The Basic Connotation, Distinctive Features, and Unique Contributions of Chinese-Path Modernization

Chinese-path modernization is a modernization born on Chinese soil. It possesses the general characteristics of modernization while also bearing Chinese characteristics; it is a modernization underpinned by the more than five thousand years of development of Chinese civilization. Chinese-path modernization has endowed the ancient Chinese civilization with the power of modernization, greatly elevating the status of Chinese civilization among world civilizations, transforming the material and spiritual life of the Chinese people, and displaying to the world the splendor of Chinese civilization in the New Era. At the same time, it indicates that Chinese-path modernization is not a modernization that eliminates or interrupts an ancient civilization, not a transplantation of another country’s modernization, and not Westernization, but rather a modernization that continues and renews Chinese civilization. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: “Chinese-path modernization is deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, embodies the advanced essence of scientific socialism, draws on and absorbs all outstanding achievements of human civilization, represents the direction of progress for human civilization, and presents a new picture different from the Western model of modernization; it is a completely new form of human civilization.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at the opening ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, March 15, 2023. As a new form of human civilization, Chinese-path modernization is committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and making unique contributions to the progress of human civilization.

中国式现代化是在中国这片土地上产生的现代化，它既有现代化的一般特征，更具有中国特色，是以中华文明五千多年发展史为底蕴的现代化。中国式现代化使古老的中华文明拥有了现代化力量，大大提升了中华文明在世界文明中的地位，改变了中国人民的物质生活和精神生活，向世界展现出新时代中华文明的风采。同时也表明，中国式现代化不是消灭、中断古老文明的现代化，不是移植他国的现代化，不是西方化，而是中华文明赓续、更新的现代化。正如习近平总书记所强调的那样：“中国式现代化，深深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，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，是一种全新的人类文明形态。”中国式现代化作为人类文明新形态，致力于推动文明交流互鉴，为人类文明进步作出独特贡献。

I. The Basic Connotation of Chinese-Path Modernization

一、中国式现代化的基本内涵

Chinese-path modernization contains a rich connotation, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

中国式现代化蕴含丰富的内涵，主要体现在以下方面：

First, Chinese-path modernization contains a profound foundation in Chinese civilization. Chinese-path modernization is rooted in the fertile soil of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization; it is not a modernization that eliminates or interrupts an ancient civilization, but a modernization that continues and renews Chinese civilization. The outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization—namely, outstanding continuity, outstanding innovativeness, outstanding unity, outstanding inclusiveness, and outstanding peacefulness—constitute the profound civilizational foundation of Chinese-path modernization. [2]2 These five “outstanding characteristics” of Chinese civilization were formally articulated by Xi Jinping at a symposium on cultural heritage in June 2023. The essence of Chinese civilization’s thought provides valuable resources for Chinese-path modernization. The spirit of the Chinese nation provides powerful spiritual impetus for Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization will effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese civilization, constantly endowing Chinese civilization with new contemporary connotations, and striving to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

第一，中国式现代化蕴含着深厚的中华文明底蕴。中国式现代化植根于中华五千多年文明沃土，它不是消灭、中断古老文明的现代化，而是中华文明赓续、更新的现代化。中华文明具有的突出特性，即突出的连续性、突出的创新性、突出的统一性、突出的包容性、突出的和平性，构成了中国式现代化深厚的文明底蕴。中华文明的思想精华，为中国式现代化提供了宝贵资源。中华民族精神为中国式现代化提供强大精神动力。中国式现代化将富有成效地推动中华文明的创造性转化和创新性发展，不断赋予中华文明以新的时代内涵，努力建设中华民族现代文明。

Second, Chinese-path modernization respects the diversity of world civilizations and respects the development paths chosen by each other. Diversity of civilizations is a basic feature of the world; without diversity, there would be no human civilization. Civilizations are equal, inclusive, and open. Chinese-path modernization advocates transcending estrangement between civilizations through civilizational exchange, transcending clashes between civilizations through civilizational mutual learning, and transcending the superiority of one civilization over others through civilizational coexistence. Chinese-path modernization breaks away from zero-sum game thinking, discards ideological prejudice, steps over the trap of civilizational conflict, and establishes a consciousness of a community with a shared future and a concept of win-win cooperation, where each is part of the other. It respects the development paths and models independently chosen by each country, making the diversity of world civilizations an inexhaustible driving force for the progress of human society. The garden of human civilization is colorful and diverse; it is precisely on the basis of diversity, through mutual competition, exchange, mutual learning, and integration, that social development and civilizational progress can be promoted.

