The Theoretical Implications and Practical Value of “Reform Must Not Stop, Opening Up Must Not Cease”

In December 2012, during an inspection tour of Guangdong, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly put forward the proposition “to ensure that reform must not stop and opening up must not cease.” [1]1 This refers to Xi Jinping’s remarks during his first inspection tour as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, in Guangdong, December 2012. Subsequently, at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Reform must not stop, opening up must not cease; advance reform and opening up from a higher starting point.” [2]2 Speech at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, October 14, 2020. The important declaration “reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” demonstrates our Party’s firm resolve and unwavering will to continuously advance the great cause of reform and opening up, and it carries significant theoretical content and practical meaning. On the new journey of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, we must continue to make good use of reform and opening up—the crucial move that determines the fate of contemporary China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation—unswervingly follow the path of strengthening the country through reform and opening up, and persistently promote reform that does not stop and opening up that does not cease.

2012年12月，习近平总书记来到广东考察，鲜明提出“做到改革不停顿、开放不止步”。此后，在2020年深圳经济特区建立40周年庆祝大会上，习近平总书记强调，“改革不停顿，开放不止步，在更高起点上推进改革开放”。“改革不停顿、开放不止步”的重要宣示，表明了我们党持续推进改革开放伟大事业的坚强决心和坚定意志，具有重要的理论内涵和实践意义。在以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的新征程上，必须继续用好改革开放这个决定当代中国命运和实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键一招，坚定不移走改革开放的强国之路，持续推动改革不停顿、开放不止步。

1. It Embodies the Important Characteristics of Continuing to Write a New Chapter of Reform and Opening Up for the Era

1.体现续写改革开放时代新篇的重要特征

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has creatively put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions concerning comprehensively deepening reform, profoundly answering major questions such as why we must comprehensively deepen reform in the New Era and how to do so. These are the latest achievements in the theoretical innovation of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era. Among them, the important thesis “reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” is the logical premise for advancing reform and opening up in the New Era, and it clearly reveals the determination, will, and sense of mission of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to unswervingly follow the path of strengthening the country through reform and opening up and to carry reform and opening through to the end. From the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, which inaugurated the new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era and systematically designing and promoting reform as a whole, to the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, which systematically planned further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization, it is precisely because we have adhered to “reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” that we have written a new chapter for the era of continuously pushing comprehensive deepening reform to greater breadth and depth. It can be said that the important thesis “reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” closely aligns with the requirements of the era for high-quality development and embodies the distinctive characteristics of the era of reform and opening up.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记创造性提出关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想新观点新论断，深刻回答了新时代为什么要全面深化改革、怎样全面深化改革等重大问题，是新时代全面深化改革理论创新的最新成果。其中，“改革不停顿、开放不止步”重要论断是推进新时代改革开放的逻辑前提，昭示了以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚定不移走改革开放强国之路、将改革开放进行到底的决心意志和使命担当。从党的十八届三中全会开启新时代全面深化改革、系统整体设计推进改革新征程，到党的二十届三中全会对进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化作出系统谋划，正是因为坚持“改革不停顿、开放不止步”，方才书写了持续推动全面深化改革向广度和深度进军的新的时代篇章。可以说，“改革不停顿、开放不止步”重要论断紧扣高质量发展的时代要求，体现了改革开放鲜明的时代特征。

It highlights the continuity of reform and opening up. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out, “Reform and opening up is always ongoing; it has no completion point” and “China’s reform and opening up will never stop.” [3]3 Common formulations by Xi Jinping, e.g., in his speech at the 2018 Boao Forum for Asia. Unceasing reform and unending opening up are the inevitable choices for advancing Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, reform and opening up have no end point and no limit. In the New Era, further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing high-standard opening up objectively require that, in the great practical exploration, we condense reform wisdom, stimulate reform momentum, and further resolve the deep-seated contradictions and problems in reform practice, without slackening or stagnating.

