Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively Must Uphold Integrity and Innovation

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, scientifically summarizes the valuable experience gained since reform and opening up, especially from the comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era, and proposes major principles for further deepening reform comprehensively, one of which is “upholding integrity and innovation.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “What we are engaged in is an unprecedented great undertaking. Upholding integrity ensures that we do not lose our direction or commit subversive errors, while innovation enables us to keep pace with the times and lead the times.” Upholding integrity and innovation requires unswervingly adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, keeping pace with the times, conforming to practical development, highlighting problem orientation, and advancing theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovations in other aspects from a new starting point.

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》）科学总结改革开放以来特别是新时代全面深化改革的宝贵经验，提出进一步全面深化改革的重大原则，其中一条就是“坚持守正创新”。习近平总书记指出：“我们从事的是前无古人的伟大事业，守正才能不迷失方向、不犯颠覆性错误，创新才能把握时代、引领时代。”坚持守正创新，就要坚持中国特色社会主义不动摇，紧跟时代步伐，顺应实践发展，突出问题导向，在新的起点上推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新。

Upholding integrity and innovation must adhere to the correct political direction and unswervingly uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics.

坚持守正创新，必须坚持正确政治方向，坚持中国特色社会主义不动摇

The path is the lifeblood of the Party; the issue of the path is the primary issue concerning the success or failure of the Party’s cause. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the dialectical unity of the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of China’s social development. It is scientific socialism rooted in China’s land, reflecting the will of the Chinese people, and adapted to the requirements of China’s and the times’ development and progress. It is the only way to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Reform and opening up is a crucial magic weapon for the cause of the Party and the people to catch up with the times in big strides. The reason socialism with Chinese characteristics possesses vigorous vitality is precisely because it is socialism that implements reform and opening up. Only reform and opening up can develop China, develop socialism, develop Marxism, and powerfully advance Chinese-path modernization.

道路就是党的生命，道路问题是关系党的事业兴衰成败第一位的问题。中国特色社会主义是科学社会主义理论逻辑和中国社会发展历史逻辑的辩证统一，是根植于中国大地、反映中国人民意愿、适应中国和时代发展进步要求的科学社会主义，是实现中华民族伟大复兴的必由之路。改革开放是党和人民事业大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝。中国特色社会主义之所以具有蓬勃生命力，就在于是实行改革开放的社会主义。只有改革开放才能发展中国、发展社会主义、发展马克思主义，强有力推进中国式现代化。

Reform is the self-improvement and self-development of the socialist system. Perfecting and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a dynamic process that inevitably develops continuously with the development of practice. Only by further deepening reform comprehensively, continuously improving existing systems, persistently advancing institutional innovation, filling institutional gaps, and constantly perfecting various systems and mechanisms, can we better meet the needs of new fields and new practices, providing strong impetus and institutional guarantees for Chinese-path modernization. Socialism with Chinese characteristics emerged from reform and opening up and will surely develop and grow stronger through reform and opening up. During the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, China caught up with the times in big strides by relying on reform and opening up. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, historic achievements and historic transformations have been made in the cause of the Party and the state, also by relying on reform and opening up. On the new journey of the New Era, to create a new situation in Chinese-path modernization, we must still rely on reform and opening up. We must be very clearly aware that reform and opening up has a direction, a stance, and principles. Our reform is a reform that continuously advances on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must neither take the old path of closed-door rigidity nor the evil path of changing the banner [1]1 This is a paraphrase of a statement by Xi Jinping, often cited in reform contexts.. We must unswervingly uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics.

改革是社会主义制度自我完善和发展。完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度是一个动态过程，必然随着实践发展而不断发展。只有进一步全面深化改革，不断健全已有制度，持续推进制度创新、填补制度空白，不断完善各方面体制机制，才能更好适应新领域新实践需要，为中国式现代化提供强大动力和制度保障。中国特色社会主义在改革开放中产生，也必将在改革开放中发展壮大。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，我国大踏步赶上时代，靠的是改革开放。党的十八大以来，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，靠的也是改革开放。新时代新征程上，要开创中国式现代化建设新局面，仍然要靠改革开放。要非常清醒地认识到，改革开放是有方向、有立场、有原则的，我们的改革是在中国特色社会主义道路上不断前进的改革，既不走封闭僵化的老路，也不走改旗易帜的邪路，必须坚持中国特色社会主义不动摇。

The “Decision” clarifies the overall goal of further deepening reform comprehensively: to continue to perfect and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to 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 achieved, socialist modernization will be basically realized, and a solid foundation will be laid for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. This overall goal is consistent with the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform established at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC [2]2 The *Decision* refers to the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization,” adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee in July 2024. and aligns with the strategic deployments made at the 20th National Congress of the CPC. It clarifies the goal orientation and political direction for further deepening reform comprehensively. To uphold integrity and innovation in further deepening reform comprehensively, we must be guided by this overall goal, unswervingly uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics, and carry the reform through to the end.

