The Party Is the Key to Comprehensively Building a Modern Socialist Country – Studying Volume V of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*

Comprehensively building a modern socialist country embodies the long-cherished aspirations and expectations of the Chinese nation and condenses the struggle and sweat of the Chinese people. From October 20 to 23, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. [1]1 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the CPC on October 16, 2022, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. The session deliberated the "Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," [2]2 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on January 9, 2023, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. drawing a blueprint for China's development over the next five years and promoting major breakthroughs in strategic tasks bearing on the overall situation of Chinese-path modernization. The Communist Party of China has consistently taken building a modern socialist country as a persistent goal, continuously guiding the direction and gathering strength for advancing the process of Chinese-path modernization. Volume V of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* is permeated throughout with the theme and main line of advancing Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Holding High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Striving in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects": "The key to comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies in the Party." In "Advancing the Great Cause of Building a Strong Country and National Rejuvenation through Chinese-Path Modernization," he pointed out: "The Party's leadership directly determines the fundamental direction, future prospects, and ultimate success or failure of Chinese-path modernization." In "Improving the System for Comprehensive and Strict Governance of the Party and Deepening the Great Project of Party Building in the New Era," he pointed out: "Promoting Party building as a great project, and consistently adhering to the principle and policy that the Party must govern itself and govern itself strictly, is a great innovation of our Party and a key instrument for establishing the Party and the country, and for rejuvenating and strengthening the Party and the country," and so forth. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions profoundly reveal that a strong country must take a strong Party as its prerequisite and guarantee, and a strong Party must take a strong country as its goal and support, greatly enriching Marxist party theory and providing a fundamental guideline for the Party's leadership in building a modern socialist country.

全面建设社会主义现代化国家，寄托着中华民族的夙愿和期盼，凝结着中国人民的奋斗和汗水。10月20日至23日，党的二十届四中全会在北京召开。会议审议《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》，为未来五年中国发展擘画蓝图，推动事关中国式现代化全局的战略任务取得重大突破。中国共产党始终把建设社会主义现代化国家作为一以贯之的奋斗目标，不断为推进中国式现代化进程引领方向、凝聚力量。《习近平谈治国理政》第五卷通篇贯穿着推进中国式现代化的主题主线。习近平总书记在《高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家而团结奋斗》中指出：“全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，关键在党”；在《以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业》中指出：“党的领导直接关系中国式现代化的根本方向、前途命运、最终成败”；在《健全全面从严治党体系，推动新时代党的建设新的伟大工程向纵深发展》中指出：“把党的建设作为一项伟大工程来推进，并且始终坚持党要管党、从严治党的原则和方针，是我们党的一大创举，也是立党立国、兴党强国的一大法宝”；等等。习近平总书记的重要论述，深刻揭示了强国必须以强党为前提和保证、强党要以强国为目标和支撑，极大丰富了马克思主义政党理论，为党领导社会主义现代化国家建设提供了根本遵循。

Tracing the Origins: Why Can the Communist Party of China Lead the Chinese People in Building a Modern Socialist Country?

追根溯源：为何中国共产党能够领导中国人民建设社会主义现代化国家？

Modernization is a historical process of transitioning from a traditional society to a modern society, an inevitable path for the development of human society and the progress of civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Joining Hands to Walk the Path of Modernization": "As the leading and driving force of modernization, a political party's values, leadership level, governance capacity, spiritual outlook, will, and character directly affect the future and destiny of national modernization." The Communist Party of China has consistently taken the realization of modernization as a long-cherished historical aspiration and an unwavering goal, uniting and leading the Chinese people to open up the path of Chinese-path modernization, presenting a new picture different from Western modernization, and creating a new miracle in the history of human modernization.

现代化是从传统社会走向现代社会的历史进程，是人类社会发展、文明进步的必由之路。习近平总书记在《携手同行现代化之路》中指出：“作为现代化事业的引领和推动力量，政党的价值理念、领导水平、治理能力、精神风貌、意志品质直接关系国家现代化的前途命运。”中国共产党始终把实现现代化作为念兹在兹的历史宏愿、始终不渝的奋斗目标，团结带领中国人民开辟了中国式现代化道路，展现了不同于西方现代化的新图景，创造了人类现代化史上的新奇迹。