突出了改革开放的延续性。习近平总书记深刻指出，“改革开放只有进行时、没有完成时”“中国改革开放永不停步”。不停顿的改革、不止步的开放是推进中国式现代化的必然选择。因此，改革开放没有终点、没有止境。新时代进一步全面深化改革、推进高水平对外开放，客观上要求在伟大实践探索中凝聚改革智慧、激发改革动力，进一步破解改革实践当中的深层次矛盾和问题，不懈怠，不停滞。

It manifests the creativity of reform and opening up. “Reform and opening up is always on the road.” [4]4 A standard Party formulation, often used to indicate that reform and opening up is a continuous process without a final endpoint. Adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground is a major principle for further comprehensively deepening reform. “Reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” means that we cannot mark time but must embark on a new journey from a new historical starting point, setting out again on a broader scale, at a deeper level, and with higher quality. On the new journey of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation, in the face of complex and ever-changing international and domestic situations, in the face of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and in the face of the new expectations of the people, reform and opening up in the New Era must adhere to continuous self-improvement and self-innovation, promote theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects from a new starting point, and continuously bring new developments to the cause of reform and opening up.

彰显了改革开放的创造性。“改革开放永远在路上”，坚持守正创新是进一步全面深化改革的重大原则。“改革不停顿、开放不止步”，意味着不能原地踏步，而要在新的历史起点上开启新征程，在更广范围、更深层次、更高质量上再出发。在强国建设、民族复兴新征程上，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，新时代改革开放必须坚持自强不息、自我革新，在新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，推动改革开放事业不断呈现新局面。

It clarifies the comprehensiveness of reform and opening up. Further comprehensively deepening reform emphasizes strengthening systemic integration, coordination, and efficiency, achieving organic linkage and integration of reform measures, and coordinating the “breaking” and “establishing” aspects of reform and opening up. The remarkable achievements of reform and opening up are attributable to the mutual reinforcement and mutual promotion of reform and opening up. “Reform must not stop, opening up must not cease” centrally embodies the systemic thinking of the advancement strategy of “promoting reform and development through opening up,” highly summarizes, from the perspective of systems thinking, the coordination and unity of advancing deep-level reform and high-standard opening up, and also highlights the strategic focus on emphasizing systemic integration and promoting institutional innovation and institutional opening up.

明晰了改革开放的全面性。进一步全面深化改革，强调加强系统集成、协同高效，实现改革举措有机衔接、融会贯通，统筹好改革开放的“破”与“立”。改革开放之所以能够取得举世瞩目的成就，得益于改革和开放相辅相成、相互促进。“改革不停顿、开放不止步”，集中体现了推进策略上“以开放促改革、促发展”的系统思维，从系统观念的角度高度概括了统筹推进深层次改革和高水平开放的协调统一，也凸显了注重系统集成、促进制度创新和制度型开放的战略重点。

