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

The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization" (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision"), deliberated and adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is the general mobilization and general deployment for driving comprehensive deepening of reform to greater breadth and depth on the new journey of the New Era. The "Decision" clarifies the major principles for further deepening reform comprehensively, one of which is "adhering to a people-centered approach." Reform and opening up are the cause of hundreds of millions of people themselves. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Reform and development must adhere to a people-centered approach, take the people's aspiration for a better life as our goal of struggle, and rely on the people to create historic achievements!" To deeply study and comprehend the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches, and to study, implement, and carry out the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China well, we must firmly grasp the major principle of adhering to a people-centered approach, respect the principal position and pioneering spirit of the people, ensure that wherever the people call, reform responds, and achieve reform for the people, reform relying on the people, and reform results shared by the people.

党的二十届三中全会审议通过的《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》）是新时代新征程上推动全面深化改革向广度和深度进军的总动员、总部署。《决定》明确了进一步全面深化改革的重大原则，其中一条是“坚持以人民为中心”。改革开放是亿万人民自己的事业。习近平总书记指出：“改革发展必须坚持以人民为中心，把人民对美好生活的向往作为我们的奋斗目标，依靠人民创造历史伟业！”深入学习领会习近平总书记重要讲话精神，学习好贯彻好党的二十届三中全会精神，必须牢牢把握坚持以人民为中心这一重大原则，尊重人民主体地位和首创精神，人民有所呼、改革有所应，做到改革为了人民、改革依靠人民、改革成果由人民共享。

Achieve Reform for the People

做到改革为了人民

The people-oriented nature is the essential attribute of Marxism. Marx and Engels pointed out in the "Communist Manifesto": "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." Always being with the people and fighting for the interests of the people is the fundamental distinction between a Marxist political party and other political parties. Seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists, and it is also the original aspiration and founding mission of reform and opening up.

人民性是马克思主义的本质属性。马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中指出：“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。”始终同人民在一起，为人民利益而奋斗，是马克思主义政党同其他政党的根本区别。为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴，是中国共产党人的初心和使命，也是改革开放的初心和使命。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only when reform is for the people does it have meaning." Our Party's efforts to pursue reform and promote development are, in the final analysis, to enable the people to live a better life. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has thoroughly implemented the

习近平总书记指出：“为了人民而改革，改革才有意义”。我们党抓改革、促发展，归根到底就是为了让人民过上更好的日子。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央深入贯彻以人民为中心的发展思想，抓住人民最关心最直接最现实的利益问题推进改革，在幼有所育、学有所教、劳有所得、病有所医、老有所养、住有所居、弱有所扶上持续用力。比如，大力推进户籍制度改革，促进有能力在城镇稳定就业和生活的常住人口有序实现市民化，稳步推进城镇基本公共服务常住人口全覆盖；建成世界上规模最大的教育体系、社会保障体系、医疗卫生体系，教育普及水平实现历史性跨越，2023年基本养老保险覆盖10.66亿人、基本医疗保险参保率稳定在95%以上……一系列改革举措让人民群众获得感、幸福感、安全感更加充实、更有保障、更可持续。

As the times develop, the needs of the people are also constantly changing. Facing the new expectations of the people, it is necessary to continue pushing reform forward, and this inevitably requires that reform be carried out for the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “If it cannot bring tangible benefits to the common people, if it cannot create a fairer social environment, or even leads to more unfairness, then reform loses its meaning and cannot be sustained.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Explanatory Notes on the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Comprehensively Deepening Reform on Several Major Issues’,” November 9, 2013. To further deepen reform comprehensively, we must firmly grasp the value orientation. During the drafting process of the *Decision*, several key points were emphasized, one of which is “upholding the primacy of the people, and planning and advancing reform from the perspective of the people’s overall interests, fundamental interests, and long-term interests.” [2]2 The “Decision” refers to the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization,” adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC in July 2024. Only by upholding the primacy of the people, planning reform ideas and formulating reform measures from the perspective of the people’s interests, and grasping and properly handling the major issues involved in reform, can we continuously realize the people’s aspiration for a better life. Only then does such reform have meaning.

