Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics
Strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way
━━Report at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China
（2007Year10month15日）
Hu Jintao
Comrades:
Now, on behalf of the 16th Central Committee, I will make a report to the General Assembly.
The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is a very important conference held at a critical stage of my country's reform and development. The theme of the conference is: Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, be guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", thoroughly implement the Scientific Outlook on Development, continue to emancipate the mind, adhere to reform and opening up, promote scientific development, promote social harmony, and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.
The great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the banner for the development and progress of contemporary China and the banner for the unity and struggle of the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups. Emancipating the mind is a magic weapon for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Reform and opening up is a powerful driving force for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Scientific development and social harmony are the basic requirements for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way is the goal of the party and the country by 2020, and is the fundamental interest of people of all ethnic groups in the country.
The world today is undergoing extensive and profound changes, and contemporary China is undergoing extensive and profound changes. The opportunities are unprecedented, and the challenges are also unprecedented. The opportunities outweigh the challenges. The entire party must unswervingly hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, lead the people starting from a new historical starting point, seize and make good use of important strategic opportunities, be realistic and pragmatic, forge ahead with determination, continue to build a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, accelerate socialist modernization, and fulfill the lofty mission entrusted by the times.
1. Work in the past five years
The five years since the 16th National Congress have been extraordinary. Facing the complex and ever-changing international environment and the arduous and arduous reform and development tasks, the Party has led the people of all ethnic groups across the country, held high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", overcome various difficulties and risks, created a new situation in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and opened up a new realm of the Sinicization of Marxism.
The 16th National Congress established the guiding position of the important thought of "Three Represents" and made the strategic decision to build a well-off society in an all-round way. In order to implement the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Central Committee held seven plenary sessions to make decisions and arrangements on major issues related to the overall situation, such as deepening institutional reform, improving the socialist market economic system, strengthening the party's governance capacity, formulating the "11th Five-Year Plan", and building a socialist harmonious society, proposing and implementing major strategic ideas such as the Scientific Outlook on Development, and promoting new and major achievements in the work of the party and the country.
The economic strength has been greatly improved. The economy has maintained steady and rapid development, with an average annual GDP growth of more than 10%, significant improvement in economic efficiency, significant increases in fiscal revenue year after year, and basically stable prices. The construction of a new socialist countryside has been steadily advanced, and regional development coordination has been enhanced. The construction of an innovative country is progressing well, and the ability of independent innovation has been greatly improved. The construction of energy, transportation, communications and other infrastructure and key projects has achieved remarkable results. Manned space flight was successfully achieved. New progress has been made in energy resource conservation and ecological environment protection. The "10th Five-Year Plan" was successfully completed and the "11th Five-Year Plan" is progressing smoothly.
Reform and opening up have achieved major breakthroughs. Comprehensive rural reforms have been gradually deepened, agricultural taxes, animal husbandry taxes, and special product taxes have all been abolished, and policies to support and benefit agriculture have been continuously strengthened. Significant progress has been made in the reform of the state-owned assets management system, state-owned enterprises and finance, taxation, investment, pricing, science and technology and other fields. The non-public economy further developed. The market system continues to improve, macro-control continues to improve, and government functions accelerate the transformation. The total import and export volume has increased significantly, solid steps have been taken in implementing the "going global" strategy, and the open economy has entered a new stage.
People’s lives have improved significantly. The income of urban and rural residents has increased significantly, and household property has generally increased. The minimum living security system for urban and rural residents has been initially established, and the basic living standards of the poor are guaranteed. The consumption structure of residents has been optimized, the level of food, clothing, housing and transportation has been continuously improved, and the public services they enjoy have been significantly enhanced.
New progress has been made in the construction of democracy and legal system. The reform of the political system is advancing steadily. The People's Congress system, the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy have been continuously improved, and the vitality of grassroots democracy has been enhanced. The cause of human rights develops healthily. The patriotic united front grew stronger. The socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has basically been formed, and the basic strategy of governing the country according to law has been effectively implemented. The reform of the administrative management system and the judicial system continues to deepen.
