democracy, an advanced socialist culture and a harmonious
socialist society, and make China a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally
advanced and harmonious modern socialist country. The main reason this path is
completely correct and can lead China to development and progress is that we
have adhered to the basic tenets of scientific socialism and in the meantime
added to them distinct Chinese characteristics in light of China's conditions
and the features of the times. In contemporary China, to stay true to socialism
means to keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Theories
of socialism with Chinese characteristics constitute a system of scientific
theories including Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three
Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development and other major strategic
thoughts. This system represents the Party's adherence to and development of
Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought and embodies the wisdom and hard work
of several generations of Chinese Communists leading the people in carrying out
tireless explorations and practices. It is the latest achievement in adapting
Marxism to Chinese conditions, the Party's invaluable political and
intellectual asset, and the common ideological foundation for the concerted endeavor
of the people of all ethnic groups. It is an open system that keeps developing.
Practices since the publication of the Communist Manifesto nearly 160 years ago
have proved that only when Marxism is integrated with the conditions of a
specific country, advances in step with the times and is tied to the destiny of
the people can it demonstrate its strong vitality, creativity and appeal. In
contemporary China, to stay true to Marxism means to adhere to the system of
theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
There is
no end to practice or innovation. All Party members must cherish the path of
socialism with Chinese characteristics and the system of theories of socialism
with Chinese characteristics, which the Party explored and created after going
through all the hardships, keep to the path and uphold the system for a long
time to come and constantly develop them. We must continue to emancipate our
minds, seek truth from facts, keep up with the times, make bold changes and
innovations, stay away from rigidity or stagnation, fear no risks, never be
confused by any interference, broaden our path of socialism with Chinese
characteristics, and ensure that the truth of Marxism of contemporary China
shines even more brightly.
III. Thoroughly Applying
the Scientific Outlook on Development
To
continue to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and develop
socialism with Chinese characteristics at the new stage of development, we must
follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three
Represents and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development.
The
Scientific Outlook on Development is a continuation and development of the
important thoughts on development advanced by the previous three generations of
central collective leadership of the CPC and a concentrated expression of the
Marxist world outlook and methodology with regard to development. It is a
scientific theory that is in the same line as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and
keeps up with the times. It is an important guiding principle for China's
economic and social development and a major strategic thought that we must
uphold and apply in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In light
of the basic reality that China is in the primary stage of socialism, the
Scientific Outlook on Development has been formulated to meet new requirements
of development by analyzing China's own practice and drawing on the experience
of other countries in development. At this new stage in the new century,
China's development shows a series of new features which are mainly as follows:
The economic strength has increased markedly, but the overall productivity
remains low, the capacity for independent innovation is weak, and the
longstanding structural problems and the extensive mode of growth are yet to be
fundamentally addressed. The socialist market economy is basically in place,
but there remain structural and institutional obstacles slowing down
development, and further reform in difficult areas is confronted with
deep-seated problems. A relatively comfortable standard of living has been
achieved for the people as a whole, but the trend of a growing gap in income
distribution has not been thoroughly reversed, there are still a considerable
number of impoverished and low-income people in both urban and rural areas, and
it has become more difficult to accommodate the interests of all sides. Efforts
to balance development have yielded remarkable results, but the foundation of
agriculture remains weak, the rural areas still lag behind in development, and
we face an arduous task to narrow the urban-rural and interregional gaps in
development and promote balanced economic and social development. Socialist
democracy has continued to develop and we have made steady progress in
implementing the rule of law as a fundamental principle, but efforts to improve
democracy and the legal system fall somewhat short of the need to expand people's
democracy and promote economic and social development, and political
restructuring has to be deepened. Socialist culture is thriving as never
before, but the people have growing cultural needs and have become more
independent, selective, changeable and diverse in thinking, setting higher
requirements for the development of an advanced socialist culture. Our society
has become evidently more dynamic, but profound changes have taken place in the
structure of society, in the way society is organized and in the pattern of
social interests, and many new issues have emerged in social development and
management. China is opening wider to the outside world, but international
competition is becoming increasingly acute, pressure in the form of the
economic and scientific dominance of developed countries will continue for a
long time to come, both predictable and unpredictable risks are increasing, and
the need to balance domestic development and opening to the outside world is
greater than ever.
All this
shows that through the unremitting efforts we have made since the founding of
the People's Republic in 1949, particularly since the introduction of the
reform and opening up policy, China has scored achievements in development that
have captured world attention, and experienced far-reaching changes in the
productive forces and the relations of production, as well as in the economic
base and the superstructure. However, the basic reality that China is still in
the primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a long time to come has
not changed, nor has Chinese society's principal contradiction - the one
between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the low
level of social production. The current features of development in China are a
concrete manifestation of that basic reality at this new stage in the new
century. Stressing recognition of the basic reality is not meant to belittle
ourselves, wallow in backwardness, or encourage unrealistic pursuit of quick
results. Rather, such recognition will serve as the basis of our endeavor to
advance reform and plan for development. We must always remain sober-minded,
base our efforts on the most significant reality that China is in the primary
stage of socialism, scientifically analyze the new opportunities and challenges
arising from China's full involvement in economic globalization, fully
understand the new situation and tasks in China's advance toward an
industrialized, information-based, urbanized, market-oriented and
internationalized country, have a good grasp of the new issues and problems we
face in development, follow more conscientiously the path of scientific
development, and strive to open up a broader vista for developing socialism
with Chinese characteristics.
The
Scientific Outlook on Development takes development as its essence, putting
people first as its core, comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development
as its basic requirement, and overall consideration as its fundamental
approach.
- We must
regard development as the top priority of the Party in governing and
rejuvenating the country. Development is of decisive significance for building
a moderately prosperous society in all respects and speeding up socialist
modernization. We must firmly commit ourselves to the central task of economic
development, concentrate on construction and development, and keep releasing
and developing the productive forces. We must better implement the strategy of
rejuvenating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening
the nation with trained personnel and the strategy of sustainable development.
We must grasp the law of development, make innovations in our thinking,
transform the mode of development, crack hard issues and raise quality and
efficiency to achieve sound and rapid development, so that we can lay a solid
foundation for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must
strive for scientific development by putting people first and making it
comprehensive, balanced and sustainable; we must strive for harmonious
development by integrating all undertakings and promoting unity and amity among
all members of society; and we must strive for peaceful development in the
course of which China develops itself by safeguarding world peace and contributes
to world peace by developing itself.
- We must
always put people first. Serving the people wholeheartedly is the fundamental
purpose of the Party, and its every endeavor is for the well-being of the
people. We must always make sure that the aim and outcome of all the work of
the Party and the state is to realize, safeguard and expand the fundamental
interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. We must respect the
principal position of the people in the country's political life, give play to their
creativity, protect their rights and interests, take the path of prosperity for
all and promote their all-round development, to ensure that development is for
the people, by the people and with the people sharing in its fruits.
- We must
pursue comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development. In accordance with
the overall arrangements for the cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics, we will promote all-round economic, political, cultural and
social development, coordinate all links and aspects of our modernization
drive, and balance the relations of production with the productive forces and
the superstructure with the economic base. We must adopt an enlightened
approach to development that results in expanded production, a better life and
sound ecological and environmental conditions, and build a resource-conserving
and environment-friendly society that coordinates growth rate with the economic
structure, quality and efficiency, and harmonizes economic growth with the
population, resources and the environment, so that our people will live and
work under sound ecological and environmental conditions and our economy and
society will develop in a sustainable way.
- We must
persist in overall consideration. We need to correctly understand and handle
the major relationships in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics
and balance urban and rural development, development among regions, economic
and social development, relations between man and nature, and domestic
development and opening to the outside world. We must take into overall
consideration the relationships between the central and local authorities,
between personal and collective interests, between interests of the part and
those of the whole, and between immediate and long-term interests, so as to
fully arouse the initiative of all sides. We must take both the domestic and
international situations into consideration, develop a global and strategic
perspective, be good at seizing opportunities for development and coping with
risks and challenges in a changing world, and work for a favorable
international environment. While planning our work from an overall perspective,
we need to work hard to make breakthroughs on the key issues that affect the
overall situation and on the major problems that affect public interests.
To
thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, we must always adhere
to the Party's basic line of taking economic development as the central task
and upholding the Four Cardinal Principles and the reform and opening up
policy, known as "one central task and two basic points." As the
lifeblood of the Party and the country, this basic line provides the political
guarantee for scientific development. Taking economic development as the central
task is vital to invigorating our nation and is the fundamental requirement for
the robust growth and lasting stability of the Party and the nation. The Four
Cardinal Principles are the very foundation for building our country and the
political cornerstone for the survival and development of the Party and the
nation. Reform and opening up are the path to a stronger China and the source
of vitality for the Party and the nation in development and progress. We will
continue to apply the line of "one central task and two basic points"
in its entirety in our great endeavor to develop socialism with Chinese
characteristics; we will never deviate from this line.
To
thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, we must work
energetically to build a harmonious socialist society. Social harmony is an
essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Scientific
development and social harmony are integral to each other and neither is
possible without the other. Building a harmonious socialist society is a
historical mission throughout the cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics, as well as a historical process and the social outcome of
correctly handling various social problems on the basis of development. It is
through development that we will increase the material wealth of society and
constantly improve people's lives, and it is again through development that we
will guarantee social equity and justice and constantly promote social harmony.
To realize social equity and justice is the Chinese Communists' consistent
position and a major task of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In accordance with the general requirements for democracy and the rule of law,
equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and
order, and harmony between man and nature and the principle of all the people
building and sharing a harmonious socialist society, we will spare no effort to
solve the most specific problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the
people and strive to create a situation in which all people do their best, find
their proper places in society and live together in harmony, so as to provide a
favorable social environment for development.
