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Hu Jintao, general secretary
of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and
Chinese President, addresses the opening ceremony of the 17th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China in the Great Hall
of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 15, 2007. The
17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was opened on
Monday.
BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua)
-- The following is the full text of Hu Jintao's report delivered at
the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on
Oct. 15, 2007:
HOLD HIGH THE GREAT BANNER
OF SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS AND STRIVE FOR NEW
VICTORIES IN BUILDING A MODERATELY PROSPEROUS SOCIETY IN ALL
RESPECTS
Report to the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist
Party of China on Oct. 15, 2007
Hu Jintao
Preface
I. The Work of the Past Five Years
II. The Great Historical Course of Reform and
Opening Up
III. Thoroughly Applying the Scientific
Outlook on Development
IV. New Requirements for Attaining the Goal of
Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects
V. Promoting Sound and Rapid Development of
the National Economy
VI. Unswervingly Developing Socialist
Democracy
VII. Promoting Vigorous Development and
Prosperity of Socialist Culture
VIII. Accelerating Social Development with the
Focus on Improving People's Livelihood
IX. Opening Up New Prospects for Modernization
of National Defense and the Armed Forces
X. Carrying Forward the Practice of "One
Country, Two Systems" and Advancing the Great Cause of Peaceful
National Reunification
XI. Unswervingly Following the Path of
Peaceful Development
XII. Comprehensively Carrying Forward the
Great New Undertaking to Build the Party in a Spirit of Reform and
Innovation
Conclusion
¡¡
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 former outweighing 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 e |