The Party's nature and purpose, original aspiration and founding mission, faith and convictions, and policies and propositions determine that the Communist Party of China is the supreme political force leading Chinese-path modernization. The goal pursuits of our Party, country, and people are consistent; the internal logic and value orientation of strengthening the Party and strengthening the country are aligned. In the process of Chinese-path modernization, the Communist Party of China should and must become the core force leading national modernization. Guided by scientific theory, our Party unites and leads the people of all ethnic groups across the country to scientifically answer questions of modernization such as "what kind of modernization do we need" and "how can we achieve modernization" from theoretical, practical, and institutional perspectives, successfully finding Chinese-path modernization as the only correct path for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation. In this process, our Party deeply integrates its own essence, nature, qualities, and character into Chinese-path modernization, transforms the Party's unique advantages into developmental advantages for modernization, realizes the exploration, advancement, and expansion of modernization, and rewrites the direction, future, and destiny of modernization.

党的性质宗旨、初心使命、信仰信念、政策主张决定了中国共产党是领导中国式现代化的最高政治力量。我们党、国家和人民的目标追求是一致的，强党与强国的内在逻辑、价值指向是一致的，在中国式现代化进程中，中国共产党理应也必须成为领导国家现代化建设的核心力量。在科学理论指引下，我们党团结带领全国各族人民对“我们需要什么样的现代化”“怎样才能实现现代化”等现代化之问，从理论、实践和制度上作出科学回答，成功找到中国式现代化这一强国建设、民族复兴的唯一正确道路。在这一过程中，我们党将自己的本质本色、品质品格深深融入中国式现代化之中，将党的独特优势转化为现代化的发展优势，实现了对现代化的探索、推进与拓展，改写了现代化的方向、前途与命运。

Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement obtained by our Party leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country through long-term exploration and practice, enduring countless hardships and paying enormous costs. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Party led the people in exploring the path of national independence and people's liberation to save the country, creating fundamental social conditions for realizing modernization. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, our Party united and led the people in carrying out the socialist revolution, laying the fundamental political prerequisite, valuable experience, theoretical preparation, and material foundation for socialist modernization. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, our Party made the historic decision to shift the focus of the Party and state work to economic construction and implement reform and opening up, vigorously promoting theoretical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and other innovations on the basis of practice, providing a system guarantee full of new vitality and material conditions for rapid development for Chinese-path modernization. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, our Party continued to advance on the existing foundation, continuously achieving theoretical and practical innovations and breakthroughs, successfully advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization, and writing a new chapter in comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization; further deepening the understanding of the connotation and essence of Chinese-path modernization, summarizing and forming the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese-path modernization, making Chinese-path modernization clearer, more scientific, and more tangible and feasible. It is precisely under the leadership of the Communist Party of China that the Chinese people have embarked on a modernization path suited to themselves. In a certain sense, the Party's history of over one hundred years is also a history of pursuing the goal of modernization, exploring the path of modernization, and building a modern country.

中国式现代化是我们党领导全国各族人民在长期探索和实践中历经千辛万苦、付出巨大代价取得的重大成果。新民主主义革命时期，党领导人民探索了民族独立、人民解放的救国之路，为实现现代化创造了根本社会条件。社会主义革命和建设时期，我们党团结带领人民进行社会主义革命，为社会主义现代化建设奠定根本政治前提、宝贵经验、理论准备和物质基础。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，我们党作出把党和国家工作中心转移到经济建设上来、实行改革开放的历史性决策，大力推进实践基础上的理论创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新，为中国式现代化提供了充满新的活力的体制保证和快速发展的物质条件。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，我们党在已有基础上继续前进，不断实现理论和实践上的创新突破，成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化，谱写了以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的新篇章；进一步深化对中国式现代化的内涵和本质的认识，概括形成中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求和重大原则，使中国式现代化更加清晰、更加科学、更加可感可行。正是在中国共产党领导下，中国人民才走上了适合自身的现代化道路。从一定意义上讲，我们党一百多年来的历史，也是一部现代化目标的追求史、现代化道路的探索史、现代化国家的建设史。

The Party's leadership directly determines the fundamental direction, future prospects, and ultimate success or failure of Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "To run China's affairs well,

