Our Party's exploration of Chinese path to modernization and its historical enlightenment New China | China | history

The History of the Communist Party of China

Author: Han Zhenfeng

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed in the report of the 20th CPC National Congress: "on the basis of long-term exploration and practice since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, and after innovative breakthroughs in theory and practice since the 18th CPC National Congress, our party has successfully promoted and expanded Chinese-style modernization." "From now on, the central task of the Communist Party of China is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to build a modern and powerful socialist country in an all-round way, achieve the second centenary goal, and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization." The party's exploration of Chinese-style modernization has gone through a long historical development process. It is of great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance to review and summarize this exploration process and its valuable experience, and to continue to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization in the new era and new journey.

one

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the main task faced by our party was to overthrow the "three mountains" that oppressed the Chinese people, strive for national independence and people's liberation, and create fundamental social conditions for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. During this period, the CPC, with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative, began to conceive and put forward the grand goal of building China into a "great socialist country". As early as the 1930s, the CPC began to use the concepts of "modernization" or "modernization" to analyze and study China's social development issues. For example, Comrade Mao Zedong put forward the important conclusion that "modernization is indispensable to the reform of the military system" in his On the Lasting War written in May 1938. Comrade Zhou Enlai also explicitly used important expressions such as "modern military industry" and "modernization of the military" in his article "How to conduct a protracted war". In the New Democracy Theory published in 1940, Comrade Mao Zedong clearly pointed out that the purpose of the people of the CPC "is to build a new society and a new country for the Chinese nation". The concept of "modernization" used by our party in the early days is basically universal to "modernization" and "industrialization". In May 1944, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out in an article published in the Liberation Daily that "in order for China's national independence to have a solid guarantee, industrialization is necessary. Our Communist Party must strive for China's industrialization." Although "industrialization" here cannot be completely equated with modernization, industrialization is clearly the main aspect or content of modernization. At the 7th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in 1945, he clearly stated: "The task of the Chinese working class is not only to struggle for the establishment of a new democratic country, but also to struggle for China's industrialization and modernization of agriculture." At the 2nd Plenary Session of the 7th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong Tongzhi repeatedly used concepts such as "modern industry" and "modernization", proposing to gradually and actively guide the individual economy to "develop towards modernization and collectivization", and gradually promote the development of "agriculture and handicrafts" towards modernization. He also pointed out that after the victory of the revolution, production was quickly restored and developed, and foreign imperialism was dealt with, steadily transforming China from an agricultural country to an industrial country, and building China into a great socialist country. These ideas have laid a solid theoretical foundation for the official launch of the exploration of Chinese path to modernization after the founding of New China.

two

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Party led the people to carry out socialist revolution, completely eliminating the feudal exploitation and oppression system that had lasted for thousands of years in China, establishing the basic socialist system, and starting a new process of socialist modernization construction. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that "our overall goal is to strive for the construction of a great socialist country." In September 1954, in his opening speech at the first session of the First National People's Congress, he pointed out that "we must build an economically and culturally backward country like ours into a great industrialized country with a high degree of modern culture." In September 1954, Comrade Zhou Enlai clearly stated in the government work report of the first session of the National People's Congress, "If we do not build a strong modern industry, modern agriculture, modern transportation industry, and modern national defense, we cannot get rid of backwardness and poverty." Our revolution cannot achieve its goals. On February 27, 1957, Comrade Mao Zedong proposed in his speech "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People" to "build our country into a socialist country with modern industry, modern agriculture, and modern science and culture.". From December 1959 to February 1960, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out while reading the Soviet Union's "Political Economy Textbook" that "building socialism originally required industrial modernization, agricultural modernization, and scientific and cultural modernization, but now we need to add national defense modernization." On March 18, 1960, during a conversation with the Prime Minister of Nepal, he reiterated the goal of achieving the four modernizations in our country, stating that our task "is to settle down so that we can build our country's modern industry, modern agriculture, modern scientific and cultural, and modern national defense.". In December 1964, Comrade Zhou Enlai formally put forward the grand goal of "building China into a socialist strong country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense, and modern science and technology" in his government work report at the first session of the third National People's Congress. At the same time, he also proposed a strategic arrangement of "two steps" to achieve this goal. At the First Session of the Fourth National People's Congress held in January 1975, Comrade Zhou Enlai, in accordance with Comrade Mao Zedong's instructions, reiterated once again that "within this century, we will comprehensively achieve modernization in agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology, so that our national economy can lead the world.". During this period, the CPC, with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative, started the exploration process of Chinese path to modernization, laying a solid theoretical foundation and institutional guarantee for future generations to continue to write a new chapter of Chinese path to modernization. No matter the valuable experience or lessons gained in the exploration, they are worthy of our in-depth study and summary.

