An Analysis of the “Change” and “Constancy” in the Themes of the Third Plenary Sessions since Reform and Opening Up

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “What issues the Third Plenary Sessions study, what decisions they make, what measures they adopt, and what signals they release are important bases for people to judge and understand the governance policies and work priorities of a given central leadership collective,” and “what has remained constant in the Third Plenary Sessions is the study and discussion of the issue of ‘reform’.” [1]1 The “Third Plenary Sessions” refer to the third plenary sessions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which have historically been key meetings for setting major reform agendas. This releases a strong signal of unswervingly holding high the great banner of reform, embodying a consistent firmness and persistence in the theories, guidelines, lines, and policies established since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party. Ultimately, each Third Plenary Session answers the long-term fundamental question of what banner to hold and what path to take, while the changes are reflected in the specific background of the time and the prominent issues facing the cause of the Party and the people.

习近平总书记指出：“历届三中全会研究什么议题、做出什么决定、采取什么举措、释放什么信号，是人们判断理解一届中央领导集体施政方针和工作重点的重要依据”，历届三中全会始终不变的是研究讨论‘改革’问题”。释放出坚定不移高举改革伟大旗帜的强烈信号，体现出对党的十一届三中全会以来确定的理论、方针、路线、政策一以贯之的坚定与执着，历届三中全会归根到底都是回答举什么旗、走什么路这一事关长远的重大问题，而变化则体现在当时特殊的背景以及党和人民事业所面临的突出问题中。

I. A Review of the Themes of the Third Plenary Sessions since Reform and Opening Up

一、改革开放以来历届三中全会主题回顾

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee was convened against the special background of a complex and severe domestic situation and a significant development gap with European and American countries. It was a meeting of great turning-point significance held at a critical historical juncture for the future of the Chinese nation. The session focused on the theme of rural reform, shifted the focus of the Party’s work to socialist modernization, and re-established and restored the Party’s ideological line, political line, and organizational line, correcting the course for socialist construction.

党的十一届三中全会是在面对国内复杂严峻的形势和与欧美国家发展存在较大差距的特殊背景下召开的，是在中华民族何去何从的关键历史关头召开的一次十分重要的转折意义的会议。会议聚焦农村改革这一主题，将全党工作重心转移到社会主义现代化建设上来；重新恢复和确立了党的思想路线、政治路线和组织路线，为社会主义建设拨正了航向。

The Third Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee was convened against the background of great achievements in rural economic system reform and significant results and accumulated experience in the exploration of urban economic system reform. Focusing on the theme of invigorating enterprises, it adopted the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Economic System Reform,” put forward the important thesis of implementing a “planned commodity economy,” [2]2 “Planned commodity economy” was a transitional concept used in the mid-1980s to describe an economy combining state planning with market mechanisms, preceding the full adoption of the “socialist market economy” in 1992. spoke “new words that the ancestors had not spoken,” [3]3 This phrase refers to the idea of breaking new theoretical ground beyond the classical texts of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. and unveiled the great prelude to opening up a new phase of socialist modernization.

党的十二届三中全会是在我国经济体制改革在农村取得巨大成就，城市经济体制改革探索中也取得了重要成效和积累了许多经验的背景下，聚焦增强企业活力主题，做出了《中共中央关于经济体制改革的决定》，提出了实行“有计划的商品经济”的重要论断，说了“老祖宗没有说过的新话”，揭开了开创社会主义现代化建设新局面的伟大序幕。

The Third Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee was convened against the background of economic disorder caused by the transition between old and new systems, excessively rapid price increases, and impacts on the daily lives of the people. The session focused on economic environment governance and based itself on rectifying the economic order as the main direction for deepening reform, clearing the path for further deepening reform and solving the people’s livelihood issues.

党的十三届三中全会是在国内新旧体制转换出现经济秩序混乱、物价上涨过快，影响到人民群众的日常生活的背景下召开的。全会聚焦经济环境治理、立足整顿经济秩序作为深化改革的主要指向，为进一步深化改革、解决人民群众民生问题扫清了道路。

The Third Plenary Session of the 14th Central Committee was convened against the background of the whole Party having clarified a series of theoretical misunderstandings, resolved major issues that had long troubled and constrained people’s ideological understanding, and, in particular, the 14th National Congress having clarified the goal of economic system reform. [4]4 The 14th National Congress of the CPC (1992) formally established the goal of building a “socialist market economy.” Taking the construction of the basic framework of a socialist market economy as a breakthrough, the session embarked on a new journey of economic system transformation.

