Deeply Understand the Great Achievements and Important Revelations of Reform and Opening Up

In 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party [1]1 The Four Cardinal Principles are the four fundamental principles upheld by the CPC: the socialist path, the people’s democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the CPC, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. opened the curtain on reform and opening up. In 2013, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party [2]2 The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan is the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, covering economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction. ushered in a New Era of comprehensively deepening reform and advancing reform through systemic, holistic design, creating an entirely new situation for China’s reform and opening up. The recently concluded Central Economic Work Conference [3]3 The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy is a strategic layout for comprehensively building a modern socialist country, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively governing the country according to law, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. proposed: “We must rely on reform and opening up to enhance the endogenous driving force of development.” Summarizing and sorting through the great achievements and profound revelations gained over 45 years of reform and opening up is of great significance for comprehensively deepening reform and opening up on the new journey and for realizing the second centenary goal [4]4 The second centenary goal refers to the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the 21st century, the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China..

1978年，党的十一届三中全会拉开了改革开放的大幕。2013年，党的十八届三中全会开启了全面深化改革、系统整体设计推进改革的新时代，开创了我国改革开放的全新局面。日前召开的中央经济工作会议提出：“必须坚持依靠改革开放增强发展内生动力”。总结和梳理改革开放45年来取得的伟大成就、带来的深刻启示，对于新征程上全面深化改革开放、实现第二个百年奋斗目标具有重要意义。

Reform and opening up has achieved great accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention.

改革开放取得举世瞩目的伟大成就

Over the 45 years of reform and opening up, our Party, based on the basic national conditions of the primary stage of socialism, has adhered to emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping pace with the times, and being realistic and pragmatic, propelling our country onto a new journey of comprehensively building a strong country and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

改革开放45年来，我们党立足社会主义初级阶段的基本国情，坚持解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实，推动我国迈上了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。

Economic strength has achieved a historic leap. Productive forces are the most active and revolutionary factor driving social progress. Our Party, in the course of reform and opening up, has promoted the adaptation of relations of production to productive forces and the superstructure to the economic base, continuously unleashing and developing social productive forces. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [5], our Party has scientifically grasped the trend of development, proposed and implemented the new development philosophy, promoted the construction of a new development pattern, and striven to advance high-quality development. China’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown from 367.9 billion yuan at the beginning of reform and opening up to 121.02 trillion yuan in 2022, firmly ranking second in the world; it has won the largest-scale battle against poverty in human history, historically resolved absolute poverty, achieved the poverty reduction goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule; it has established the world’s most complete industrial system, with the scale of manufacturing ranking first in the world for over a decade; self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology have been accelerated, breakthroughs have been made in some key core technologies, and China has joined the ranks of innovative countries; comprehensive grain production capacity has been continuously improved, effectively ensuring food security for over 1.4 billion people; it has persisted in opening up to build the country, forming a pattern of opening up that is broader in scope, wider in fields, and deeper in level. China’s economy has embarked on a path of development that is higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer.

经济实力实现历史性跃升。生产力是推动社会进步最活跃、最革命的要素。我们党在改革开放中促进生产关系和生产力、上层建筑和经济基础相适应，不断解放和发展社会生产力。党的十八大以来，我们党科学把握发展大势，提出并贯彻新发展理念，推动构建新发展格局，着力推进高质量发展。我国国内生产总值从改革开放之初的3679亿元增长到2022年的121.02万亿元，稳居世界第二位；打赢了人类历史上规模最大的脱贫攻坚战，历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题，提前10年实现《联合国2030年可持续发展议程》减贫目标，如期全面建成小康社会；建立起世界最完整的产业体系，制造业规模连续10多年位居世界第一；科技自立自强加快推进，一些关键核心技术实现突破，跻身创新型国家行列；粮食综合生产能力不断提高，14亿多人的粮食安全得到有效保障；坚持打开国门搞建设，形成了更大范围、更宽领域、更深层次的对外开放格局。我国经济迈上更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展之路。