第二，中国式现代化尊重世界文明多样性，尊重彼此选择的发展道路。文明多样性是世界的基本特征，没有多样性，就没有人类文明。文明是平等、包容、开放的。中国式现代化主张以文明交流超越文明隔阂，以文明互鉴超越文明冲突，以文明共存超越文明优越。中国式现代化跳出零和博弈思维，摒弃意识形态偏见，跨越文明冲突陷阱，树立你中有我、我中有你的命运共同体意识和合作共赢理念，相互尊重各国自主选择的发展道路和模式，让世界文明多样性成为人类社会进步的不竭动力。人类文明的百花园多姿多彩，正是基于多样性，在相互的竞争、交流、互鉴和融合中才能推动社会发展和文明进步。

Third, Chinese-path modernization contains a people-centered view of civilization. Chinese-path modernization takes the people as the fundamental purpose of modernization development, upholds the principal position of the people, unswervingly follows the path of political development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and ensures that the people manage state affairs through various channels and forms in accordance with the law. It emphasizes that the development of modernization must benefit all the people, achieve common prosperity for all the people, and enable all the people to share the fruits of modernization development.

第三，中国式现代化蕴含着以人民为中心的文明观。中国式现代化把人民作为现代化发展的根本目的，坚持人民主体地位，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，确保人民依法通过各种途径和形式管理国家事务。强调现代化的发展要造福全体人民，实现全体人民的共同富裕，使全体人民共享现代化的发展成果。

Fourth, Chinese-path modernization differs from Western modernization; it is not a modernization that advances a one-sided, unidirectional civilization, but a modernization that adheres to the coordinated development of civilization as a whole. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization of coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress. [3]3 “Cultural-ethical progress” (精神文明) is the standard rendering of the Chinese term that encompasses both ideological and moral cultivation and the development of education, science, and culture. Material civilization is highly developed, and cultural-ethical progress is highly enriched. Material civilization is the foundation of cultural-ethical progress, providing material conditions and practical experience for its development. Cultural-ethical progress provides spiritual motivation and intellectual support for the development of material civilization, and provides ideological guarantees for its development. The coordinated development and comprehensive enhancement of the “five civilizations”—material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization—is the strategic goal of building a great modern socialist country. [4]4 The “five-sphere integrated plan” (五位一体) for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, formally adopted at the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, coordinates these five dimensions.

第四，中国式现代化不同于西方现代化，它不是片面发展的单向度文明推进的现代化，而是坚持整体性文明协调发展的现代化。中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明协调发展的现代化。物质文明高度发达，精神文明高度丰富。物质文明是精神文明的基础，为精神文明发展提供物质条件和实践经验。精神文明为物质文明的发展提供精神动力和智力支持，为物质文明的发展提供思想保证。物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明“五大文明”协调发展和全面提升，是建设社会主义现代化强国的战略目标。

Fifth, Western modern civilization is merely one among many modern civilizations; it must never be said that Western civilization is modern civilization. Modernization is a profound transformation of human civilization, an irreversible trend of the times, an inevitable path for human society to seek progress, and a historical stage that every country and region must pass through in its own way. Just like the modernization of Western civilization, the modernization of other non-Western civilizations manifests as a transformation from their own traditional civilization to modern civilization. Non-Western civilizations, without abandoning their own traditional cultures, are fully capable of and can achieve their respective modernizations in different ways.

第五，西方现代文明仅仅是众多现代文明中的一种，绝不能讲西方文明就是现代文明。现代化是人类文明的一次深刻变革，是一种不可逆转的时代潮流，是人类社会谋求进步的必由之路，也是每个国家和地区以各自方式必经的历史阶段。正如西方文明的现代化一样，其他非西方文明的现代化，都表现为从自身的传统文明到现代文明的转型。非西方文明，在不放弃自身传统文化的前提下，完全能够并以不同的方式实现各自的现代化。

Sixth, Chinese-path modernization organically integrates Chinese civilization, socialist civilization, and other modern civilizations, creating a new form of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization is the generative carrier of the new form of human civilization, and the new form of human civilization is the inevitable result of Chinese-path modernization.