党的领导直接关系中国式现代化的根本方向、前途命运、最终成败。习近平总书记深刻指出：“办好中国的事情，关键在党。”中国共产党领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征，是中国特色社会主义制度的最大优势。中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，坚持中国共产党领导是中国式现代化的本质要求之一。我们党不仅拥有10027.1万名党员，还建立了从中央到地方、从城市到乡村、从传统行业到新兴领域横向到边、纵向到底的完备组织体系。我们不仅拥有改革发展稳定、内政外交国防、治党治国治军等的强大执政骨干队伍，还积累了极为丰富的治国理政经验。我们不仅创造了世所罕见的经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹，而且找到了实现中华民族伟大复兴的正确道路。实践证明，我们党领导开辟的中国式现代化道路，植根于中华优秀传统文化，体现科学社会主义的先进本质，借鉴吸收一切人类优秀文明成果，代表人类文明进步的发展方向，打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思，是超越既往资本主义和社会主义现代化道路的全新探索。

Standing in the present: What are the major risks and challenges facing the Party on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country?

立足当下：全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程上党面临的重大风险和挑战是什么？

Modernization is a process of continuously scaling new heights; the further one advances, the heavier the tasks, the greater the tests, and the larger the difficulties. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects”: “Comprehensively building a modern socialist country is a great and arduous undertaking, with a bright future ahead but a heavy burden and a long road.” [1]1 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the CPC on October 16, 2022, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. In “Always Maintain Sobriety and Firmness in Addressing the Unique Challenges Facing a Large Party,” he pointed out: “Governing a country with the world’s largest population for a long time, with a long history, a huge number of members, and a large scale, brings both the great advantage of accomplishing major undertakings and building great achievements, and the special difficulty of governing the Party and the country.” [2]2 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on January 9, 2023, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. Studying General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions, we believe that on the road ahead, we will face at least the following five major challenges.

现代化是不断攀登高峰的过程，越往前任务越重、考验越多、困难越大。习近平总书记在《高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家而团结奋斗》中指出：“全面建设社会主义现代化国家，是一项伟大而艰巨的事业，前途光明，任重道远”；在《时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定》中指出：“在世界上人口最多的国家长期执政，历史久、人数多、规模大，既有办大事、建伟业的巨大优势，也面临治党治国的特殊难题”。学习习近平总书记的重要论述，我们认为前进道路上至少还面临以下5个方面的重大挑战。

The challenge of changes unseen in a century in the world. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “The world today is undergoing changes unseen in a century, and such changes are not changes in a single event, a single domain, a single region, or a single country, but changes of the world, of the times, and of history.” [1]1 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the CPC on October 16, 2022, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. Currently, Cold War mentality and bloc politics are resurging, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, economic globalization is encountering headwinds, and deficits in peace, development, security, and governance are increasing. Changes unseen in a century are accelerating, local conflicts and turbulence occur frequently, global problems intensify, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, external risks and challenges always exist and are increasingly prominent, and mishandling them could delay or even interrupt the process of Chinese-path modernization. This brings enormous tests for how we can always uphold the Party’s leadership, how we can hold fast to our original aspiration and founding mission, ensure that our Party never changes its nature, its color, or its flavor, does not alter the socialist nature of the state, and does not interrupt the process of Chinese-path modernization.

世界百年未有之大变局的挑战。习近平总书记强调：“当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局，这样的大变局不是一时一事、一域一国之变，是世界之变、时代之变、历史之变。”当前，冷战思维和集团政治回潮，单边主义、保护主义抬头，经济全球化遭遇逆流，和平赤字、发展赤字、安全赤字、治理赤字有增无减。世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，局部冲突和动荡频发，全球性问题加剧，世界进入新的动荡变革期，来自外部的风险挑战始终存在并日益凸显，处理不当可能迟滞甚至中断中国式现代化建设进程。这对我们如何始终坚持党的领导，如何坚守初心使命，确保我们党永远不变质、不变色、不变味，不改变社会主义国家性质，不中断中国式现代化建设进程，都带来巨大考验。

The challenge of high-quality development as the primary task. General Secretary Xi Jinping, in “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” points out: “High-quality development is the primary task in building a modern socialist country in all respects. Development is the Party’s top priority in governing and rejuvenating China. Without a solid material and technological foundation, it is impossible to build a great modern socialist country in all respects.” [2]2 This is a speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on January 9, 2023, and included in the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*. High-quality development concerns the overall situation of China’s socialist modernization and is a general requirement for all aspects of economic and social development. However, currently, a small number of Party cadres still lack the capability and responsibility to promote high-quality development, and problems such as reckless action, inaction, fear of action, and inability to act effectively become obstacles constraining high-quality development. For example, some have insufficient understanding and revert to the old path of crude expansion and low-efficiency development as soon as they encounter difficulties; some lack methods, engaging in “new wine in old bottles”; some lack a sense of responsibility, fearing risks and responsibilities; and so on. This brings severe challenges to our further enhancement of Party cadres’ capability to promote high-quality development, protection of their enthusiasm for undertaking work and starting businesses, stimulation of their vitality, and ensuring that the contingent of Party cadres always maintains an uplifting and enterprising spirit.

