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“Improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance” was first proposed at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held in Beijing from November 9 to 12, 2013. Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the extremely important topic of reform has always been on the agenda whenever the Third Plenary Session is held. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was a very important meeting, which has been duly documented in the chapter of China’s history about reform and opening up. The session did not discuss reform measures in just one field, or several fields, but across the board, proposing to“comprehensively deepen reform”. It was also made clear that the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform was to “improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance”. Therefore, the meeting and its decisions are vital to the research into the CPC’s approach to governance since the conclusion of the 18th CPC National Congress.
When the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform was put forward, it garnered strong responses at home and abroad. The historical materialism and state doctrine of Marxism tend to emphasize a nation’s “ruling”and “management” functions. However, “governance” and“good governance” are the latest political theories proposed by the international community based on the evolving social structure of the modern world. The CPC can move with the times, combining modern governance theories and the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics as guidance for comprehensively deepening reform, prompting the outside world to pay more attention to China’s new round of reform.
In addition to his report on the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping also delivered two important speeches on the decision to comprehensively deepen reform. One was to systematically explain the documents submitted to the plenary for review and discussion, and the other was made at the second plenary meeting, where he talked about how to apply the guiding principles of the plenary, centering around the guidelines, overall thinking, goals and tasks. During the two important speeches, especially the second one, he gave an in-depth explanation about why the overall goal of “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance” had been established as well as how to understand and reach this goal. To comprehensively, profoundly, and accurately understand and attain this overall goal, on February 17, 2014, the CPC Central Committee held a workshop for leading officials at provincial and ministerial levels so that they could put the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee into practice, especially those regarding comprehensively deepening reform. General Secretary Xi Jinping addressed, once again, the important workshop, presenting the most authoritative interpretation of the overall goal.
Taking a look at all these important speeches, we’ll find that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core has approached the basic issue of “what kind of country to govern and how” by proposing the overall goal of improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics by modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance to – a grand thinking and strategy of governance with vital ramifications that is in line with the times and also suitable for China’s national conditions.
First of all, this is a historic initiative of the CPC. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said, we have talked a lot about modernization in agricultural, industrial, scientific, technological, and national defense fields, but this is our first time to propose the modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance.A deep understanding and accurate grasp of this overall goal is the key to implementing various reform measures. It is fair to say that the major contribution of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was the introduction of “system modernization”. General Secretary Xi Jinping also retrospectively talked about former socialists’ failure to properly manage such a new society like socialist society. Marx and Engels did not have the opportunity to comprehensively govern a socialist country. Their principles about future society were mostly predictive. Lenin passed away shortly after the October Revolution in Russia, thus failing to look at this issue in depth. The Soviet Union did explore this issue and gained some practical experience, but it made serious mistakes in solving this problem. After taking power across the country, the CPC continued exploring this issue. Despite all the twists and turns, it has accumulated considerable experience and made outstanding achievements in terms of improving China’s system and capacity for governance. And the progress the CPC has made since the beginning of reform and opening up is particularly remarkable. Therefore, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as its core made a historic initiative by proposing the overall goal of system modernization in line with the historic requirements of the socialist movement across the world and the cause of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Second, this is an extension of Deng Xiaoping’s strategic thinking of institutional reform. China’s reform and opening up– often referred to as China’s second revolution – focuses on unlocking and developing productive forces through institutional reform and innovation, as it was originally proposed as an initiative to improve and develop the country’s basic system of socialism. When the CPC convened its 18th National Congress in 2012, only about eight years were left to meet the deadline set by Deng Xiaoping in a speech during his Southern Tour of 1992– to establish a “more advanced and fixed” system in 2020. But what is actually a “more advanced and fixed” system? What’s truly behind it? The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core believes that the “more advanced and fixed”system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is one that has modernized system and capacity for governance. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, “Based on Deng Xiaoping’s strategic thinking, this plenary session is calling for the modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance. This is a requisite for improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and a proper initiative for pursuing socialist modernization.” In this way, the question of how to create a “more advanced and fixed” system was duly answered by the proposal of “system modernization”, which is of immense significance.
