Deeply Grasping the Scientific Connotation of the Spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC: A major meeting of the Communist Party of China's top leadership, held in July 2024, focused on deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization. Plenary sessions of the Central Committee are numbered sequentially by the congress that elected them; the 20th Central Committee was elected at the 20th National Congress in 2022. has made scientific plans and comprehensive deployments for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization on the new journey of the New Era. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Style Modernization" (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision") adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC has opened a new chapter of the era for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization, and is of great significance and value for comprehensively implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

党的二十届三中全会对新时代新征程进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化作出科学谋划、全面部署。党的二十届三中全会通过的《中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定》（以下简称《决定》），开启了进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的时代新篇，对于全面贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想具有重大的意义和价值。

The great significance of implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. First, theoretically, it enriches and develops the Marxist theory of social development contradictions and the principle of stages of development. The "Decision" uses "further deepening reform comprehensively" to promote the optimization and "better mutual adaptation" of relations of production with productive forces, the superstructure with the economic base, and national governance with social development, providing strong impetus and institutional guarantees for Chinese-path modernization. It enriches the connotations of the basic contradictions of society and the theory of developmental dynamics in historical materialism, as well as the adaptation of the Marxist theory of the progress of social formations to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and is a Marxist programmatic document. The Plenary Session emphasized that studying and implementing the spirit of the Plenary Session is an important task, and it is necessary to "raise the Marxist level and modernization capacity of the entire Party."

贯彻党的二十届三中全会精神的重大意义。一是理论上丰富发展了马克思主义社会发展矛盾学说及发展阶段原理。《决定》以“进一步全面深化改革”推进生产关系与生产力、上层建筑与经济基础、国家治理与社会发展的优化和“更好相适应”，为中国式现代化提供强大动力和制度保障，丰富了历史唯物主义社会基本矛盾、发展动力学说以及马克思主义关于社会形态进步理论中国化时代化的内涵，是马克思主义纲领性文献。全会强调，学习贯彻全会精神是一项重要的政治任务，要“提高全党马克思主义水平和现代化建设能力”。

Second, practically, it provides a guide to action for Chinese-path modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC believes that the current and future period is a critical period for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. To complete the "central task of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization" and the strategic deployments for advancing various modernizations is an urgent need to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, "continuously better transforming our country's institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness"; it is an urgent need to promote high-quality development and better adapt to changes in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, solving the problem of "unbalanced and inadequate development"; it is an urgent need to respond to major risks and challenges and ensure the stable and long-term progress of the Party and state's undertakings, requiring further deepening reform comprehensively, using完善的 institutions to prevent and resolve risks and effectively respond to challenges.

二是实践上为中国式现代化提供行动指南。党的二十届三中全会认为，当前和今后一个时期是以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的关键时期。要完成“以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的中心任务”和推进各项现代化的战略部署，是完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的迫切需要，“不断把我国制度优势更好转化为国家治理效能”；是推动高质量发展、更好适应我国社会主要矛盾变化的迫切需要，解决“发展不平衡不充分”问题；是应对重大风险挑战、推动党和国家事业行稳致远的迫切需要，要进一步全面深化改革，用完善的制度防范化解风险、有效应对挑战。

Third, it pioneers and innovates the Party's theoretical achievements. Facing a severe and complex international environment and arduous and heavy tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability, there is an even greater need for advanced scientific theories of Chinese-path modernization to provide guidance. This is the historical experience of China's 40-plus years of reform and opening up, and also the historical logic of the continuous progress of the cause of Chinese-path modernization. The Plenary Session promotes and plans further deepening reform comprehensively, makes scientific reform deployments in various fields, pioneers and innovates the Party's theoretical achievements, and enriches the connotation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This fully embodies the historical initiative spirit of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in continuing to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, sends a strong signal of the era to both domestic and international audiences about holding high the banner of reform and opening up, and will have great historical significance on the path of reform and opening up as well as national rejuvenation.