高质量发展这一首要任务的挑战。习近平总书记在《高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家而团结奋斗》中指出：“高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务。发展是党执政兴国的第一要务。没有坚实的物质技术基础，就不可能全面建成社会主义现代化强国。”高质量发展关系我国社会主义现代化建设全局，是对经济社会发展方方面面的总要求。然而，当前少数党员干部推动高质量发展的能力和担当仍有不足，乱作为、不作为、不敢为、不善为等问题成为制约高质量发展的障碍。比如，有的认识不足，一遇困难就重回粗放扩张、低效发展的老路；有的办法不多，“新瓶装旧酒”；有的担当不够，畏惧风险责任；等等。这对我们进一步增强党员干部推动高质量发展本领，保护干事创业的积极性，激发党员干部活力，确保党员干部队伍始终保持昂扬向上的精神状态带来严峻挑战。

The challenge of the internet as the biggest variable. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “We must scientifically understand the laws of online communication, improve our ability to use and govern the internet, and turn this biggest variable into the biggest increment for the development of our cause.” [3]3 “Playing the piano with ten fingers” is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong to describe the need for leaders to coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously, balancing priorities like the fingers of a hand. If we cannot pass the test of the internet, we cannot pass the test of long-term governance. Currently, information technology represented by the internet and artificial intelligence is changing with each passing day, profoundly altering social production, human life, and national governance. Information technology is a “double-edged sword”; it is both an important vehicle for spreading positive energy and a platform that can spread harmful information and create ideological confusion. The internet is increasingly becoming the main battlefield, the main arena, and the forefront of ideological struggle, where various ideological cultures and diverse values clash fiercely in cyberspace. These new circumstances bring severe challenges to our Party’s improvement of its ability to use and govern the internet and to uphold and consolidate the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain.

互联网这一最大变量的挑战。习近平总书记指出：“我们必须科学认识网络传播规律，提高用网治网水平，使互联网这个最大变量变成事业发展的最大增量。”过不了互联网这一关，就过不了长期执政这一关。当前，以互联网、人工智能为代表的信息技术日新月异，深刻改变着社会生产、人类生活和国家治理。信息技术是一把“双刃剑”，既是传播正能量的重要载体，也可能成为传播有害信息、制造思想混乱的平台。互联网日益成为意识形态斗争的主阵地、主战场、最前沿，各种思想文化、多元价值观念在网络空间激烈交锋。这些新情况对我们党提高用网治网水平，坚持和巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，都带来严峻挑战。

The challenge of the greatest danger of becoming detached from the masses. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The Party’s greatest political strength is its close ties with the masses, and the greatest danger for the Party after it comes to power is becoming detached from the masses.” [4]4 The “two answers to escaping the historical cycle of rise and fall” refer to the first answer proposed by Mao Zedong—allowing the people to supervise the government—and the second answer proposed by Xi Jinping—the Party’s self-revolution. Under conditions of long-term governance, some Party cadres are prone to breeding formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, and to exhibiting phenomena such as deviating from the masses in thought, alienating the masses in behavior, detaching from the masses in work, drifting away from the masses in life, and distancing from the masses in work style. A small number of leading cadres develop a distorted outlook on political performance, keen on creating “performance projects” and “image projects” within the “visible range” of their superiors, fearing not that the masses are “dissatisfied” but that their superiors “do not notice,” manufacturing “momentary political achievements” while leaving behind “long-term burdens.” If these problems cannot be effectively resolved, they will inevitably damage the Party’s image and prestige, inevitably harm the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses, and severely weaken the mass foundation of the Party’s governance.