Third, this is to meet China’s pressing need in its competition with other countries in terms of overall national strength. A dip into today’s global competition in overall national strength shows that the focus has shifted from economic power, technological progress, and national defense to the systems of a country, especially the governance system. Politicians and scholars around the world have suggested that China has transformed itself into the world’s second largest economy largely because of the country’s unique systems including the CPC’s leadership system and China’s political system. In particular, China’s highly effective leadership system and distinctive system of consultative democracy are garnering more and more international recognition. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “China enjoys political stability, steady economic growth, social harmony, and ethnic unity, which stands in sharp contrast with the social upheavals in some regions and countries.” Nevertheless, he also pointed out that “given the increasing international competition”, there’s considerable room for improvement in terms of China’s governance system. China must rely on its systems to defeat its competitors in terms of overall national strength.
Perspective
Deng Xiaoping’s ideas on the prospects of China’s system reform
In a speech during his Southern Tour of 1992, Deng Xiaoping shared his ideas on the prospects of China’s system reform. He said,“Perhaps it’ll take us three decades to establish a ‘more advanced and fixd’ system. The principles and policies under this system will be more fixed.” Such a system is supposed to be built around 2020.
General Secretary Xi Jinping not only discussed the significance of setting the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform, but also drew attention to three important issues when talking about the implications of this overall goal.
First, to fully understand and grasp the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform.
After the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform, some people only talked about “modernizing China’s governance system”, without addressing the target of “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics”. In view of that, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics” and “modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance” should be treated as a whole. The former gives the basic direction that China must firmly follow to forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Which way should China go while modernizing its system and capacity for governance? This is a fundamental question that must be properly answered. China must unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, neither retracing its steps to the rigidity and isolation of the past, nor taking the wrong turn by abandoning the current system. The latter makes it clear that China must follow the basic direction to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping stressed that the two sentences make a whole and it’s incomplete and not holistic to merely talk about the second sentence.
In other words, on the issue of modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance as well as improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping adhered to the two-point theory of dialectical materialism. On the one hand, he stressed that modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance is by no means a denial of China’s basic system of socialism. China’s system and capacity for governance are generally good, with unique advantages, and suit its national conditions and development needs. On the other hand, he stressed that there’s considerable room for improvement in China’s system and capacity for governance, and the CPC needs to work harder to increase its governance capacity. He pointed out that to modernize China’s governance system requires comprehensive and systematic reform and improvements, a combination of reform and improvements in various fields. In this way overall effects can be achieved as a result of the endeavor to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. In other words, the institutions, mechanisms, laws and regulations no longer conducive to development should be changed while new ones should be introduced so that all systems function more efficiently and Party, state, and social affairs are all managed according to established standards and procedures.
Second, to closely combine the modernization of the governance system and that of governance capacity.
Some people think that “modernizing the governance system” is about institutional issues and thus is closely linked with “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics”, while “modernizing governance capacity” is about human issues, and seems to have nothing to do with “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics”. General Secretary Xi Jinping responded by saying, “The system and capacity for governance represent a country’s institutions and the abilities to implement the institutions. China’s governance system is the institutional system under the CPC’s leadership, including the institutions, mechanisms, laws and regulations in economic, political, cultural, social, ecological, and Party building fields, that is, a system of closely linked and coordinated institutions. Governance capacity is the ability to use the country’s institutions to manage affairs in all fields, including reform, development, stability, internal affairs, foreign affairs, national defense, and governance of the Party, the country, and the military.” As he noted, “The system and capacity for governance are an organic whole and complement each other. Only a good governance system can enhance governance capacity, and only enhanced governance capacity can fully perform the functions of the governance system.” This is because both the institutions and the governance system must be executed by people with modernized governance abilities. The governance system would be useless without people who can execute it. The institutions and the governance system can never yield expected results, no matter how excellent they are, if there are no people with modernized governance abilities to implement them. To govern a country, institutions play a fundamental, overall, and long-term role. However, without effective governance, even the best system can’t function well. Moreover, although they are closely related, the governance system and governance capacity are not the same. It is not necessarily right that the better the governance system, the greater governance capacity. Effective institutions and governance system must be executed by people with modernized governance abilities. The CPC does the right thing by focusing on both the governance system and governance capacity.