To
thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, we must continue to
deepen reform and opening up. We need to incorporate the spirit of reform and
innovation into all links of governance, unswervingly adhere to the orientation
of reform, and have more scientific decision-making and better coordinated
measures for reform. We will improve the socialist market economy, promote
institutional reform and innovation in various sectors, accelerate reform in
important fields and crucial links, improve opening up in all respects and make
our systems and mechanisms full of vigor, highly efficient, more open and
conducive to scientific development, so as to provide a powerful driving force
and an institutional guarantee for developing socialism with Chinese
characteristics. We will always take improving people's lives as a pivotal task
in balancing reform, development and stability and ensure that our reform
always has the endorsement and support of the people.
To
thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, we must strengthen our
efforts to build the Party in earnest. As is required by the Party's lofty
mission of governing and rejuvenating the nation, our efforts to improve the
Party's governance capability and maintain and develop its vanguard nature must
serve our task of directing scientific development, promoting social harmony,
guiding development and progress in China and better representing and realizing
the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. In this
way, the Party's work and our efforts to build the Party will better meet the
requirement of the Scientific Outlook on Development and provide a reliable
political and organizational guarantee for scientific development.
All Party
members must fully understand the content and grasp the essence of the
Scientific Outlook on Development, be more conscious and determined in applying
it, change notions that are not in line with it, work hard to solve major
problems that affect or constrain scientific development, direct the whole
society's enthusiasm for development to scientific development, and apply this
outlook to every aspect of economic and social development.
IV. New
Requirements for Attaining the Goal of Building a Moderately Prosperous Society
in All Respects
We have
made steady progress toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous
society in all respects set at the Sixteenth Congress, and we will continue to
work hard to ensure its attainment by 2020.
In
keeping with changes in domestic and international situations and in light of
the expectations of the people of all ethnic groups for a better life, we must
follow the trend and laws of economic and social development, uphold the basic
program consisting of the basic objectives and policies for economic,
political, cultural and social development under socialism with Chinese
characteristics, and set new and higher requirements for China's development on
the basis of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all
respects set at the Sixteenth Congress.
- Promote
balanced development to ensure sound and rapid economic growth. The development
pattern will be significantly transformed. We will quadruple the per capita GDP
of the year 2000 by 2020 through optimizing the economic structure and
improving economic returns while reducing consumption of resources and
protecting the environment. The socialist market economy will be improved. We
will greatly enhance our capacity for independent innovation, enabling
scientific and technological advancement to contribute much more to economic
growth and making China an innovative country. The ratio of consumption to GDP
will increase steadily, and consumption, investment and export will be
coordinated to boost economic growth. A mechanism for urban and rural areas and
for different regions to have balanced and interactive development and a layout
of development priority zones will be basically in place. Efforts to build a
new socialist countryside will make significant headway. The proportion of
urban residents will notably increase.
- Expand
socialist democracy and better safeguard the people's rights and interests as
well as social equity and justice. Citizens' participation in political affairs
will expand in an orderly way. The rule of law will be carried out more
thoroughly as a fundamental principle, public awareness of law will be further
enhanced, and fresh progress will be made in government administration based on
the rule of law. Primary-level democracy will be improved. The government will
markedly enhance its capability of providing basic public services.
- Promote
cultural development and notably enhance the cultural and ethical quality of
the whole nation. Socialist core values will prevail among the people, and fine
ideological and ethical trends will be encouraged. A basic system of public
cultural services will cover the whole society, the cultural industry will
account for much more of the national economy and become more competitive
internationally, and a more abundant supply of cultural products will be
available to meet the people's needs.
-
Accelerate the development of social programs and improve every aspect of the
people's well-being. The modern system of national education will be further
improved, a basic system for lifelong education will be in place, the
educational attainment of the whole nation will rise to a much higher level,
and the training of innovative personnel will be improved markedly. Employment
will be further expanded. A basic system of social security will cover both
urban and rural residents so that everyone is assured of basic living
standards. A reasonable and orderly pattern of income distribution will be
basically in place, with middle-income people making up the majority and
absolute poverty basically eliminated. Everyone will have access to basic
medical and health services. The system of social management will be further
improved.
- Promote
a conservation culture by basically forming an energy- and resource-efficient
and environment-friendly structure of industries, pattern of growth and mode of
consumption. We will have a large-scale circular economy and considerably
increase the proportion of renewable energy sources in total energy
consumption. The discharge of major pollutants will be brought under effective
control and the ecological and environmental quality will improve notably.
Awareness of conservation will be firmly established in the whole of society.
When the
goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects is attained by
2020, China, a large developing socialist country with an ancient civilization,
will have basically accomplished industrialization, with its overall strength
significantly increased and its domestic market ranking as one of the largest
in the world. It will be a country whose people are better off and enjoy
markedly improved quality of life and a good environment. Its citizens will
have more extensive democratic rights, show higher ethical standards and look
forward to greater cultural achievements. China will have better institutions
in all areas and Chinese society will have greater vitality coupled with
stability and unity. The country will be still more open and friendly to the
outside world and make greater contributions to human civilization.
The
following five years will be a crucial period for building a moderately
prosperous society in all respects. We must enhance our confidence and work
hard to lay a more solid foundation for success in building a moderately
prosperous society of a higher level in all respects to the benefit of over one
billion people.
V. Promoting Sound and
Rapid Development of the National Economy
To attain
the objectives for economic development, it is essential to significantly
accelerate the transformation of the development pattern and improve the socialist
market economy. We need to vigorously push forward strategic economic
restructuring and make greater efforts to improve China's capacity for
independent innovation as well as energy and environmental conservation, and to
enhance the overall quality of the economy and its international
competitiveness. We need to deepen our understanding of the laws governing the
socialist market economy, introduce institutions to give better play to the
basic role of market forces in allocating resources, and form a system of
macroeconomic regulation conducive to scientific development.
1.
Enhance China's capacity for independent innovation and make China an
innovative country. This is the core of our national development strategy and a
crucial link in enhancing the overall national strength. We need to keep to the
path of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics and improve our
capacity for independent innovation in all areas of modernization. We need to
conscientiously implement the Outline of the National Program for Long- and
Medium-Term Scientific and Technological Development (2006-20), increase
spending on independent innovation, and make breakthroughs in key technologies
vital to our economic and social development. We will speed up forming a national
innovation system and support basic research, research in frontier technology
and technological research for public welfare. We will step up our efforts to
establish a market-oriented system for technological innovation, in which
enterprises play the leading role and which combines the efforts of
enterprises, universities and research institutes, and guide and support the
concentration of factors of innovation in enterprises, thereby promoting the
translation of scientific and technological advances into practical productive
forces. We will deepen reform of the system for managing science and
technology, optimize the allocation of relevant resources, and improve the
legal guarantee, policy system, incentive mechanism and market conditions to
encourage technological innovation and the application of scientific and
technological achievements in production. We will implement the strategy for
intellectual property rights. We will make the best use of international
resources of science and technology. We will continue to create conditions
conducive to innovation, work to train world-class scientists and leaders in
scientific and technological research, attach great importance to training
innovative personnel in the frontline of production, inspire the creative
wisdom of the whole society and bring forth large numbers of innovative
personnel in all areas.
2.
Accelerate transformation of the mode of economic development and promote
upgrading of the industrial structure. This is a pressing strategic task vital
to the national economy as a whole. We must keep to the new path of
industrialization with Chinese characteristics, pursue the policy of boosting
domestic demand, particularly consumer demand, and propel three transitions in
the mode of economic growth: the transition from relying mainly on investment
and export to relying on a well coordinated combination of consumption,
investment and export, the transition from secondary industry serving as the
major driving force to primary, secondary and tertiary industries jointly
driving economic growth, and the transition from relying heavily on increased
consumption of material resources to relying mainly on advances in science and
technology, improvement in the quality of the workforce and innovation in
management. We will develop a modern industrial system, integrate IT
application with industrialization, push our large industries to grow stronger,
invigorate the equipment manufacturing industry, and eliminate outdated
production capacities. We will upgrade new- and high-technology industries and
develop information, biotechnology, new materials, aerospace, marine and other
industries. We will develop the modern service industry and raise the level of
the service sector and its share in the economy. We will step up efforts to
improve basic industries and infrastructure and accelerate development of a
modern energy industry and a comprehensive transport system. We will ensure the
quality and safety of products. We will encourage formation of internationally
competitive conglomerates.
3.
Balance urban and rural development and build a new socialist countryside. As
resolution of issues concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers has an
overall impact on building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we
must always make it a top priority in the work of the whole Party. We will
strengthen the position of agriculture as the foundation of the national
economy, take a path of agricultural modernization with Chinese
characteristics, set up a permanent mechanism of industry promoting agriculture
and urban areas helping rural areas, and form a new pattern that integrates
economic and social development in urban and rural areas. We will continue to
take developing modern agriculture and invigorating the rural economy as a
primary task, strengthen infrastructure in rural areas, and improve the system
of rural markets and that of services for agriculture. We will increase policy
measures to support and benefit agriculture, rural areas and farmers, strictly
protect arable land, increase spending on agriculture, promote advances in
agriculture-related science and technology, and improve overall agricultural
production capacity to ensure food security for the nation. We will intensify
efforts to prevent and control animal and plant epidemic diseases and improve
the quality and safety of agricultural products. To increase farmers' income,
we will develop rural enterprises, expand county economies, and transfer rural
labor out of farming through various channels. We will enhance poverty
reduction through development. We will deepen the comprehensive rural reform,
promote reform and innovation in the rural banking system, and reform the
system of collective forest rights. We will uphold the basic system for rural
operations, stabilize and improve land contract relations, improve the market
for transferring land contract and management rights in accordance with the law
and on a voluntary and compensatory basis, and develop various forms of
appropriate large-scale operations where conditions permit. We will explore
effective forms of collective economic operations, develop specialized farmers'
cooperatives, and support the industrialized operation of agriculture and the
development of leading agribusinesses. We will train a new type of farmers who
are educated and understand both agricultural techniques and business
management, and encourage hundreds of millions of farmers to play the major
role in building a new countryside.