Cultural construction creates a new situation. The construction of the socialist core value system has been solidly advanced, and the Marxist theoretical research and construction project has achieved remarkable results. Ideological and moral construction has been carried out extensively, and the level of civilization in the whole society has been further improved. Important progress has been made in the reform of the cultural system, cultural undertakings and cultural industries have developed rapidly, and the people's spiritual and cultural life has become richer. National fitness and competitive sports have achieved new results.
Social construction is in full swing. Education at all levels and types has developed rapidly, and free compulsory education in rural areas has been fully realized. The scale of employment is expanding day by day. The construction of the social security system was further strengthened. A major victory has been achieved in the fight against SARS, the public health system and basic medical services have been continuously improved, and the people's health level has been continuously improved. Social management is gradually improved, the overall social situation is stable, and people live and work in peace and contentment.
Historic achievements have been made in national defense and army building. The military reform with Chinese characteristics has been accelerated, the task of reducing the number of military personnel by 200,000 has been successfully completed, the military's revolutionary, modernized, and regularized construction has been comprehensively strengthened, and the ability to fulfill historical missions in the new century and new stage has been significantly improved.
Work in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan has been further strengthened. Hong Kong and Macao maintain prosperity and stability, and have closer economic and w88 relations with the mainland. Exchanges between political parties across the Taiwan Strait have been successfully launched, and personnel exchanges and economic and cultural exchanges have reached a new level. We will formulate an anti-secession law and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
All-round diplomacy has made significant progress. It adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace, actively carries out various diplomatic work, extensively strengthens exchanges and cooperation with other countries, plays an important and constructive role in international affairs, and strives for a good international environment for building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.
The new great project of party building is making solid progress. The party's governance capacity building and advanced nature building are in-depth progress. Theoretical innovation and theoretical arming are fruitful. Educational activities to maintain the advanced nature of Communist Party members have achieved significant results. Inner-party democracy continues to expand. Important progress has been made in the construction of the leadership team and cadre team, especially the education and training of cadres, talent work has been further strengthened, and the reform of cadre and personnel systems and innovation of organizational systems have continued to deepen. The improvement of party conduct and clean government and the fight against corruption have achieved remarkable results.
While seeing the achievements, we must also be clearly aware that there is still a big gap between our work and the people's expectations, and we still face many difficulties and problems in the process of progress. The most prominent ones are: the resource and environmental costs of economic growth are too high; urban and rural, regional, and economic and social development are still unbalanced; it is more difficult to develop stable agriculture and continue to increase farmers' income; labor employment, social security, income distribution, education and health, residential housing, production safety, and justice There are still many issues related to the vital interests of the people in terms of social security and public security, and some low-income people have a difficult life; ideological and moral construction needs to be strengthened; the party's governing ability is not fully adapted to the new situation and new tasks, and the investigation and research on some major practical issues of reform, development and stability are not in-depth enough; some grassroots party organizations are weak and disorganized; a small number of party members and cadres have improper work styles, prominent problems of formalism and bureaucracy, and extravagance, waste, and negative corruption are still serious. We must attach great importance to these issues and continue to resolve them seriously.
To sum up, the past five years have been the five years in which major progress has been made in reform and opening up and in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. The five years in which our country's comprehensive national strength has been greatly improved and the people have received more benefits. The five years in which our country's international status and influence have been significantly improved. The party's creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness have been significantly enhanced, and the whole party and the people of all ethnic groups have become more united. Practice has fully proved that all major decisions made by the Central Committee since the 16th National Congress and the 16th National Congress are completely correct.
The achievements in the past five years are the result of the joint efforts of the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups. On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the people of all ethnic groups in the country, to all democratic parties, people's organizations and patriots from all walks of life, to our compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Taiwan and overseas Chinese, and to all friends from all over the world who care about and support China's modernization drive!