时代在发展，人民群众的需求也在不断变化。面对人民群众新期待，必须继续把改革推向前进，也必然要求做到改革为了人民。习近平总书记指出：“如果不能给老百姓带来实实在在的利益，如果不能创造更加公平的社会环境，甚至导致更多不公平，改革就失去意义，也不可能持续。”进一步全面深化改革，必须把牢价值取向，《决定》在起草过程中重点把握了几点，其中之一就是“坚持人民至上，从人民整体利益、根本利益、长远利益出发谋划和推进改革”。只有坚持人民至上，从人民利益出发谋划改革思路、制定改革举措，把握和处理好涉及改革的重大问题，才能不断实现人民对美好生活的向往，这样的改革才有意义。

To ensure reform is for the people, it is necessary to deeply understand the needs of the people, solve the practical problems they face, and improve their living standards. To this end, in-depth research must be conducted, opinions from all sides must be widely solicited, and the people’s needs in areas such as employment, education, healthcare, childcare, housing, and elderly care must be understood. Attention must be paid to identifying the focal points and breakthroughs for reform from the people’s urgent concerns and pressing difficulties, introducing more reform measures that address urgent livelihood issues and align with popular sentiment, and doing more practical things that benefit people’s livelihoods, warm their hearts, and conform to their wishes. At the same time, whether reform promotes economic and social development and whether it brings a tangible sense of gain to the people should be taken as the evaluation standard for reform effectiveness, continuously improving and perfecting various policies and measures.

做到改革为了人民，必须深入了解人民群众需求，解决人民群众面临的实际问题，提升人民群众生活水平。为此，要深入调研，广泛听取各方面意见，了解人民群众在就业、教育、医疗、托育、住房、养老等方面的需求。要注重从老百姓急难愁盼中找准改革的发力点和突破口，多推出一些民生所急、民心所向的改革举措，多办一些惠民生、暖民心、顺民意的实事。同时，把是否促进经济社会发展、是否给人民群众带来实实在在的获得感作为改革成效的评价标准，不断改进和完善各项政策措施。

To ensure reform relies on the people

做到改革依靠人民

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Reform gains its momentum only by relying on the people.” [3]3 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in Beijing in July 2024, focusing on further comprehensively deepening reform. The people are the creators of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the country. Over the past 40-plus years, 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 have all come from the wisdom and practice of hundreds of millions of people. History and practice have fully proven that without the support and participation of the people, no reform can succeed. No matter what difficulties and challenges are encountered, as long as there is the support and participation of the people, there is no difficulty in reform that cannot be overcome, and no hurdle that cannot be crossed.

习近平总书记指出：“依靠人民而改革，改革才有动力”。人民是历史的创造者，是决定党和国家前途命运的根本力量。40多年来，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。历史和实践充分证明，没有人民支持和参与，任何改革都不可能取得成功。无论遇到任何困难和挑战，只要有人民支持和参与，改革就没有克服不了的困难，就没有越不过的坎。

In the New Era, one of the main reasons why comprehensively deepening reform has achieved historic and great accomplishments is the extensive solicitation of opinions and suggestions from the masses, the timely summarization of fresh experiences created by the masses, and the full mobilization of the masses’ enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity in advancing reform. For example, to draft the proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over seven symposiums and emphasized: “We must take a long-term view, grasp the general trend, open our doors to solicit advice, pool wisdom, and combine strengthening top-level design with persisting in seeking advice from the people.” [4]4 A classical allusion from *The Doctrine of the Mean* (《中庸》), meaning to achieve both broad scope and fine detail in one’s work. As another example, before this plenary session, the document drafting group extensively solicited opinions, conducted special demonstrations, carried out research and investigations, and repeatedly discussed and revised. These are vivid practices of extensively listening to the opinions and suggestions of the masses and fully absorbing the wisdom of the masses into the design of reform. In the process of comprehensively deepening reform, precisely because we have always adhered to a people-centered approach, respected the principal position of the people, and closely relied on the people to drive reform, we have been able to write a new chapter of the “two miracles” [5]5 A metaphor popularized by Xi Jinping, emphasizing persistence and tenacity in carrying out tasks, likening each step to driving a nail firmly into place. in our arduous struggle.

新时代，全面深化改革之所以能取得历史性伟大成就，一个主要原因就是广泛听取群众意见和建议，及时总结群众创造的新鲜经验，充分调动群众推进改革的积极性、主动性、创造性。比如，为了起草好“十四五”规划建议，习近平总书记主持召开7场座谈会，并强调：“我们要着眼长远、把握大势，开门问策、集思广益，把加强顶层设计和坚持问计于民结合起来”。又如，这次全会前，文件起草组广泛征求意见，开展专题论证，进行调查研究，反复讨论修改。这些都是广泛听取群众意见和建议，把群众智慧充分吸收到改革设计中来的生动实践。在全面深化改革过程中，正是因为始终坚持以人民为中心，尊重人民主体地位，紧紧依靠人民推动改革，我们才在披荆斩棘的奋斗中续写了两大奇迹的新篇章。

