Editors: General Secretary Xi Jinping has noted: “Grounding ourselves in the new stage of development, applying the new development concept, creating a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development—these are tasks that the whole party and the whole country must grasp in the present and future periods.” The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and Long-Range Objectives through 2035 deeply implements the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Party Congress, fully implements the requirements for “grounding ourselves in the new stage of development, applying the new development concept, and creating a new development pattern,” and draws up the overall blueprint for building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way. In order to completely, correctly and comprehensively understand and grasp the theoretical connotations and practical requirements of grounding ourselves in the new stage of development, applying the new development concept, creating a new development pattern and building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way, this paper is launching a series of articles by Ren Lixuan, starting today.

To draw up the overall blueprint, it is necessary to correctly understand our current historical position; and to promote economic and social development, it is necessary to correctly understand the development stage in which we have entered. A correct understanding of the historical position and development stage in which the causes of the Party and the people are situated is a fundamental basis on which the Party clarifies central stage-specific-tasks and sets guidelines, principles and policies. The Fifth Plenary Session determined that China, having accomplished the first centennial objective of establishing a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, we must build on this achievement to embark on a new journey toward the second centennial objective of building a modernized socialist country in all respects. This signified that China had entered a new stage of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has said: “Entrance into the new stage of development has clarified the historical position of China’s development.” Our entrance into a new stage of development is the strategic judgment made by the CCP Central Committee, with Xi Jinping as its core, through scientific analysis of the basic characteristics of the primary stage of socialism and a profound grasp of the general domestic and international development situations. As such, it has a profound basis in theory, history and reality. We must deeply understand and accurately grasp the new stage of development by combining history and current reality, theory and practice, domestic and international.

A major leap in the historic process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation

The development of a major power and the rejuvenation of its great people are a long-term historical process, and it is inevitable that these overall objectives must be approached step by step, with balance between staging and sequencing, and consistency between quantitative and qualitative changes. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed: “The new stage of development is a historic new stage in which our Party will lead the people to usher in a great leap from standing on our feet and becoming prosperous to growing powerful.” In the century since the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, all of the struggles that it has united and led the Chinese people in carrying out have been in order to build China into a modern power and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The course of those struggles has consisted of a series of successive development stages. After tireless efforts and courageous pioneering, China today has entered a new stage of development.

Why do we say China has entered a new stage of development? By scientifically analyzing the dynamic development process of the primary stage of socialism, one can have a deeper understanding of the theoretical basis for China’s entry into a new stage of development.

Marxists believe in the unity of historical necessity and development stages, and in combining ambitious ideals with realistic goals. They firmly believe that human society will inevitably move toward communism, but the realization of this lofty goal must go through several historical stages. In applying the basic principles of Marxism to resolve China’s actual problems in practice, our Party has come to realize that the development of socialism is not only a long-term historical process, but also a process that must be divided into different historical stages. In the process of pioneering the path of socialism with a Chinese characteristics, our Party proposed that China is in the primary stage of socialism, and will be for a long time. It is only by scientifically grasping this greatest of national conditions, and being firmly grounded in this greatest reality, that the Party’s theory and its lines, principles and policies can keep pace with the times, being neither behind the times, nor out of touch with reality or overshooting stages. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “The primary stage of socialism is not a static, changeless, stagnant stage, nor is it a spontaneous, passive stage that can be crossed naturally with little effort. Rather, it is a dynamic, active process that is overflowing with vigor and energy. It is a process of accumulative and evolving change, step-by-step progression, and continuous development and progress, that is ever-approaching in quality and makes quantum leaps in quantity.” Our party has led the people in the successive promotion of socialist modernization, and the primary stage of socialism has continuously presented new characteristics and risen to new levels. The new development stage is a stage in the primary stage of socialism. At the same time, it is a stage that stands at a new starting point following decades of accumulation.

The new development stage is an important stage in the development process of China’s socialism, and our entering the new stage of development is the result of our Party’s having led the people in forging ahead and being active in the primary stage of socialism. In the new stage of development, building China into modernized socialist country is not only a requirement for the development of China in the primary stage of socialism, but is also a requirement for China’s socialism to advance from the primary stage to a higher stage.

Why do we say China has entered a new stage of development? By examining the time scope of the new stage of development when placed on the time axis of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, one can have a deeper understanding of the historical basis of China’s entry into the new stage of development.