2. It Contains the Rich Connotation of Continuously Pushing Reform and Opening Up Deeper

2.蕴含将改革开放不断推向深入的丰富内涵

“Reform must not stop” profoundly indicates that reform must be pursued persistently, with no retreat, no termination, and no limit. The “comprehensive” in comprehensively deepening reform requires that reform move from “case-by-case discussion” to all-around, comprehensive reform. From the perspective of the depth and breadth of reform, “comprehensive” covers reforms in all fields, including the economy, politics, culture, society, and ecological civilization construction, fully reflecting the Party’s deepened and systematized understanding of reform and marking that our country’s reform and opening up cause has entered a new stage, requiring further enhancement of the systemic, holistic, and coordinated nature of reform. “Deepening” requires efforts in the transformation of systems and mechanisms. Proposing the goal of building Shenzhen into a “pilot demonstration area and a model city for a strong country” [5]5 A policy goal for Shenzhen, set out in central documents from 2019 onward, designating it as a pilot demonstration area for socialism with Chinese characteristics. means that Shenzhen must take the lead in demonstrating across all fields and throughout the entire process; it cannot merely be a champion in a single event but must take the lead in multiple fields and all directions, promoting the comprehensive development of people and the overall progress of society; it cannot be satisfied with leading at a certain stage but must lead throughout the entire process, making taking the lead and bravely being the vanguard an unremitting pursuit; it cannot merely pursue its own development but must achieve breakthroughs from “0” to “1” in multiple fields through institutional innovation, providing experience and solutions for the development of other cities in our country. From the perspective of the specific path of reform, entering the New Era, in order to give full play to local initiative in accordance with local conditions, the central government has planned a series of reform pilot projects with high standards. Taking the comprehensive reform pilot project of the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics as an example, it is necessary to ensure that the pilot demonstration effect is built on the basis of specific institutional framework innovation. Internally, we must actively utilize the various reform mechanisms authorized by the central government for the comprehensive reform pilot, build a system of powers and responsibilities that matches the reform tasks, and ensure that reform is carried out within the framework of the rule of law. Externally, we must benchmark against international first-class standards, through comparative analysis, deeply study the institutional designs and management models of globally advanced cities at similar stages of development, extensively absorb successful experiences, continuously optimize the institutional supply of the pilot demonstration zone, enhance Shenzhen’s institutional innovation advantages and development vitality, and allow this “golden signboard” of the special economic zone to shine even more brightly on the new journey.

“改革不停顿”深刻指出改革必须持之以恒，没有退路，不能终止，没有止境。全面深化改革中的“全面”则要求改革从“一事一议”走向全方位综合性的改革。从改革的深度和广度来看，“全面”涵盖了经济、政治、文化、社会及生态文明建设等各领域改革，充分体现了党对改革认识的深化和系统化，标志着我国改革开放事业进入一个新的阶段，需进一步增强改革的系统性、整体性、协同性。“深化”则要求在体制机制变革上下功夫。提出深圳建设“先行示范区、强国城市范例”的目标，意味着深圳必须全领域、全过程先行示范，不能只当单项冠军，而是要多领域全方位走在前列，推动人的全面发展、社会的全面进步；不能满足于某一阶段领先，而是要全过程领跑，把走在前列、勇当尖兵作为不懈追求；不能只是追求自身发展，而是要以制度创新实现多个领域“0”到“1”的突破，为我国其他城市发展提供经验、提供方案。从改革的具体路径来看，进入新时代，为因地制宜发挥地方主观能动性，中央高标准规划一系列改革试点。以深圳的中国特色社会主义先行示范区综合改革试点为例，就是要确保先行示范效应构建于特定的制度框架创新基础之上。对内积极用好综合改革试点中央授权的各项改革机制，构建与改革任务相适配的权责体系，确保改革在法治框架下进行。向外要对标国际一流标准，通过比较分析，深入研究全球先进城市在类似发展阶段的制度设计与管理模式，广泛汲取成功经验，不断优化先行示范区的制度供给，提升深圳制度创新优势与发展活力，让经济特区这块“金字招牌”在新征程中绽放更为耀眼的光芒。

