Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively Must Adhere to a People-Centered Approach

Reform and opening up is an important magic weapon enabling the cause of the Party and the people to keep pace with the times. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC emphasized that further deepening reform comprehensively must summarize and apply the valuable experience gained since reform and opening up, especially from the comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization" systematically elucidates the major principles that must be implemented in further deepening reform comprehensively, with "adhering to a people-centered approach" being one of them. "Adhering to a people-centered approach" fully demonstrates the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, centrally embodies the connotation and essence of "Chinese-path modernization, with people's livelihood as the greatest concern," and profoundly signals the value orientation of further deepening reform comprehensively on the new journey.

改革开放是党和人民事业大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝。党的二十届三中全会强调，进一步全面深化改革要总结和运用改革开放以来特别是新时代全面深化改革的宝贵经验。《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》系统阐释了进一步全面深化改革必须贯彻的重大原则，“坚持以人民为中心”是其中一条。“坚持以人民为中心”充分彰显了中国共产党人为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的初心使命，集中体现了“中国式现代化，民生为大”的内涵要义，深刻昭示了新征程上进一步全面深化改革的价值取向。

The people-centered nature is an essential attribute of Marxism

人民性是马克思主义的本质属性

Adhering to a people-centered approach is an inheritance, enrichment, and development of the Marxist view of the people. Marx and Engels pointed out that historical activity is the activity of the masses; with the deepening of historical activity, the expansion of the masses will inevitably follow. Lenin emphasized that as people's historical creative activity expands and deepens, the number of the masses as conscious historical actors will certainly increase. The people are the creators of history and the decisive force in social change; the direction of social and historical development can only be determined by "the acting masses." It is on the basis of this fundamental principle that Marxism, for the first time, established an ideological system for the people to achieve their own liberation. In the *Communist Manifesto*, Marx and Engels solemnly declared: "All previous movements were movements of minorities, or in the interests of minorities. The proletarian movement is the independent movement of the immense majority, in the interests of the immense majority." Lenin pointed out that the bounden duty of a proletarian party is to be with the masses, "to serve the masses and represent their correctly understood interests."

坚持以人民为中心，是对马克思主义人民观的继承、丰富和发展。马克思、恩格斯指出，历史活动是群众的活动，随着历史活动的深入，必将是群众队伍的扩大。列宁强调，随着人们历史创造活动的扩大和深入，作为自觉的历史活动家的人民群众在数量上也必定增多起来。人民是历史的创造者，也是社会变革的决定力量，决定社会历史发展方向的只能是“行动着的群众”。正是在这一基本原理基础上，马克思主义第一次创立了人民实现自身解放的思想体系。马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中庄严宣告：“过去的一切运动都是少数人的，或者为少数人谋利益的运动。无产阶级的运动是绝大多数人的，为绝大多数人谋利益的独立的运动。”列宁指出，无产阶级政党的义不容辞的责任就是和群众在一起，“为了为群众服务和代表他们正确地意识到的利益”。

The people's standpoint is a distinctive sign that distinguishes Marxist political parties from other political parties. The Communist Party of China is a Marxist ruling party that seeks benefits for the immense majority and works for the well-being of the broad masses of the people. The CPC has always adhered to the Marxist view of the people, adhered to the fundamental people-centered standpoint, and continuously inherited, enriched, and developed it in the process of promoting practical and theoretical innovation by adhering to the Two Integrations. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history." Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out that one should not think the Communist Party is a golden signboard; if it becomes divorced from the masses, the Party's prestige will not hold up. General

人民立场是马克思主义政党区别于其他政党的显著标志。中国共产党就是为绝大多数人谋利益、为广大人民群众谋福祉的马克思主义执政党。中国共产党始终坚持马克思主义人民观，坚持以人民为中心的根本立场，并在坚持“两个结合”推进实践创新和理论创新中不断加以继承、丰富和发展。毛泽东同志指出：“人民，只有人民，才是创造世界历史的动力。”邓小平同志指出，不要以为共产党是金字招牌，如果脱离群众，党的威信是靠不住的。习近平总书记强调，“以人民为中心是我们的根本执政理念”，“在任何时候任何情况下，与人民同呼吸共命运的立场不能变，全心全意为人民服务的宗旨不能忘，群众是真正英雄的历史唯物主义观点不能丢，始终坚持立党为公、执政为民”。

Adhering to a people-centered approach profoundly embodies the distinctive characteristics and political essence of the Communist Party of China as the vanguard of the Chinese working class, the vanguard of the Chinese people, and the vanguard of the Chinese nation. The people are the root of our Party’s life, the foundation of its governance, and the source of its strength. Over the past century and more, the reason our Party has been able to grow from small to large, from weak to strong, gradually developing from an initial small party of over 50 members into the world’s largest governing party with significant global influence, and advancing in step with the times the great practices of revolution, construction, and reform, is that our Party has always adhered to the principal position of the people, consciously ensured that everything is for the people, closely relied on the people, unswervingly pursued reform and promoted development, and committed itself to making the country more prosperous, society more fair and just, and the people’s lives better.