In modern times, the Chinese people have tenaciously and painstakingly explored the road to modernization and national revitalization. However, under the conditions of semi-colonial, semi-feudal society, China’s modernization did not and could not achieve success. It was only after the CCP led the Chinese people to victory in the New Democratic Revolution and founded New China that a whole new prospect opened up for China’s modernization. In his opening speech at the First Session of the First National People’s Congress in 1954, Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized: “Prepare to build our country, as economically and culturally backward as it is now, into a great industrialized country with a highly modern culture within a few five-year plans.” In 1964, in the Government Work Report made for the First Session of the Third National People’s Congress, Comrade Zhou Enlai proposed, “We must, within a short historical period, build China into a strong socialist country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense and modern science and technology.” After reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping made strategic arrangements for China’s socialist modernization, proposing the “three-step” strategic goals. With the advancement of socialist modernization, on the foundation of having previously achieved the two goals of solving the people’s food and clothing problems and reaching a moderately prosperous standard of living overall, and in accordance with China’s actual development, our Party condensed its goals into the “two centennial” objectives: to establish a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way by the centennial of the founding of the Party, and to build China into a modernized socialist superpower that is rich, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful by the centennial of the founding of New China. The “two centennial” objectives are a concentrated and distinctive expression of China’s modernization goals. The next 30 years will be a new stage of development in which we complete our historic ambition of building a modernized socialist country.

Today, the historical position China finds itself in is that it is about to achieve the first centennial objective of establishing a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and, riding on that momentum, it is advancing toward the second centennial objective of building a modernized socialist superpower that is rich, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful. Going from “establishing a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way” to “building a modernized socialist superpower” is a major leap in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This stage is undoubtedly a new stage of development.

Why do we say China has entered a new stage of development? By deeply understanding the unprecedentedly rapid economic development miracle and miraculous long-term social stability that our Party led the people to create after the founding of New China, and especially since reform and opening up, one can grasp more profoundly the basis in reality for China’s entry into a new stage of development.

After the founding of New China, and especially in the four decades of reform and opening up, our Party has led the people to clear away difficulties and forge ahead, and to paint a magnificently flowing and grand historical scroll. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CCP Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core, has united and led the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups nationwide to advance the “Five-sphere Integrated Plan,” coordinate advancement of the “Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy,” unswervingly implement the new development concept, promote high-quality development, calmly and forcefully respond to risks and challenges of all kinds, and vigorously promote undertakings of the Party and the country. We have thus made decisive achievements in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and China’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, and overall national strength have leapt to new levels. China’s per capita GDP has surpassed U.S. $10,000, GDP has surpassed RMB 100 trillion, total economic output steadily ranks second in the world, and China’s contribution to world economic growth was been around 30% for many years in a row. The intensity of investment in R&D has reached the level of moderately developed countries, a large number of landmark achievements have been made in some basic and cutting-edge fields, and a number of fields have achieved leaps from “catching up” to “running alongside” and “running ahead.” Comprehensive victory has been achieved in the fight against poverty, overall regional poverty has been resolved, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, creating yet another miracle in the annals of human history. The middle-income group is now over 400 million strong, and the world’s largest social security system has been built. … The great historic achievement of establishing a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way has accumulated powerful momentum for embarking on a new journey in building a modernized socialist country, and laid a solid foundation for China’s advance towards the second centennial objective.

Historical materialism holds that the development of material production is the basis of all social life and of all actual history, Following the unremitting struggle waged since the founding of New China, and especially in the over 40 years of reform and opening up, we now have a solid material foundation for embarking on a new journey and achieving even higher new goals. China’s entry into the new stage of development is the inevitable result of the development of China’s social productive forces. It is a brand new starting point for our Party to lead the people of all ethnic groups nationwide in the continued promotion of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Profoundly grasping the characteristics and requirements of the new stage of development

General Secretary Xi Jinping has observed: “To understand and grasp the stage-specific characteristics of China’s social development, we must adhere to the methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and to draw the right conclusions, we must think with a combination of history and current reality, theory and practice, domestic and international, etc., think based on the historical position of China’s social development, and think starting from the big picture of the Party’s and the country’s development. This has provided us a scientific guide for profoundly grasping the characteristics and requirements of the new stage of development.

