Adhering to the Socialist Market Economy Is the Only Way to Comprehensively Deepen Reform and Opening Up

On May 23, 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium of enterprises and experts and delivered an important speech. He emphasized that to further comprehensively deepen reform, we must closely adhere to the theme of advancing Chinese-path modernization, highlight the focus of reform, firmly grasp the value orientation, and pay attention to methods and approaches, so as to add impetus to the completion of the central task and the realization of strategic goals. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Communist Party of China has unswervingly promoted comprehensive and deepening reform and put forward a series of new ideas, new theses, and new measures. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC further emphasized: “The central task of the Communist Party of China is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country, achieve the Second Centenary Goal, and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.” [1]1 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. Currently, China is facing an even more complex and volatile international situation and development landscape, and reform is entering a critical period and a deep-water zone. Only by unswervingly adhering to the socialist market economy and continuously consolidating the institutional advantages of Chinese-path modernization can we continuously advance comprehensive and deepening reform.

2024年5月23日，习近平总书记主持召开企业和专家座谈会并发表重要讲话。他强调，进一步全面深化改革，要紧扣推进中国式现代化这个主题，突出改革重点，把牢价值取向，讲求方式方法，为完成中心任务、实现战略目标增添动力。党的十八大以来，中国共产党坚定不移推进全面深化改革，并提出了一系列新思想、新论断、新举措。党的二十大报告进一步强调：“中国共产党的中心任务就是团结带领全国各族人民全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。”当前，中国正面临更加复杂多变的国际形势与发展格局，改革正进入攻坚期和深水区。只有坚持社会主义市场经济不动摇，不断夯实中国式现代化的制度优势，才能不断推进全面深化改革。

I. The Socialist Market Economy Is the Wisdom Crystallization of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

一、社会主义市场经济是马克思主义中国化的智慧结晶

Developing a socialist market economy is the correct choice made by the Communist Party of China leading the people through several concentrated ideological debates, breaking through the barriers of traditional economic theory, and selecting from among numerous development paths. It has a profound ideological foundation and theoretical basis.

发展社会主义市场经济，是中国共产党领导人民经过数次集中的思想论争，突破传统经济学理论的藩篱，在众多发展道路中做出的正确选择，具有深厚的思想基础和理论依据。

Before the Second World War, looking at the modernization processes of countries around the world, there were mainly two paths. One was capitalist modernization represented by Europe and the United States, and the other was socialist modernization represented by the Soviet Union. The former was characterized mainly by capitalist private ownership and a market economy, while the latter was characterized mainly by socialist public ownership and a planned economy. Against this historical background, both traditional Marxist political economy and mainstream classical and neoclassical economics in Europe and the United States generally believed that socialism and the market economy were naturally opposed. Marx and Engels, in classic works such as the *Communist Manifesto* and *Capital*, clearly stated that in a socialist and communist society, public ownership of the means of production would be implemented, private ownership would cease to exist, and the commodity economy based on private ownership would also disappear accordingly. Neoclassical economics also believed that private ownership and the market economy had a “natural affinity.”

第二次世界大战以前，纵观世界各国现代化历程，主要存在两种路径。一是以欧美为代表的资本主义现代化，二是以苏联为代表的社会主义现代化。前者以资本主义私有制和市场经济为主要特征，后者以社会主义公有制和计划经济为主要特征。在这一历史背景下，无论是传统的马克思主义政治经济学，还是欧美主流的古典、新古典经济学，都普遍认为社会主义与市场经济天然对立。马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》《资本论》等经典著作中明确提出，在社会主义和共产主义社会实行的是生产资料公有制，私有制将不复存在，以私有制为基础的商品经济也会随之消亡。新古典经济学也认为，私有制与市场经济具有“天然的亲和力”。

Although the above theories all aim to reveal the general laws of human society, their practical material still mainly comes from the development process of Western modernization, lacking sufficient research on the development paths of other countries and regions in the world. This requires Chinese Communists to combine the specific realities of Chinese society to construct and improve China’s modernization theory. As early as the founding of the Communist Party of China, the Party’s early leaders, such as Li Dazhao and Mao Zedong, proposed that guided by Marxist historical materialism, in-depth investigation and research should be carried out, focusing on analyzing the specific conditions of China’s political and economic changes, and accordingly promoting the national independence and revolutionary movement. After the founding of New China, Chen Yun creatively put forward the basic concept of “three mainstays and three supplements,” advocating for a “state-led free market” within a certain scope. [2]2 “Three mainstays and three supplements” was a concept proposed by Chen Yun in 1956, envisioning a mixed economy with state-owned and collective enterprises as the mainstay, supplemented by individual businesses; planned production as the mainstay, supplemented by free production; and the state market as the mainstay, supplemented by a free market under state leadership. After reform and opening up, the issue of how to handle the relationship between socialism and the market economy once again became the focus of ideological confrontation. While other countries turned to the “Washington Consensus,” China adhered to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, starting from the largest reality of being in the primary stage of socialism, and put forward a series of major theories concerning the essence of socialism, the basic economic system of the primary stage of socialism, and the socialist market economy system. It systematically developed and innovated Marxist theory, forming the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This theory points out that a market economy is not equivalent to capitalism, and socialism can also adopt a market economy. Whether there is more market or more planning is not the essential difference between socialism and capitalism. Theoretical and practical circles have engaged in multiple rounds of debate around issues such as the ownership structure, reform of state-owned enterprises, and industrial policy. The understanding and practice of the socialist market economy have gradually deepened, achieving theoretical innovation in aspects such as framework design, institutional innovation, and reform path.