The further reform progresses, the more hard bones there are to chew, and advancing reform involves many contradictions and great difficulties, but not reforming is not an option. At the same time, the people still have many worries and vexations, and our work on people’s livelihoods still has many unsatisfactory aspects. The heavier the reform tasks, the more we must rely on the support and participation of the people, be adept at leading the people forward by proposing and implementing correct reform measures, and be adept at improving reform policies and propositions based on the people’s practical creations and developmental requirements. Before the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium of enterprises and experts, focusing on reform and opening the door to seek advice, stating that “relevant departments should seriously study and absorb the opinions and suggestions on further comprehensively deepening reform put forward by everyone.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium of enterprises and experts, May 23, 2024. The people contain infinite wisdom and strength. In the process of further comprehensively deepening reform, when encountering interest issues that are complex and difficult to weigh, or deep-seated problems that are very difficult to resolve, we must persist in seeking advice from the people and asking about their needs, strengthen research on major reform issues, listen as much as possible to the voices from the grassroots and the front line in reform design, fully absorb social demands, the wisdom of the masses, and grassroots experience, and rely on the strength of the people to find ideas and momentum for solving problems.

改革越往后，难啃的硬骨头越多，推进改革矛盾多、难度大，但不改不行。同时，人民群众还有不少操心事、烦心事，我们的民生工作还有不少不尽如人意的地方。改革任务越繁重，就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。党的二十届三中全会召开前，习近平总书记主持召开企业和专家座谈会，聚焦改革，开门问策，表示“对大家提出的进一步全面深化改革的意见和建议，有关方面要认真研究吸纳”。人民群众中蕴藏着无穷的智慧和力量。在进一步全面深化改革进程中，遇到关系复杂、难以权衡的利益问题，遇到解决起来十分棘手的深层次问题，都要坚持问计于民、问需于民，加强对重大改革问题的调研，在改革设计中尽可能多听一听基层和一线的声音，充分吸收社会诉求、群众智慧、基层经验，依靠人民群众的力量找到解决问题的思路和动力。

To ensure reform relies on the people, it is necessary to focus on developing whole-process people’s democracy, uphold the organic unity of Party leadership, the people being the masters of the country, and law-based governance, promote the further improvement of the system by which the people are the masters of the country, and develop consultative democracy extensively at multiple levels and in an institutionalized manner. It is necessary to improve the institutional system for whole-process people’s democracy, expand democratic channels, enrich democratic forms at all levels, concretely and realistically embody the people being the masters of the country in all aspects of national political life and social life, and pool the wisdom and strength of the broadest masses of the people into reform.

做到改革依靠人民，就要聚焦发展全过程人民民主，坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，推动人民当家作主制度更加健全、协商民主广泛多层制度化发展。要健全全过程人民民主制度体系，拓展民主渠道，丰富各层级民主形式，把人民当家作主具体、现实地体现到国家政治生活和社会生活各方面，把最广大人民智慧和力量凝聚到改革上来。

To ensure the fruits of reform are shared by the people

做到改革成果由人民共享

As Chinese-path modernization advances and expands, the people’s yearning for a better life has also grown stronger. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “The fundamental purpose of our Party’s promotion of comprehensively deepening reform is to promote social fairness and justice, so that the fruits of reform and development benefit all the people more and more fairly.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Explanatory Notes on the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Comprehensively Deepening Reform on Several Major Issues’,” November 9, 2013. Starting from the people’s overall interests, fundamental interests, and long-term interests, we must put forward more reform and innovation measures, and solve problems in employment, education, medical care, social security, housing, elderly care, food safety, the ecological environment, and social order one by one, so that the fruits of reform and development can benefit all the people more and more fairly. The “Decision” [2]2 The “Decision” refers to the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization,” adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC in July 2024. proposes that “ensuring and improving people’s livelihood in the course of development is a major task of Chinese-path modernization,” and makes strategic arrangements for “improving the institutional system for ensuring and improving people’s livelihood.” To implement the reform tasks deployed by 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 Beijing in July 2024, focusing on further comprehensively deepening reform. we must adhere to doing our utmost while acting within our means, and continuously meet the people’s yearning for a better life.