2. The great historical process of reform and opening up
We are about to celebrate the 30th anniversary of reform and opening up. In 1978, our Party held the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was of great historical significance, ushering in a new historical period of reform and opening up. Since then, the Chinese Communists and the Chinese people, with their indomitable enterprising spirit and magnificent innovative practices, have written a new and magnificent epic of the Chinese nation's continuous self-improvement and tenacious forge ahead. The face of the Chinese people, the face of socialist China, and the face of the Communist Party of China have undergone historic changes.
Reform and opening up is a new great revolution led by the party under the conditions of the new era. The purpose is to liberate and develop social productive forces, realize the modernization of the country, make the Chinese people wealthy, and revitalize the great Chinese nation; it is to promote The self-improvement and development of our country's socialist system, giving new vitality to socialism, and building and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics are to strengthen and improve party building while leading the development and progress of contemporary China, maintain and develop the party's advanced nature, and ensure that the party is always at the forefront of the times.
We must always remember that the great cause of reform and opening up was carried out on the basis of the creation of Mao Zedong Thought by the first-generation central leadership collective of the Party with Comrade Mao Zedong as the core, leading the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country to build a new China, achieve great achievements in socialist revolution and construction, and gain valuable experience in arduous exploration of the laws of socialist construction. The victory of the new democratic revolution and the establishment of the basic socialist system laid the fundamental political premise and institutional foundation for all development and progress in contemporary China.
We must always bear in mind that the great cause of reform and opening up was initiated by the party’s second generation central leadership collective with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as the core, leading the entire party and people of all ethnic groups in the country. Faced with the critical situation caused by the ten-year "Cultural Revolution", the Party's second-generation central leadership collective persisted in emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts. With great political and theoretical courage, they scientifically evaluated Comrade Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought, completely negated the erroneous theory and practice of "taking class struggle as the key link", and made decisions to consolidate the Party and the country. The historic decision to shift the focus of the country's work to economic construction and implement reform and opening up established the basic line for the primary stage of socialism, sounded the clarion call of the times to go our own way and build socialism with Chinese characteristics, created Deng Xiaoping Theory, and guided the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups to march forward on the great journey of reform and opening up.
We must always bear in mind that the great cause of reform and opening up was inherited, developed and successfully advanced into the 21st century by the party's third-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Jiang Zemin as the core, leading the entire party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country. From the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the third-generation central leadership collective of the Party, which was entrusted with the important historical juncture, held high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, insisted on reform and opening up, and kept pace with the times. In the face of severe tests such as domestic and foreign political turmoil and economic risks, it relied on the Party and the people to defend socialism with Chinese characteristics, create a new system of socialist market economy, create a new situation for all-round opening up, promote the new great project of party building, create the important thought of "Three Represents", and continue to lead the ship of reform and opening up in the right direction.
Since the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have been guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", adapted to the changes in the domestic and international situation, seized important strategic opportunities, carried forward the spirit of truth-seeking and pragmatism, pioneering and enterprising spirit, adhered to theoretical innovation and practical innovation, strived to promote scientific development, promote social harmony, improve the socialist market economic system, and unswervingly push forward the great cause of reform and opening up in the practice of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.
The most distinctive feature of the new era is reform and opening up. From rural areas to cities, from the economic field to other fields, the process of comprehensive reform is inevitable; from the coast to the riverside, from the east to the central and western regions, the door to the outside world is resolutely opened. This great reform and opening up, unprecedented in history, has greatly mobilized the enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of people and enabled our country to successfully achieve a great historical transition from a highly centralized planned economic system to a dynamic socialist market economic system, and from a closed and semi-closed to an all-round openness. Today, a socialist China that faces modernization, the world, and the future stands tall in the east of the world.
The most significant achievement in the new era is rapid development. Our party implements the "three-step" strategy of modernization, leads the people in hard work, and promotes my country's sustained and rapid development at a speed rarely seen in the world. Our country's economy has grown from being on the verge of collapse to ranking fourth in the world in terms of total volume and third in total import and export volume. People's lives have improved from insufficient food and clothing to generally well-off. The rural poor population has reduced from more than 250 million to more than 20 million. Political construction, cultural construction, and social construction have achieved world-renowned achievements. China's development has not only enabled the Chinese people to steadily embark on a broad path of prosperity and well-being, but has also made significant contributions to the development of the world economy and the progress of human civilization.