第六，中国式现代化将中华文明、社会主义文明和其他现代性文明有机融合，开创了一种人类文明新形态。中国式现代化是人类文明新形态的生成载体，人类文明新形态是中国式现代化的必然结果。

II. The Distinctive Features of Chinese-Path Modernization

二、中国式现代化的鲜明特征

Chinese-path modernization is a socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China; Party leadership is its most distinctive feature, directly related to the value orientation of Chinese-path modernization.

中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，党的领导是最大特色，它直接关系中国式现代化的价值取向。

First, Chinese-path modernization upholds the principle of independence, the core of which is to take our own path and open up new horizons for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It insists that China’s problems must be addressed starting from China’s basic national conditions and solved by the Chinese people themselves. The process of the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people to blaze the path of Chinese-path modernization is also a process of profound awakening to the splendid civilization created by this nation. The path of Chinese-path modernization is both a path consciousness and, even more, a civilizational consciousness, meaning that China must explore a path of Chinese-path modernization that both follows the general laws of modernization construction and differs from the Western path of modernization. The path of Chinese-path modernization is a transcendence of the Western path of modernization; it constructs China’s modernity discourse, creates a new form of human civilization, and manifests the Communist Party of China’s new view of civilization. Upholding the principle of independence and taking our own path is the foothold of all the Party’s theories and practices, and it is even more a historical conclusion drawn from the Party’s century-long struggle. The Communist Party of China “has always insisted on independently blazing a path forward, insisted on placing the development of the country and the nation on the basis of its own strength, and insisted that China’s affairs must be decided and handled by the Chinese people themselves.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, July 1, 2021. It firmly grasps the initiative in development and must never lose its independence or interrupt its own civilizational process.

第一，中国式现代化秉持独立自主原则，核心是走自己的路，开辟中华民族现代文明新境界。坚持中国的问题必须从中国基本国情出发，由中国人自己来解答。中国共产党带领中国人民开辟中国式现代化道路的探索历程，也是对本民族创造的灿烂文明深刻觉醒的历程。中国式现代化道路既是一种道路自觉，更是一种文明自觉，意味着中国要探索一条既遵循现代化建设的一般规律，又有别于西方现代化道路的中国式现代化道路。中国式现代化道路是对西方现代化道路的超越，它建构了中国的现代性话语，创造了人类文明新形态，彰显了中国共产党的新文明观。秉持独立自主原则，走自己的路，是党的全部理论和实践立足点，更是党百年奋斗得出的历史结论。中国共产党“历来坚持独立自主开拓前进道路，坚持把国家和民族发展放在自己力量的基点上，坚持中国的事情必须由中国人民自己作主张、自己来处理。”牢牢掌握发展的主动权，决不能丧失自身的独立性或者中断自身的文明进程。

Second, Chinese-path modernization establishes a view of civilization centered on common prosperity, advancing toward modernization that achieves common prosperity for all the people. Achieving common prosperity is an important feature of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization adheres to the people-first principle, highlighting the people-oriented nature of the modernization direction. Eliminating poverty and achieving common prosperity is an essential requirement of a socialist country and an important mission of the Communist Party of China. One of the essential differences between socialism and capitalism is that socialism must not only develop productive forces more advanced than those of capitalism but also gradually eliminate polarization and ultimately achieve common prosperity. To achieve the goal of common prosperity, it is necessary to correctly handle the relationship between growth and distribution through reasonable institutional arrangements, prevent monopoly and the disorderly expansion of capital, strive to maintain and promote social fairness and justice, and make the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life the starting point and ultimate goal of modernization construction.

第二，中国式现代化树立共同富裕文明观，朝着实现全体人民共同富裕的现代化迈进。实现共同富裕是中国式现代化的重要特征。中国式现代化坚持人民至上理念，突出现代化方向的人民性。消除贫困，实现共同富裕是社会主义国家的本质要求，是中国共产党的重要使命。社会主义与资本主义的本质区别之一就在于，既要发展比资本主义更先进的生产力，又要逐渐消除两极分化，最终实现共同富裕。实现共同富裕的目标，需要通过合理的制度安排正确处理增长和分配的关系，防止垄断和资本无序扩张，着力维护和促进社会公平正义，把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点。

Third, Chinese-path modernization contains a view of civilization of coordinated development. It is necessary not only to adhere to the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress but also to adhere to the coordinated development of the five civilizations: material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization. Moving from the coordinated development of “two civilizations” to the coordinated development of the “five civilizations” and taking the path of coordinated development are important features of Chinese-path modernization.