《决定》明确了进一步全面深化改革的总目标：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。到二〇三五年，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。这一总目标，同党的十八届三中全会确定的全面深化改革的总目标一脉相承，同党的二十大作出的战略部署相衔接，为进一步全面深化改革明确了目标导向、政治方向。坚持守正创新进一步全面深化改革，必须以这一总目标为引领，坚持中国特色社会主义不动摇，将改革进行到底。

Upholding integrity and innovation must keep pace with the times and lead the trend of the times.

坚持守正创新，必须紧跟时代步伐，引领时代潮流

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Understanding the general trend of world development and keeping up with the trend of the times is an extremely important and ever-new topic. For China to develop, it must conform to the trend of world development.” Since its founding, our Party has always attached great importance to judging and grasping the times. Being adept at conforming to, keeping pace with, and leading the times is a distinct advantage of our Party.

习近平总书记指出：“认识世界发展大势，跟上时代潮流，是一个极为重要并且常做常新的课题。中国要发展，必须顺应世界发展潮流。”我们党从成立之日起，始终高度重视对时代的判断和把握，善于顺应时代、紧跟时代、引领时代是我们党的鲜明优势。

The founding and consolidation of the People’s Republic of China was a product of conforming to the great trend of the times. The historic decision made at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC to shift the focus of the work of the Party and the state to economic construction and implement reform and opening up was based on the Party’s profound insight into the trend of the times. The top-level design for comprehensively deepening reform made at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC opened a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era, systematically designing and advancing reform as a whole, and created an entirely new situation for China’s reform and opening up. This was also the result of keeping pace with the times and conforming to the trend of the times. To uphold integrity and innovation in further deepening reform comprehensively, we must bear in mind the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the changes unseen in a century in the world, establish a grand historical perspective, analyze the mechanisms of evolution and explore historical laws from the long river of history, the great tide of the times, and global changes, propose corresponding strategies and tactics, accurately recognize changes, scientifically respond to changes, and actively seek changes, gain the initiative amidst volatile changes, enhance the scientific nature, foresight, initiative, and creativity of further deepening reform comprehensively, and always grasp the historical initiative in the development of the cause of the Party and the state on the new journey of the New Era.

中华人民共和国的成立和巩固，是顺应时代大潮的产物。党的十一届三中全会作出把党和国家工作中心转移到经济建设上来、实行改革开放的历史性决策，是基于党对时代潮流的深刻洞察。党的十八届三中全会作出全面深化改革的顶层设计，开启了新时代全面深化改革、系统整体设计推进改革新征程，开创了我国改革开放全新局面，也是紧跟时代步伐、顺应时代潮流的结果。在进一步全面深化改革中坚持守正创新，要胸怀中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，树立大历史观，从历史长河、时代大潮、全球风云中分析演变机理、探究历史规律，提出因应的战略策略，准确识变、科学应变、主动求变，在风云变幻中赢得主动，增强进一步全面深化改革的科学性、预见性、主动性、创造性，始终掌握新时代新征程党和国家事业发展的历史主动。

Upholding integrity and innovation must conform to practical development and highlight problem orientation.

坚持守正创新，必须顺应实践发展、突出问题导向

The viewpoint of practice first embodies the essence of Marxism. Problems are the voice of the times and the weather vane of practical development. Answering and guiding the resolution of problems is the fundamental task of theory. Problems are manifestations of contradictions in things. Emphasizing conforming to practical development and highlighting problem orientation means acknowledging the universality and objectivity of contradictions, and means being adept at taking understanding and resolving contradictions as a breakthrough to open up the work situation.