党的十四届三中全会是在全党澄清了一系列理论认识误区，解决长期困扰和束缚人们思想认识等重大问题，特别是党的十四大明确经济体制改革目标的背景下召开的。全会以构建社会主义市场经济体制基本框架为突破口，开启了经济体制变革的新征程。

The Third Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee was convened against the background of over 20 years of rural reform, the increasingly prominent position of the “three rural issues” (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers) in the overall situation of reform and opening up and modernization, and especially the imbalance in urban-rural development. The session clarified the goal of building a new socialist countryside with Chinese characteristics and made further arrangements and deployments for deepening rural reform.

党的十五届三中全会是在农村改革20余年，“三农”在改革开放和现代化建设全局中的地位日益凸显，特别是城乡发展不平衡的背景下召开的。全会明确了建设有中国特色社会主义新农村的奋斗目标，对深化农村改革进行再安排再部署。

The Third Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee was convened against the background of the 16th National Congress having set the grand goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the strategic deployment of establishing and perfecting a socialist market economy system, China’s official accession to the World Trade Organization, major changes in the international and domestic economic environment, and the gradual emergence of institutional obstacles. The session focused on the theme of perfecting the socialist market economy system, pushed China’s reform and opening up and modernization to a new stage, provided strong impetus for economic and social development, and effectively promoted the improvement of the socialist market economy system.

党的十六届三中全会是在党的十六大提出全面建设小康社会的宏伟目标和建成完善社会主义市场经济体制的战略部署，我国正式加入世界贸易组织，国际国内经济环境发生重大变化，体制性障碍逐渐显现的背景下召开的，全会重点关注完善社会主义市场经济体制这一主题，把我国改革开放和现代化建设推向新的阶段，为经济社会发展提供了强大动力，有力促进了社会主义市场经济体制的完善。

The Third Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee was convened on the 30th anniversary of reform and opening up, when building a moderately prosperous society in all respects had achieved the historic leap in farmers’ lives from having enough to eat and wear to moderate prosperity in general, while the urban-rural income gap was still widening and the urban-rural dual structure had not been fundamentally changed. Focusing again on rural reform, the session clarified the strategic deployment of building a new socialist countryside, planned the formation of a new pattern of integrated urban-rural economic and social development, and put forward the policy of industry nurturing agriculture, cities supporting rural areas, and “giving more, taking less, and loosening controls,” achieving good results in promoting sound and rapid development of the rural economy and society.

党的十七届三中全会是在改革开放30周年，全面建设小康社会实现了农民生活从温饱到总体小康的历史性跨越，同时城乡居民收入差距仍在扩大，城乡二元结构没有得到根本改变的背景下，再次聚焦农村改革，明确了建设社会主义新农村的战略部署，规划了加快形成城乡经济社会发展一体化新格局，提出了工业反哺农业、城市支持农村和“多予、少取、放活”方针，取得了推动农村经济社会又好又快发展的良好效果。

The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee was convened against the background of reform and opening up entering the “fast lane,” the “tough period” and “deep water zone,” where the easy reforms had been completed, reforms in certain areas had achieved remarkable results, and socialism with Chinese characteristics had entered a New Era. The construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics involves all fields of economic and social development, necessitating the start of a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform. The session clarified that economic system reform is the focus of comprehensively deepening reform, took the relationship between the government and the market as the core issue, and proposed a comprehensive reform plan for several important long-term issues.

党的十八届三中全会是在改革开放驶入“快车道”，进入攻坚期和深水区，容易改的都改了，某些领域的改革取得了显著成效，中国特色社会主义进入新时代的背景下召开的，中国特色社会主义建设涉及经济社会发展的各个领域，必须开启全面深化改革的新征程。全会明确了经济体制改革是全面深化改革的重点，以政府和市场的关系为核心问题，对事关长远的若干重要问题，提出了全面综合的改革方案。

The Third Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee was convened against the background where the setup and functional allocation of Party and state institutions were not fully adapted to the requirements of coordinating the promotion of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, nor fully adapted to the requirements of comprehensively deepening reform. [5]5 The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan refers to China’s overall plan for economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress. The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy refers to comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively governing the country according to law, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. The session reviewed and adopted the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Deepening the Reform of Party and State Institutions,” clearly stating that the functional system of Party and state institutions is an important component of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and an important guarantee for our Party’s governance. It made strategic deployments for perfecting the system of upholding the Party’s overall leadership, optimizing the setup and functional allocation of government institutions, coordinating the reform of Party, government, military, and mass organization institutions, and rationally setting up local institutions.