坚持以人民为中心，深刻体现着中国共产党作为中国工人阶级先锋队、中国人民和中华民族先锋队的鲜明特征和政治本色。人民是我们党的生命之根、执政之基、力量之源。百余年来，我们党之所以能够由小到大、由弱到强，从最初一个50多人的小党逐步发展为具有重大全球影响力的世界第一大执政党，并与时俱进地推进革命、建设和改革伟大实践，是因为我们党始终坚持人民主体地位，自觉做到一切为了人民，紧紧依靠人民，矢志不渝抓改革、促发展，致力于让国家变得更加富强、让社会变得更加公平正义、让人民生活得更加美好。

A Vivid Embodiment of “Chinese-Path Modernization, People’s Livelihood Is Paramount”

“中国式现代化，民生为大”的生动体现

“Chinese-path modernization: people’s livelihood is paramount.” Chinese-path modernization is fundamentally different from Western modernization centered on capital. Chinese-path modernization follows a new path of socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, which possesses both the common features of modernization in all countries and Chinese characteristics based on its own national conditions. It takes the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as its goal, upholds and promotes social fairness and justice, and promotes common prosperity for all the people. To advance and expand Chinese-path modernization, it is necessary to always adhere to the principle that all reform and development are for the people, and that all fruits of reform and development are shared by all the people. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has clearly proposed that making the people’s lives happy is “the most important affair of the state” [2]2 “The most important affair of the state” (国之大者) is a phrase used by Xi Jinping to emphasize matters of fundamental importance to the nation’s development and the people’s well-being.. Our Party has united and led the broad masses of the people to actively advance the process of Chinese-path modernization. The per capita disposable income of Chinese residents has actually grown by over 80%, reaching 39,200 yuan in 2023, forming the world’s largest middle-income group; the public sense of security has risen from 87.55% in 2012 to 98.2% in 2023, making China one of the safest countries in the world; basic old-age insurance covers over 1 billion people, basic medical insurance covers over 1.3 billion people, building the world’s largest social security system covering the largest population; the consolidation rate of nine-year compulsory education has reached 95.7%, and the gross enrollment rate of higher education has reached 60.2%, with the level of education popularization at all levels reaching or exceeding the average of middle- and high-income countries… Continuously turning the people’s aspiration for a better life into reality, it has composed a chapter of the times of “national prosperity, national rejuvenation, and people’s happiness.”

“中国式现代化，民生为大。”中国式现代化与西方以资本为中心的现代化有着本质上的区别，中国式现代化走的是一条中国共产党领导的既有各国现代化的共同特征、更有基于自己国情的中国特色的社会主义现代化新路，把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为奋斗目标，维护和促进社会公平正义，促进全体人民共同富裕。推进和拓展中国式现代化，必须始终坚持一切改革发展为了人民，一切改革发展成果由全体人民共享。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央鲜明提出让人民生活幸福是“国之大者”，我们党团结带领广大人民积极推进中国式现代化进程，我国居民人均可支配收入实际增长超八成，2023年达到3.92万元，形成世界最大规模中等收入群体；群众安全感由2012年的87.55%上升至2023年的98.2%，成为世界上公认最安全的国家之一；基本养老保险覆盖超10亿人，基本医疗保险覆盖超13亿人，建成世界上规模最大、覆盖人口最多的社会保障体系；九年义务教育巩固率达95.7%，高等教育毛入学率达60.2%，各级教育普及程度达到或超过中高收入国家平均水平……不断把人民对美好生活的向往变为现实，谱写了“国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福”的时代华章。

The deeper and more comprehensive the reform, the more necessary it is to maintain the original aspiration and keep the mission firmly in mind, unswervingly adhere to the people-centered value orientation of reform, thoroughly integrate the people-centered approach into all fields, aspects, and links of reform, firmly establish the value stance of caring for the people by doing practical things and solving worries for the people, so that reform better meets the people’s expectations, the people’s aspirations, and the people’s livelihood needs, and use reform achievements that satisfy the people to better interpret and respond to the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [3]3 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024, focusing on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese-path modernization. took improving the quality of life of the people as an important goal of further deepening reform comprehensively, and made a series of reform arrangements for enhancing the well-being of the people and improving the quality of life of the people. To adhere to a people-centered approach in further deepening reform comprehensively, we must plan and advance reform from the perspective of the people’s overall interests, fundamental interests, and long-term interests. “To advance any major reform, we must grasp and handle major issues related to reform from the standpoint of the people, and must plan reform ideas and formulate reform measures from the perspective of the people’s interests.”