4.
Improve energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation and
enhance China's capacity for sustainable development. Adhering to the basic
state policy of conserving resources and the environment is vital to the
immediate interests of the people and the survival and development of the Chinese
nation. We must give prominence to building a resource-conserving,
environment-friendly society in our strategy for industrialization and
modernization and get every organization and family to act accordingly. We will
improve laws and policies to promote energy, resources, ecological and
environmental conservation, and speed up the formation of systems and
mechanisms for sustainable development. We will implement the responsibility
system for conserving energy and reducing emissions. We will develop and extend
advanced and appropriate technologies for conserving, substituting and
recycling energy and resources and for controlling pollution, develop clean and
renewable energy sources, protect land and water resources and set up a
scientific, rational system for using energy and resources more efficiently. We
will develop environmental conservation industries. We will increase spending
on energy and environmental conservation with the focus on intensifying
prevention and control of water, air and soil pollution and improving the
living environment for both urban and rural residents. We will improve water
conservancy, forestry and grasslands, intensify efforts to bring
desertification under control and prevent the spread of stony deserts, and
promote restoration of the ecosystems. We will enhance our capacity to respond
to climate change and make new contributions to protecting the global
climate.
5.
Promote balanced development among regions and improve the pattern of land
development. To narrow the gap in development among regions, we must work to
ensure their equal access to basic public services and guide a rational flow of
factors of production between regions. Following the general strategy for
regional development, we will continue to carry out large-scale development of
the western region, rejuvenate northeast China and other old industrial bases
in an all-round way, boost the development of the central region and support
the eastern region in taking the lead in development. We will strengthen land planning,
improve policies for regional development and adjust the geographical
distribution of economic operations in accordance with the requirement to form
development priority zones. In compliance with the laws governing the market
economy, we will work beyond administrative divisions to form a number of
close-knit economic rims and belts that will provide a strong impetus to the
development of other areas. In locating major projects, we must give full
consideration to supporting development of the central and western regions and
encourage the eastern region to help them develop. We will give more support to
the development of old revolutionary base areas, ethnic autonomous areas,
border areas and poverty-stricken areas. We will help transform the economies
of areas where natural resources are exhausted. We will have the special
economic zones, the Pudong New Area in Shanghai and the Binhai New Area in
Tianjin play a major role in reform, opening up and independent innovation.
Taking a path of urbanization with Chinese characteristics, we will promote
balanced development of large, medium-sized and small cities and towns on the
principle of balancing urban and rural development, ensuring rational
distribution, saving land, providing a full range of functions and getting
larger cities to help smaller ones. Focusing on increasing the overall carrying
capacity of cities, we will form city clusters with mega cities as the core so
that they can boost development in other areas and become new poles of economic
growth.
6.
Improve the basic economic system and the modern market system. We need to
uphold and improve the basic economic system in which public ownership is
dominant and different economic sectors develop side by side, unwaveringly
consolidate and develop the public sector of the economy, unswervingly
encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector, ensure
equal protection of property rights, and create a new situation in which all
economic sectors compete on an equal footing and reinforce each other. We will
deepen the reform to introduce the corporate and shareholding systems in
state-owned enterprises, improve the modern corporate structure and optimize
the distribution and structure of the state sector of the economy to enhance its
dynamism, dominance and influence. We will deepen the reform of monopoly
industries by introducing competition, and strengthen government regulation and
public oversight of them. We will accelerate development of a budget system for
managing state capital and improve systems and regulations for managing all
types of state assets. We will press ahead with the reform of
collectively-owned enterprises and develop various forms of collective and
cooperative economic operations. We will promote equitable market access,
improve the financing environment and remove institutional barriers in order to
promote development of individually-owned businesses and private companies as
well as small and medium-sized enterprises. We will develop the economic sector
of mixed ownership based on the modern system of property rights. We will
accelerate the formation of a modern market system that is unified and open and
that allows orderly competition, develop markets for factors of production,
improve the pricing mechanism for factors of production and resources to
reflect changes in market supply and demand, resource scarcities and
environmental costs, regulate and develop industry associations and
market-based intermediaries, and improve the social credibility system.
7. Deepen
fiscal, taxation and financial restructuring and improve macroeconomic
regulation. We will improve the public finance system as we work to ensure
equal access to basic public services and establish development priority zones.
We need to deepen reform of the budget system, tighten budgetary management and
oversight, improve the system whereby both the central and local governments
have financial resources proportionate to their duties and responsibilities,
accelerate the establishment of a unified, standardized and transparent system
for transfer payments, enlarge the size and proportion of general transfer
payments, and increase input in public services. We will improve fiscal systems
at and below the provincial level to enhance the capacity of county and
township governments to provide public services. We will adopt fiscal and
taxation systems conducive to scientific development and set up sound
compensation systems for use of resources and for damage to the ecological
environment. We will proceed with financial reforms to develop various types of
financial markets and build a modern financial system that is inclusive of
different forms of ownership and different ways of operation and that features
a reasonable structure, complete functions, efficiency and security. We will
make our banking, securities and insurance industries more competitive. We will
improve the structure of the capital market and raise the proportion of direct
financing through multiple channels. We will strengthen financial supervision
and control, and forestall and defuse financial risks. We will improve the RMB
exchange rate regime and gradually make the RMB convertible under capital
accounts. We will deepen reform of the investment system and improve and
strictly enforce market access rules. We will improve the state planning
system. We will give play to the guiding role of national development plans,
programs and industrial policies in macroeconomic regulation and combine the
use of fiscal and monetary policies to improve macroeconomic regulation.
8. Expand
opening up in scope and depth and improve our open economy. Adhering to the
basic state policy of opening up, we will better integrate our "bring
in" and "go global" strategies, expand the areas of opening up,
optimize its structure, raise its quality, and turn our open economy into one
in which domestic development and opening to the outside world interact and
Chinese businesses and their foreign counterparts engage in win-win
cooperation, and one that features security and efficiency, in order to gain
new advantages for China in international economic cooperation and competition
amid economic globalization. We will deepen the opening up of coastal areas,
accelerate that of inland areas and upgrade that of border areas, so that
opening up at home and opening to the outside world will promote each other. We
will expedite transformation of the growth mode of foreign trade, stress
quality, adjust the mix of imports and exports, promote transformation and
upgrading of processing trade, and energetically develop service trade. We will
make innovations in the way of using foreign capital, improve the structure of
foreign investment utilized, and let the use of foreign capital play a positive
role in facilitating independent innovation, industrial upgrading and balanced
development among regions. We will make innovations in our way of overseas
investment and cooperation, support domestic enterprises in carrying out
international operations of R&D, production and marketing, and accelerate
the growth of Chinese multinational corporations and Chinese brand names in the
world market. We will vigorously carry out mutually beneficial international
cooperation in energy and resources. We will implement a strategy of free trade
zones and expand bilateral and multilateral trade and economic cooperation. We
will adopt comprehensive measures to maintain a basic equilibrium in the
balance of payments. We must guard against international economic risks.
By
ensuring sound and rapid growth of the economy, we will further enhance China's
economic strength, and enable our socialist market economy to exhibit its great
vitality.
VI. Unswervingly
Developing Socialist Democracy
People's
democracy is the lifeblood of socialism. The Party has been consistently
pursuing the goal of developing socialist democracy. Since China began its
reform and opening up, we have made vigorous yet steady efforts to promote
political restructuring, and socialist democracy has demonstrated greater
vitality in the country. As an important part of the overall reform, political
restructuring must be constantly deepened along with economic and social
development to adapt to the growing enthusiasm of the people for participation
in political affairs. We must keep to the path of political development under
socialism with Chinese characteristics, and integrate the leadership of the
Party, the position of the people as masters of the country, and the rule of
law. We must uphold and improve the system of people's congresses, the system
of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of
the CPC, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of
self-governance at the primary level of society. All this will promote
continuous self-improvement and development of the socialist political system.
In
deepening political restructuring, we must keep to the correct political
orientation. On the basis of ensuring the people's position as masters of the
country, we will expand socialist democracy, build a socialist country under
the rule of law and develop socialist political civilization to enhance the
vitality of the Party and the state and arouse the initiative of the people. We
must uphold the Party's role as the core of leadership in directing the overall
situation and coordinating the efforts of all quarters, and improve its
capacity for scientific, democratic and law-based governance to ensure that the
Party leads the people in effectively governing the country. We must ensure
that all power of the state belongs to the people, expand the citizens' orderly
participation in political affairs at each level and in every field, and
mobilize and organize the people as extensively as possible to manage state and
social affairs as well as economic and cultural programs in accordance with the
law. We must uphold the rule of law as a fundamental principle and adopt the
socialist concept of law-based governance to ensure that all work of the state
is based on the law and that the legitimate rights and interests of citizens
are safeguarded. We must maintain the features and advantages of the socialist
political system and define institutions, standards and procedures for
socialist democracy to provide political and legal guarantees of lasting
stability for the Party and the country.
1. Expand
people's democracy and ensure that they are masters of the country. The essence
and core of socialist democracy are that the people are masters of the country.