脱离群众这一最大危险的挑战。习近平总书记指出：“党的最大政治优势是密切联系群众，党执政后的最大危险是脱离群众”。在长期执政条件下，一些党员干部容易滋生形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风，出现思想上背离群众、行为上疏离群众、工作上脱离群众、生活上游离群众、作风上远离群众的现象。少数领导干部政绩观出现偏差，热衷于打造领导“可视范围”内的“政绩工程”“形象工程”，不怕群众“不满意”，就怕上级“不注意”，制造“一时的政绩”，留下“长期的包袱”。如果这些问题无法得到有效解决，势必损害党的形象与威信，势必有损党同人民群众血肉联系，严重削弱党执政的群众基础。

The challenge of corruption as the greatest threat. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “For our Party as the ruling party, the

腐败这一最大威胁的挑战。习近平总书记指出：“我们党作为执政党，面临的最大威胁就是腐败。”经过新时代以来坚持不懈的强力反腐，反腐败斗争取得压倒性胜利并全面巩固，但形势依然严峻复杂，腐败存量尚未清除，增量还在持续发生。特别是一些腐败现象隐形变异、翻新升级，呈现腐败主体隐身化、好处占有非己化、权钱交易民事化、利益输送市场化、贿赂标的虚拟化等特点，给查处和认定带来更大困难。必须以永远在路上的坚韧和执着，着力铲除腐败滋生的土壤和条件，让反复发作的老问题逐渐减少，让新出现的问题难以蔓延，推动防范和治理腐败问题常态化、长效化。

Facing the Future: What Kind of World’s Most Powerful Political Party Should Be Built, and How Should It Be Built?

面向未来：建设什么样的世界上最强大的一个政党、怎样建设世界上最强大的一个政党？

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Our Party must do a good job in its own construction and truly become the world’s most powerful political party.” In “Deepening the Party’s Self-Revolution,”

习近平总书记指出：“我们党要搞好自身建设，真正成为世界上最强大的一个政党”。在《深入推进党的自我革命》中，习近平总书记指出：“我们党追求的理想崇高而神圣，肩负的使命艰巨而繁重，只有以时代发展的要求审视自己，以强烈的忧患意识警醒自己，以自我革命精神锻造自己，不断提高领导能力和执政水平，才能确保党始终不变质、不变色、不变味，始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心。”建设世界上最强大的一个政党，重要目标是加强党的先进性、纯洁性建设，使党成为始终走在时代前列、人民衷心拥护、勇于自我革命、经得起各种风浪考验、朝气蓬勃的马克思主义执政党；核心要素是理论先进、政治坚定、组织严密、作风优良、纪律严明、制度完善；主要特征是强大的政治功能、强大的思想武器、强大的组织优势、强大的执政根基、强大的领导水平、强大的党员干部队伍等；实现路径是始终坚持全面从严治党永远在路上，党的自我革命永远在路上，时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定，一以贯之推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程，把我们党锻造得更加坚强有力，始终立于不败之地。

We must adhere to making resolute efforts to uphold the Two Upholds as the foundation of strengthening the Party. To build the most powerful political party in the world, the primary task is to profoundly understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments and resolutely uphold the Two Upholds. Ideologically, one must be in place and deeply identify with them. Comrade Xi Jinping’s status as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the entire Party was formed in the course of new great practical struggles and is an inevitable choice of history and the people. Facts have eloquently proven that the Two Establishments are the most significant political achievement, the most valuable historical experience, and the most objective practical conclusion of the New Era, and they are the greatest certainty, the greatest confidence, and the greatest guarantee for the Party and the people in confronting all uncertainties. We must always stay closely aligned and closely connected with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, infusing the Two Upholds into our blood and integrating them into our souls. In action, one must be conscious and resolutely obey. We must implement without any discount the spirit of Comrade Xi Jinping’s important instructions and directives and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, ensuring that at any time and under any circumstances, we are consistent in appearance and reality, unified in knowledge and action, without changing our hearts, without shifting our aspirations, and without damaging our integrity. Institutionally, we must provide guarantees to ensure implementation takes effect. We must perfect the system of the Two Upholds to ensure the Party’s unity and solidarity and uniformity of action. We must improve the Party’s leadership system that oversees the overall situation and coordinates all parties, perfect the mechanism for implementing the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, and form a full-chain working mechanism encompassing task division, supervision and implementation, and supervision and accountability. We must strictly implement the system of requesting instructions and reporting, ensuring that the Party Central Committee’s orders and decrees are unimpeded and that prohibitions are observed.