“Opening up will never end” profoundly embodies the responsibility and commitment of China in the New Era within the global development landscape. It requires a gradual shift from the traditional single model of opening up to high-standard opening up, and institutional opening up is an important hallmark of high-standard opening up. Compared with the opening up of the flow of goods and factors of production, institutional opening up focuses on the opening of rules, regulations, management, and standards. It is comprehensive, systematic, and stable in nature, representing a higher level and standard of opening up. Institutional opening up requires proactively aligning with international high-standard economic and trade rules represented by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, achieving compatibility and integration of rules, regulations, management, and standards in areas such as property rights protection, environmental standards, labor protection, government procurement, e-commerce, and finance. It also requires making full use of the experimental advantages of the pilot free trade zones as testing grounds for institutional innovation, further improving the mechanism for aligning with international economic and trade rules, and releasing the dividends of institutional innovation on a broader scale. From the perspective of the scope of opening up, institutional opening up is an all-round opening up, covering various fields including the economy, politics, culture, science and technology, and others. It not only requires actively expanding trade in goods and services but also continuously optimizing policies for foreign investment access, strengthening industrial cooperation with countries around the world, and promoting the stable development of global industrial and supply chains. From the perspective of the level of opening up, institutional opening up has formed an all-round, multi-tiered, and wide-ranging pattern of opening up. It involves multiple areas such as the international commodity market, capital market, technology market, and labor market, as well as numerous industries including energy, transportation, finance, insurance, real estate, science and technology, education, and service industries. From the perspective of the benefits of opening up, by continuously expanding opening up, institutional opening up can make full use of both international and domestic markets and resources, promote the optimal allocation of resources, drive the upgrading of industrial structures, and improve the quality and efficiency of economic development. It can bring in advanced technology, management experience, and concepts, stimulate the vitality of the domestic market, enhance the innovation capacity and competitiveness of enterprises, and promote high-quality development of the economy and society.

“开放不止步”深刻体现了新时代中国在全球发展格局中的责任担当，要从传统的单一的开放模式逐步走向高水平对外开放，而制度型开放是高水平对外开放的重要标志。与商品和要素流动型开放相比，制度型开放以规则、规制、管理、标准开放为主，具有全面、系统、稳定等特征，是更高层次、更高水平的开放。制度型开放要求主动对接以《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》《数字经济伙伴关系协定》等为代表的国际高标准经贸规则，在产权保护、环境标准、劳动保护、政府采购、电子商务、金融领域等实现规则、规制、管理、标准相通相容，用足用好自贸试验区制度创新试验田优势，进一步完善国际经贸规则对接机制，在更大范围释放制度创新红利。从开放的范围来看，制度型开放是全方位的开放，涵盖了经济、政治、文化、科技等各个领域，不仅要求积极扩大商品和服务贸易，还要求不断优化外资准入政策，加强与世界各国的产业合作，推动全球产业链、供应链的稳定发展。从开放的层次来看，制度型开放形成了全方位、多层次、宽领域的对外开放格局。涉及国际商品市场、资本市场、技术市场、劳务市场等多个领域，以及能源、交通、金融、保险、房地产、科技、教育、服务业等众多行业。从开放的效益来看，制度型开放通过持续扩大开放，能够充分利用国际国内两个市场、两种资源，促进资源的优化配置，推动产业结构升级，提高经济发展的质量和效益；能够带来先进的技术、管理经验和理念，激发国内市场活力，增强企业的创新能力和竞争力，推动经济社会的高质量发展。

3. Manifesting the Scientific Method for Advancing the Systematic Project of Reform and Opening Up

3.彰显推进改革开放系统工程的科学方法

Upholding the leadership of the Party provides the fundamental guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively. The Communist Party of China is the leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the highest political leadership force in the country. The strong and resolute leadership of the Party is our greatest political advantage. This requires giving full play to the Party’s core leadership role in exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides, and always advancing reform under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee. This is the fundamental guarantee that further deepening reform comprehensively will always stay on the correct path and can be organized and implemented. The comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of China runs through all fields and links of reform, enabling the effective integration of diverse social interests, the consolidation of consensus on reform, and the avoidance of the predicament where reform becomes mired in conflicts over partial interests.

坚持党的领导为进一步全面深化改革提供根本保证。中国共产党是中国特色社会主义事业的领导核心，是国家最高政治领导力量，党的坚强有力领导是我们的最大政治优势。这就要求充分发挥党总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用，始终在党中央坚强领导下推进改革，这是进一步全面深化改革始终处于正确道路并得以组织实施的根本保证。中国共产党的全面领导贯穿于改革的各领域、各环节，能够有效整合社会多元利益，凝聚改革共识，避免改革陷入局部利益博弈的困境。

Adhering to the people-centered value orientation. On the new journey, further deepening reform comprehensively ultimately means continuously meeting the new expectations of the people and continuously satisfying the people’s aspiration for a better life. It is necessary to adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, rely on digital governance technologies, continuously improve the livelihood data system, and accurately and proactively respond to the demands of the people’s livelihood. It is necessary to focus on key areas of people’s livelihood such as medical care, education, and housing, take social fairness as the value orientation, and through systematic policy design and institutional reform, promote the balanced allocation and efficient utilization of livelihood resources, ensuring that “where the people call, we respond.”