第三，中国式现代化蕴含着协调发展的文明观。不仅要坚持物质文明与精神文明协调发展，而且要坚持物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明五大文明协调发展。从“两个文明”协调发展再到“五大文明”协调发展，走协调发展之路，是中国式现代化的重要特征。

Fourth, Chinese-path modernization adheres to an ecological civilization view of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Taking the path of green development is an important feature of Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The modernization we are pursuing is one of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We must not only create more material and spiritual wealth to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, but also provide more high-quality ecological products to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment.”

第四，中国式现代化坚持人与自然和谐共生的生态文明观。走绿色发展之路，是中国式现代化的重要特征。习近平总书记指出：“我们要建设的现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，既要创造更多物质财富和精神财富以满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要，也要提供更多优质生态产品以满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要。”

Fifth, Chinese-path modernization adheres to a civilization view of peaceful development. China takes the path of peaceful development, does not take the old path of achieving development through aggression and expansion, and has successfully explored a new path of achieving national development and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through peaceful means. This breaks the traditional model of great-power development in which “a strong country is bound to seek hegemony” and provides a new choice for humanity to realize modernization.

第五，中国式现代化坚持和平发展文明观。中国走和平发展之路，不走侵略扩张实现发展的老路，成功探索出一条以和平方式实现国家发展和中华民族复兴的新路。打破了“国强必霸”的大国发展传统模式，提供了人类实现现代化的新选择。

III. The Unique Contributions of Chinese-Path Modernization

三、中国式现代化的独特贡献

The unique contributions of Chinese-path modernization are concentrated in the creation of a new form of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization is an organic integration of Chinese civilization, socialist civilization, and modern civilization, inaugurating a new form of civilization that transcends capitalist civilization.

中国式现代化的独特贡献，集中体现在创造人类文明新形态。中国式现代化是中华文明、社会主义文明和现代性文明的有机融合，开创了超越资本主义文明的新文明形态。

First, people-centeredness transcends capital-centeredness. The new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization takes the people as the fundamental purpose of modernization, upholds the principal position of the people, emphasizes that the development of modernization must benefit all the people, and enables all the people to share in the fruits of modernization. Capitalist modernization upholds the principal position of capital; the main purpose of modernization development is to maximize the value of capital, resulting in the fruits of modernization being enjoyed mainly by a minority. Classical Marxist writers profoundly criticized the phenomenon of “alienation” prevalent in capitalist society, progressively advancing from the alienation of things, to the alienation of humans from things, and then to the alienation of humans from humans, revealing a social phenomenon in which humans’ material and spiritual production and their products become an alien force that in turn dominates humans. Chinese-path modernization contributes a new form of civilization to humanity, opening up broad space for the free and comprehensive development of humans and the overall progress of society.

第一，以人民为中心超越以资本为中心。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，把人民作为现代化发展的根本目的，坚持人民主体地位，强调现代化的发展要造福全体人民，使全体人民共享现代化的发展成果。资本主义现代化坚持资本主体地位，现代化发展的主要目的在于实现资本价值最大化，导致现代化的发展成果主要由少数人享有。马克思主义经典作家曾对资本主义社会普遍存在的“异化”现象进行深刻的批判，从物的异化、人与物的异化，再到人与人的异化逐渐递进，揭示出人的物质生产与精神生产及其产品变成异己力量，反过来统治人的一种社会现象。中国式现代化为人类贡献一种文明新形态，为人的自由全面发展和社会全面进步开辟广阔空间。

Second, common prosperity transcends polarization. Common prosperity is a difficult problem in the development of human civilization; to date, no country in human society has perfectly solved this problem. The disparity between rich and poor and polarization are common problems in capital-dominated modernization. The new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization takes common prosperity for all the people as the starting point and important goal of modernization, advocates achieving the organic unity and coordinated development of material prosperity, spiritual enrichment, and ecological beauty through the common struggle of all the people, promotes the free and comprehensive development of humans, and truly realizes social fairness and justice. In contrast, the starting point and end point of capitalist modernization both lie in capital accumulation; capital, by appropriating surplus value and consciously relying on polarization, safeguards the interests of capital accumulation. Humans are alienated into tools for capital accumulation, the polarization between rich and poor becomes an inherent contradiction difficult to resolve, and social fairness and justice are difficult to truly realize.