three

Our party officially proposed the proposition of "Chinese style modernization" in the new era of reform and opening up and socialist modernization construction. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, the CPC, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as the main representative, emancipated their minds, sought truth from facts, resolutely made the historic decision to shift the work center of the Party and the country to economic construction and implement reform and opening up, successfully created socialism with Chinese characteristics, and established the path and direction of Chinese path to modernization. In March 1979, Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly proposed the concept of "four modernizations in Chinese style". He said, "Our goal is to achieve four modernizations by the end of this century. Our concept is different from the West, and I will use a new term to call it" four modernizations in Chinese style ". Later, at the theoretical work retreat of the Party, he further elaborated on the concept of" modernization in Chinese style ", pointing out that" in the past, when conducting democratic revolution, we should adapt to the situation in China and follow the path of rural encirclement of cities opened up by Comrade Mao Zedong. Now, when we are engaged in construction, we should also adapt to the situation in China and walk a path of modernization in Chinese style. "In December 1979, Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira. The four modernizations achieved are Chinese style four modernizations. Our four modernization concepts are not modern concepts like yours, but rather "small and healthy homes.". At the same time, he also proposed the development goal of basically achieving modernization by the mid-20th century. In June 1983, when meeting with foreign experts attending the 1983 Beijing Science and Technology Policy Seminar, Comrade Deng Xiaoping once again stressed that "the modernization we are engaged in is a Chinese style modernization. The socialism we are building is a socialism with Chinese characteristics." Since then, the CPC, with Comrade Jiang Zemin and Comrade Hu Jintao as the main representatives, has continued to lead the whole people to explore Chinese path to modernization, and has successively put forward major strategic ideas such as the "new three-step" development strategy, promoting the transformation of the overall layout of China's modernization from "three in one" to "four in one" and then to "five in one", enriching and expanding the scientific connotation of Chinese path to modernization.

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Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in 2017 made strategic arrangements to "basically achieve socialist modernization" from 2020 to 2035, and to "build China into a prosperous, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful socialist modernized strong country" from 2035 to the middle of this century.These important discussions have provided important ideological guidance and theoretical guidance for promoting Chinese path to modernization.He stressed that "since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our party has continued to move forward on the existing basis, constantly achieved theoretical and practical innovation and breakthroughs, and successfully promoted and expanded Chinese path to modernization". "Chinese path to modernization is feasible and stable, which is the only correct way to build a strong country and revive the nation".

This has provided a fundamental basis for us to build a socialist modern country in an all-round way in the new era and on the new journey, and to adhere to the Chinese path to modernization to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In practice, we have constantly enriched, promoted a series of revolutionary practices, achieved a series of breakthroughs, and achieved a series of landmark achievements. We have promoted the cause of the Party and the country to achieve historic achievements and historic changes, especially the elimination of absolute poverty, and the building of a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, providing a more perfect institutional guarantee, a more solid material foundation, and a more proactive spiritual force for Chinese path to modernization.

five

Reviewing the historical process of the CPC's exploration of Chinese path to modernization, we can gain rich and profound historical enlightenment: First, we must uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership. The leadership of the Party determines the fundamental nature of Chinese path to modernization and relates to the fundamental direction and future of Chinese path to modernization. Only by unswervingly adhering to the leadership of the Party can Chinese path to modernization be carried out steadily and have a bright future; Otherwise, it will deviate from the heading and even make disruptive mistakes. At the same time, our party's exploration of Chinese path to modernization has always been under the guidance of Marxism, especially Marxism with Chinese characteristics and the times. To promote Chinese path to modernization, we must unswervingly adhere to the guidance of the party's innovation theory. Secondly, we must adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Chinese path to modernization is a socialist modernization led by the CPC, which embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism. Only by unswervingly adhering to the direction of socialism with Chinese characteristics can Chinese path to modernization have a broad and promising future. Chinese path to modernization should not only follow the general laws of world modernization, but also have "Chinese characteristics" that reflect the national conditions of China. Only in this way can the development of modernization better reflect China's national conditions and conform to China's reality. Independence is the soul of the Chinese national spirit and an important principle for our party and country. Adhering to independence and taking our own path is the foothold of all theories and practices to continuously promote Chinese path to modernization, and is also the basic conclusion of our party's centennial struggle. Thirdly, we must adhere to the development concept of putting the people at the center. Chinese path to modernization is a modernization with a huge population, and it is also a modernization to achieve common prosperity for all people. Adhering to the people as the center is the internal requirement for realizing Chinese path to modernization. To comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese path to modernization, we must always adhere to the people centered development idea, always stand firmly on the people's position, grasp the people's aspirations, respect the people's creativity, stimulate the people's strength, and constantly realize the people's aspirations for a better life. Fourthly, we must adhere to deepening reform and opening up. Reform and opening up are the internal driving force for promoting and expanding Chinese path to modernization, and the key to achieving the second century goal and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To further promote Chinese path to modernization, we must unswervingly deepen reform and opening up. The fifth is to persist in carrying forward the spirit of struggle. Daring to fight and being good at fighting are the distinctive characters of the CPC. Promoting Chinese path to modernization is an unprecedented pioneering undertaking, which will inevitably encounter various unpredictable risks and challenges. Only by daring to fight and being good at fighting, can we constantly overcome various difficulties and challenges on the way forward, and open up a new world for career development through tenacious struggle.

Guangming Daily

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