We need to improve institutions for democracy, diversify its forms and expand
its channels, and we need to carry out democratic election, decision-making,
administration and oversight in accordance with the law to guarantee the
people's rights to be informed, to participate, to be heard, and to oversee. We
must support people's congresses in performing their functions pursuant to law
and effectively turn the Party's propositions into the will of the state
through legal procedures. We must ensure that deputies to people's congresses
exercise their functions and powers in accordance with the law and maintain
close ties with the general public. We propose that both urban and rural areas
gradually adopt the same ratio of deputies to the represented population in
elections of deputies to people's congresses. We must strengthen the
institutions of standing committees of people's congresses and improve their
membership composition in terms of intellectual background and age. We will
support the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in
performing its functions centered on the two major themes of unity and
democracy and improve the system of political consultation, democratic
oversight, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state
affairs. We will incorporate political consultation in decision-making
procedures, improve democratic oversight and ensure that the CPPCC participates
in the deliberation and administration of state affairs more effectively. The
CPPCC is encouraged to improve itself and play its important role in coordinating
relations, pooling strengths, making proposals and serving the overall
interests of the country. We must ensure equality among all ethnic groups and
guarantee the right of ethnic autonomous areas to exercise autonomy pursuant to
law. To ensure scientific and democratic decision-making, we will improve the
information and intellectual support for it, increase its transparency and
expand public participation in it. In principle, public hearings must be held
for the formulation of laws, regulations and policies that bear closely on the
interests of the public. We need to step up education about citizenship and
establish socialist concepts of democracy, the rule of law, freedom, equality,
equity and justice. We support trade unions, the Communist Youth League,
women's federations and other people's organizations in functioning in
accordance with the law and their respective charters, participating in social
management and public services and helping protect the people's legitimate
rights and interests.
2.
Develop primary-level democracy and ensure that the people enjoy democratic
rights in a more extensive and practical way. The most effective and extensive
way for the people to be masters of the country is that they directly exercise
their democratic rights in accordance with the law to manage public affairs and
public service programs at the primary level, practice self-management,
self-service, self-education and self-oversight, and exercise democratic
oversight over cadres. Such practices must be emphasized and promoted as the
groundwork for developing socialist democracy. We need to improve the dynamic
mechanism of people's self-governance at the primary level under the leadership
of primary Party organizations, expand the scope of self-governance, and
improve the institution for democratic management, with a view to turning urban
and rural neighborhoods into communities of social life that are well managed,
supported by complete services, and filled with civility and harmony. We must
rely wholeheartedly on the working class, improve the democratic management
system in enterprises and public institutions with workers' conferences as its
basic form and increase transparency in factory affairs to support workers'
participation in management and to safeguard their legitimate rights and
interests. We need to deepen institutional reforms at the town and township
level to strengthen government authorities there and improve the systems for
transparency in government and village affairs to bring about effective connection
and beneficial interaction between government administration and primary-level
self-governance. We also encourage social organizations to help expand the
participation by the public and report on their petitions to improve the
self-governance capability of society.
3.
Comprehensively implement the rule of law as a fundamental principle and speed
up the building of a socialist country under the rule of law. The rule of law
constitutes the essential requirement of socialist democracy. We must persist
in scientific and democratic legislation to improve the socialist law system
with Chinese characteristics. We will strengthen the enforcement of the
Constitution and laws, ensure that all citizens are equal before the law, and
safeguard social equity and justice and the consistency, sanctity and authority
of the socialist legal system. We need to carry out government administration
in accordance with the law. We need to deepen the reform of the judiciary
system, optimize the distribution of judicial functions and powers, standardize
judicial practices, and build a fair, efficient and authoritative socialist
judiciary system to ensure that courts and procuratorates exercise their
respective powers independently and impartially in accordance with the law. We
need to improve the overall quality of judicial, procuratorial and public
security personnel to ensure that law enforcement is strict, impartial and
civilized. We need to step up the education campaign to increase public
awareness of law, and promote the spirit of the rule of law, creating a social
environment in which people study, abide by and apply laws of their own accord.
We must respect and safeguard human rights, and ensure the equal right to
participation and development for all members of society in accordance with the
law. Party organizations at all levels and all Party members must act under the
Constitution and laws on their own initiative and take the lead in upholding
the authority of the Constitution and laws.
4. Expand
the patriotic united front and unite with all forces that can be united.
Promoting harmony in relations between political parties, between ethnic
groups, between religions, between social strata, and between our compatriots
at home and overseas plays an irreplaceable role in enhancing unity and pooling
strengths. Acting on the principle of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight,
sincerity, and sharing of both good and bad times, we will strengthen our
cooperation with the democratic parties, support them and personages without
party affiliation in better performing their functions of participation in the
deliberation and administration of state affairs and democratic oversight, and
select and recommend a greater number of outstanding non-CPC persons for
leading positions. Keeping in mind the objective of all ethnic groups working
together for common prosperity and development, we must guarantee the
legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities, and strengthen and
develop socialist ethnic relations based on equality, solidarity, mutual
assistance and harmony. We will fully implement the Party's basic principle for
its work related to religious affairs and bring into play the positive role of
religious personages and believers in promoting economic and social development.
We encourage members of emerging social strata to take an active part in
building socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will conscientiously follow
the Party's policy on overseas Chinese affairs and support overseas Chinese
nationals, returned overseas Chinese and their relatives in caring about and
participating in the modernization drive and the great cause of peaceful
reunification of the motherland.
5.
Accelerate the reform of the administrative system and build a service-oriented
government. The administrative reform is an important part of the efforts to
deepen China's overall reform. We must lose no time in working out a master
plan for it, with the focus on changing functions, straightening out relations,
optimizing the setup and raising efficiency, and bring about a system which
matches powers with responsibilities, divides work in a rational way, fosters
scientific decision-making, and ensures smooth enforcement and effective
oversight. We need to improve the government responsibility system and the
public service system, promote e-government and strengthen social management
and public services. We will accelerate the separation of the functions of the
government from those of enterprises, state assets management authorities,
public institutions and market-based intermediaries, standardize administrative
practices, strengthen administrative law-enforcement agencies, reduce the
number of matters requiring administrative examination and approval and
standardize such procedures, and reduce government intervention in
microeconomic operations. We will standardize the relationship between local
departments directly under central government organs and local governments. We
will step up our efforts to streamline government organs, explore ways to
establish greater departments with integrated functions, and improve the
mechanism of coordination and collaboration between government departments. We
will downsize and standardize various organs for deliberation and coordination
and their working offices, cut down levels of administration, minimize its
costs, and address the problems of overlapping organizations and functions and
conflicting policies from different departments. We will give overall
consideration to the setup of Party committees and governments as well as that
of people's congresses and CPPCC committees, reduce the number of their leading
positions and strictly control their staffing. We will step up the
restructuring of different categories of public institutions.
6.
Improve the mechanism of restraint and oversight and ensure that power
entrusted by the people is always exercised in their interests. Power must be
exercised in the sunshine to ensure that it is exercised correctly. We must
have institutions to govern power, work and personnel, and establish a sound
structure of power and a mechanism for its operation in which decision-making,
enforcement and oversight powers check each other and function in coordination.
We will improve organic laws and rules of procedure to ensure that state organs
exercise their powers and perform their functions and responsibilities within
their statutory jurisdiction and in accordance with legal procedures. We will
improve the open administrative system in various areas and increase
transparency in government work, thus enhancing the people's trust in the
government. We will focus on tightening oversight over leading cadres and
especially principal ones, over the management and use of human, financial and
material resources, and over key positions. We will improve the systems of
inquiries, accountability, economic responsibility auditing, resignation and
recall. We will implement the intra-Party oversight regulations, strengthen
democratic oversight and give scope to the oversight role of public opinion,
pooling forces of oversight from all sides to make it more effective.
Democracy
will keep developing along with the progress of socialism. In the historical
course of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, Chinese Communists
and the Chinese people will surely advance socialist democracy that is full of
vitality.
VII.
Promoting Vigorous Development and Prosperity of Socialist Culture
In the
present era, culture has become a more and more important source of national
cohesion and creativity and a factor of growing significance in the competition
in overall national strength, and the Chinese people have an increasingly
ardent desire for a richer cultural life. We must keep to the orientation of
advanced socialist culture, bring about a new upsurge in socialist cultural
development, stimulate the cultural creativity of the whole nation, and enhance
culture as part of the soft power of our country to better guarantee the
people's basic cultural rights and interests, enrich the cultural life in
Chinese society and inspire the enthusiasm of the people for progress.
1. Build
up the system of socialist core values and make socialist ideology more
attractive and cohesive. The system of socialist core values represents the
essence of socialist ideology. We must consolidate the guiding position of
Marxism, persistently arm the whole Party with and educate the people in the
latest achievements in adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions, rally the people
with our common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, inspire the
people with patriotism-centered national spirit and with the spirit of the
times centering on reform and innovation, guide social ethos with the socialist
maxims of honor and disgrace, and solidify the common ideological basis of the
joint endeavor of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups. We will
make every effort to carry out theoretical innovation and give Marxism of
contemporary China distinct characters of practice, of the Chinese nation and
of the times. We will publicize the theories of socialism with Chinese
characteristics, and take Marxism of contemporary China to the general public.
We will carry on the Project to Study and Develop Marxist Theory to provide
in-depth answers to major theoretical and practical questions and to bring up a
group of Marxist theoreticians, especially young and middle-aged ones. We will
incorporate the socialist core values into all stages of national education and
the entire process of cultural and ethical progress to make them the targets
pursued by the people of their own accord. We will explore effective ways of
letting the system of socialist core values guide trends of thought and take
the initiative in ideological work, respecting divergence and allowing diversity
while effectively resisting the influence of erroneous and decadent ideas. We
will develop philosophy and social sciences, promoting innovation in academic
disciplines, academic viewpoints and research methods. We encourage people
working in these fields to serve as a think tank for the cause of the Party and
the people, and we will introduce related outstanding achievements and
distinguished scholars to the world arena.