第二，以共同富裕超越两极分化。共同富裕是人类文明发展中的难题，人类社会迄今为止，没有哪个国家完美地解决了这个问题。贫富悬殊、两极分化是以资本为主导的现代化普遍出现的问题。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，把全体人民共同富裕作为现代化的出发点和重要目标，主张通过全体人民的共同奋斗，实现物质富裕、精神富足与生态美好的有机统一和协调发展，促进人的自由全面发展，真正实现社会公平正义。而资本主义现代化的起点和终点皆在资本增殖，资本通过占有剩余价值并有意识地借助两极分化，来维护资本增殖的权益。人被异化为资本增殖的工具，贫富两极分化成为难以解决的内在矛盾，社会公平正义难以真正实现。

Third, the coordinated development of the five spheres [6]6 The five spheres refer to material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilization, as outlined in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan (五位一体) for overall development under socialism with Chinese characteristics. transcends one-dimensional development. In the new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization, material civilization provides material and technological conditions, political civilization provides leadership and institutional guarantees, spiritual civilization provides spiritual bonds, moral strength, and intellectual support, social civilization provides livelihood, social order, and social organizational support, and ecological civilization provides a sound ecological environmental foundation. The internal tensions and contradictory movements formed by the five spheres drive the progress of overall civilization. In contrast, capitalist modernization easily manifests a state of imbalance characterized by one-dimensional development: it focuses only on wealth growth, while the comprehensive development of humans is distorted, the environment is severely damaged, and fairness and justice are difficult to guarantee.

第三，以五大文明协调发展超越单面化发展。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，以物质文明提供物质技术条件，政治文明提供领导力量以及制度保障，精神文明提供精神纽带、道义力量和智力支持，社会文明提供民生、社会秩序和社会组织支撑，生态文明提供良好的生态环境基础。五大文明形成的内在张力和矛盾运动，推动着整体文明的进步。而资本主义现代化，极易出现单面化发展的失衡状态：表现为只注重财富增长，人的全面发展却扭曲，环境遭到严重破坏，公平正义难以得到保障。

Fourth, harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature transcends the opposition between humanity and nature. The new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization regards humanity and nature as a community of life, holding that a sound ecological environment is the most inclusive public good for people’s well-being. It adheres to the concept of ecological priority and green development, creating more material and spiritual wealth while revering nature, respecting nature, understanding nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature. In contrast, capitalist modernization advocates anthropocentrism, setting humanity and nature in opposition; humans occupy the principal position in modernization, while nature occupies the object position, and by relying on the powerful force of modern technology, it destroys the ecological balance between humanity and nature.

第四，以人与自然和谐共生超越人与自然对立。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，把人与自然当作生命共同体，认为良好生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉。坚持生态优先和绿色发展理念，在敬畏自然、尊重自然、认识自然、顺应自然、保护自然中，创造更多物质财富和精神财富。而资本主义现代化，奉行人类中心主义，将人与自然相对立，人处于现代化的主体地位，自然界处于现代化的客体地位，凭借现代科技的强大力量，破坏了人与自然的生态平衡。

Fifth, peaceful development, win-win cooperation transcends hegemonism, colonialism, and external plunder. The new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization insists on seeking development in peace, promoting peace through development, creating win-win outcomes through cooperation, and promoting cooperation through win-win outcomes. A strong country does not seek hegemony. In contrast, capitalist modernization, through colonial movements, plundered vast amounts of world wealth to achieve the expansion of capitalist markets. Through hegemonic intervention and control over the development strategies and economic policies of developing countries, it strives to extract economic benefits from them. The old path of “Western-style modernization” realized through war, colonization, plunder, and other means has brought profound suffering to the people of developing countries. Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has possessed a cultural gene that esteems peace; “harmony in diversity” is an inherent trait of Chinese culture, and the pursuit of peace, amity, and harmony is deeply rooted in the spiritual world of the Chinese nation. Chinese-path modernization takes the path of peaceful development and safeguards a peaceful and stable development environment.