党的十九届三中全会是在党和国家机构设置和职能配置同统筹推进中国特色社会主义“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局的要求还不完全适应，同全面深化改革要求还不完全适应的背景下召开的。全会审议通过了《中共中央关于深化党和国家机构改革的决定》，鲜明指出，党和国家机构职能体系是中国特色社会主义制度的重要组成部分，是我们党治国理政的重要保障。对完善坚持党的全面领导的制度，优化政府机构设置和职能配置，统筹党政军群机构改革，合理设置地方机构等方面工作做出战略部署。

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee was convened ten years after the comprehensive deepening of reform, when our Party had led the people to create the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform had achieved phased results, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics had become more mature and more established, and at the same time, facing increasingly complex and volatile international and domestic situations, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, the transformation of the principal social contradiction, and the new expectations of the people. [6]6 The principal social contradiction in the New Era is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life. The session proposed a series of major strategic deployments, including building a high-level socialist market economy system, improving the institutions and mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, building institutions and mechanisms for supporting comprehensive innovation, perfecting the macroeconomic governance system, perfecting the institutions and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, perfecting the institutions and mechanisms for high-level opening up, perfecting the system of whole-process people’s democracy, perfecting the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanisms, perfecting the system of institutions for ensuring and improving people’s livelihood, deepening the reform of the ecological civilization system, advancing the modernization of the national security system and capacity, continuously deepening the reform of national defense and the military, and raising the Party’s leadership level in further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. The connotation of comprehensive reform is richer, the focus is more prominent, and the requirements are higher.

党的二十届三中全会是在全面深化改革10周年之后，我们党带领人民创造了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹，全面深化改革的总目标取得阶段性成效，中国特色社会主义制度更加成熟、更加定型，同时面对日趋纷繁复杂的国际国内形势，新一轮的科技革命和产业变革，社会主要矛盾转化和人民群众新期待的背景下召开的。全会提出构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，健全推动经济高质量发展体制机制，构建支持全面创新体制机制，健全宏观经济治理体系，完善城乡融合发展体制机制，完善高水平对外开放体制机制，健全全过程人民民主制度体系，完善中国特色社会主义法治体系，深化文化体制机制改革，健全保障和改善民生制度体系，深化生态文明体制改革，推进国家安全体系和能力现代化，持续深化国防和军队改革，提高党对进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的领导水平等一系列重大战略部署。全面改革的内涵更丰富、重点更突出、要求更高。

II. The “Change” and “Constancy” in the Themes of the Third Plenary Sessions since Reform and Opening Up

二、改革开放以来历届三中全会主题之“变”与不变

The change and constancy in the themes of the “odd-numbered” Third Plenary Sessions. Most “odd-numbered” Third Plenary Sessions focus on key issues and key areas—this is the change in the Third Plenary Sessions. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee took rural reform as a breakthrough, unveiling the prelude to national reform and opening up; the Third Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee focused on the economic environment and economic order, seeking breakthroughs from the crux of the problems facing reform; the Third Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee focused on the “three rural issues,” again targeting rural reform; the Third Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee still focused on rural reform, proposing the strategic deployment of building a new socialist countryside. The Third Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee resolved the issues of Party and state institutions and functions that constrained comprehensively deepening reform, and continuously optimized the national governance system and governance capacity within the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform. Thus, it can be seen that the constancy in the “odd-numbered” Third Plenary Sessions is the continuous focus on key areas of reform and key cruxes of reform, using key breakthroughs to drive the deepening of reform.

“单数届”的三中全会主题的变与不变。“单数届”的三中全会大多聚焦重点问题、重点领域，这是三中全会之变。党的十一届三中全会以农村改革为突破口，揭开全国改革开放的序幕；党的十三届三中全会聚焦经济环境与经济秩序，从改革面临的症结问题寻求突破；党的十五届三中全会关注“三农问题”，再次剑指农村改革；党的十七届三中全会仍然关注农村改革，提出建设社会主义新农村的战略部署。党的十九届三中全会解决了制约全面深化改革的党政机构和职能理顺问题，并持续优化全面深化改革总目标中的国家治理体系和治理能力。由此可见，“单数届”三中全会不变的就是持续关注改革重点领域、改革关键症结，以重点突破牵引深化改革。

The change and constancy in the themes of the “even-numbered” Third Plenary Sessions. The themes of the Third Plenary Sessions of the 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th Central Committees of the CPC all focus on economic system reform. The Third Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee focused on urban economic system reform and put forward the important thesis of a planned commodity economy; the Third Plenary Session of the 14th Central Committee took the construction of the basic framework of the socialist market economy system as its focal point; the Third Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee focused on the theme of perfecting the socialist market economy system; the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee made major deployments for comprehensively deepening reform, but still clearly stated that economic system reform was the focus of comprehensively deepening reform; the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee carried out strategic planning for further comprehensively deepening reform, particularly focusing on building a high-level socialist market economy system. In summary, the “even-numbered” Third Plenary Sessions all focus on economic system reform; this is the manifestation of the constancy of the themes of the Third Plenary Sessions. What changes are the emphases: from distinguishing the relationship between planning and the market, and the relationship between the socialist system and the market economy, to the coordination of urban and rural economic system reform, and then to clarifying the focus of comprehensively deepening reform; from the construction of the basic framework of the socialist market economy system, to the perfection of the socialist market economy system, and then to the strategic deployment for building a high-level socialist market economy system.