改革越是深化、越是全面，就越要保持初心、牢记使命，毫不动摇坚持以人民为中心的改革价值取向，把以人民为中心牢牢贯穿于改革各领域、各方面、各环节，坚定心系人民办实事、为民解忧做好事的价值立场，使改革更好满足人民所盼、民心所向、民生所需，用让人民满意的改革成果，更好诠释和回应中国共产党人的初心使命。党的二十届三中全会将提高人民生活品质作为进一步全面深化改革的重要目标，对增进人民福祉、提高人民生活品质作出一系列改革安排。坚持以人民为中心进一步全面深化改革，从人民的整体利益、根本利益、长远利益出发谋划和推进改革，“推进任何一项重大改革，都要站在人民立场上把握和处理好涉及改革的重大问题，都要从人民利益出发谋划改革思路、制定改革举措”。

The Driving Force and Purpose of Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

进一步全面深化改革的动力旨归

Adhering to a people-centered approach reflects and proclaims the driving force and purpose of further deepening reform comprehensively. The practice of reform and opening up over more than 40 years shows that the people are the fundamental driving force of reform and development. “Every breakthrough and deepening in the understanding and practice of reform and opening up, the emergence and development of every new thing in reform and opening up, and the creation and accumulation of experience in every field and link of reform and opening up, all come from the wisdom and practice of hundreds of millions of people.” The reason why reform and opening up has been able to achieve great achievements is mainly that our Party has always deeply rooted the cause of reform and opening up it leads in the creative practice of the masses of the people, closely relied on the people, widely mobilized the people to actively participate in promoting deepening domestic reform and expanding opening up to the outside world, thereby gaining widespread support from the masses of the people. The key reason why our Party has been able to cross rapids and dangerous shoals and achieve historic transformations, systemic restructuring, and holistic reconstruction in many fields is precisely that it has always adhered to the people’s standpoint in promoting reform and opening up, and closely relied on the people to advance the great cause of national rejuvenation. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches great importance to the principal position and important role of the masses of the people in reform, unites and leads the people across the country to resolutely win the battle against poverty, completely solve the problem of absolute poverty, and create a miracle in the history of human poverty reduction; comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society on the land of China, fulfilling the millennium-long aspiration of the Chinese nation; and strive to promote comprehensive deepening of reform, so that the fruits of development benefit all the people more and more fairly.

坚持以人民为中心，是对进一步全面深化改革动力旨归的反映和宣示。改革开放40多年的实践表明，人民是改革发展的根本动力。“改革开放在认识和实践上的每一次突破和深化，改革开放中每一个新生事物的产生和发展，改革开放每一个领域和环节经验的创造和积累，无不来自亿万人民的智慧和实践。”改革开放之所以能够取得伟大成就，主要在于我们党始终坚持把自己领导的改革开放事业深深扎根于人民群众的创造性实践之中，紧紧依靠人民、广泛动员人民积极参与推动对内深化改革、对外扩大开放，从而得到人民群众的广泛拥护。我们党之所以能够跨过激流险滩，在许多领域实现历史性变革、系统性重塑、整体性重构，关键就在于始终坚守人民立场推进改革开放，紧紧依靠人民推进民族复兴伟业。以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视人民群众在改革中的主体地位与重要作用，团结带领全国人民坚决打赢脱贫攻坚战，彻底解决绝对贫困问题，创造了人类减贫史上的奇迹；在中华大地上全面建成了小康社会，使中华民族千年夙愿成真；奋力推进全面深化改革，让发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform is meaningful only when it is for the people; reform has momentum only when it relies on the people.” “When the masses act together, nothing is impossible; when the people unite their efforts, no undertaking fails.” Reform is the cause of hundreds of millions of people themselves; comprehensively deepening reform is a profound transformation in which the people enthusiastically participate. As long as the Party and the people think and work together, strive and struggle together, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome, no hurdle that cannot be crossed, and it will surely be possible to continuously open up new horizons for comprehensively deepening reform. The people are the source of momentum for reform. As the self-improvement and self-development of the socialist system, reform must firmly rely on the people, fully respect the principal position of the people, and give play to the pioneering spirit of the masses. General Secretary Xi Jinping cautioned the entire Party: “The heavier the tasks

习近平总书记指出：“为了人民而改革，改革才有意义；依靠人民而改革，改革才有动力。”“群之所为事无不成，众之所举业无不胜。”改革是亿万人民群众自己的事业，全面深化改革是一场人民踊跃投身的深刻变革，只要党和人民想在一起、干在一起，拼搏在一起、奋斗在一起，就没有克服不了的困难、迈不过去的坎，就一定能不断开辟全面深化改革的新天地。人民是改革的动力源泉，改革作为社会主义制度的自我完善和发展，必须紧紧依靠人民，充分尊重人民主体地位，发挥群众首创精神。习近平总书记告诫全党：“改革任务越繁重，我们越要依靠人民群众支持和参与，善于通过提出和贯彻正确的改革措施带领人民前进，善于从人民的实践创造和发展要求中完善改革的政策主张。”走好新时代党的群众路线，深入基层、深入群众，把准人民脉搏、回应人民关切、体现人民愿望，把加强顶层设计和坚持问计于民统一起来，着力提高人民群众对改革的认识水平，不断强化人民群众的改革意识，充分激发人民群众的改革热情，切实发挥好人民群众关心改革、投身改革、推动改革的积极性、主动性、创造性，汇聚起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的磅礴力量。

Web Editor: Paul

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