Understanding the Essence and Significance of Developing a Distinctively Chinese Social Security System

For many years now, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has upheld the fundamental requirements of socialism and worked in line with the laws governing the development of modern social security, as well as China's basic national conditions, including its large population, limited economic foundation, and pronounced urban-rural and regional disparities. Giving consideration to the distinctive economic and social features of each development stage and integrating fine elements of traditional Chinese culture, it has established the world's largest social security system, which is endowed with distinctive Chinese qualities and a full range of functions. Our efforts in this field have been defined by the following features.

A fundamental guarantee provided by our commitment to upholding and strengthening the CPC's leadership

When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, it instituted a comprehensive labor insurance system. Thereafter, following the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, the CPC designated social security as a vital institutional pillar for building a socialist market economy and improving people's living standards. It made steady strides in building a social security system, developing a model that combined personal accounts with a social pool of funds. With this, the main pillars and supports for China's social security system were put into place. After the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core put the task of developing the social security system in a position of greater importance. The development of China's social security system has entered the fast lane, delivering a number of historic achievements and transformations. 

The immutable aim of putting the people above all else

Social security bears on the most practical interests of greatest and most direct concern to the people. Pursuing the goals of achieving universal coverage and ensuring benefits for all, the CPC has implemented a universal participation plan. Through a coordinated urban-rural approach, it has extended coverage to more residents and steadily increased equability. These efforts have seen us weaving the largest social security net in the world in terms of population coverage. In China, developing the social security system is about improving people's wellbeing and making society fairer. It is about leveraging a range of institutional and policy measures to effectively alleviate people's concerns about related risks.

The defining theme of high-quality and sustainable development

High-quality development embodies the defining qualities of the people's demands in this era. Sustainable development, which is reflected in the underlying principles of intergenerational balance and institutional maturity, is fundamental for building a dependable social security system. For high-quality and sustainable development of social security, it is vital that public services are inclusive, meet essential needs, and guarantee basic living standards for people in difficulty. We must also grasp the importance of stability, continuity, and cumulative progress in work relating to people's wellbeing and strive to resolve the inadequacies, imbalances, and lack of coordination affecting its development. These efforts will ensure that our people feel a fuller, more solid, and more sustainable sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security.

The principles of doing everything in our power and working within our means

China is currently in the primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a long time. This is the overarching reality we cannot afford to ignore when developing the social security system. Based on the principles of doing everything in our power and working within our means, our approach should be to meet basic needs, focus on key areas, refine systems, and guide expectations. This is what will deliver consistent and incremental progress based on sustained efforts. By securing the necessary headway at each defined stage, we will ensure that people can see and benefit from improvements in the ongoing development of social security.

Editor: Nie Qiaoyu