It should also be noted that General Secretary Xi Jinping adhered to the key principles of dialectical materialism on the issue of modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, as well as improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. As he put it clearly, “We must pay more attention to the building of governance capacity, enhance the awareness of handling affairs in accordance with established rules and law. We must effectively use the rules and law to run the country, transforming institutional advantages into the abilities to efficiently run the country and enhance the Party’s abilities to govern in a democratic, scientific and law-based manner.” “Only when we focus on improving the Party’s ability to govern by enhancing the ideological and political thinking, scientific and cultural visions, and working abilities of officials and managers at all levels and by improving the abilities of the Party, state organs, enterprises, public institutions, people’s organizations and social organizations can the country’s governance system function more effectively.” Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the CPC has been paying considerable attention to the issue of governance capacity. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee specifically adopted a decision on strengthening the Party’s governance capacity, proposing to improve the Party’s abilities to manage the socialist market economy, develop socialist democracy, build advanced socialist culture, establish a harmonious socialist society, cope with the international situation, and handle international affairs. However, this issue remains a big hurdle, and great efforts are needed to solve it in the endeavor to deepen reform in all areas. Today, the abilities to execute institutions and governance capacity are important factors that determine whether the advantages of China’s socialist system can be brought into full play and the cause of the Party and the country can proceed smoothly. The institutions and the governance system, no matter how excellent they are, would be useless if the CPC fails to build its governance capacity.
Perspective
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s statements on enhancing governance capacity
General Secretary Xi Jinping has talked a lot about how to enhance the CPC’s governance capacity. His ideas can be summarized as five points. First, everyone in the Party must realize that “insufficient capacity” is a big problem the Party is facing. He clearly pointed out that the Party is now “incapable and left behind” in terms of governance capacity. To some extent, the Party “fails to adopt new approaches, still employs outdated methods, and unwittingly uses ineffective measures in lieu of effective ones” – a situation that must be brought into sharper focus. Second, governance capacity means the abilities to use the country’s institutions to properly manage society in all aspects. Simply put, it represents “the abilities to implement institutions”. Such capacity is different from the ability we normally talk about (like the ability of literary and aesthetic appreciation); instead, it means doing things in accordance with and through the institutions, and properly handle matters stipulated by the institutions. Third, to improve the abilities to implement institutions, the issue of “the last leg of effort” must be solved. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the Party always starts off well in terms of decision-making, legislation and implementation, but somehow run out of steam in “the last leg of effort” and end up doing things less well, thus causing dissatisfaction and even compromising popular recognition of the superiority of the country’s institutions. Fourth, to modernize governance capacity is to improve the Party’s ability to govern according to law. Efforts should be made to “use law-based thinking and approach to deepen reform, promote development, resolve contradictions, and maintain stability, create an environment for doing things, handling issues, solving problems, and resolving contradictions in accordance with law, and take strides on the path of comprehensively implementing the rule of law”. Fifth, the purpose of modernizing governance capacity is to translate institutional advantages into efficiency of running the country. Therefore, in the endeavor to reach the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform, we must not only correctly understand and handle the relationship between “improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics” and “modernizing China’s governance system” to properly follow the general direction of comprehensively deepening reform, but also correctly understand and handle the relationship between “modernizing China’s governance system” and “modernizing China’s governance capacity”, thus steadily advancing this extremely arduous and profound institutional innovation.
Third, to uphold the core values when striving to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. The progress of a nation and the development of a country require the efforts of generations and must be driven by many forces, among which the core values are the most enduring and profound. The endeavor to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance must be supported by the core socialist values. When General Secretary Xi Jinping was discussing how to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance, he put forward the fundamental issue of “upholding the core values”. In other words, when comprehensively deepening reform and modernizing the country’s institutions, consideration should be given to not only the economy and politics, but also culture. China’s fine traditional culture should be embedded in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the modern system and capacity for governance to give them lasting vitality.
Fourth, to work with a clear vision and great determination when striving to modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. Different countries have different cultures. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “What kind of governance system a country chooses is based on its history, cultural traditions, and economic and social development, and it is determined by the people.” He pays special attention to history and cultural traditions, and presided over the collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to learn from the governance experience of the past and draw on China’s cultural traditions. He placed emphasis on four points. First, China’s current governance system is the result of long-term, gradual improvement and endogenous evolution based on Chinese history, cultural traditions, and economic and social development. Second, there should be a clear vision of how to improve and develop China’s governance system and work must be done with great determination. Third, the Chinese nation has been open to a variety of ideas throughout the ages. Chinese people keep learning good things from others and turn them into our own strengths to form our national characteristics. Fourth, without firm confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we would never have the courage to comprehensively deepen reform. Similarly, without continued reform, we would never have lasting confidence in the system. In other words, to comprehensively deepen reform is to improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Having confidence in the system does not mean resting on laurels but removing all the institutional barriers to make the system robust and durable.
In short, the CPC is showing the world that there are various options, not just the Western model, when it comes to running and modernizing a country. Each country can tread its own path. The view of history that all countries will eventually follow the Western model is bound to come to nothing. What the CPC is pursuing is to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics while modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance.