Comprehensively and Accurately Understand and Grasp the Principles for Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China emphasized that further deepening reform comprehensively must implement the principles of upholding the Party’s overall leadership, adhering to a people-centered approach, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking institutional improvement as the main line, adhering to law-based governance, and adhering to a systems perspective. The six major principles are a high-level distillation and concentrated summary of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform. We must comprehensively and accurately understand and grasp them, unswervingly uphold them in reform practice, and continuously enrich and develop them.

党的二十届三中全会强调，进一步全面深化改革要贯彻坚持党的全面领导、坚持以人民为中心、坚持守正创新、坚持以制度建设为主线、坚持全面依法治国、坚持系统观念的原则。“六个坚持”重大原则是习近平总书记关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想、新观点、新论断的高度凝练和集中概括，我们必须全面准确领会和把握，在改革实践中毫不动摇坚持并不断丰富和发展。

Deeply Understand the Great Significance of the Six Major Principles

深刻认识“六个坚持”重大原则的重大意义

Facing changes unseen in a century in the world, facing complex and ever-changing international and domestic situations, facing a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and facing the new expectations of the people, a major issue confronting our Party and country is that we must continue to push reform forward. The six major principles scientifically answer a series of major theoretical and practical issues involved in reform. They constitute the correct worldview and scientific methodology for reform, providing the “bridge and boat” to accomplish the task of “crossing the river” in reform. They have great guiding significance for further deepening reform comprehensively and promoting the steady and long-term development of the Party and state’s undertakings.

面对世界百年未有之大变局，面对纷繁复杂的国际国内形势，面对新一轮科技革命和产业变革，面对人民群众新期待，我们党和国家面临的一个重大课题，就是必须继续把改革推向前进。“六个坚持”重大原则科学回答了改革涉及的一系列重大理论和实践问题，是改革的正确世界观和科学方法论，提供了完成改革“过河”任务的“桥和船”，对于进一步全面深化改革，推动党和国家事业行稳致远具有重大指导意义。

From a historical perspective, the six major principles are a scientific summary of the valuable experience gained since reform and opening up, especially from comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era. The great practice of China’s more than 40 years of reform and opening up has yielded fruitful results and accumulated valuable experience. Particularly as one of the most magnificent chapters in the historical process of China’s reform and opening up, comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era has achieved a series of major practical, institutional, and theoretical results, providing a solid foundation and valuable experience for further deepening reform comprehensively on the new journey. The six major principles are a profound reflection on the historical experience of more than 40 years of reform and opening up, and even more so a concentrated expression of the fresh experience of more than ten years of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era. They demonstrate our Party’s historical confidence and historical initiative in leading further comprehensive deepening of reform, providing important historical inspiration for opening up broad prospects for Chinese-path modernization through reform and opening up.

从历史维度看，“六个坚持”重大原则是对改革开放以来特别是新时代全面深化改革宝贵经验的科学总结。我国40多年改革开放的伟大实践取得了丰硕成果，积累了宝贵经验。特别是作为我国改革开放历史进程中最壮丽的篇章之一，新时代全面深化改革取得了一系列重大实践成果、制度成果、理论成果，为新征程进一步全面深化改革提供了坚实基础和宝贵经验。“六个坚持”重大原则是对改革开放40多年历史经验的深邃思考，更是新时代全面深化改革十多年新鲜经验的集中体现，彰显了我们党领导进一步全面深化改革的历史自信和历史主动，为在改革开放中开辟中国式现代化广阔前景提供了重要历史启示。

From a practical perspective, the six major principles are an important guideline for promoting comprehensive deepening of reform to advance in breadth and depth. Further deepening reform comprehensively is a pioneering undertaking and a broad and profound social change. It cannot be achieved easily or by beating drums and gongs; it will inevitably face difficulties, risks, and challenges from all sides. The six major principles have strong practical pertinence and guidance. They are the “stabilizing force” for us to enhance strategic initiative and struggle initiative, to overcome various risks and challenges on the road ahead. They will surely guide us to cultivate new opportunities amidst crises and open up new horizons amidst changes, writing a new chapter in the “two miracles.” [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.

从现实维度看，“六个坚持”重大原则是推动全面深化改革向广度和深度进军的重要遵循。进一步全面深化改革是一项开创性事业，是一场广泛而深刻的社会变革，不可能是轻轻松松、敲锣打鼓就能实现的，必然面临来自各方面的困难、风险和挑战。“六个坚持”重大原则具有很强的现实针对性和指导性，是我们增强战略主动、斗争主动，战胜前进道路上各种风险挑战的定海神针，必将指引我们在危机中育新机、于变局中开新局，续写“两大奇迹”新篇章。

From a theoretical perspective, the six major principles are a major achievement of our Party’s continuous deepening of understanding of the laws of reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has led the Party to continuously promote theoretical innovation in reform, scientifically grasp the times and trends, dangers and opportunities facing reform, promptly summarize fresh experience, continuously deepen understanding of the laws of reform, and form a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform. The six major principles are distilled from these new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions, marking that our Party’s understanding of the laws of socialist reform and opening up has reached a new height.

从理论维度看，“六个坚持”重大原则是我们党不断深化对改革规律性认识的重大成果。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记引领全党在改革中不断推进理论创新，科学把握改革面临的时与势、危与机，及时总结新鲜经验，不断深化对改革的规律性认识，形成关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想、新观点、新论断。“六个坚持”重大原则就是从这些新思想、新观点、新论断中凝练出来的，标志着我们党对社会主义改革开放规律的认识达到了新高度。

From a practical dimension, the six major principles are a scientific method for enhancing the scientific nature, foresight, initiative, and creativity of further deepening reform comprehensively. Further deepening reform comprehensively involves a wide range of areas, touches upon deep interests, and presents great difficulty in tackling tough issues, placing higher demands on the ability of Party organizations and leading cadres at all levels to plan and promote reform. The six major principles provide us with a methodology for better transforming the “freehand sketch” of the decisions and deployments of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee into a “meticulous painting” and a “construction drawing.” They put forward clear requirements for us to implement various reform measures concretely, meticulously, and thoroughly, achieving the goal of learning reform, implementing reform, and steering reform in the process of reform.

从实践维度看，“六个坚持”重大原则是增强进一步全面深化改革的科学性、预见性、主动性、创造性的科学方法。进一步全面深化改革涉及范围广、触及利益深、攻坚难度大，对各级党组织和领导干部谋划推动改革能力提出了更高要求。“六个坚持”重大原则为我们更好地把党的二十届三中全会决策部署的“大写意”转化为“工笔画”“施工图”提供了方法论，为我们切实把各项改革举措落实落细落到位，做到在改革中学习改革、实施改革、驾驭改革提出了明确要求。

Since the New Era, breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation have been continuously achieved, and the capacity for innovation-driven development has been continuously enhanced, depicting a new picture of Chinese-path modernization. The picture shows the maiden commercial flight of the domestically produced large aircraft C919 on May 28, 2023.

新时代以来，科技创新突破不断实现，创新驱动发展能力持续提升，描绘着中国式现代化的新图景。图为2023年5月28日，国产大飞机C919迎来商业航班首飞。

Accurately Grasp the Scientific Connotation of the Six Major Principles

准确把握“六个坚持”重大原则的科学内涵

The six major principles are a systematic, complete, mutually penetrating, and complementary organic whole. They must be accurately understood and grasped from the perspective of combining theory and practice, connecting history and reality, and unifying epistemology and methodology.

