Fully Understand the New Development Stage

Fully Understand the New Development Stage*

January 11, 2021

In order to define the central tasks of current development, and set the guidelines, principles and policies for our work, it is essential to have an accurate understanding of the stage that our Party and the people have reached. This is an important approach our Party has used to move from victory to victory in leading China’s revolution, construction and reform.

At the time of the New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949), our Party learned from its arduous efforts that this was a stage that the Chinese revolution would have to traverse. On this basis, it set the tasks, strategies and tactics that enabled it to lead the people to win the Chinese revolution. When the PRC was founded in 1949, our Party was keenly aware that a transitional period would be required to move from new democracy to socialism. It therefore formulated a general guideline for this period, which enabled our country to complete its socialist revolution and evolve smoothly into the period of socialist construction. Following the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, the Party reviewed the experience and lessons drawn from socialist development around the world, particularly in China, and concluded that China was in the primary stage of socialism and would remain so for a long time to come. Based on this judgment, it set the basic guideline that led to a phase of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Central Committee has built on the sustained efforts of our predecessors by pursuing a holistic approach to the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and coordinated implementation of the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy. As a result, we have witnessed historic achievements and transformations and brought socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era.

The 19th CPC Central Committee determined at its Fifth Plenary Session in 2020 that having realized the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, China would build on this achievement and embark on a new journey towards the Second Centenary Goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects, thus signifying the beginning of a new stage of development. This strategic assessment was based on the following considerations.

From a theoretical standpoint, Marxism embraces both high ideals and practical targets, and insists on the unity between historical necessity and the stage-specific nature of development, in the belief that as human society moves ultimately towards communism, it must pass through certain historical stages along the way. While applying the basic tenets of Marxism to the practical problems of China, our Party came to realize that the development of socialism is a continuous historical process made up of different stages. Between late 1959 and early 1960, Mao Zedong said after reading the Soviet textbook Political Economy, “It is possible to divide the period of socialism into two stages: One could be called underdeveloped socialism and one comparatively developed socialism. This latter stage may take even longer than the first.” In 1987, Deng Xiaoping stated, “Socialism itself is the first stage of communism, and here in China we are still in the primary stage of socialism – that is, the underdeveloped stage. In everything we do we must proceed from this reality, and all planning must be consistent with it.” The new development stage we have now reached is just one part of the primary stage of socialism, but thanks to many decades of hard work, it is a period that marks a new starting point for us.

From a historical standpoint, this new stage will see our Party lead the people in completing the historic transformation from standing up and becoming better off to growing in strength. After its founding in 1921, the CPC united the people and led them through a bitter, 28-year-long struggle to establish the PRC and make the historic transition from the New Democratic Revolution to socialist revolution. After the founding of the PRC, the Party led the people in creatively carrying out a socialist transformation, establishing socialism as China’s basic system, and promoting socialist economic and cultural progress on a large scale. The Chinese people stood upright and held firm as they completed the historic transition from socialist revolution to socialist construction. On entering a new historical period, it led the people in launching the great new revolution of reform and opening up, which sparked tremendous enthusiasm, initiative and creativity and opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. As China made large strides in catching up with the times, it took yet another huge leap forward in the process of socialist modernization and embraced the bright prospects of national rejuvenation. Based on the achievements of the past, we are now writing a new chapter – building China into a modern socialist country in all respects.

In terms of the present reality, we now possess solid material foundations for embarking on a new journey towards an even higher goal. Thanks to the tireless efforts since the founding of the PRC and especially in the past four decades since the launch of reform and opening up, China had scaled new heights in economic development, scientific and technological capability, composite national strength, and better living standards by the end of the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020). China is now the world’s second largest economy, the largest industrial nation, the largest trader of goods, and the largest holder of foreign exchange reserves. China’s GDP has exceeded RMB100 trillion and stands at over US$10,000 in per capita terms. Permanent urban residents account for over 60 percent of the population, and the middle-income group has grown to over 400 million. Particularly noteworthy are our historic successes in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eliminating absolute poverty – a problem that has plagued our nation for thousands of years. These are significant milestones in the process of our socialist modernization; they pave the way as we march towards the Second Centenary Goal in the new development stage.

Shortly after the founding of the PRC, our Party put forward the goal of building a modern socialist country. Over the course of 13 five-year plans, we have laid solid foundations for achieving this goal. The next 30 years make up the development stage in which we will finally complete this great ambition. We have worked out the roadmap and timetable for our development. By 2035, or within three five-year plan periods, we will achieve basic socialist modernization. Then, by the middle of this century, after completing another three five-year plans, China will become a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.

The world today is undergoing change on a scale unseen in a century. The recent international situation could be best described by the word “disorderly”, and it appears that this trend will continue for quite some time. The response to the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the leadership capabilities and strengths of the social systems of all countries. The fact that time and momentum are on our side gives us reassurance, resolve and confidence.

That said, we must fully recognize that although China remains in an important period of strategic opportunity for development, and will remain so for some time to come, both the opportunities and challenges we face are changing. Though the two are unprecedented in their extent, the opportunities generally outweigh the challenges. The ancient Chinese philosopher Han Fei Zi once said, “We should manage the small and simple things with care so as to avoid difficulties and disasters.” All of us in the Party must remain modest, prudent and committed to hard work; we must mobilize all positive factors, unite all available forces, and focus on managing our own affairs well, as we work towards our objectives with all our resolve.

Our task is to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects. Of course, this modernization is tailored to China’s realities and carries distinctive Chinese features. At the Fifth Plenary Session, I highlighted five points in particular: China’s modernization must cover a massive population, lead to common prosperity, deliver material, cultural and ethical progress, promote harmony between humanity and nature, and proceed along a path of peaceful development. This is the approach China must take. It must be embodied in our principles, policies, strategies, measures and work plans to enable the Party and the Chinese people to work together towards this end.

The new development stage is an important part of socialist development in our country. In 1992, Deng Xiaoping stated, “We have been building socialism for only a few decades and are still in the primary stage. It will take a very long historical period to consolidate and develop the socialist system, and it will require persistent struggle by many generations, a dozen or even several dozens. We can never rest on our oars.”

In my opinion, Deng was making this observation from a political perspective. He was pointing out that it would take a fairly long period of hard work to turn China into a modern country based on the weak economic foundations of the time. But he was also emphasizing that we must persevere with China’s socialist system from one generation to the next, even after modernization is achieved. We must work continuously to find ways to consolidate and develop socialism, for no solution can last forever once in place.

Mao Zedong once said, “All things have their boundaries. The way things develop is that one stage leads to another, advancing without interruption. But each and every stage has a boundary. To deny that boundary is to deny qualitative changes, full or partial.”

The primary stage of socialism is not a static, rigid or stagnant period, nor is it a spontaneous and passive stage that can easily and naturally be passed through. Rather, it is a stage of dynamism, action and promise, one that should always brim with vitality. It develops gradually but ceaselessly, moving from quantitative increases to qualitative leaps. Building a modern socialist China in all respects and realizing basic socialist modernization are essential for China’s development in the primary stage of socialism, and essential for China to advance from the primary stage to a higher stage of socialism.

* Part of the speech at a study session on implementing the decisions of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, attended by principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)