实践第一的观点，体现马克思主义的精髓要义。问题是时代的声音和实践发展的风向标，回答并指导解决问题是理论的根本任务。问题是事物矛盾的表现形式，强调顺应实践发展、突出问题导向，就是承认矛盾的普遍性、客观性，就是要善于把认识和化解矛盾作为打开工作局面的突破口。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Social existence determines social consciousness. The theories, lines, principles, and policies our Party proposes and implements at the current stage are correct precisely because they are all based on the social existence of our country at the present time. The overall deployment for comprehensively deepening China’s reform made at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC proceeds from the current social existence of our country, that is, from the sum total of the current social material conditions of our country, in other words, from the basic national conditions and development requirements of our country.” The current and future period is a critical period for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. During this critical period, the pressures and challenges facing our country’s development are also unprecedented. They cannot be avoided or bypassed; we must overcome difficulties and forge ahead. We must proceed from our country’s basic national conditions and development requirements, focus on new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, urgent problems of concern to the people, major problems in international changes, and prominent problems facing Party building, strengthen investigation and research, accurately grasp objective reality, truly master the laws, continuously propose new concepts, new ideas, and new methods that truly solve problems, properly and thoroughly reform what should and can be reformed, and once we are sure, unswervingly implement it.

习近平总书记指出：“社会存在决定社会意识。我们党现阶段提出和实施的理论和路线方针政策，之所以正确，就是因为它们都是以我国现时代的社会存在为基础的。党的十八届三中全会对我国全面深化改革作出了总体部署，是从我国现在的社会存在出发的，即从我国现在的社会物质条件的总和出发的，也就是从我国基本国情和发展要求出发的。”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，在这一关键时期，我国发展面临的压力和挑战也是空前的，躲不过去，也绕不过去，必须克服困难向前闯。要从我国基本国情和发展要求出发，聚焦实践遇到的新问题、改革发展稳定存在的深层次问题、人民群众急难愁盼问题、国际变局中的重大问题、党的建设面临的突出问题，加强调查研究，准确把握客观实际，真正掌握规律，不断提出真正解决问题的新理念新思路新办法，把该改的、能改的改好、改到位，看准了就坚定不移抓。

The “Decision” deeply analyzes the new situations and new problems faced in advancing Chinese-path modernization, adapts to development needs, conforms to the expectations of the people, responds to risks and challenges, and proposes over 300 important reform measures, covering all aspects of advancing Chinese-path modernization. These important reform measures all involve content at the level of systems, mechanisms, and institutions. Some are improvements and upgrades to past reform measures, while others are newly proposed reform measures based on practical needs and pilot explorations. They will inevitably play a leading and breakthrough role in conforming to practical development and highlighting problem orientation.

《决定》深入分析推进中国式现代化面临的新情况新问题，适应发展需要，顺应群众期待，回应风险挑战，共提出300多项重要改革举措，覆盖推进中国式现代化的方方面面。这些重要改革举措都是涉及体制、机制、制度层面的内容，其中有的是对过去改革举措的完善和提升，有的是根据实践需要和试点探索新提出的改革举措，必将在顺应实践发展、突出问题导向中发挥牵引性、突破性作用。

Upholding integrity and innovation must advance theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovations in other aspects from a new starting point.

坚持守正创新，必须在新的起点上推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Only reformers advance; only innovators grow strong; only reform and innovation bring victory.” [1]1 This is a paraphrase of a statement by Xi Jinping, often cited in reform contexts. To further deepen reform comprehensively and advance Chinese-path modernization, we must profoundly observe the developmental trends of the world, accurately grasp the common aspirations of the people, deeply explore the laws of economic and social development, continuously expand the breadth and depth of understanding, dare to speak new words that predecessors have not spoken, dare to do things that predecessors have not done, and continuously advance theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects, so that reform better reflects the character of the times, grasps the laws, and is rich in creativity.