随着中国式现代化不断推进和拓展，人民对美好生活的向往也更加强烈。习近平总书记指出：“我们党推进全面深化改革的根本目的，就是要促进社会公平正义，让改革发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。”从人民的整体利益、根本利益、长远利益出发，拿出更多改革创新举措，把就业、教育、医疗、社保、住房、养老、食品安全、生态环境、社会治安等问题一个一个解决好，才能让改革发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。《决定》提出“在发展中保障和改善民生是中国式现代化的重大任务”，并对“健全保障和改善民生制度体系”作出战略部署。落实好党的二十届三中全会部署的改革任务，要坚持尽力而为、量力而行，不断满足人民对美好生活的向往。

Adhere to doing our utmost, taking the promotion of social fairness and justice and the enhancement of the people’s well-being as the starting point and ultimate goal. The “Decision” puts forward a series of major reform measures regarding improving the income distribution system, improving the employment-first policy, perfecting the social security system, deepening the reform of the medical and health system, and improving the support and service system for population development. The effective implementation of these measures will inevitably continue to benefit the people. To implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, we must improve the income distribution system and standardize the order of income distribution; optimize the policy environment for entrepreneurship to promote employment, and support and standardize the development of new forms of employment; improve the social security system for flexible employment personnel, migrant workers, and personnel in new forms of employment, and comprehensively abolish household registration restrictions on participating in social insurance at the place of employment; increase the construction and supply of government-subsidized housing to meet the rigid housing needs of wage-earning groups; deepen the reform of the medical and health system and implement a health-first development strategy; improve the support and service system for population development, perfect the policy system and incentive mechanism for supporting childbirth, perfect the policy mechanism for developing the elderly care cause and the elderly care industry, and steadily and orderly promote the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age in accordance with the principles of voluntariness and flexibility; and so on. We must adhere to “attaining both breadth and subtlety,” [4]4 A classical allusion from *The Doctrine of the Mean* (《中庸》), meaning to achieve both broad scope and fine detail in one’s work. and carry out all reform work solidly and thoroughly.

坚持尽力而为，以促进社会公平正义、增进人民福祉为出发点和落脚点。《决定》就完善收入分配制度、完善就业优先政策、健全社会保障体系、深化医药卫生体制改革、健全人口发展支持和服务体系等提出一系列重大改革举措。这些举措的落地见效，必将不断造福人民。贯彻落实党的二十届三中全会精神，要完善收入分配制度，规范收入分配秩序；优化创业促进就业政策环境，支持和规范发展新就业形态；健全灵活就业人员、农民工、新就业形态人员社保制度，全面取消在就业地参保户籍限制；加大保障性住房建设和供给，满足工薪群体刚性住房需求；深化医药卫生体制改革，实施健康优先发展战略；健全人口发展支持和服务体系，完善生育支持政策体系和激励机制，完善发展养老事业和养老产业政策机制，按照自愿、弹性原则稳妥有序推进渐进式延迟法定退休年龄改革；等等。要坚持“致广大而尽精微”，把各项改革工作做扎实、做到位。

Adhere to acting within our means, ensuring and improving people’s livelihood in the course of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “We must coordinate needs and possibilities, and base the guarantee and improvement of people’s livelihood on the foundation of economic development and sustainable financial resources, without being overly ambitious, raising expectations, or making promises that cannot be fulfilled.” Acting within our means emphasizes that we must proceed from reality in everything, and fully consider the actual conditions of a specific development stage. We must correctly understand and handle the relationship between development and ensuring and improving people’s livelihood. We must both drive development through ensuring and improving people’s livelihood, and determine the level of ensuring and improving people’s livelihood based on the level of development. To this end, we must strengthen a problem-oriented approach, start from what can be done under current conditions, closely focus on the troublesome, worrying, and distressing matters that the people strongly reflect on in terms of social security, and continuously advance reform. We must concentrate our efforts on strengthening inclusive, basic, and bottom-line livelihood construction, and with the spirit of driving a nail, [5]5 A metaphor popularized by Xi Jinping, emphasizing persistence and tenacity in carrying out tasks, likening each step to driving a nail firmly into place. handle one matter after another, work year after year, and persistently promote the continuous development of the cause of ensuring people’s livelihood.

坚持量力而行，在发展中保障和改善民生。习近平总书记指出：“要统筹需要和可能，把保障和改善民生建立在经济发展和财力可持续的基础之上，不要好高骛远，吊高胃口，作兑现不了的承诺。”量力而行，强调的是必须一切从实际出发，充分考虑特定发展阶段的现实条件。要正确认识和处理好发展与保障和改善民生的关系，既要通过保障和改善民生来带动发展，又要根据发展水平确定民生的保障和改善程度。为此，要强化问题导向，从现实条件下可以做到的事情做起，紧盯老百姓在社会保障方面反映强烈的烦心事、操心事、揪心事不断推进改革，集中精力加强普惠性、基础性、兜底性民生建设，以钉钉子精神，一件事情接着一件事情办、一年接着一年干，锲而不舍推进民生保障事业持续发展。

[The author is President of the Chinese Academy of Chinese-Path Modernization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences]

【作者为中国社会科学院中国式现代化研究院院长】

Online Editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