坚持把坚决做到“两个维护”作为强党之本。建设世界上最强大的一个政党，首要任务就是要深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，坚决做到“两个维护”。思想上要到位，深刻认同。习近平总书记党中央的核心、全党的核心地位，是在新的伟大斗争实践中形成的，是历史和人民的必然选择。事实雄辩地证明，“两个确立”是新时代最重大政治成果、最宝贵历史经验、最客观实践结论，是党和人民应对一切不确定性的最大确定性、最大底气、最大保证。必须始终与以习近平同志为核心的党中央紧紧贴在一起、紧紧连在一起，把“两个维护”注入血脉、融入灵魂。行动上要自觉，坚决服从。不折不扣地把习近平总书记重要指示批示精神和党中央决策部署落到实处，任何时候任何情况下都要做到表里如一、知行合一，不改其心、不移其志、不毁其节。制度上作保证，落地见效。以完善“两个维护”制度保证全党团结统一、行动一致。健全总揽全局、协调各方的党的领导制度体系，完善党中央重大决策部署贯彻落实机制，形成任务分工、督办落实、监督问责等全链条工作机制。严格执行请示报告制度，确保党中央政令畅通、令行禁止。

Persist in taking scientific theory as the soul of strengthening the Party. To build the world’s most powerful political party, it is necessary to grasp the foundation of ideological construction, make studying, propagating, and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era the fundamental political task, and continuously advance the Party-wide great study, great popularization, and great implementation. Studying the thought must be comprehensive and systematic: read the original works, study the original texts, and comprehend the original principles; accurately grasp the worldview, methodology, and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through this important thought; and systematically master its profound reasoning, deep academic logic, and rich philosophical principles. Implementing the thought must be precise and scientific: consciously apply the scientific methodology, be adept at “playing the piano with ten fingers” [3]3 “Playing the piano with ten fingers” is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong to describe the need for leaders to coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously, balancing priorities like the fingers of a hand., and transform the “freehand brushwork” of the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments into “fine brushwork” and “construction blueprints.” Persist in the innovative development of thought, uphold the Two Integrations, intensify research and summarization of major theoretical issues, practical topics, historical experience, and the laws of theoretical innovation, and continuously deepen the study and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. At the same time, vigorously promote the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists, with the great founding spirit of the Party as its source, carry forward the spirit of the new era, and draw from it the strength to forge ahead.

坚持把科学理论作为强党之魂。建设世界上最强大的一个政党，必须抓好思想建设这个基础，把学习宣传贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想作为根本政治任务，持续推进全党大学习、大普及、大落实。学习思想要全面系统，读原著学原文悟原理，准确把握这一重要思想的世界观、方法论和贯穿其中的立场观点方法，系统掌握其中的深刻道理、深邃学理、深厚哲理。落实思想要精准科学，自觉运用科学方法论，善于“十个指头弹钢琴”，把党中央决策部署的“大写意”转化为“工笔画”“施工图”。坚持思想要创新发展，坚持“两个结合”，加大对重大理论问题、实践课题、历史经验以及理论创新规律研究总结，不断深化对习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的研究阐释。同时，要大力弘扬以伟大建党精神为源头的中国共产党人精神谱系，发扬新的时代精神，从中汲取奋进力量。

Persist in taking a strong cadre and talent contingent as the key to strengthening the Party. To build the world’s most powerful political party, it is necessary to uphold the principle of the Party managing cadres, further improve the work of cadre cultivation, selection, management, and utilization, and build a high-quality cadre contingent that is strong politically, capable, and in work style. In cadre cultivation and education, ensure the organic integration of knowledge and action. Focus on distinguishing right from wrong and good from evil in thought, and comprehend principles and seek truth in practice; in a planned and organized manner, place cadres in the frontlines of reform and opening up, areas with harsh and complex conditions, critical and demanding posts, the frontlines of urgent, difficult, dangerous, and arduous tasks, and the frontlines of grassroots governance for tempering and training; strengthen education on the correct outlook on political performance, and continuously raise the capability and level for promoting high-quality development. In cadre selection and appointment, ensure the organic unity of selection and use. Both virtue must match the position and talent must match the position; strengthen the identification of Party spirit, and focus on examining cadres’ realm and pattern, as well as their loyalty and integrity; use cadres at the right time and in their strengths, improve the degree of person-post fit, and ensure that the entire cadre contingent has drive, prospects, and hope. In cadre management and supervision, ensure the organic transformation of responsibility and action. Establish a clear orientation that emphasizes and values responsibility, making cadres who are willing to do things, capable of doing things, and able to accomplish things “fragrant”; improve the methods for evaluating political performance, looking at both “visible achievements” and “latent achievements”; persist in combining strict management with care, promote the mechanism for cadres to move up and down, use strict management to promote responsibility, and use care to boost motivation. At the same time, do a good job in talent work in the New Era, deepen the reform of the talent development system and mechanism, implement more active, more open, and more effective talent policies, and accelerate the building of a world-class talent center and innovation highland.