2. Foster
a culture of harmony and cultivate civilized practices. A culture of harmony
provides important intellectual support for the unity and progress of all our
people. We must step up the development of the press, publishing, radio, film,
television, literature and art, give correct guidance to the public and foster
healthy social trends. We must balance cultural development between urban and
rural areas and among different regions, focusing on enriching the cultural
life in rural and remote areas and of rural migrant workers in cities. We will
strengthen efforts to develop and manage Internet culture and foster a good
cyber environment. We will promote patriotism, collectivism and socialist
ideology. With the emphasis on enhancing people's awareness of integrity, we
will promote social ethics, professional codes of conduct, family virtues and
individual morality, let paragons of virtue serve as role models for society,
and guide people in conscientiously carrying out legal obligations and social
and family responsibilities. We will strengthen and improve our ideological and
political work, paying attention to compassionate care and psychological
counseling and correctly handling interpersonal relations. We will mobilize all
sectors of society in doing a good job of ideological and moral education among
young people and create a favorable environment for their healthy development.
We will carry out intensive activities to promote cultural and ethical progress
among the public, improve the system of voluntary public services, and
encourage practices such as upholding gender equality, respecting the elderly,
caring for the young, showing concern for and helping each other and coming to
the rescue of others even at risk to oneself. We will promote the scientific
spirit and spread scientific knowledge. We will launch extensive public fitness
programs and ensure the success of the 2008 Olympic Games and the Paralympics
in Beijing and the 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai.
3.
Promote Chinese culture and build the common spiritual home for the Chinese
nation. Chinese culture has been an unfailing driving force for the Chinese
nation to keep its unity and make progress from generation to generation. We
must have a comprehensive understanding of traditional Chinese culture, keep
its essence and discard its dross to enable it to fit in with present-day
society, stay in harmony with modern civilization, keep its national character
and reflect changes of the times. We will further publicize the fine traditions
of Chinese culture and use modern means of science and technology to exploit
the rich resources of our national culture. We will explore and better protect
the cultures of all ethnic groups, attach great importance to the protection of
cultural relics and intangible cultural heritage and do a good job collating
ancient books and records. We will also strengthen international cultural
exchanges to draw on the fine achievements of foreign cultures and enhance the
influence of Chinese culture worldwide.
4.
Stimulate cultural innovation and enhance the vitality of cultural development.
The only way to invigorate culture is to promote innovation in its content and
form, its structure and mechanism, and its means of dissemination from the high
starting point of our times and release and develop its productive forces. We
must keep to the orientation of serving the people and socialism, uphold the
principle of letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought
contend, and maintain close contact with reality, life and the public. We must
always give top priority to social benefits and try to ensure both good
economic returns and social benefits. We must create more excellent, popular
works that reflect the people's principal position in the country and their
real life. We must deepen cultural restructuring and improve the policies for
supporting nonprofit cultural programs, developing the cultural industry and
encouraging cultural innovation, so as to create favorable conditions for
producing fine works, outstanding personnel and good results. We must continue
to develop nonprofit cultural programs as the main approach to ensuring the
basic cultural rights and interests of the people, increase spending on such
programs, and build more cultural facilities in urban communities and rural
areas. We must vigorously develop the cultural industry, launch major projects
to lead the industry as a whole, speed up development of cultural industry
bases and clusters of cultural industries with regional features, nurture key
enterprises and strategic investors, create a thriving cultural market and
enhance the industry's international competitiveness. We will use new and high
technology to create new ways of producing cultural works, foster new forms of
operation in the cultural industry and accelerate the establishment of a
dissemination system featuring fast communication and wide coverage. We will
establish a national system of honors for outstanding cultural workers.
The great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will definitely be accompanied by the
thriving of Chinese culture. We will give full scope to the principal position
of the people in cultural development, arouse the enthusiasm of cultural
workers, promote vigorous development and prosperity of culture more
conscientiously and actively, and create cultural works in the great practice of
socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that the people will share in the
benefits of cultural development.
VIII. Accelerating Social
Development with the Focus on Improving People's Livelihood
Social
development is closely related to the people's well-being. More importance must
therefore be attached to social development on the basis of economic growth to
ensure and improve people's livelihood, carry out social restructuring, expand
public services, improve social management and promote social equity and
justice. We must do our best to ensure that all our people enjoy their rights
to education, employment, medical and old-age care, and housing, so as to build
a harmonious society.
1. Give
priority to education and turn China into a country rich in human resources.
Education is the cornerstone of national rejuvenation, and equal access to
education provides an important underpinning for social equity. We must
implement the Party's educational policy to the letter, focus on educating
students with top priority given to cultivating their moral integrity, improve
their overall quality, modernize the educational system, and train socialist
builders and successors who have all-round attainments in moral, intellectual,
physical and aesthetic education. All this is designed to run education to the
satisfaction of the people. We will optimize the educational structure, promote
balanced development of compulsory education, move faster toward universal
access to senior secondary education, vigorously develop vocational education,
and improve the quality of higher education. We will also attach importance to
pre-school education and care about special education. We will update our views
on education and deepen reform in curricula, modes of instruction, the systems
of examination and enrollment, and the system for evaluating educational
quality. We will ease the study load of primary and secondary school students
and improve their overall quality. We will continue to run education on a
nonprofit basis, increase government spending on education, regulate the
collection of education-related fees, support the development of education in
poverty-stricken and ethnic autonomous areas, improve the system of financial
aid to students, and ensure that children from poor families and of rural
migrant workers in cities enjoy equal access to compulsory education as other
children. We will build up the ranks of teachers, with the emphasis on
improving the quality of teachers in rural areas. We will encourage and
regulate educational programs run by nongovernmental sectors. Distance learning
and continuing education will be promoted to make ours a society in which every
citizen is committed to learning and pursues lifelong learning.
2.
Implement a development strategy that promotes job creation and encourage
entrepreneurship to create more employment opportunities. Employment is vital
to people's livelihood. We will continue to follow a proactive employment
policy, strengthen government guidance, improve the market mechanism for
employment, create more jobs and improve the employment structure. We will
improve policies to encourage people to start businesses or find jobs on their
own and promote a healthy attitude toward employment so that more people in the
labor force will launch their own businesses. We will improve vocational
education and training for the labor force and intensify pre-employment
training for surplus labor transferred from rural areas. We will establish a
unified, standardized labor market and a mechanism that ensures equal
employment opportunities for both urban and rural residents. We will improve
employment assistance to the needy and make it a priority to help
zero-employment families to have job opportunities. We will do our best to help
college graduates find jobs. We will regulate and coordinate labor relations,
improve and implement government policies concerning rural migrant workers in
cities, and protect the rights and interests of every worker in accordance with
the law.
3. Deepen
reform of the income distribution system and increase the income of urban and
rural residents. Equitable income distribution is an important indication of
social equity. We will adhere to and improve the system whereby distribution
according to work remains the predominant mode and coexists with various other
modes. We will improve the distribution system to allow factors of production
such as labor, capital, technology and managerial expertise to have a rightful
share according to their respective contribution. A proper balance will be
struck between efficiency and equity in both primary distribution and
redistribution, with particular emphasis on equity in redistribution. We will
gradually increase the share of personal income in the distribution of national
income, and raise that of work remuneration in primary distribution. Vigorous
efforts will be made to raise the income of low-income groups, gradually
increase poverty-alleviation aid and the minimum wage, and set up a mechanism
of regular pay increases for enterprise employees and a mechanism for
guaranteeing payment of their salaries. Conditions will be created to enable
more citizens to have property income. We will protect lawful incomes, regulate
excessively high incomes and ban illegal gains. We will increase transfer
payments, intensify the regulation of incomes through taxation, break business
monopolies, create equal opportunities, and overhaul income distribution
practices with a view to gradually reversing the growing income disparity.
4.
Accelerate the establishment of a social security system covering both urban
and rural residents and guarantee their basic living conditions. Social
security is an important guarantee of social stability. We will step up the
building of a sound social security system that is based on social insurance,
assistance and welfare, with basic old-age pension, basic medical care and
subsistence allowances as its backbone, and supplemented by charity and
commercial insurance. We will promote reform of basic old-age insurance systems
in enterprises, Party and government organs and public institutions and explore
ways to set up an old-age insurance system in rural areas. We will promote the
development of basic medical insurance systems for urban workers and residents
and a new type of cooperative medical care system in rural areas. We will
improve the system of subsistence allowances for both urban and rural residents
and gradually increase such allowances. We will improve the systems of
unemployment, workers' compensation and maternity insurances. We will upgrade
management of social security funds to higher-level authorities and work out
unified methods for transferring social security accounts nationwide. We will
provide more social security funds through various means and strengthen their
oversight and management to maintain and increase their value. We will improve
social assistance. We will do a good job providing special assistance to
families of martyrs and servicemen and helping demobilized military personnel
return to civilian life. We will promote programs for the disabled in a
humanitarian spirit. We will develop more programs for the elderly. We will
intensify our efforts in disaster prevention and reduction. We will improve the
low-rent housing system and speed up resolution of the housing difficulties of
low-income families in urban areas.
5.
Establish a basic medical and health care system and improve the health of the
whole nation. Health provides the foundation for people's all-round development
and has a direct bearing on the happiness of each family. We must maintain the
public welfare nature of public medical and health care services, always put
disease prevention first, center on rural areas and attach equal importance to
traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. We will separate government
administration from medical institutions, management from operation, medical
care from pharmaceuticals, and for-profit from nonprofit operations. We will
increase government responsibilities and spending, improve the national health
policy, and encourage greater participation of nongovernmental sectors so as to
develop systems of public health services, medical services, medical security
and medicine supply to provide both urban and rural residents with safe, effective,
convenient and affordable medical and health services. We will improve the
system to prevent and control the outbreak of major diseases and enhance our
capacity to respond to public health emergencies. We will improve the
three-tier rural health care network spanning the county, township and village
and the urban community-based health care system, and deepen reform of public
hospitals. We will set up a national system for basic pharmaceuticals to ensure
their supply. We will support the development of traditional Chinese medicine
and the folk medicines of ethnic minorities. We will work harder to improve the
professional ethics and style of work of health workers and the quality of
medical services. We must ensure food and drug safety. We will adhere to the
basic state policy of family planning, keep the birthrate low and make the
newborns healthier. We will launch patriotic sanitation campaigns and develop
health care programs for women and children.