“双数届”三中全会主题的变与不变。党的十二届三中全会、十四届三中全会、十六届三中全会、十八届三中全会、二十届三中全会主题均聚焦经济体制改革。党的十二届三中全会聚焦城市经济体制改革，提出了有计划的商品经济的重要论断；党的十四届三中全会以构建社会主义市场经济体制基本框架为着眼点；党的十六届三中全会重点关注完善社会主义市场经济体制这一主题；党的十八届三中全会做出了全面深化改革的重大部署，但是仍然明确经济体制改革是全面深化改革的重点；党的二十届三中全会对进一步全面深化改革进行战略谋划，特别聚焦构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制。综上可见“双数届”的三中全会均聚焦经济体制改革，这是三中全会主题不变的体现，变化的是侧重点，从辨析计划和市场的关系、社会主义制度与市场经济的关系，到城乡经济体制改革的协调，再到明确全面深化改革的重点；从社会主义市场经济体制基本框架的构建，到社会主义市场经济体制的完善，再到构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制的战略部署。

Looking across all the Third Plenary Sessions of the CPC Central Committee since reform and opening up, the fundamental guarantee of reform has always remained unchanged — upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party is our “stabilizing anchor” [7]7 “Stabilizing anchor” (定海神针): A Chinese idiom referring to a mythical iron pillar that stabilizes the sea, used here metaphorically to denote a crucial stabilizing force. for achieving the great turn, opening up the New Period, the New Era, and the new journey, responding to risks and challenges, even stormy waves, ensuring the correct direction of reform, and unswervingly advancing comprehensively deepening reform. The value orientation of reform has always remained unchanged — adhering to a people-centered approach is not only the value thread running through the entire reform process, but also the main force of comprehensively deepening reform; it is both the starting point and the end point and destination of comprehensively deepening reform. Only by conforming to the will of the people, respecting the principal position of the people, and following the mass line can our reform cause break through waves and thorns and forge ahead courageously. The direction and path of reform have always remained unchanged — we must adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Direction determines the future; the path determines destiny. The practice of reform has fully proven that the evil path of changing the banner [8]8 “Changing the banner” (改旗易帜): A political phrase referring to abandoning socialism and adopting a different political system, often associated with the “evil path” of capitalist restoration. will bury the prospects of socialism, and the old path of rigidity and isolation will miss opportunities for development. We must uphold the sobriety and firmness of “unchanged ambition, unchanged path,” and have a clear understanding and clear direction regarding what should be changed and what should not be changed, what to change and how to change. The mission and task of reform have always remained unchanged — we must adhere to the principle that development is the foundation and key to solving all problems. To achieve development, we must firmly grasp economic construction as the central task; to achieve development, we must persist in focusing on scientific development and high-quality development. Through development, we meet the people’s new expectations for a better life; through development, we promote the realization of the great historical cause of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

综观改革开放以来的历届三中全会，改革的根本保证始终不变——坚持党的集中统一领导是我们实现伟大转折，开启新时期、新时代、新征程，应对风险挑战甚至是惊涛海浪，确保改革正确航向和坚定不移推进全面深化改革的“定海神针”。改革的价值依归始终不变——坚持以人民为中心既是贯穿改革始终的价值主线，也是全面深化改革的主体力量，既是全面深化改革的出发点，也是全面深化改革的落脚点和归宿。唯有顺应群众意愿、尊重人民主体地位、走群众路线，我们的改革事业才会劈浪斩棘、勇往直前。改革的方向道路始终不变——必须坚持走中国特色社会主义道路。方向决定前途，道路决定命运。改革的实践充分证明，改旗易帜的邪路会葬送社会主义前途，僵化封闭的老路会错失发展良机。我们要秉持志不改、道不变的清醒和坚定，对于什么该改、什么不该改，改什么、怎样改，做到底数清、方向明。改革的使命任务始终不变——必须坚持发展是解决一切问题的基础和关键。要发展就要扭住经济建设为中心不动摇，要发展就要坚持聚焦科学发展和高质量发展。通过发展满足人民对美好生活的新期待，通过发展助推中华民族伟大复兴的历史伟业的实现。

(Chen Xuefeng, Professor at the School of Marxism, Liaoning Petrochemical University)

（陈雪峰，辽宁石油化工大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧

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