“六个坚持”重大原则是一个系统完整、相互贯通、相得益彰的有机整体，必须从理论与实践相结合、历史与现实相贯通、认识论与方法论相统一的高度，准确领会和把握其丰富内涵。

Upholding the Party’s overall leadership answers the question of who leads reform and who must lead for reform to succeed. The Communist Party of China vigorously advocates, implements, and promotes reform. In today’s China, only by upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China can reform succeed. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, at critical junctures and on major issues, the Party Central Committee has set the direction and made overall plans, and General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally taken

坚持党的全面领导回答的是改革由谁领导、由谁领导才能成功的问题。中国共产党大力倡导改革、实行改革、推进改革，在当今中国，唯有坚持中国共产党的领导，改革才能取得成功。党的十八大以来，在重大关头、重大问题上，党中央举旗定向、谋篇布局，习近平总书记亲自挂帅出征、亲力亲为，为全面深化改革提供了最坚强有力的领导保障。当前，全面深化改革愈进愈难、愈进愈险而又不进则退、非进不可，我们必须深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，坚决做到“两个维护”，发挥党总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用，把党的领导贯穿改革各方面全过程，确保改革始终在党中央集中统一领导下沿着正确方向前进，汇聚起万众一心、共克时艰的磅礴力量。

Adhering to a people-centered approach answers the question of for whom reform is carried out. Reform carried out for the people has meaning; reform relying on the people has momentum. Our efforts to pursue reform and promote development are, in the final analysis, aimed at enhancing the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security, and enabling the people to live better lives. Faced with the people’s new expectations for a better life, we must respect the principal position of the people and their spirit of pioneering, respond to the people’s calls with corresponding reforms, always take promoting social fairness and justice and enhancing the people’s well-being as the starting point and ultimate goal, be adept at pooling popular wisdom and gathering popular support, and ensure that the fruits of reform benefit all the people more extensively and fairly.

坚持以人民为中心回答的是改革为了谁的问题。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。我们抓改革、促发展，归根到底就是为了增强人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感，让人民过上更好的日子。面对人民对美好生活的新期盼，必须尊重人民主体地位和首创精神，人民有所呼、改革有所应，始终以促进社会公平正义、增进人民福祉为出发点和落脚点，善于汇集民智、凝聚民心，使改革成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。

Adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground answers the question of the stance and direction of reform. Upholding fundamental principles means preserving the lifeline; we must never waver on fundamental matters such as upholding the Party’s overall leadership, upholding Marxism, upholding the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and upholding the people’s democratic dictatorship. To waver on these would mean it is no longer socialism, would lead to subversive errors, and would steer reform onto a wrong path. Breaking new ground means creating the future; it requires an indomitable boldness and courage to conform to new trends in the development of the times, new requirements of practical development, and new expectations of the people, vigorously advancing theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects, thereby providing strong momentum and institutional guarantees for Chinese-path modernization.

坚持守正创新回答的是改革的立场和方向问题。守正就是守命脉，坚持党的全面领导、坚持马克思主义、坚持中国特色社会主义道路、坚持人民民主专政等根本的东西绝不能动摇，动摇了就不叫社会主义，就会犯颠覆性错误，就会把改革引向邪路。创新就是创未来，就是要以一往无前的胆魄和勇气，顺应时代发展新趋势、实践发展新要求、人民群众新期待，大力推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及其他各方面创新，为中国式现代化提供强大动力和制度保障。

Adhering to taking institutional development as the main thread answers the question of the goal of reform. The overall goal of deepening reform comprehensively is to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have highlighted this main thread of institutional development, improved various systems through comprehensively deepening reform, promoted the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics to become more mature and well-defined, significantly raised the level of modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and provided a strong institutional guarantee for completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. At the same time, improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a dynamic process that inevitably develops continuously with the evolution of practice. To further deepen reform comprehensively and advance Chinese-path modernization, we must consolidate the fundamental systems, improve the basic systems, and innovate the important systems, continuously better transforming China’s institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness.