6.
Improve social management and safeguard social stability and unity. Social
stability is the common aspiration of the people and an important prerequisite
for reform and development. We need to improve the structure of social
management comprising Party committee leadership, government responsibility,
nongovernmental support and public participation, and improve the system of
social management at the primary level. We will stimulate the creativity of
society to the greatest extent, maximize factors conducive to harmony and
minimize those detrimental to it. We will properly handle contradictions among
the people, improve the system for handling complaints in the form of letters
and visits from the public, and strengthen the mechanism for safeguarding the
rights and interests of the people in which the Party and the government play
the leading role. We will attach importance to the development and management
of social organizations. We will improve services for and management of the
floating population. We must ensure safe development by strengthening management
and oversight of work safety and taking effective measures to prevent serious
or exceptionally serious accidents. We will improve the mechanism of emergency
management. We will improve the crime prevention and control system, maintain
law and order through comprehensive measures, launch intensive campaigns to
ensure public security, reform and step up community policing in both urban and
rural areas, and prevent and crack down on crime in accordance with the law to
protect people's lives and property. We will improve the strategy and mechanism
for national security, and keep high vigilance against and resolutely forestall
separatist, infiltrative and subversive activities in various forms to
safeguard national security.
It
requires joint efforts of the whole society to build a harmonious society. We
must therefore rely firmly on the people and mobilize all positive factors to
create a lively situation in which everyone is duty-bound to work for and
benefits from social harmony.
IX.
Opening Up New Prospects for Modernization of National Defense and the Armed
Forces
To strengthen national defense
and the armed forces occupies an important place in the overall arrangements
for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Bearing in mind the
overall strategic interests of national security and development, we must take
both economic and national defense development into consideration and make our
country prosperous and our armed forces powerful while building a moderately
prosperous society in all respects.
For the
armed forces to fully carry out the historical missions assigned by the Party
and the people at this new stage in the new century, we must always follow the
guidance of Mao Zedong's military thinking, Deng Xiaoping's thinking on
building the armed forces in the new period and Jiang Zemin's thinking on
building national defense and the armed forces, and take the Scientific Outlook
on Development as an important guiding principle for strengthening national
defense and the armed forces. We must implement the military strategy for the
new period, accelerate the revolution in military affairs with Chinese
characteristics, ensure military preparedness, and enhance the military's
capability to respond to various security threats and accomplish diverse
military tasks. We are determined to safeguard China's sovereignty, security
and territorial integrity and help maintain world peace.
To make
the armed forces more revolutionary, modernized and standardized is an
integrated endeavor, and balanced progress must be made in all the three
aspects. We must always adhere to the fundamental principle of the Party
exercising absolute leadership over the armed forces and the fundamental
purpose of the armed forces serving the people. We will educate the military in
its historical missions, ideals, beliefs, combat-ready spirit and the socialist
maxims of honor and disgrace, and ensure that it carries forward its fine
traditions of following the Party's orders, serving the people and fighting valiantly
and skillfully. We must build strong armed forces through science and
technology. To attain the strategic objective of building computerized armed
forces and winning IT-based warfare, we will accelerate composite development
of mechanization and computerization, carry out military training under
IT-based conditions, modernize every aspect of logistics, intensify our efforts
to train a new type of high-caliber military personnel in large numbers and
change the mode of generating combat capabilities. We must run the armed forces
in accordance with the law, enforce strict discipline, improve relevant laws
and regulations and strengthen scientific management.
In
keeping with the new trends in world military affairs and the new requirements
of China's development, we must promote innovation in military theory,
technology, organization and management. We will adjust and reform the
structure, staffing, policies and institutions of the armed forces to gradually
develop a complete set of scientific modes of organization, institutions and
ways of operation with Chinese characteristics and in conformity with the laws
governing the development of modern armed forces. We will adjust and reform the
systems of defense-related science, technology and industry and of weapons and
equipment procurement, and enhance our capacity for independent innovation in
R&D of weapons and equipment with better quality and cost-effectiveness. We
will establish sound systems of weapons and equipment research and manufacturing,
military personnel training and logistics that integrate military with civilian
purposes and combine military efforts with civilian support, build the armed
forces through diligence and thrift, and blaze a path of development with
Chinese characteristics featuring military and civilian integration. We will
enrich and develop military sciences by carefully studying the features and
laws of building and running the armed forces and the strategies and tactics
for people's war under the new historical conditions.
We will
raise the people's awareness of national defense, strengthen national defense
mobilization by improving the mobilization system, and enhance the quality of
the reserves and the militia. We will strengthen the People's Armed Police so
that it can better fulfill its duties of safeguarding national security and
social stability and ensuring that the people live and work in peace. We must
ensure that the government and the people support the military and give
preferential treatment to the families of servicemen and martyrs, and that the
military supports the government and cherishes the people. We will
energetically encourage the military and the people to work together to promote
cultural and ethical progress, and consolidate the solidarity between the
military and the government and between the military and the people. Party
organizations and governments at all levels and the general public will, as
always, support efforts to strengthen national defense and the armed forces,
and the military will continue to contribute to economic and social
development.
X.
Carrying Forward the Practice of "One Country, Two Systems" and
Advancing the Great Cause of Peaceful National Reunification
Since the
return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland, more and more experience has
been gained in putting into practice the principle of "one country, two
systems." The principle is perfectly correct and full of vigor. To realize
China's peaceful reunification on this principle accords with the fundamental
interests of the Chinese nation.
A major
task the Party faces in running the country in the new circumstances is to
ensure long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao. We will
unswervingly implement the principle of "one country, two systems,"
under which Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong and Macao people administer
Macao with a high degree of autonomy, and act in strict accordance with the
basic laws of the two special administrative regions. We will render full
support to the governments of the two regions in their administration in
accordance with the law and in their efforts to promote economic growth,
improve people's lives and advance democracy. We encourage people from all
walks of life in Hong Kong and Macao to work with one accord to promote social
amity under the banner of love for the motherland and devotion to their
respective regions. We will increase exchanges and cooperation between the
mainland and the two regions so that they can draw on each other's strengths
and develop side by side. We will actively support the two regions in their
external exchanges and firmly oppose attempts by any external force to
interfere in their affairs. Our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao, without
doubt, have the wisdom and ability to successfully administer and develop their
regions. Both regions have played and will continue to play an important role
in China's modernization drive, and the great motherland will always provide
them with strong backing for their prosperity and stability.
To resolve
the Taiwan question and achieve complete national reunification is a common
aspiration of all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. We will uphold the
principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems"
and the eight-point proposal for developing the relations between the two sides
of the Taiwan Straits and advancing the process of peaceful national
reunification in the present stage. We will never waver in our commitment to
the one-China principle, never abandon our efforts to achieve peaceful
reunification, never change the policy of placing our hopes on the people in
Taiwan and never compromise in our opposition to the secessionist activities
aimed at "Taiwan independence." With a firm grasp of the theme of
peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, we will sincerely work for the
well-being of our compatriots on both sides of the Straits and for peace in the
Taiwan Straits region, and safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial
integrity and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.
Upholding
the one-China principle constitutes the political basis for peaceful
development of cross-Straits relations. Although the mainland and Taiwan are
yet to be reunified, the fact that they belong to one and the same China has
never changed. China is the common homeland for the compatriots on both sides
of the Straits, who have every reason to join hands to safeguard and develop
this homeland. We are ready to conduct exchanges, dialogue, consultations and
negotiations with any political party in Taiwan on any issue as long as it
recognizes that both sides of the Straits belong to one and the same China.
Here we would like to make a solemn appeal: On the basis of the one-China
principle, let us discuss a formal end to the state of hostility between the
two sides, reach a peace agreement, construct a framework for peaceful
development of cross-Straits relations, and thus usher in a new phase of
peaceful development.
The 1.3
billion people on the mainland and the 23 million people in Taiwan are of the
same blood and share a common destiny. We will make every effort to achieve
anything that serves the interests of our Taiwan compatriots, contributes to
the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan Straits region, and facilitates peaceful
national reunification. We understand, trust and care about our compatriots in
Taiwan, and we will, therefore, continue to implement and enrich the policies
and measures that benefit them, protect their legitimate rights and interests
in accordance with the law, and support economic development on the west shore
of the Straits in Fujian Province and in other areas where Taiwan investment is
concentrated. The compatriots on both sides of the Straits need to increase
contacts, strengthen economic and cultural exchanges in more areas and at
higher levels and push for the resumption of direct links of mail, transport
and trade, so that they will develop greater empathy and closer cooperation and
work together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
At
present, the forces for "Taiwan independence" are stepping up their
secessionist activities, seriously jeopardizing the peaceful development of
cross-Straits relations. The compatriots on both sides need to work together to
oppose and contain such activities. China's sovereignty and territorial
integrity brook no division, and any matter in this regard must be decided by
the entire Chinese people including our Taiwan compatriots. We are willing to
make every effort with the utmost sincerity to achieve peaceful reunification
of the two sides, and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the
motherland in any name or by any means.
The two
sides of the Straits are bound to be reunified in the course of the great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. With close solidarity and concerted efforts
of all Chinese people at home and overseas, the complete reunification of the
motherland will surely be achieved.
XI.