坚持把过硬干部人才队伍作为强党之要。建设世界上最强大的一个政党，必须坚持党管干部原则，进一步做好干部培育、选拔、管理、使用工作，建设一支政治上强、能力上强、作风上强的高素质干部队伍。在干部培养教育上，确保知与行有机结合。注重在思想上明是非、辨善恶，在实践中悟原理、求真理，有组织、有计划地把干部放到改革发展前沿阵地、艰苦复杂地区、关键吃劲岗位、急难险重任务前线、基层治理一线历练磨练，加强正确政绩观教育，不断提高推动高质量发展的能力和水平。在干部选拔使用上，确保选与用有机统一。既要德配其位，又要才配其位，加强党性鉴别，注重考察干部的境界格局和忠诚度廉洁度；用人要用当其时、用其所长，提高人岗相适度，让整个干部队伍都有干劲、有奔头、有希望。在干部管理监督上，确保责与为有机转化。树立讲担当、重担当的鲜明导向，让愿做事、能干事、干成事的干部“香起来”；完善政绩考核评价办法，既看“显绩”也看“潜绩”；坚持严管和厚爱结合，推进干部能上能下，以严管促担当，以厚爱鼓干劲。同时，做好新时代人才工作，深化人才发展体制机制改革，实施更加积极、更加开放、更加有效的人才政策，加快建设世界重要人才中心和创新高地。

Persist in taking a strong organization as the foundation of strengthening the Party. To build the world’s most powerful political party, it is necessary to highlight the focus on organizational system construction, continuously enhance the “wholeness” of the “organization,” the “penetration” of the “system,” and the “effectiveness” of “construction.” Make the Party’s organizational system more tangible. Adapt to the profound changes in the economy and society, innovate the setup and activity methods of Party organizations, especially strengthen Party building in new economic organizations, new social organizations, and new employment groups, promote the effective expansion of Party organizations into new fields, new spaces, and new groups, and make the “form” of the Party’s organizational system clearer, more three-dimensional, and more resilient. Make the Party’s organizational system more powerful. Focus on enhancing the Party’s political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal; improve democratic centralism; perfect the operational mechanisms between higher- and lower-level Party organizations; ensure the authority of the Party Central Committee as the sole arbiter and final decision-maker; give play to the initiative of local and grassroots Party organizations; and ensure that Party organizations at all levels can command the overall situation, manage Party members well, rally the masses, and accomplish practical tasks. Make the Party’s organizational system more effective. Party organizations at all levels must identify the entry points and focal points for centering on the central task and serving the overall situation; both concentrate forces to accomplish major tasks and wholeheartedly handle minor matters; both add luster to their own domain and contribute to the overall picture; truly consolidate, develop, and give full play to the Party’s organizational advantages.

坚持把坚强组织作为强党之基。建设世界上最强大的一个政党，必须突出组织体系建设这一重点，不断增强“组织”的整体性、“体系”的贯通性、“建设”的实效性。让党的组织体系更有形。要适应经济社会深刻变革，创新党组织设置和活动方式，特别要加强新经济组织、新社会组织、新就业群体党的建设，推动党组织向新领域、新空间、新群体有效拓展，使党的组织体系之“形”更明晰、更立体、更坚韧。让党的组织体系更有力。以增强党的政治领导力、思想引领力、群众组织力、社会号召力为重点，完善民主集中制，健全上下级党组织运行机制，确保党中央定于一尊、一锤定音的权威，发挥好地方和基层党组织的能动性，让各级党组织都能统得起全局、管得好党员、聚得了群众、办得成实事。让党的组织体系更有效。各级党组织要找准围绕中心、服务大局的切入点和着力点，既集中力量办成大事、也全心全意办好小事，既为一域增光、又为全局添彩，真正把党的组织优势巩固好、发展好、发挥好。