The institutionalization, standardization, and proceduralization of socialist democratic politics have been comprehensively advanced. Adhering to the correct path of political development is a major issue that concerns the fundamentals and the overall situation. After reform and opening up, our Party unswervingly advanced the construction of socialist democracy and the rule of law, adhered to the path of political development with Chinese characteristics, and continuously improved various democratic political systems. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party, based on a new historical orientation, has deeply grasped the new changes in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, comprehensively developed whole-process people’s democracy, extensively carried out socialist consultative democracy, made the people’s role as masters of the country more solid, enhanced the vitality of grassroots democracy, continuously consolidated and developed a lively, stable, and united political situation, and enabled the people to manage state affairs, economic and cultural undertakings, and social affairs through various channels and forms in accordance with the law. The reform of Party and state institutions has been comprehensively deepened, achieving a systematic and holistic restructuring of the functions of Party and state institutions. The construction of a socialist country under the rule of law has been deeply advanced, the overall framework for law-based governance has basically taken shape, the construction of the socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics has been accelerated, major progress has been made in the reform of the judicial system, the guarantee of social fairness and justice has become more solid, and a new situation has been created in the construction of a rule-of-law China.

社会主义民主政治制度化、规范化、程序化全面推进。坚持正确的政治发展道路，是关系根本、关系全局的重大问题。改革开放后，我们党坚定不移推进社会主义民主法治建设，坚持中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，不断健全各项民主政治制度。党的十八大以来，我们党立足新的历史方位，深刻把握我国社会主要矛盾发生的新变化，全面发展全过程人民民主，广泛开展社会主义协商民主，人民当家作主更为扎实，基层民主活力增强，生动活泼、安定团结的政治局面不断巩固和发展，人民依法通过各种途径和形式管理国家事务，管理经济和文化事业，管理社会事务。全面深化党和国家机构改革，党和国家机构职能实现系统性、整体性重构。深入推进社会主义法治国家建设，全面依法治国总体格局基本形成，中国特色社会主义法治体系加快建设，司法体制改革取得重大进展，社会公平正义保障更为坚实，法治中国建设开创新局面。

Cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture have been continuously enhanced. Culture is the soul of a country and a nation. After reform and opening up, our Party adhered to “grasping with both hands, both hands must be firm” in socialist material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, exploring and strengthening the construction of socialist cultural-ethical progress. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has adhered to the path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics, established and upheld the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, actively shaped a new pattern of mainstream public opinion, widely disseminated core socialist values, continuously improved the online ecosystem, and brought about a comprehensive and fundamental transformation in the ideological domain. The cultural management system and production and operation mechanisms have been accelerated and improved, a modern public cultural service system and a cultural industry system have been established and improved, cultural undertakings and cultural industries have become increasingly prosperous, and the people’s sense of cultural gain and happiness has been continuously enhanced. The creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture have been promoted, the cultural confidence of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country has been significantly enhanced, and the national cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture have been continuously improved.

文化软实力和中华文化影响力不断提升。文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂。改革开放后，我们党坚持社会主义物质文明和精神文明“两手抓、两手都要硬”，探索并加强社会主义精神文明建设。党的十八大以来，我们党坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，确立和坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，积极塑造主流舆论新格局，社会主义核心价值观广泛传播，网络生态持续向好，意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变。加快完善文化管理体制和生产经营机制，建立健全现代公共文化服务体系和文化产业体系，文化事业和文化产业日益繁荣，人民群众的文化获得感幸福感不断增强。推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，全党全国各族人民文化自信明显增强，国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力不断提升。

The fruits of reform and development have been shared more and more fairly among all the people. Our Party is a party that serves the people wholeheartedly and always adheres to a people-centered approach. After reform and opening up, our Party continuously improved people’s livelihoods and enhanced their well-being while developing the economy. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has taken enabling the people to live a good life as the starting point and goal of all its work, introducing a series of major measures in income distribution, employment, education, social security, medical and health care, and housing security, striving to solve the urgent, difficult, and anxious problems of the people. Residents’ incomes have continued to increase, with the per capita annual disposable income of national residents rising from 171 yuan in 1978 to 36,883 yuan in 2022; the average life expectancy has increased to 78.2 years, with major health indicators ranking among those of upper-middle-income countries; the employment and entrepreneurship system and mechanism have been continuously improved, achieving relatively full employment in a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion; the world’s largest education system, social security system, and medical and health care system have been built, continuously improving the level of socialization, rule of law, intelligence, and specialization in social governance, continuing the miracle of long-term social stability.

改革发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。我们党是全心全意为人民服务的党，始终坚持以人民为中心。改革开放后，我们党在发展经济的同时不断改善民生、增进人民福祉。党的十八大以来，我们党把让老百姓过上好日子作为我们一切工作的出发点和落脚点，在收入分配、就业、教育、社会保障、医疗卫生、住房保障等方面推出一系列重大举措，着力解决人民群众急难愁盼问题。居民收入持续增加，全国居民人均年可支配收入从1978年的171元增加到2022年的36883元；人均预期寿命提高到78.2岁，主要健康指标居于中高收入国家前列；就业创业体制机制不断健全，在14亿多人口的大国实现了比较充分的就业；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，不断提升社会治理社会化、法治化、智能化、专业化水平，续写了社会长期稳定奇迹。

Ecological civilization construction has undergone historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes. Ecological civilization construction is a fundamental plan related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. After reform and opening up, our Party increasingly attached importance to ecological and environmental protection. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have firmly established and practiced the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, promoting historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological civilization construction from theory to practice. We have adhered to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts, strengthened ecological and environmental protection in all areas, regions, and processes, advanced the battle against pollution in depth, and taken solid steps in green, circular, and low-carbon development. In 2022, the proportion of days with good air quality in cities at the prefecture level and above increased to 86.5%, and the proportion of surface water sections with excellent water quality reached 87.9%. Our motherland’s sky is bluer, the mountains are greener, and the water is clearer. The project of returning farmland to forest and grassland has effectively improved the ecological situation, becoming a vivid practice of China’s ecological civilization construction. China has actively and steadily promoted the peaking of carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, deeply participated in global environmental governance, guided international cooperation in addressing climate change, and contributed to world sustainable development.

生态文明建设发生了历史性、转折性、全局性变化。生态文明建设是关系中华民族永续发展的根本大计。改革开放后，我们党日益重视生态环境保护。党的十八大以来，我们牢固树立和践行绿水青山就是金山银山的理念，推动生态文明建设从理论到实践都发生了历史性、转折性、全局性变化。我们坚持山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，全方位、全地域、全过程加强生态环境保护，污染防治攻坚向纵深推进，绿色、循环、低碳发展迈出坚实步伐。2022年，全国地级及以上城市空气质量优良天数比例提升到86.5%，地表水水质优良断面比例达到87.9%，我们的祖国天更蓝、山更绿、水更清。退耕还林还草工程有效改善了生态状况，成为我国生态文明建设的生动实践。我国积极稳妥推进碳达峰碳中和，深度参与全球环境治理，引导应对气候变化国际合作，为世界可持续发展贡献力量。

Reform and opening up brings precious and important revelations.

改革开放带来弥足珍贵的重要启示

On the new journey, we must closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at

新征程上，我们要紧密团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，深刻认识和把握改革开放带来的深刻启示，更好以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业。

Uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party. Over the 45 years of reform and opening up, it is precisely because we have always upheld the centralized and unified leadership of the Party that we have been able to rally the will and strength of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, forming a powerful driving force for reform and opening up as well as economic and social development; that we have been able to ensure that reform and opening up always advances along the correct path and that the fruits of reform and development benefit all the people more and more fairly; and that we have been able to successfully respond to a series of risks and challenges, creating the miracle of rapid economic development and the miracle of long-term social stability rarely seen in the world. On the new journey, we must further strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party over reform and opening up, uphold scientific governance, democratic governance, and law-based governance, improve the Party's governance capacity and leadership level, perfect the Party's leadership methods and governance methods, and continuously enhance the Party's ability and resolve to set the direction, plan the overall situation, formulate policies, and promote reform, ensuring that comprehensively deepening reform and opening up proceeds steadily and far-reachingly.

坚持党的集中统一领导。改革开放45年来，正是因为始终坚持党的集中统一领导，我们才能凝聚起全党全国各族人民的意志和力量，形成推动改革开放和经济社会发展的强大动力；才能保证改革开放始终沿着正确道路前进、改革发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民；才能成功应对一系列风险挑战，创造世所罕见的经济快速发展奇迹和社会长期稳定奇迹。新征程上，必须进一步加强党对改革开放的集中统一领导，坚持科学执政、民主执政、依法执政，提高党的执政能力和领导水平，完善党的领导方式和执政方式，不断提高党把方向、谋大局、定政策、促改革的能力和定力，确保全面深化改革开放行稳致远。

Adhere to a people-centered development philosophy. The fundamental purpose of our promotion of reform is to make the country more prosperous and strong, to make society more fair and just, and to make the people’s lives better. The practice of reform and opening up fully proves that development has meaning only when it is for the people, and development has momentum only when it relies on the people. On the new journey, we must adhere to a people-centered development philosophy, deeply root the cause of reform and opening up among the masses of the people, uphold the supremacy of the people, take the people’s stand, grasp the people’s aspirations, respect the people’s creativity, and concentrate the people’s wisdom, promoting the fruits of reform and development to benefit all the people more and more fairly, and gathering the mighty force of hundreds of millions of people united in struggle.

坚持以人民为中心的发展思想。我们推进改革的根本目的，是要让国家变得更加富强、让社会变得更加公平正义、让人民生活得更加美好。改革开放的实践充分证明：为了人民而发展，发展才有意义；依靠人民而发展，发展才有动力。新征程上，必须坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，把改革开放事业深深扎根于人民群众之中，坚持人民至上，站稳人民立场、把握人民愿望、尊重人民创造、集中人民智慧，推动改革发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民，凝聚亿万人民团结奋进的磅礴力量。

Unswervingly take the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The question of the path is the primary question concerning the success or failure of the Party’s cause. Since reform and opening up, our Party has led the people in opening up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics through continuous exploration, and has taken the path of Chinese-path modernization. The practice of reform and opening up fully proves that the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a broad avenue for contemporary China to catch up with the times and lead the development of the times, and that Chinese-path modernization is the only correct path for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation. On the new journey, we must strengthen our conviction and determination that the path will not change and our resolve will not waver, adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to taking economic construction as the center, adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles [1]1 The Four Cardinal Principles are the four fundamental principles upheld by the CPC: the socialist path, the people’s democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the CPC, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought., adhere to reform and opening up, coordinate the advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan [2]2 The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan is the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, covering economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction. and the coordinated promotion of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy [3]3 The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy is a strategic layout for comprehensively building a modern socialist country, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively governing the country according to law, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party., adhere to placing national and ethnic development on the basis of our own strength, adhere to firmly grasping the destiny of China’s development and progress in our own hands, and strive to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country and achieve the second centenary goal [4]4 The second centenary goal refers to the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the 21st century, the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China..