坚持以制度建设为主线回答的是改革的目标问题。全面深化改革的总目标就是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。党的十八大以来，我们突出制度建设这条主线，通过全面深化改革完善各方面制度，推动中国特色社会主义制度更加成熟更加定型，国家治理体系和治理能力现代化水平明显提高，为全面建成小康社会提供了有力制度保障。同时，完善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。进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化，必须筑牢根本制度，完善基本制度，创新重要制度，不断把我国制度优势更好转化为国家治理效能。

Upholding law-based governance addresses the issue of the pathway of reform. The rule of law is a great invention of human society and an important marker of a society’s maturation. Deepening reform comprehensively adheres to the unity of reform and the rule of law, advancing law-based governance, law-based exercise of state power, and law-based administration together, and building a law-based state, a law-based government, and a law-based society in an integrated manner, giving the rule of law greater weight and substance. At present, reform places greater emphasis on breaking and establishing simultaneously, establishing before breaking, and combining top-level design with groping for stones to cross the river, making the status and role of the rule of law more prominent. It is necessary to be adept at using the rule-of-law mindset and rule-of-law methods to advance reform, ensuring that major reforms have a legal basis, promptly elevating reform achievements into legal systems, and ensuring that reform is advanced and deepened in an orderly manner on the track of the rule of law.

坚持全面依法治国回答的是改革的途径问题。法治是人类社会的伟大发明，是一个社会走向成熟的重要标志。全面深化改革坚持改革和法治相统一，依法治国、依法执政、依法行政共同推进，法治国家、法治政府、法治社会一体建设，法治的分量更重、成色更足。当前，改革更加强调破立并举、先立后破，把顶层设计和摸着石头过河结合起来，法治的地位和作用更加凸显。必须善于运用法治思维和法治方式推进改革，做到重大改革于法有据，及时把改革成果上升为法律制度，确保改革在法治轨道上有序推进和深化。

Upholding the systems concept addresses the issue of the method of reform. Reform is a complex systemic project, from the planning and design at the “first kilometer” to the implementation and effectiveness at the “last kilometer,” requiring the proper handling of major relationships such as those between the economy and society, the government and the market, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, and development and security, so that various reform measures coordinate with each other in policy orientation, promote each other in the implementation process, and complement each other in reform effectiveness, enhancing the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of reform.

坚持系统观念回答的是改革的方法问题。改革是一项复杂的系统工程，从“最初一公里”的谋划设计，到“最后一公里”的落地见效，都要处理好经济和社会、政府和市场、效率和公平、活力和秩序、发展和安全等重大关系，使各项改革举措在政策取向上相互配合、在实施过程中相互促进、在改革成效上相得益彰，增强改革系统性、整体性、协同性。

In recent years, various localities have focused on solving the problems of difficulty and high cost in enrolling children under three years old in childcare, vigorously developing and improving the inclusive childcare service system, continuously enhancing the people’s sense of gain and satisfaction with inclusive childcare services, and promoting the healthy growth of infants and young children. The picture shows teachers and children happily playing in the childcare class of the Fengxin County Model Kindergarten in Jiangxi Province on September 4, 2024.

近年来，各地着力解决3岁以下婴幼儿家庭入托难、入托贵等问题，大力发展完善普惠托育服务体系，不断增强人民群众对普惠托育服务的获得感和满意度，促进婴幼儿健康成长。图为2024年9月4日，江西省奉新县示范幼儿园托育班的老师和孩子们在快乐地玩耍。

Deeply Practice the Practical Requirements of the “Six Upholds” Major Principles

深入践行“六个坚持”重大原则的实践要求

Upholding and applying the “Six Upholds” major principles well is an important part of the implementation of the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [2]2 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC: A major meeting of the Communist Party of China held in July 2024, focused on further deepening reform comprehensively. by various regions and departments, an inevitable requirement for central and state organs to take the lead in practicing the “Two Upholds” [3]3 The Two Upholds: An internal Party slogan meaning “uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.” and to be vanguards in studying, publicizing, and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, and also a practical requirement for us to fully and accurately grasp and understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform, implement the strategic deployments of the Party Central Committee, and put various reform measures into practice.