Persist in taking self-revolution as the path to strengthening the Party. To build the world’s most powerful political party, it is necessary to deeply advance the Party’s self-revolution, integrate the two answers to escaping the historical cycle of rise and fall [4]4 The “two answers to escaping the historical cycle of rise and fall” refer to the first answer proposed by Mao Zedong—allowing the people to supervise the government—and the second answer proposed by Xi Jinping—the Party’s self-revolution., and ensure that the Party never changes its nature, never changes its color, and never changes its flavor. Adhere to a problem-oriented approach. Start reforming from the most prominent problems, start grasping from the weakest points, making self-revolution more targeted in aim and more solid in implementation; pay attention to the “problems behind the problems,” see through the surface to grasp the essence, dare to strike at willful power, greedy capital, and entrenched interests, and avoid falling into the predicament of “it is easy to revolutionize others, but difficult to revolutionize oneself.” Adhere to reform and innovation. Achieve new improvements in concepts, new expansions in means, and new refinements in methods; use governance concepts, systems thinking, and dialectical thinking to manage and govern the Party; use internet technology and information-based means to empower self-revolution; achieve a transformation from case-by-case elimination and key-point rectification to systematic governance and comprehensive governance. Adhere to the tone of strictness. Persist in putting strictness first, being strict in all respects, and carrying strictness through to the end; strictly enforce political discipline and political rules; persistently rectify the “four forms of decadence” [5]5 The “four forms of decadence” (四风) refer to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, which have been the targets of a sustained rectification campaign since the Eight-Point Regulations were introduced in 2012.; comprehensively strengthen Party discipline construction; deeply advance the simultaneous investigation and treatment of corruption and misconduct; and ensure that the deterrent force of strictness is always present. Adhere to institutional governance of the Party. Perfect the institutional normative system for the Party’s self-revolution; take the Party Constitution as the foundation and democratic centralism as the core; perfect the institutional mechanisms that unify authorization, power exercise, and power control, and are clear, transparent, and traceable; focus on identifying loopholes in power operation and filling institutional shortcomings; transform the practical achievements of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party into rigid institutional requirements; and ensure that self-revolution has rules to follow and regulations to abide by. At the same time, strictly enforce the implementation of institutions, so that ironclad regulations exert force and prohibitions carry authority.

坚持把自我革命作为强党之路。建设世界上最强大的一个政党，必须深入推进党的自我革命，把跳出历史周期率的两个答案贯通起来，确保党永远不变质、不变色、不变味。坚持问题导向。从最突出的问题改起，从最薄弱的地方抓起，让自我革命靶向更准、落点更实；要关注问题背后的“问题”，透过现象看本质，敢于向任性的权力、贪婪的资本、固化的利益动刀，防止陷入“革别人命容易，革自己命难”的境地。坚持改革创新。理念上有新提升，手段上有新拓展，方式上有新改进，运用治理理念、系统观念、辩证思维管党治党，运用互联网技术和信息化手段赋能自我革命，实现从个案清除、重点整治向系统整治、全域治理转变。坚持严的基调。坚持严字当头、全面从严、一严到底，严明政治纪律和政治规矩，持之以恒纠治“四风”，全面加强党的纪律建设，深入推进风腐同查同治，让严的震慑常在。坚持制度治党。完善党的自我革命制度规范体系，以党章为根本，以民主集中制为核心，健全授权用权制权相统一、清晰透明可追溯的制度机制，注重查找权力运行漏洞、补齐制度短板，把全面从严治党实践成果转化为刚性的制度要求，让自我革命有规可依、有章可循。同时，狠抓制度执行，让铁规发力、让禁令生威。

The great path is like a whetstone; the great trend is like a tide. Advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization has entered an irreversible historical process, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable. We must maintain strategic resolve, carry forward the spirit of historical initiative, closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and, in accordance with the goals and requirements to be proposed by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party [6]6 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC is a major Party meeting expected to focus on Party building and governance issues; as of the time of this text, it had not yet been held., think with one mind and exert strength in one direction, coalescing into “a single piece of hard steel,” and stride forward on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country with a resolve as firm as a rock and the conviction to dare to fight and win.

大道如砥，大势如潮。以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴已进入不可逆转的历史进程，中华民族伟大复兴势不可挡。我们必须保持战略定力，发扬历史主动精神，紧密团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，按照党的二十届四中全会将提出的目标要求，心往一处想、劲往一处使，凝结成“一块坚硬的钢铁”，以坚如磐石的定力、敢战必胜的信念，在全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程上阔步前行。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