Reform Must Establish the Thinking of the Whole Country as a Single Chessboard (Thoughts in Depth)

Reform is a systematic project. In his important speech at the second full meeting of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 The second full meeting (second plenary session) of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held in July 2024, which focused on further deepening reform comprehensively., General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “All regions and departments must establish the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard [2]2 A Chinese metaphor meaning acting in a coordinated, nationally unified manner, as pieces on a single chessboard., consciously act under the overall situation, and go all out to fully and faithfully implement the principles, measures, and requirements set by the Party Central Committee.” To promote the implementation of further deepening reform measures, we cannot confine our vision to our own “one acre and three plots of land” [3]3 An idiom referring to one’s own narrow sphere or limited domain., but must establish the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard, and place our work in the overall situation of the Party and the state for consideration and planning.

改革是一项系统工程。习近平总书记在党的二十届三中全会第二次全体会议上的重要讲话中指出：“各地区各部门要树立全国一盘棋思想，自觉在大局下行动，全力以赴把党中央确定的原则、明确的举措、提出的要求不折不扣贯彻落实好。”推动进一步全面深化改革举措落实落地，不能把眼光局限在自己的“一亩三分地”，必须树立全国一盘棋思想，把工作放在党和国家整个大局中去思考谋划。

He who does not plan for the whole is insufficient to plan for a part. [4]4 A classical saying from the Qing dynasty work “Words of Caution in Administering State Affairs” (清·陈澹然《寤言二·迁都建藩议》), emphasizing the need to consider the whole before the part. Establishing the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard is a deep grasp of the Marxist dialectical relationship between the whole and the part. The whole is the overall situation and the entire process of development of things, occupying the dominant position and commanding the parts. The part is the local aspect and each stage of development of things, subordinating and serving the whole. In 1936, Comrade Mao Zedong in “Problems of Strategy in China’s Revolutionary War” [5]5 A strategic military work by Mao Zedong, published in 1936, analyzing the laws of China’s revolutionary war. particularly emphasized the need to grasp the relationship between the whole and the part, pointing out that “if one understands the things of a global nature, one will be more able to use things of a local nature, because the local is subordinate to the global.” Further deepening reform comprehensively has great intensity and scale, wide scope, and deep interests involved; pulling one hair moves the whole body. [6]6 A Chinese idiom meaning that a small change in one part affects the whole. Only by proceeding from the overall situation, firmly grasping the integrity and globality of reform, avoiding acting alone or even each going his own way, can we exert force in the same direction, form a joint force, and maximize the overall benefit of reform.

不谋全局者，不足谋一域。树立全国一盘棋思想，是对马克思主义关于整体与部分的辩证关系的深入把握。整体，是事物的全局和发展的全过程，居于主导地位，统率着部分。部分，是事物的局部和发展的各个阶段，服从和服务于整体。1936年，毛泽东同志在《中国革命战争的战略问题》中特别强调了要把握全局和局部的关系，指出“懂得了全局性的东西，就更会使用局部性的东西，因为局部性的东西是隶属于全局性的东西的”。进一步全面深化改革力度规模大、涉及范围广、触及利益深，牵一发而动全身，只有从大局出发，牢牢把握改革的整体性、全局性，避免单兵突进甚至各行其是，才能同向发力、形成合力，实现改革整体效益的最大化。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [7]7 The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in November 2012, which marked the beginning of a new era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the whole country as a single chessboard, strengthened coordination of reform policies, progress, and effects, and further promoted the systematic integration and implementation of reforms. For example, accelerating the building of a unified national market is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core from an overall and strategic perspective. From smoothing the urban-rural economic cycle, to breaking down regional administrative barriers, to strengthening the connection of rules and mechanisms, a series of reform measures have effectively eliminated deep-seated blockages of local protection and market segmentation, promoted the smooth flow of commodity factors and resources, and injected surging vitality into economic development. Practice has fully proved that only by establishing the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard and planning reforms from the overall situation of the Party and the state’s development can we continuously promote the high-quality development of all social and economic undertakings.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持全国一盘棋，加强改革政策统筹、进度统筹、效果统筹，进一步推动改革系统集成、落地见效。比如，加快建设全国统一大市场是以习近平同志为核心的党中央从全局和战略高度作出的重大决策，从畅通城乡经济循环，到打破区域行政壁垒，再到加强规则机制衔接，一系列改革举措有力消除地方保护和市场分割的深层次堵点，促进了商品要素资源畅通流动，为经济发展注入澎湃活力。实践充分证明，只有树立全国一盘棋思想，从党和国家发展全局谋划改革，才能持续推动经济社会各项事业高质量发展。