The new stage of development faces a new development environment. The world today is experiencing great changes unseen in a century: A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing in greater depth, profound adjustments in the international balance of power are underway, peace and development are still the themes of the times, and the concept of a community of common destiny for mankind is becoming deeply rooted in people’s hearts. At the same time, the international environment is becoming increasingly complex, instability and uncertainty have increased markedly, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic has been widespread and far-reaching, and economic globalization is encountering headwinds. The world has thus entered a period of turbulent change, and with unilateralism, protectionism and hegemony threatening world peace and development, China’s development will face more headwinds and an adverse external environment. Yet it is more important to see that time and momentum are on our side. This is where we find our strength and stamina, as well as our determination and confidence. The long-term positive fundamentals of our economy have not changed, and external shocks can only compel us to accelerate the pace of reform and innovation. Given the strong leadership of the CCP Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and fully utilizing the institutional advantages of the socialist system in concentrating resources for major undertakings, China will certainly be able to achieve long-term steady economic performance and social stability and harmony in the new stage of development, and it will certainly be able to promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation while responding strongly and effectively to changes in the world, changes in the times, and changes in history.

There will be major new social contradictions to resolve in the new stage of development. A positive change in the main contradictions of society is an important sign that a country and a society have leapt to a new level of development, but it also puts greater demands on promoting development. Entering the new era, the main contradictions of our society have been transformed into the contradiction between people’s growing need for a better life on one hand and uneven and inadequate development on the other. Uneven development mainly refers to where development of all regions, fields and aspects is insufficiently balanced, and there are “one leg longer than the other” imbalances that hold back the overall level of development. Inadequate development mainly refers to where there are problems of underdevelopment in some regions, some areas and some aspects, and development tasks are still very heavy. Uneven and inadequate development has become the main constraint to meeting the growing needs of the people for a better life, and is the main aspect of society’s main contradictions that need to be addressed. Resolving the main contradictions of our society in the new stage of development will require us to be more systematic, adhere to the system concept, and strengthen our forward-looking thinking, holistic planning, strategic layout, and overall promotion. We must enhance our targeting, deeply understand the diverse, multi-level and multi-faceted characteristics in which the people’s aspirations for a better life are manifested, solve the problems involving the most direct and real interests of the people, and of most concern to them, and promote the overall development of people and the overall progress of society.

The new stage of development requires the achievement of new goals. The 19th Party Congress, after a comprehensive analysis of the international and domestic situations and China’s development conditions, clearly proposed basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035, and building China into a strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist superpower by the middle of this century. In the new stage of development, we must be anchored in our tireless struggle for the 2035 long-range objectives set by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CCP Central Committee, and then realize the “two-step” strategic arrangement in the new era. The long-range objectives through 2035 cover all aspects of China’s economic and social development, including: There will be significant jumps in economic strength, scientific and technological strength, and comprehensive national strength; total economic output and the per capita income of rural and urban residents will make major new strides, and major breakthroughs will be made in key core technologies, so that they enter the front ranks of innovation-oriented countries; new types of industrialization, information technology, urbanization, and agricultural modernization will be realized, completing the construction of a modern economic system; per capita GDP will have reached the level of moderately developed countries, and the middle-income group will expand significantly; equalization of basic public services will be achieved, development gaps between rural and urban areas and gaps in living standards between residents will be significantly reduced, and so on. To achieve such long-range objectives, we must first achieve the main economic and social development goals of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and make a good start on building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way.

Creating new and greater miracles in the new stage of development

The 14th Five-Year Plan is the first five-year period in which China has entered the new stage of development. The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives through 2035 has clearly specified the guiding principles, main objectives, major strategic tasks and major policy initiatives for China’s economic and social development in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It has become the action program for people of all ethnic groups nationwide to make concerted efforts toward building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way. To ground ourselves in the characteristics and requirements of the new stage of development and achieve new and greater development, we must properly grasp the following aspects:

Maintaining strategic focus. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to maintaining strategic focus. The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives through 2035 again emphasizes “maintaining strategic focus.” In the new stage of development, the period of great changes unseen in a century will see accelerated evolution. In order to comprehensively build China into a modernized socialist country and create new and greater miracles during such a period of turbulent change in the world, it is particularly important to maintain strategic focus. Our strategic focus originates from, and is reflected in, our perseverance toward the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation in modern times. We are closer to achieving this great dream today than at any other time in history, and are more confident and capable of doing so. We must vow never to waver in this ambition. Our strategic focus originates from, and is reflected in, our confidence in the path we are taking. To achieve that great dream, we have chosen to take the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This path has been proven in practice to be the only correct path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must be firmly confident in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the bright avenue of socialism with Chinese characteristics all the way, and be unswerving on it. Our strategic focus originates from, and is reflected in, our adherence to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. History and the people have chosen the CCP to achieve our great dream. With its unparalleled leadership strength, the CCP is the most reliable backbone of the Chinese people when storms strike. We must firmly uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s position as the core of the CCP Central Committee and the core of the entire Party, and firmly uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CCP Central Committee. As long as we maintain strategic focus and steadfastly handle our own affairs well, we will be able to firmly grasp the strategic initiative.