习近平总书记强调：“惟改革者进，惟创新者强，惟改革创新者胜。”进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化，必须深刻洞察世界发展大势，准确把握人民群众的共同愿望，深入探索经济社会发展规律，不断拓展认识的广度和深度，敢于说前人没有说过的新话，敢于干前人没有干过的事情，不断推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新，使改革更好体现时代性、把握规律性、富于创造性。

Innovation is the soul of a nation’s progress, the inexhaustible driving force for a country’s prosperity and strength, and also the deepest national endowment of the Chinese nation. Upholding integrity and innovation is the essential requirement of reform. We must deeply understand that grasping innovation means grasping development, and seeking innovation means seeking the future; in practice, we must boldly explore and use innovation to drive the development of the cause. The important ideological viewpoints, major strategic deployments, and major reform measures proposed in the *Decision* [2]2 The *Decision* refers to the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization,” adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee in July 2024. centrally embody theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects, and profoundly reflect the inherent requirement of upholding integrity and innovation as a Marxist ideological method and working method. For example, the *Decision* proposes that “a high-level socialist market economy system is an important guarantee for Chinese-path modernization,” profoundly revealing the intrinsic relationship between a high-level socialist market economy system and Chinese-path modernization; it proposes that “scientific macro-control and effective government governance are the inherent requirements for giving full play to the advantages of the socialist market economy system,” further deepening the understanding of the law of “giving full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and better playing the role of the government”; it proposes that “education, science and technology, and talent are the foundational and strategic supports for Chinese-path modernization,” unifying education, science and technology, and talent within the construction of institutional mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation, fully reflecting our Party’s profound insight into the essence and laws of innovation; and so on. These important ideological viewpoints have significant theoretical innovation significance, deepening the understanding of a series of major theoretical and practical issues. The *Decision* adheres to taking institutional construction as the main line, establishing and abolishing simultaneously, establishing before abolishing, and proposes constructing a high-level socialist market economy system, improving the institutional mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, constructing institutional mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation, improving the macroeconomic governance system, perfecting the institutional mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, perfecting the institutional mechanisms for high-level opening up, perfecting the whole-process people’s democracy system, perfecting the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, etc., consolidating fundamental systems, perfecting basic systems, and innovating important systems, centrally embodying the requirements of institutional innovation.

创新是一个民族进步的灵魂，是一个国家兴旺发达的不竭动力，也是中华民族最深沉的民族禀赋。坚持守正创新，是改革的本质要求。我们必须深刻认识抓创新就是抓发展、谋创新就是谋未来，在实践中大胆探索，通过创新来推动事业发展。《决定》提出的重要思想观点、重大战略部署、重大改革举措，集中体现了理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新，深刻体现了坚持守正创新这一马克思主义思想方法和工作方法的内在要求。比如，《决定》提出“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”，深刻揭示了高水平社会主义市场经济体制与中国式现代化之间的内在关系；提出“科学的宏观调控、有效的政府治理是发挥社会主义市场经济体制优势的内在要求”，进一步深化了对“充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用”的规律性认识；提出“教育、科技、人才是中国式现代化的基础性、战略性支撑”，将教育、科技、人才统一于构建支持全面创新体制机制，充分体现了我们党对创新本质和规律的深刻洞察；等等。这些重要思想观点具有重要理论创新意义，深化了对一系列重大理论和实践问题的认识。《决定》坚持以制度建设为主线，破立并举、先立后破，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等，筑牢根本制度，完善基本制度，创新重要制度，集中体现了制度创新的要求。

To thoroughly implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, it requires all regions and departments to implement the spirit of the plenary session fully and without compromise with the spirit of driving a nail, while closely combining with reality, adapting measures to local conditions, taking the initiative, and continuously creating and accumulating fresh experience through pioneering innovation. This means that the process of implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee is also a process of continuously advancing theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects.

深入贯彻落实党的二十届三中全会精神，要求各地区各部门以钉钉子精神把全会精神不折不扣贯彻落实好，同时要紧密结合实际，因地制宜，主动作为，在开拓创新中不断创造和积累新鲜经验。这意味着贯彻落实党的二十届三中全会精神的过程，也是一个不断推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新的过程。

On the new journey to further deepen reform comprehensively, we must anchor the overall goal, uphold the principles of emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and being realistic and pragmatic, hold firm to the strong resolve that the path will not change and the will will not waver, forever maintain the sharp spirit and boldness to dare to innovate and bravely tackle difficulties, drive reform to continuously achieve new breakthroughs, and inject a continuous and powerful driving force into the great cause of building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

新征程上进一步全面深化改革，必须锚定总目标，坚持解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实，坚守道不变、志不改的强大定力，永葆敢创新、勇攻坚的锐气胆魄，推动改革不断取得新突破，为强国建设、民族复兴伟业注入源源不断的强劲动力。

[The author is President of the Chinese Society of Historical Studies]

【作者为中国史学会会长】

Online editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