三是开拓创新党的理论成果。面对严峻复杂的国际环境和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，更需要先进的中国式现代化科学理论来指引。这是中国改革开放40多年的历史经验，也是中国式现代化事业不断进取的历史逻辑。全会以推动和谋划进一步全面深化改革，在各领域作出科学的改革部署，开拓创新党的理论成果，丰富了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的内涵。这充分体现了以习近平同志为核心的党中央对于继续完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的历史主动精神，向国内国际发出了高举改革开放旗帜的时代强音，在改革开放以及民族复兴道路上，都将具有重大历史意义。

Grasping the core essence of the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. The scientific connotation of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC is very rich, and its core essence includes the goals and themes, systematic planning and key deployments, etc. First, adhere to goal orientation, running through and embodying the theme of Chinese-path modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC clarified that the overall goal of further deepening reform comprehensively is to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. By 2035, a high-level socialist market economy system will be fully established, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics will be more perfected, the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity will be basically realized, and socialist modernization will be basically realized, laying a solid foundation for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century. According to the goal orientation, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC revolves around the theme of "further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization," pushing reform to a new height of greater comprehensiveness and depth. From the "improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity" proposed at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee [2]2 Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets: A well-known slogan of Xi Jinping, first articulated in 2005, asserting that ecological protection is not a barrier to but a foundation for economic development. to the "continuing to improve and develop" at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, this represents the continuous exploration and inheritance and development of the institutional laws of comprehensive deepening reform. The theme of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was determined to revolve around Chinese-path modernization and further deepen reform comprehensively, promoting the realization of the goals of institutional construction and governance modernization.

掌握党的二十届三中全会精神的核心要义。党的二十届三中全会的科学内涵非常丰富，核心要义包括目标与主题、系统谋划与重点部署等。一是坚持目标导向，贯穿和体现中国式现代化主题。党的二十届三中全会明确了进一步全面深化改革的总目标是继续完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度，推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。到2035年，全面建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制，中国特色社会主义制度更加完善，基本实现国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，基本实现社会主义现代化，为到本世纪中叶全面建成社会主义现代化强国奠定坚实基础。根据目标导向，党的二十届三中全会围绕“进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化”主题展开，把改革推到了更全面、更深刻的新高度。从党的十八届三中全会提出的“完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化”到党的二十届三中全会的“继续完善和发展”，是对全面深化改革制度规律的不断探索和继承发展。党的二十届三中全会主题确定为围绕中国式现代化、进一步全面深化改革，推动制度建设和治理现代化目标的实现。

Second, highlight the focus of reform, emphasizing the systematic integration of further deepening reform comprehensively. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to "adhere to the systems concept, properly handle major relationships such as between the economy and society, the government and the market, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, development and security, and enhance the systematic, holistic, and coordinated nature of reform." The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, taking the goals, tasks, and major issues of advancing Chinese-path modernization as the lead, plans further deepening reform comprehensively within the framework of promoting the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and coordinating the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, strengthening the overall planning, systematic layout, and key advancement of reform. In the key deployments, with economic system reform as the traction, it comprehensively deploys reforms in various fields and aspects such as the high-level socialist market economy system. Adhere to the unity of demand orientation and problem orientation, effectively break through the prominent problems and risk challenges facing the advancement of Chinese-path modernization through reform, and promote better mutual adaptation between relations of production and productive forces, the superstructure and the economic base, and national governance and social development.

二是突出改革重点，注重进一步全面深化改革的系统集成。习近平总书记指出，要“坚持系统观念，处理好经济和社会、政府和市场、效率和公平、活力和秩序、发展和安全等重大关系，增强改革系统性、整体性、协同性”。党的二十届三中全会以推进中国式现代化目标任务和重大问题为提领，在统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局框架下谋划进一步全面深化改革，加强对改革的整体谋划、系统布局和重点推进。重点部署中，以经济体制改革为牵引，全面部署高水平社会主义市场经济体制等各领域各方面的改革。坚持需求导向与问题导向相统一，通过改革有效破除推进中国式现代化面临的突出问题和风险挑战，推动生产关系和生产力、上层建筑和经济基础、国家治理和社会发展更好相适应。

Third, adhere to a people-centered approach, planning and advancing reform from the perspective of the people's overall interests, fundamental interests, and long-term interests. A series of reform measures proposed by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC are what development requires and, more importantly, what the people's hearts desire, continuously meeting the people's aspirations for a better life. For example, improving the social security system for flexible employment personnel, migrant workers, and personnel in new forms of employment; accelerating the construction of a new model for real estate development; improving the birth support policy system and incentive mechanisms; and steadily and prudently advancing the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age reform based on the principle of voluntariness and flexibility, etc., embodying the people-centered development thought in many aspects.