第五，以和平发展合作共赢超越霸权主义、殖民主义、对外掠夺。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，坚持在和平中求发展，在发展中促和平，在合作中创共赢，在共赢中促合作。国强而不霸。而资本主义现代化，在殖民运动中大量掠夺世界财富实现资本主义市场的扩张。通过霸权干预和控制广大发展中国家的发展战略和经济政策，竭力从发展中国家攫取经济利益。“西方式现代化”通过战争、殖民、掠夺等方式实现现代化的老路，给广大发展中国家人民带来了深重苦难。中华民族自古就有崇尚和平的文化基因，“和而不同”是中华文化的内在特质，对和平、和睦、和谐的追求深深根植于中华民族的精神世界之中。中国式现代化走和平发展道路、维护和平稳定的发展环境。

Sixth, civilization exchange transcends civilization estrangement, civilization mutual learning transcends civilization conflict, and civilization coexistence transcends civilization superiority. The new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization insists on promoting a civilization view of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, respects the diversity of world civilizations, and puts forward the theory of mutual learning among world civilizations and the theory of coexistence of civilizations, in order to transcend the “Western-centric” theory of civilization superiority and the theory of civilization conflict. Using the modes of thinking of “harmony in diversity,” “beauty in diversity,” and “a world of great harmony,” it advocates building a community with a shared future for mankind centered on civilization exchange and mutual learning. The unique spiritual characteristics of Chinese civilization can contribute Eastern wisdom to advancing world civilization.

第六，以文明交流超越文明隔阂、以文明互鉴超越文明冲突、以文明共存超越文明优越。中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态，坚持弘扬平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观，尊重世界文明多样性，提出世界文明互鉴论、文明共存论，以超越“西方中心主义”的文明优越论、文明冲突论。以“和而不同”“美美与共”“天下大同”的思维方式，倡导以文明交流互鉴为核心构建人类命运共同体。中华文明独特的精神特质能够为推进世界文明贡献东方智慧。

Seventh, the path of Chinese-path modernization breaks the “myth” of capitalist modernization, reconstructs the overall picture of world modernization, and makes an original contribution in the history of human civilization development. The Western modernization model, originating in Europe and America, was long touted as the only path to modernization. Adhering to independence and self-reliance presents a picture of Chinese-path modernization different from Westernization, expands the avenues for developing countries to achieve modernization, sets an example for developing countries to independently move toward modernization, and provides them with a completely new choice.

第七，中国式现代化道路，打破了资本主义现代化的“神话”，重构了世界现代化的整体图景，在人类文明发展史上具有原创性贡献。发端于欧美的西方现代化模式曾长期被标榜为实现现代化的必由之路。坚持独立自主展现了中国式现代化不同于西方化的另一幅图景，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径，为广大发展中国家独立自主迈向现代化树立了典范，为其提供了全新选择。

In summary, Chinese civilization is a great civilization and has made significant contributions to the cause of human civilization progress. To develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the deep foundation of Chinese civilization is our “path that must be taken” and also our “greatest magic weapon.” [7]7 “Path that must be taken” and “greatest magic weapon” are standard Party formulations; the former often refers to the necessity of the socialist path, and the latter to the combination of Marxism with China’s specific realities. Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, and Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage. Adhering to a global vision, we actively learn from and draw on all beneficial achievements of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization has an extremely broad space for development. History and reality will ultimately prove that the path of Chinese-path modernization will become broader and broader.

总之，中华文明是伟大的文明，为人类文明进步事业作出了重大贡献。在中华文明深厚基础上开辟和发展中国特色社会主义，这是我们的“必由之路”，也是我们的“最大法宝”。中国式现代化赋予中华文明以现代力量，中华文明赋予中国式现代化以深厚底蕴。坚持胸怀天下，积极学习借鉴人类文明的一切有益成果。中国式现代化拥有无比广阔的发展空间。历史和现实终将证明，中国式现代化道路将越走越宽广。

(Author’s bio: Zhang Xiaoping, Researcher at the Institute of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Marxism, University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者简介：张小平，中国社会科学院马克思主义研究院研究员，中国社会科学院大学马克思主义学院教授、博士生导师）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心