坚定不移走中国特色社会主义道路。道路问题是关系党的事业兴衰成败第一位的问题。改革开放以来，我们党带领人民在不断探索中开辟了中国特色社会主义道路，走出了中国式现代化道路。改革开放的实践充分证明，中国特色社会主义道路是当代中国大踏步赶上时代、引领时代发展的康庄大道，中国式现代化是强国建设、民族复兴的唯一正确道路。新征程上，我们必须坚定道不变、志不改的信念和决心，坚持走中国特色社会主义道路，坚持以经济建设为中心，坚持四项基本原则，坚持改革开放，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，坚持把国家和民族发展放在自己力量的基点上，坚持把中国发展进步的命运牢牢掌握在自己手中，努力全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标。

Continuously write a new chapter in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. A nation cannot be at the forefront of the times without theoretical thinking, nor can it be without ideological guidance for a single moment. Marxism and its development in China have provided scientific theoretical guidance for the development of the Party and the people’s cause, which is both continuous in lineage and advancing with the times. The practice of reform and opening up fully proves that the reason why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics can work is ultimately because Marxism works, and because Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works. On the new journey, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, combine the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, continue to advance theoretical innovation on the basis of practice, continuously write a new chapter in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and always maintain the vigorous vitality and exuberant energy of Marxism.

不断谱写马克思主义中国化时代化新篇章。一个民族要走在时代前列，就一刻不能没有理论思维，一刻不能没有思想指引。马克思主义及其在中国的发展，为党和人民事业发展提供了既一脉相承又与时俱进的科学理论指导。改革开放的实践充分证明，中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行，是中国化时代化的马克思主义行。新征程上，我们要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，继续推进实践基础上的理论创新，不断谱写马克思主义中国化时代化新篇章，始终保持马克思主义的蓬勃生机和旺盛活力。

Better transform China’s institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness. Institutions are fundamental, overarching, stable, and long-term issues concerning the development of the Party and the state’s cause. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the national governance system are a system and governance system guided by Marxism, rooted in China’s soil, with a profound foundation in Chinese culture, and deeply supported by the people. The practice of reform and opening up fully proves that the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has strong vitality and great superiority, and can continuously promote the progress and development of a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion. On the new journey, we must strengthen our confidence in the system, improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the national governance system in step with the times, continuously better transform China’s institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness, and provide a strong and effective institutional guarantee for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

把我国制度优势更好转化为国家治理效能。制度是关系党和国家事业发展的根本性、全局性、稳定性、长期性问题。中国特色社会主义制度和国家治理体系是以马克思主义为指导、植根中国大地、具有深厚中华文化根基、深得人民拥护的制度和治理体系。改革开放的实践充分证明，中国特色社会主义制度具有强大生命力和巨大优越性，能够持续推动拥有14亿多人口的大国进步和发展。新征程上，我们必须坚定制度自信，与时俱进完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度和国家治理体系，不断把我国制度优势更好转化为国家治理效能，为强国建设、民族复兴提供坚强有力的制度保障。

Inject strong spiritual strength into building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation. Culture concerns the foundation and destiny of the nation. The practice of reform and opening up fully proves that without the flourishing development of socialist culture, there can be no socialist modernization; to build a socialist cultural power, we must adhere to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey, we must focus on the new cultural mission of continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural power, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new historical starting point, strengthen cultural confidence, uphold openness and inclusiveness, adhere to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, fully stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation, continuously consolidate the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, continuously enhance the country’s cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, and provide a strong ideological guarantee, powerful spiritual strength, and favorable cultural conditions for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation. (Authors: Cui Youping, Peng Pingping, Wang Jin)

为强国建设、民族复兴注入强大精神力量。文化关乎国本、国运。改革开放的实践充分证明，没有社会主义文化繁荣发展，就没有社会主义现代化；建设社会主义文化强国，必须坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路。新征程上，我们要围绕在新的历史起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明这一新的文化使命，坚定文化自信，秉持开放包容，坚持守正创新，充分激发全民族文化创新创造活力，不断巩固全党全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础，不断提升国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力，为强国建设、民族复兴提供坚强思想保证、强大精神力量、有利文化条件。 （执笔：崔友平 彭萍萍 王 瑾）

Online Editor: Zhang Jian

网络编辑：张剑