The most prominent symbol of the new era is to keep pace with the times. Our party adheres to the ideological line of Marxism, constantly explores and answers major theoretical and practical questions such as what socialism is, how to build socialism, what kind of party to build, how to build the party, what kind of development to achieve, how to develop, etc., constantly promotes the sinicization of Marxism, and upholds and enriches the party's basic theory, basic line, basic program, and basic experience. Socialism and Marxism are full of vitality on the land of China, bringing more benefits to the people, enabling the Chinese nation to make great strides to catch up with the trend of the times and usher in the bright prospects of great rejuvenation.
Facts have eloquently proved that reform and opening up is a key choice that determines the destiny of contemporary China and is the only way to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; only socialism can save China, and only reform and opening up can develop China, develop socialism, and develop Marxism.
As a new great revolution, reform and opening up cannot be smooth sailing, nor can it be achieved overnight. The most fundamental thing is that reform and opening up conforms to the will of the Party and the people and conforms to the trend of the times. The direction and path are completely correct. The results and achievements cannot be denied. There is no way out for pause and retrogression.
In the historical process of reform and opening up, our party has combined adhering to the basic principles of Marxism with promoting the sinicization of Marxism, combined adhering to the four basic principles with adhering to reform and opening up, combined respecting the people's initiative with strengthening and improving the party's leadership, combined adhering to the basic socialist system with the development of the market economy, combined promoting the reform of the economic base with promoting the reform of the superstructure, and combined the development of social life Combining productivity with improving the civilized quality of the entire nation, combining improving efficiency with promoting social equity, combining adhering to independence with participating in economic globalization, combining promoting reform and development with maintaining social stability, combining promoting the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics with advancing the new great project of party building, we have gained valuable experience for a large developing country with a population of more than one billion to get rid of poverty, accelerate modernization, consolidate and develop socialism.
The fundamental reason for all the achievements and progress we have made since the reform and opening up can be summed up as: opening up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and forming the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. To hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the most fundamental thing is to adhere to this path and this theoretical system.
The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, based on the basic national conditions, focusing on economic construction, adhering to the four basic principles, adhering to reform and opening up, liberating and developing social productive forces, consolidating and improving the socialist system, building a socialist market economy, socialist democratic politics, socialist advanced culture, and a socialist harmonious society, and building a prosperous, democratic, civilized, and harmonious modern socialist country. The key to why the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is completely correct and can lead China's development and progress is that we not only adhere to the basic principles of scientific socialism, but also give it distinctive Chinese characteristics based on our country's reality and the characteristics of the times. In contemporary China, adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics means truly adhering to socialism.
The theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a scientific theoretical system including Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development and other major strategic thoughts. This theoretical system upholds and develops Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, and embodies the wisdom and efforts of several generations of Chinese Communists in leading the people in unremitting exploration and practice. It is the latest achievement of the sinicization of Marxism, the most precious political and spiritual wealth of the party, and the common ideological basis for the united struggle of people of all ethnic groups in the country. The theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an open theoretical system that is constantly developing. The practice of nearly 160 years since the publication of the "Communist Manifesto" has proved that Marxism can only radiate strong vitality, creativity and inspiration if it is integrated with the national conditions of the country, progresses with the development of the times, and shares the fate of the people. In contemporary China, adhering to the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics means truly adhering to Marxism.
Practice never ends, innovation never ends. All comrades in the Party must cherish, long-term adhere to and continuously develop the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics that the Party has pioneered through hard work. We must persist in emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, being brave in change and innovation, never being rigid or stagnant, not being afraid of any risks, and not being confused by any interference, so that the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics will become wider and wider, and let contemporary Chinese Marxism radiate a more brilliant light of truth.
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