Enhancing awareness of opportunities and risks. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “We should strengthen awareness of opportunities and risks, practice scientific deployment and precise policy implementation, do solid work and work hard, and firmly grasp the initiative in economic work.” The new stage of development is a stage filled with opportunities and challenges, with crises and opportunities coexisting. Our ability to create new and greater miracles will depend to a large degree on whether we can grasp opportunities and develop better, and whether we can effectively defuse risks and turn crises into opportunities. China’s development is in a period of important strategic opportunity today, and will be in the times to come. There will be new developments in terms of challenges as well as opportunities, however, so it is particularly necessary to strengthen awareness of opportunities and risks. China has shifted directions toward a phase of high-quality development. We have many advantages and enabling conditions for further development, including significant institutional superiority, improving governance efficacy, sustained economic growth, a solid material foundation, a wealth of human resources, broad market space, strong developmental resilience, overall social stability, and sustained development. “A time hard to come by and easily missed.” In a period of turbulent change in the world, we must make good use of our own advantages and enabling conditions, seizing opportunities and not losing them. In particular, we must have the courage to sail against the wind, and be good at turning crises into opportunities. Turbulent change in the world is bound to conceal all kinds of risks, and while profound changes in the domestic and international environments bring a series of new opportunities, they also bring a series of new challenges. We must firmly establish bottom-line thinking, carry forward the spirit of struggle and strengthen our ability to struggle, resolve problems when they are small and keep long-term strategies in mind, and exploit beneficial opportunities while avoiding harm. We must take the prevention and defusing of major risks as extremely important work, and cannot allow the slightest laziness. Particularly close attention must be paid to major risks that may delay or even interrupt progress toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, [using] comprehensive judgment, integrated planning and strong responses.

Implementing the new development concept, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to understanding and grasping fundamental laws, and has called for “achieving change and innovation on the basis of grasping fundamental laws.” Creating new and greater miracles in the new stage of development imposes new and higher requirements for understanding and grasping the fundamental laws of development. To understand and grasp the fundamental laws of development, it is necessary to understand and grasp the fundamental laws of communist rule, socialist construction and human social development. One must understand and grasp that development must be scientific development that follows the laws of economics; it must be sustainable development that follows the laws of nature; and it must be inclusive development that follows the laws of society. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CCP Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core, has been deepening its understanding of the laws of development, comprehensively advancing the “Five-sphere Integrated Plan” overall layout, coordinating the “Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy,” and unswervingly implementing the new development concept of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing. This is a major achievement of understanding and grasping the laws of development, and must run consistently throughout the new stage of development. The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and Long-Range Objectives through 2035 emphasizes: “Promotion of high-quality development in the 14th Five-Year Plan period must be grounded in the new stage of development, implementation of the new development concept, and construction of the new development pattern.” This is the concentrated embodiment of following and applying the laws of development, and must be vigorously pushed forward in the new stage of development. We must make the new development concept permeate throughout the development process and in all fields, effectively transform the mode of development, and promote transformations in the quality, efficiency and drivers [of growth], thereby achieving development that is higher-quality and more efficient, equitable, sustainable and secure. In accordance with the changes in China’s development stage, environment and conditions, and based on changes in our comparative advantages in particular, we must accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, with the domestic great circulation as the mainstay and domestic circulation and international circulation promoting each other. We must raise China’s economic development level in step with the times, and shape new advantages for China in international economic cooperation and competition. We must deeply understand and grasp the laws of development and better follow and apply them, propel China’s development to a new level, and achieve high-quality development in the new development stage.

“No matter how difficult the challenges may seem, they will be overcome.” The splendid picture of the new stage of development is slowly unfolding, and the clarion call to forge ahead on a new journey has been sounded. At this great moment of starting the historical process of a new development stage, it is especially important to realize that building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way, and marching toward the second centennial objective, cannot be all easy and smooth sailing. We are bound to experience some tough trials and struggles. Under the strong leadership of the CCP Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, we shall implement the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and Long-Range Objectives through 2035, and march towards the goal of building a modernized socialist superpower in all respects. China has already written a great development miracle in history and current reality, and will surely create new and greater miracles to astound the world in the future.