坚持以人民为中心的价值取向。新征程上进一步推进全面深化改革，归根到底就是要不断满足人民的新期待，不断满足人民对美好生活的向往。要坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，依托数字化治理技术，不断完善民生数据系统，精准积极回应民生诉求。要聚焦医疗、教育、住房等民生关键领域，以社会公平为价值导向，通过系统性的政策设计与制度改革，推动民生资源的均衡配置与高效利用，确保“民有所呼、我有所应”。

Adhering to the problem-oriented approach and encouraging local exploration. Reform plans passed by the central authorities must take root on the ground, and different localities are encouraged and allowed to conduct differentiated explorations. While localities implement reform, they must also engage in exploration and innovation, daring to be the first to try and pilot under the premise of adhering to the correct direction of reform and following the laws of reform, striving to become reform pilot sites or reform experimental zones, and being adept at promptly summarizing successful reform experiences to provide reference for promoting reform nationwide. In the New Era, as Shenzhen builds a pilot demonstration area for socialism with Chinese characteristics, it should, in the process of further deepening reform comprehensively, adhere to a problem-oriented approach, focus on resolving the pain points, difficulties, and blockages that constrain reform in various key areas, thereby effectively preventing and defusing major risks in the reform process, and continuously stimulating the driving force and vitality of economic and social development.

坚持问题导向，鼓励地方探索。中央通过的改革方案落地生根，鼓励和允许不同地方进行差别化探索；地方在抓改革落实的同时也要搞好探索创新，在坚持正确改革方向、遵循改革规律的前提下敢于先行先试，争取成为改革试点地或改革试验区，善于及时总结改革成功经验，为推动全国改革提供借鉴。新时代深圳建设好中国特色社会主义先行示范区，应在进一步全面深化改革的推进过程中，坚持以问题为导向，着力解决制约各项重点领域改革的痛点、难点、堵点，从而有效防范化解改革过程中存在的重大风险，不断激发经济社会发展动力与活力。

General Secretary Xi Jinping encouraged Shenzhen to “reform will never stop and opening up will

习近平总书记勉励深圳“改革不停顿、开放不止步”，续写更多“春天的故事”，为进一步全面深化改革、推进高水平对外开放注入了磅礴伟力、指明了前进方向。回溯45年波澜壮阔的历程，深圳曾以“敢为天下先”的胆识魄力，在改革开放的时代大潮中勇立潮头，在一张白纸上书写了中国特色社会主义的精彩篇章。站在新的历史起点，深圳肩负着新时代赋予的光荣使命。必须始终坚持党对改革开放的全面领导，深刻领会、坚决贯彻习近平总书记对深圳工作的系列重要指示精神，不忘初心、牢记使命，以“改革不停顿、开放不止步”的坚定执着，勇当进一步全面深化改革的“尖兵”、推进高水平对外开放的“窗口”。锚定新时代改革坐标，精准谋划具体改革事项，健全完善体制机制，统筹推进深层次改革攻坚与高水平对外开放，在破解发展难题、激发社会活力、完善全球治理中探索新路径、积累新经验，为全国改革发展探路先行，将改革开放进行到底，创造让世界刮目相看的新的更大奇迹。

(Authors: Yang Jian and Wu Yanni, both are specially appointed researchers of the Xi

（作者：杨建、吴燕妮，均系广东省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员，分别系深圳市社会科学院副院长、社会所所长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心