Unswervingly Following the Path of Peaceful Development
The world
today is undergoing tremendous changes and adjustments. Peace and development
remain the main themes of the present era, and pursuit of peace, development
and cooperation has become an irresistible trend of the times. The progress
toward a multipolar world is irreversible, economic globalization is developing
in depth, and the scientific and technological revolution is gathering
momentum. Global and regional cooperation is in full swing, and countries are
increasingly interdependent. The international balance of power is changing in
favor of the maintenance of world peace, and the overall international
situation is stable.
At the
same time, the world remains far from tranquil. Hegemonism and power politics
still exist, local conflicts and hotspot issues keep emerging, imbalances in
the world economy are worsening, the North-South gap is widening, and
traditional and nontraditional threats to security are intertwined. All this
poses difficulties and challenges to world peace and development.
Sharing
opportunities for development and rising to challenges together so as to
further the noble cause of peace and development of humanity bear on the
fundamental interests of the people of all countries and meet their common
aspirations. We maintain that the people of all countries should join hands and
strive to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. To
this end, all countries should uphold the purposes and principles of the United
Nations Charter, observe international law and universally recognized norms of
international relations, and promote democracy, harmony, collaboration and
win-win solutions in international relations. Politically, all countries should
respect each other and conduct consultations on an equal footing in a common
endeavor to promote democracy in international relations. Economically, they
should cooperate with each other, draw on each other's strengths and work
together to advance economic globalization in the direction of balanced
development, shared benefits and win-win progress. Culturally, they should
learn from each other in the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving
differences, respect the diversity of the world, and make joint efforts to
advance human civilization. In the area of security, they should trust each
other, strengthen cooperation, settle international disputes by peaceful means
rather than by war, and work together to safeguard peace and stability in the
world. On environmental issues, they should assist and cooperate with each
other in conservation efforts to take good care of the Earth, the only home of
human beings.
Historic
changes have occurred in the relations between contemporary China and the rest
of the world, resulting in ever closer interconnection between China's future
and destiny and those of the world. Whatever changes take place in the
international situation, the Chinese government and people will always hold
high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, pursue an independent
foreign policy of peace, safeguard China's interests in terms of sovereignty,
security and development, and uphold its foreign policy purposes of maintaining
world peace and promoting common development.
China
will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development. This is a strategic
choice the Chinese government and people have made in light of the development
trend of the times and their own fundamental interests. The Chinese nation is a
peace-loving people, and China is always a staunch force safeguarding world
peace. We are committed to combining the interests of the Chinese people with
the common interests of the people of other countries, and always stand for
fairness and justice. We maintain that all countries, big and small, strong and
weak, rich and poor, are equal. We respect the right of the people of all
countries to independently choose their own development path. We will never
interfere in the internal affairs of other countries or impose our own will on
them. China works for peaceful settlement of international disputes and hotspot
issues, promotes international and regional security cooperation, and opposes
terrorism in any form. China follows a national defense policy that is
defensive in nature, and it does not engage in arms race or pose a military
threat to any other country. China opposes all forms of hegemonism and power
politics and will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.
China
will unswervingly follow a win-win strategy of opening up. We will continue to
contribute to regional and global development through our own development, and
expand the areas where our interests meet with those of various sides. While
securing our own development, we will accommodate the legitimate concerns of
other countries, especially other developing countries. We will increase market
access in accordance with internationally recognized economic and trade rules,
and protect the rights and interests of our partners in accordance with the
law. We support international efforts to help developing countries enhance
their capacity for independent development and improve the lives of their
people, so as to narrow the North-South gap. We support efforts to improve
international trade and financial systems, advance the liberalization and
facilitation of trade and investment, and properly resolve economic and trade
frictions through consultation and collaboration. China will never seek
benefits for itself at the expense of other countries or shift its troubles
onto others.
China is
committed to developing friendship and cooperation with all other countries on
the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. For developed
countries, we will continue to strengthen strategic dialogue, enhance mutual
trust, deepen cooperation and properly manage differences to promote long-term,
stable and sound development of bilateral relations. For our neighboring
countries, we will continue to follow the foreign policy of friendship and
partnership, strengthen good-neighborly relations and practical cooperation
with them, and energetically engage in regional cooperation in order to jointly
create a peaceful, stable regional environment featuring equality, mutual trust
and win-win cooperation. For other developing countries, we will continue to
increase solidarity and cooperation with them, cement traditional friendship,
expand practical cooperation, provide assistance to them within our ability,
and uphold the legitimate demands and common interests of developing countries.
We will continue to take an active part in multilateral affairs, assume our due
international obligations, play a constructive role, and work to make the
international order fairer and more equitable. We will also continue to conduct
exchanges and cooperation with the political parties and organizations of other
countries, and strengthen the external exchanges of people's congresses, CPPCC
committees, the armed forces, localities and people's organizations to enhance
mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and the people
of other countries.
China
cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, nor can the world enjoy
prosperity and stability without China. The Chinese people will continue to
work tirelessly with the people of other countries to bring about a better
future for humanity.
XII.
Comprehensively Carrying Forward the Great New Undertaking to Build the Party
in a Spirit of Reform and Innovation
Socialism
with Chinese characteristics is a cause that demands reform and innovation. To
stand in the forefront of the times and lead the people in opening up new
prospects for the development of the cause, the Party must improve itself in a
spirit of reform and innovation and stay as the firm core of leadership for
this cause.
The Party
was founded 86 years ago, it has governed the country for 58 years, and its
current membership totals more than 70 million. Therefore, the Party's task to
build itself has become more arduous than ever before. The reform and opening
up led by the Party have injected tremendous vigor into the Party, but they
have also exposed it to many unprecedented tasks and tests. Developments and
changes in the global, national and intra-Party conditions make it both vital
and urgent for us to strengthen Party building in a spirit of reform and
innovation. To achieve the main objectives of strengthening the Party's
governance capability and vanguard nature, we must ensure that the Party
exercises self-discipline and is strict with its members, and work to fulfill
the requirement for serving the people and being pragmatic and incorruptible. We
must strengthen Party building in all respects. Ideologically, we will focus on
fortifying the convictions of Party members. Organizationally, we will put
emphasis on bringing up Party members and cadres of quality. In improving the
Party's style of work, we will stress the maintenance of its close ties with
the people. Institutionally, we will emphasize improving democratic centralism.
In enhancing the Party's capacity to fight corruption and uphold integrity, we
will focus on improving the institutions for punishing and preventing
corruption. All this will enable the Party to remain a ruling Marxist party
that is built for public interests and exercises governance for the people; a
party that is realistic, pragmatic and committed to reform and innovation; a
party that is hardworking and clean; and a party that is full of vigor and
enjoys solidarity and harmony.
1.
Thoroughly study and apply the system of theories of socialism with Chinese
characteristics and focus on arming the whole Party with the latest
achievements in adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions. Ideological and
theoretical development is of fundamental importance to Party building, and the
Party's innovation in theory guides innovation in all other areas. To build a
party committed to learning, we need to thoroughly study Marxism-Leninism, Mao
Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three
Represents and launch a Party-wide campaign to intensively study and apply the
Scientific Outlook on Development in light of the dynamic practices of reform,
opening up and modernization. We must follow the developing Marxism as our
guide in changing the objective world and remolding the subjective world,
better grasp the laws concerning the Communist Party's governance, socialist
construction and the development of human society, and improve our capability
to apply scientific theories to analyzing and solving practical problems. We
must step up education for Party members and cadres to cherish the Party's
ideals and beliefs and uphold high ideological and moral standards, so that
they will set an example in putting into practice the socialist core values,
firmly believe in the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of
socialism with Chinese characteristics, faithfully apply the Scientific Outlook
on Development, conscientiously follow the socialist maxims of honor and
disgrace, and actively promote social harmony.
2.
Continue to strengthen the Party's governance capability and focus on building
high-quality leading bodies. Strengthening the Party's governance capability
has an overall impact on Party building and the cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics. In building the leading bodies at all levels, we must focus
our efforts on promptly and effectively improving their art of leadership and
governance capability. Following the requirement of scientific, democratic and
law-based governance, we will improve the way of thinking of leading bodies,
the governing competence of leading cadres, their styles of leadership and
governance, the leadership system, and the working mechanisms of the leading
bodies of local Party committees that have had their staffing restructured. All
this is intended to turn the leading bodies at all levels into staunch
collective leaderships that are firmly committed to the Party's theories,
lines, principles and policies and capable of leading scientific development.
We will improve the governance capability of leading bodies in order to
motivate and guide the whole Party and ensure that all the Party's work always
accords with the requirements of the times and the expectations of the people.
3. Expand
intra-Party democracy and focus on enhancing the Party's solidarity and unity.
Intra-Party democracy provides an important guarantee for improving the Party's
creativity and reinforcing its solidarity and unity. We will expand intra-Party
democracy to develop people's democracy and increase intra-Party harmony to
promote social harmony. We need to respect the principal position of Party members,
guarantee their democratic rights, increase transparency in Party affairs and
create favorable conditions for democratic discussions within the Party. We
will improve the system of Party congresses by adopting a tenure system for
their delegates and implementing a system of Party congresses with a fixed term
on a trial basis in selected counties, cities and districts. We will improve
the working mechanisms of local Party committees at all levels and their
standing committees and let the Party committees make decisions on major
issues. We will strictly implement democratic centralism, improve the system
that combines collective leadership with division of responsibilities among
individuals, and oppose and prevent arbitrary decision-making by an individual
or a minority of people. We will introduce a system of voting for use by local
Party committees in discussing and deciding on major issues and appointing
cadres to important positions. We will establish a sound system under which the
Political Bureau of the Central Committee regularly reports its work to plenary
sessions of the Central Committee and accepts their oversight, and the standing
committees of local Party committees at all levels do likewise to plenary
sessions of local Party committees and accept their oversight. We will reform
the intra-Party electoral system and improve the system for nominating
candidates and electoral methods. We will spread the practice in which
candidates for leading positions in primary Party organizations are recommended
both by Party members and the public in an open manner and by the Party
organization at the next higher level, gradually extend direct election of
leading members in primary Party organizations to more places, and explore
various ways to expand intra-Party democracy at the primary level. All Party
members must firmly uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party,
conscientiously abide by the Party's political discipline, always be in
agreement with the Central Committee and resolutely safeguard its authority to
ensure that its resolutions and decisions are carried out effectively.