A good chess player seeks the overall situation, a good ruler seeks the whole picture. [8]8 A classical saying from the Han Feizi (《韩非子·解老》) or similar ancient texts, meaning a good chess player (or strategist) plans for the overall situation and a good ruler plans for the whole. Establishing the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard is an important ideological method and working method. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “When leading cadres think about problems and make decisions, they must have a clear understanding of the ‘greatest concerns of the state’ [9]9 A term used by Xi Jinping referring to the most important matters of national and strategic significance that leading cadres must keep in mind., calculate more on the big abacus and big accounts, less on the small abacus and small accounts, and be good at integrating the work of their regions and departments into the big chessboard of the Party and the state’s cause, achieving both glory for a region and adding luster to the whole.” This requires us to accurately understand and deeply grasp the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee when planning and promoting the reform and development of our own regions and departments, to correctly understand and treat the adjustment of interests in reform from an overall perspective, and to be good at calculating big accounts, total accounts, and long-term accounts. As long as it is beneficial to the development of the Party and the state’s cause and beneficial to the overall reform, we must unhesitatingly push reform deeper and solidly, and resolutely avoid the petty cleverness of making adjustments, cutting corners, and perfunctory excuses. Further deepening reform comprehensively is itself a systematic project. Only by strengthening cross-departmental and cross-regional communication and coordination can we ensure the seamless connection and coordinated promotion of various reform measures. For example, reforms in education, medical care, elderly care, housing and other fields concern the safety and well-being of the people; none can be accomplished by a single department alone, but require the coordination and cooperation of governments at all levels, relevant departments, and all sectors of society. If we adopt the passive mentality of “each sweeping the snow in front of his own door” [10]10 An idiom meaning each person only minds his own affairs without concern for others., the effectiveness of reform will ultimately be greatly reduced.

善弈者谋势，善治者谋全局。树立全国一盘棋思想，是重要的思想方法和工作方法。习近平总书记强调：“领导干部想问题、作决策，一定要对国之大者心中有数，多打大算盘、算大账，少打小算盘、算小账，善于把地区和部门的工作融入党和国家事业大棋局，做到既为一域争光、更为全局添彩。”这要求我们谋划和推动本地区本部门改革发展要准确认识和深刻把握党中央决策部署，从全局出发正确认识和对待改革中的利益调整，善于算大账、总账、长远账，只要对党和国家事业发展有利，对全局改革有利，都要毫不犹豫地把改革推深做实，坚决不搞变通打折、敷衍塞责的小聪明。进一步全面深化改革本身就是一项系统工程，只有加强跨部门、跨地区的沟通协调，才能确保各项改革措施无缝对接、协同推进。比如，教育、医疗、养老、住房等领域改革事关老百姓安危冷暖，没有一个是单凭某一个部门就能办好的，而是需要各级政府、有关部门、社会各界协调配合。如果抱着“各扫门前雪”的消极心态，最终会使改革成效大打折扣。

To establish the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard for reform does not mean ignoring local realities, but rather finding the right position in the national strategy to better play unique advantages. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Proceed from reality, where water is suitable, then water; where mountains are suitable, then mountains; where grain is suitable, then grain; where agriculture is suitable, then agriculture; where industry is suitable, then industry; where commerce is suitable, then commerce; actively explore new paths of high-quality development with regional characteristics.” From the “long river, setting sun, round” [11]11 A line from the poem “On a Mission to the Frontier” (《使至塞上》) by the Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei (699–761). of the northwestern desert, to the “small bridge, flowing water, someone’s house” [12]12 A line from the Yuan dynasty sanqu (verse) “Autumn Thoughts” (《天净沙·秋思》) by Ma Zhiyuan (c. 1250–1321). of the Jiangnan water towns, from the “snowy mountains towering reflecting rosy clouds” of the northern border, to the “coconut breeze slowly intoxicating the coast” of the southern seaside… Our country is vast, with vastly different resource endowments and development levels in various places. We need to strengthen overall promotion while enhancing the combination of points and surfaces; we need overall strategic planning at the national level, but also need specific, flexible, and practical creative work by various regions, departments, and fields. Only by firmly grasping the strategic position in the overall national development, actively connecting with macro policies, cultivating more “unique skills”, and highlighting more “comparative advantages”, can we better integrate into the overall national development and promote further comprehensive deepening of reform to proceed steadily and go far. [13]13 A four-character idiom meaning to proceed steadily and achieve lasting success.

改革要树立全国一盘棋思想，并不是不顾地方实际，而是要在国家战略中找准定位，更好发挥特色优势。习近平总书记强调：“要从实际出发，宜水则水、宜山则山，宜粮则粮、宜农则农，宜工则工、宜商则商，积极探索富有地域特色的高质量发展新路子。”从“长河落日圆”的西北大漠，到“小桥流水人家”的江南水乡，从“雪山巍峨映霞光”的北方边疆，到“椰风徐徐醉海岸”的南海之滨……我国幅员辽阔，各地资源禀赋和发展水平千差万别，既需要强化整体推进，又需要加强点面结合；既需要全国层面的整体战略谋划，更需要各地区各部门各领域具体灵活务实地创造性开展工作。只有牢牢把握在国家发展大局中的战略定位，积极与宏观政策进行有效衔接，多培养些“独门绝技”，多突出些“比较优势”，才能更好融入国家发展大局，推动进一步全面深化改革行稳致远。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