坚持好运用好“六个坚持”重大原则，是各地区各部门结合实际贯彻落实党的二十届三中全会精神的重要内容，是中央和国家机关走好践行“两个维护”第一方阵、在学习宣传贯彻党的二十届三中全会精神上当好排头兵的必然要求，也是我们全面准确领会和把握习近平总书记关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想、新观点、新论断，贯彻落实党中央战略部署，把各项改革举措落实到位的实践要求。

In the practice of further deepening reform comprehensively, we must take upholding the Party’s overall leadership as the fundamental guarantee, from assessing the reform situation and consolidating reform consensus, to making reform decisions and deploying reform tasks, to removing reform obstacles and ensuring reform implementation, all while firmly safeguarding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, ensuring that the Party Central Committee’s orders and prohibitions are carried out without fail. We must take adhering to a people-centered approach as the value orientation, planning and advancing reform from the perspective of the people’s overall interests, fundamental interests, and long-term interests, following the Party’s mass line in the New Era, reasonably guiding reform expectations, and focusing on identifying the starting points and breakthroughs for reform from the people’s urgent concerns and difficulties. We must take upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground as the basic principle, always staying on the right path and being adept at blazing new trails, unswervingly adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, resolutely eliminating institutional and mechanistic obstacles in various aspects, and promoting continuous new breakthroughs in reform. We must take upholding the focus on institution building as the main line as an important requirement, consolidating foundations, leveraging strengths, shoring up weaknesses, and reinforcing weak links, combining central requirements, popular expectations, practical needs, and fresh experiences, so that various systems are well-established, workable, and truly effective. We must take upholding law-based governance as an effective pathway, better leveraging the positive role of the rule of law in removing reform obstacles and consolidating reform achievements, safeguarding the authority of the rule of law, further deepening reforms in the field of the rule of law, continuously improving the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, and equally protecting the legitimate rights and interests of all citizens and legal persons. We must take upholding the systems concept as a scientific method, placing greater emphasis on systemic integration, on highlighting key points, and on the actual effectiveness of reform, comprehensively considering the points, lines, and surfaces of reform as well as its timing, intensity, and effectiveness, scientifically formulating reform task books, timetables, and priority sequences, strengthening the coordination and matching of various reform measures, and striving to form overall synergy.

在进一步全面深化改革的实践中，我们要把坚持党的全面领导作为根本保证，从研判改革形势、凝聚改革共识，到作出改革决策、部署改革任务，再到排除改革阻力、抓好改革落实，都要坚定维护党中央权威和集中统一领导，确保党中央政令畅通、令行禁止。要把坚持以人民为中心作为价值取向，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，走好新时代党的群众路线，合理引导改革预期，注重从老百姓急难愁盼中找准改革的发力点和突破口。要把坚持守正创新作为基本原则，始终走正道、善于闯新路，坚持中国特色社会主义不动摇，坚决破除各方面体制机制弊端，推动改革不断取得新突破。要把坚持以制度建设为主线作为重要要求，固根基、扬优势、补短板、强弱项，把中央要求、群众期盼、实际需要、新鲜经验结合起来，使各项制度立得住、行得通、真管用。要把坚持全面依法治国作为有效途径，更好发挥法治在排除改革障碍、巩固改革成果中的积极作用，维护法治权威，进一步深化法治领域改革，不断完善中国特色社会主义法治体系，平等保护全体公民和法人的合法权益。要把坚持系统观念作为科学方法，更加注重系统集成，更加注重突出重点，更加注重改革实效，通盘考虑改革的点线面和时度效，科学制定改革任务书、时间表、优先序， 加强各项改革举措的协调配套，力求形成整体效能。

On the new journey of the New Era, we must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, unswervingly carry reform through to the end, consistently implement the “Six Upholds” major principles, be down-to-earth, tackle difficulties, persevere with constancy, and work tirelessly, with firm determination and tenacious struggle, to strive to open up a new realm of reform and development.

新时代新征程上，我们要更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，坚定不移将改革进行到底，始终不渝贯彻“六个坚持”重大原则，脚踏实地、攻坚克难，持之以恒、久久为功，以坚定的毅力和顽强的斗争，奋力打开改革发展新天地。

(Author: Qu Qingshan, President of the Central Institute of Party History and Literature)

（作者：曲青山，中央党史和文献研究院院长）

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