4.
Continue to deepen reform of the cadre and personnel system and focus on
training high-caliber cadres and personnel. Adhering to the principle that the
Party is in charge of cadre management, we will establish a scientific
mechanism for selecting and appointing cadres on the basis of democracy,
openness, competition and merit. We will standardize the cadre nomination
system, perfect the cadre assessment system in accordance with the requirements
of the Scientific Outlook on Development and a correct view on evaluating
cadres' performances, and improve the procedures for open selection,
competition for positions and multi-candidate election. We will expand democracy
in the work related to cadres and make democratic recommendation and assessment
more scientific and authentic. We must enforce stricter oversight over the
whole process of selecting and appointing cadres. We will improve the tenure
system and the recusal system for leading cadres as well as the system for
transferring them between different posts, the public servant system, and the
system of dual administration of cadres. We will advance reform of the
personnel system in state-owned enterprises and public institutions and improve
management of executives suited to conditions in these enterprises.
Adhering
to correct guidance in appointing cadres, we will promote cadres who have
political integrity, professional competence and outstanding performance and
enjoy popular support with a view to increasing public trust in cadre selection
and appointment. We will make greater efforts to train and promote outstanding
young cadres, encourage them to work and temper themselves at the primary level
and in areas with tough conditions, improve their understanding of Marxist
theory and raise their political quality. We will attach great importance to
training and selecting cadres from among women and ethnic minorities. We will
give special attention to cadres who have long been working diligently in
places fraught with hardships and difficulties. We will select excellent cadres
from primary-level organizations and the frontline of production to join Party
and government leading organs at all levels. We will continue to train cadres
on a large scale, making full use of Party schools, schools of administration
and cadre academies to substantially improve the quality of cadres. We will do
a good job in all work related to retired cadres. Implementing the policy of respect
for work, knowledge, talent and creation and adhering to the principle of the
Party being in charge of personnel, we will make plans for training all types
of personnel with the focus on high-level and highly skilled ones. We will make
innovations in systems and mechanisms for personnel work and arouse the
creativity and enterprising spirit of all types of personnel to create a new
situation in which capable people come forth in great numbers and put their
talents to best use.
5.
Consolidate and develop all the achievements of the campaign to educate Party
members to preserve their vanguard nature, and focus on strengthening primary
Party organizations. The vanguard nature is the source of life and strength for
a Marxist party, and has to be demonstrated by its tens of millions of members
of quality. We must, therefore, do a good job in the basic project to build a
strong Party membership and keep improving their quality. We will earnestly
study and abide by the Party Constitution, raise our awareness of Party
membership, introduce the practice of regularly reviewing Party members'
compliance with the Party spirit, expand channels through which Party members
serve the people, institute working procedures for them to stay in touch with
and serve the people, and improve the permanent mechanism whereby Party members
regularly go through education and always retain their vanguard nature. All
this will make Party members exemplars who always keep in mind the purpose of
the Party and truly care for the people. We will improve management of Party
members among the floating population, improve the Party work among rural
migrant workers in cities, and set up a sound unified system for dynamic
management of Party members in both urban and rural areas. We will improve the
quality of newly recruited Party members, optimize the composition of Party
membership, and promptly deal with unqualified members.
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Primary Party organizations constitute the organizational foundation for the
Party to play its governance role. We will implement the responsibility system
for building the Party and advance all-round development of primary Party
organizations in villages, enterprises, urban communities, Party and government
organs, schools, new social organizations, etc. We will give full play to the
role of primary Party organizations in promoting development, serving the
people, rallying public support and promoting harmony by optimizing their
setups, expanding their coverage and making innovations in the way they
function. We will develop primary Party organizations to promote development of
other organizations at the primary level. We will launch intensive campaigns in
primary Party organizations and among Party members to encourage them to excel
in their performances. We will set up a sound mechanism for mutual assistance
between urban and rural primary Party organizations. We will develop modern
distance learning programs for Party members and cadres in rural areas
throughout the country. We will set up a sound mechanism of incentives,
solicitude and assistance in the Party to show concern for cadres at the
primary level, for elderly Party members and for those who live in straitened
circumstances. We will pay attention to ensuring funding and space for
activities of primary Party organizations.
6.
Effectively improve the Party's style of work and focus on combating corruption
and upholding integrity. The Party's fine style of work is a great force
holding Party members together and winning popular support. We must uphold the
viewpoint of historical materialism that it is the people who make history,
remain committed to serving the people wholeheartedly and adhere to the mass
line. We must earnestly listen to their appeals, truthfully reflect their
wishes, sincerely help alleviate their hardships and do more practical work for
their benefit, putting into practice the principle of exercising power for the
people, showing concern for them and working for their interests. We will seek
progress in every aspect of our endeavor in a realistic and pragmatic way and
do more to reinforce the groundwork for long-term benefit. We need to carry out
more investigations and studies, improve our styles of study and writing, cut
the number of meetings and official documents, and oppose formalism,
bureaucracy and deception. We need to practice economy, always be frugal and
hardworking, and oppose extravagance and waste. All Party members, especially
leading cadres, must uphold the Party spirit, be impeccable in moral standards
and play an exemplary role in society. We need to strengthen education in the
Party's style of work and Party discipline and vigorously practice criticism
and self-criticism so that leading cadres will observe Party discipline and
state laws in an exemplary way, carry forward the Party's fine traditions and
promote new healthy trends. With the Party's fine style of work, we will be
able to improve the work style of the government and the conduct of the general
public.
The CPC
never tolerates corruption or any other negative phenomena. This is determined
by its nature and purpose. Resolutely punishing and effectively preventing
corruption bears on the popular support for the Party and on its very survival,
and is therefore a major political task the Party must attend to at all times.
All Party members must be fully aware that fighting corruption will be a
protracted, complicated and arduous battle, attach greater importance to combating
corruption and upholding integrity and take a clear stand against corruption.
We will fight corruption in a comprehensive way, address both its symptoms and
root cause and combine punishment with prevention, with the emphasis on
prevention, thus effectively improving the institutions for punishing and
preventing corruption. While resolutely cracking down on corruption, we will
work harder to remove its root cause and take preventive measures through
improving relevant institutions and expanding our efforts to curb corruption at
the source. We will strictly implement the responsibility system for improving
the Party's style of work and upholding integrity. We will deepen reform, make
institutional innovation, foster a culture of integrity and develop a permanent
education mechanism to resist corruption and decadence, a system for combating
corruption and upholding integrity and a mechanism for monitoring the exercise
of power. We need to strengthen the unified management of representative
offices of Party discipline inspection commissions and government supervision
departments, and improve the system of inspection tours. We will do our best to
ensure that leading cadres are clean and self-disciplined and that Party
members and cadres are better able to resist corruption and decadence. We must
resolutely stop unhealthy practices that hurt public interests, and take
effective measures to deal with matters that cause strong public resentment. We
must see to it that all cases involving violation of law and discipline are
thoroughly investigated and dealt with, and that all corruptionists are
severely punished according to law without fail.
Comrades,
Ever
since its founding in July 1921, the CPC has bravely dedicated itself to the
historical mission of leading the Chinese people in striving for a happy life
and for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Chinese Communists have
been fighting one generation after another to fulfill this mission, and
countless revolutionaries have sacrificed their lives in the course. Party
members in contemporary China must continue on this mission. The ongoing
reform, opening up and socialist modernization drive undertaken by the people
of all ethnic groups under the Party's leadership are a continuation and development
of the great cause of socialist construction since the founding of the People's
Republic and the great cause of the Chinese people's struggle for national
independence, prosperity and strength since modern times. Reviewing the past,
we feel deeply honored to carry on this sacred mission. Looking ahead, we have
full confidence in fulfilling the three historical tasks of advancing the
modernization drive, achieving national reunification, and safeguarding world
peace and promoting common development.
All Party
members must be keenly aware that it will take more than a decade of continued
efforts to reach the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all
respects, and decades more to realize modernization by and large, and that it
will require unremitting efforts by several, a dozen or even dozens of
generations to consolidate and develop the socialist system. We are bound to
meet with difficulties and risks in our endeavor. We must therefore stay
prepared for adversities in times of peace, be mindful of potential dangers,
and always maintain our firm faith in Marxism, socialism with Chinese
characteristics and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must guard
against arrogance and rashness, preserve the style of plain living and hard
struggle, bear firmly in mind the basic reality that China is still in the
primary stage of socialism, and work tirelessly for the cause of the Party and
the people. We must study and work diligently and keep scoring achievements
that can stand the test of practice and time to the satisfaction of the people.
We must reinforce unity, bear the overall interests in mind, conscientiously
uphold the solidarity and unity of the whole Party, maintain the close ties
between the Party and the people, cement the great unity of the people of all
ethnic groups, and enhance the great solidarity of all sons and daughters of
the Chinese nation at home and overseas and of the Chinese people and peoples
of other countries, which will give us immense strength to overcome all
difficulties and obstacles and achieve new, greater victories in the cause of
the Party and the people.
Let us hold high the great
banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, rally more closely around the
Central Committee, unite as one, forge ahead in a pioneering spirit, and work
hard to achieve new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in
all respects and write a new chapter of happy life for the people!
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