三是坚持以人民为中心，从人民整体利益、根本利益、长远利益出发谋划和推进改革。党的二十届三中全会提出的一系列改革举措，是发展所需，更是民心所向，不断满足人民对美好生活的向往。如，健全灵活就业人员、农民工、新就业形态人员社保制度，加快构建房地产发展新模式，完善生育支持政策体系和激励机制，按照自愿、弹性原则稳妥推进渐进式延迟法定退休年龄改革等，多方面体现以人民为中心的发展思想。

Fourth, strengthen political guarantees, using the Party's self-revolution to lead the great social revolution. The "Decision" sets up a special section to deploy reforms of Party leadership and Party building systems, both taking upholding and strengthening the Party's comprehensive leadership as the political guidance and political guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively, and continuously advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era. Unify the political advantages of upholding the Party's comprehensive leadership, the institutional advantages of adhering to the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the theoretical advantages of adhering to the new development concept. Improve the implementation system for major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, and improve the institutional mechanisms for preventing formalism and bureaucracy. Deepen the reform of the cadre and personnel system, focusing on solving the problems of cadres acting arbitrarily, failing to act, daring not to act, and being unable to act effectively.

四是强化政治保证，以党的自我革命引领伟大社会革命。《决定》设置专门部分部署党的领导和党的建设制度改革，既把坚持和加强党的全面领导作为进一步全面深化改革的政治引领和政治保证，又持续推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程。把坚持党的全面领导的政治优势、坚持中国特色社会主义制度的制度优势同坚持新发展理念的理论优势统一起来。完善党中央重大决策部署落实制度，健全防止形式主义、官僚主义制度机制。深化干部人事制度改革，着力解决干部乱作为、不作为、不敢为、不善为问题。

Scientific methods for implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. Adhering to problem orientation is the scientific worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The "seven focal points" [3]3 "Seven focal points" refers to the seven key areas for reform identified in the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, covering the economic system, political system, cultural system, social system, ecological civilization system, national security, and Party building. proposed by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC based on problem orientation are both the points of force for advancing Chinese-path modernization and the points of focus for further deepening reform comprehensively, embodying the principle of the unity of the universality and particularity of contradictions, and are the scientific application of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

践行党的二十届三中全会精神的科学方法。坚持问题导向是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想科学的世界观和方法论。党的二十届三中全会基于问题导向提出的“七个聚焦”既是推进中国式现代化的发力点，也是进一步全面深化改革的着力点，体现了矛盾普遍性与特殊性统一原理，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想世界观和方法论的科学运用。

First, economically, we must focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy system. A high-standard socialist market economy system is an important guarantee for Chinese-path modernization. We must optimize the efficiency of resource allocation and maximize benefits, leveraging the advantages of the socialist market economy system through scientific macro-regulation and effective government governance. Second, politically, we must focus on developing whole-process people's democracy. Developing whole-process people's democracy is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization, and we must embody the principle of the people being the masters of the country in all aspects of national political life and social life. Third, culturally, we must focus on building a socialist cultural power. We must enhance cultural confidence, develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture. Fourth, socially, we must focus on improving the quality of life of the people. We must address the issue of common prosperity, continuously enhancing the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security. Fifth, ecologically, we must focus on building a beautiful China. We must prioritize ecological conservation, promote economical and intensive development, and pursue green and low-carbon development, insisting that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, and improving the systems and mechanisms for implementing the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Sixth, in terms of security, we must focus on building a higher-level peaceful China. In accordance with General Secretary Xi Jinping's requirement to "adhere to the equal emphasis on development and security, achieving a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security," we must realize a dynamic balance between development and security. Seventh, in terms of leadership, we must focus on improving the Party's leadership level and long-term governance capacity, continuing to push reform forward. Upholding the Party's overall leadership is the essential path for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Under the Party's leadership, we will surely be able to ensure that the entire Party and the whole country possess strong political cohesion for united struggle and confidence in development.

一是经济上要聚焦构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制。高水平社会主义市场经济体制是中国式现代化的重要保障，要实现资源配置效率最优化和效益最大化，以科学的宏观调控、有效的政府治理来发挥社会主义市场经济体制的优势。二是政治上要聚焦发展全过程人民民主。发展全过程人民民主是中国式现代化的本质要求，要把人民当家作主体现到国家政治生活和社会生活各方面。三是文化上要聚焦建设社会主义文化强国。增强文化自信，要发展社会主义先进文化，弘扬革命文化，传承中华优秀传统文化。四是社会上聚焦提高人民生活品质。解决共同富裕问题，不断增强人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感。五是生态上聚焦建设美丽中国。推进生态优先、节约集约、绿色低碳发展，坚持中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，完善落实绿水青山就是金山银山理念的体制机制。六是安全上聚焦建设更高水平平安中国。按照习近平总书记要求的“坚持发展和安全并重，实现高质量发展和高水平安全的良性互动”，实现发展和安全的动态平衡。七是领导上聚焦提高党的领导水平和长期执政能力，继续把改革推向前进。坚持党的全面领导是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的必由之路。在党的领导下，我们就一定能够确保全党全国拥有团结奋斗的强大政治凝聚力、发展自信力。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