尽管上述理论皆以揭示人类社会一般规律为目标，但其实践素材仍主要来自西方现代化发展历程，对世界其他国家和地区的发展路径则缺乏足够的研究。这就要求中国共产党人结合中国社会的具体实际，构建并完善中国的现代化理论。早在中国共产党成立之初，党的早期领导人李大钊、毛泽东等就曾提出，应以马克思主义唯物史观为指导，深入开展调查研究，着重分析中国政治、经济变迁的具体状况，并据此推进民族独立和革命运动。新中国成立后，陈云创造性地提出“三个主体，三个补充”的基本构想，倡导一定范围内“国家领导的自由市场”。改革开放后，关于如何处理社会主义和市场经济的关系问题再度成为思想交锋的焦点。在其他国家纷纷转向“华盛顿共识”的时候，中国坚持走中国特色社会主义道路，从社会主义初级阶段这个最大的实际出发，提出了关于社会主义的本质、社会主义初级阶段基本经济制度、社会主义市场经济体制等一系列重大理论，对马克思主义理论进行了系统的发展和创新，形成了中国特色社会主义理论体系。该理论指出，市场经济不等同于资本主义，社会主义也可以搞市场经济。市场多一点还是计划多一点，不是社会主义和资本主义的本质区别。理论界和实务界围绕所有制结构、国有企业改革、产业政策等问题展开了多轮论争，对社会主义市场经济的认识及实践逐步趋于深化，实现了在框架设计、制度革新、改革路线等诸方面的理论创新。

The theory of the socialist market economy is rooted in the largest national condition that China is still in the primary stage of socialism. It breaks down the “binary opposition” between socialism and the market economy, proposing that both planning and the market are means of allocating resources, that the essence of reform is the transformation of relations of production to adapt to the development requirements of productive forces, and that the fundamental criterion for testing the effectiveness of reform is the liberation and development of productive forces. This provides key ideological guidance and theoretical support for deepening economic system reform and advancing China’s modernization process. This theory is an important component of the theoretical system of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, a theoretical achievement of Marxism guiding the construction and reform of the socialist economy with Chinese characteristics, and also a product of the continuous development and innovation of contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy.

社会主义市场经济理论植根于中国仍处于社会主义初级阶段这一最大国情，破除了社会主义与市场经济的“二元对立”，提出计划和市场都是配置资源的手段，改革的本质是适应生产力发展要求的生产关系变革，检验改革成效的根本标准是解放和发展生产力。这为深化经济体制改革、推进中国的现代化进程提供了关键的思想指引和理论支撑。这一理论是中国特色社会主义政治经济学理论体系的重要组成部分，是马克思主义指导中国特色社会主义经济建设与改革的理论成果，也是当代中国马克思主义政治经济学不断发展和创新的产物。

II. The Socialist Market Economy Is a Great Creation of the Communist Party of China

二、社会主义市场经济是中国共产党的伟大创举

Regarding the connotation, significance, and future construction direction of the socialist market economy, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that developing a market economy under socialist conditions is a great creation of our Party. Developing a socialist market economy is a historical choice formed by the Party and the people in the concrete practice of advancing China’s modernization construction. It is a reform measure that follows China’s reality, conforms to China’s national conditions, and has Chinese characteristics, possessing a solid practical foundation and rich practical experience.

关于社会主义市场经济的内涵、意义和未来建设方向，习近平总书记明确指出，在社会主义条件下发展市场经济，是我们党的一个伟大创举。发展社会主义市场经济，是党和人民在推进中国现代化建设的具体实践中形成的历史选择，是遵循中国实际、符合中国国情、具有中国特色的改革举措，具有坚实的实践基础和丰富的实践经验。

After the Second World War, with the resurgence of national independence movements, developing countries in large numbers began to explore modernization construction. Whether to take the “Western model” of capitalism, private ownership plus a market economy, or the “Soviet model” of socialism, public ownership plus a planned economy, or to innovate their own national modernization development model, became a key issue facing every country.

第二次世界大战以后，随着民族独立运动的再度兴起，广大发展中国家纷纷开启现代化建设的探索。走资本主义、私有制加市场经济的“西方模式”，还是社会主义、公有制加计划经济的“苏联模式”，亦或创新本国的现代化发展模式，成为摆在每个国家面前的关键课题。

Under the international pattern of confrontation between the two camps, almost all socialist countries adopted the “Soviet model,” including the newly established New China. For socialist countries with backward economic development levels at that time, the “Soviet model” had the advantages of resource mobilization, rapid accumulation, and thus rapid industrialization, but it also had drawbacks such as incomplete information, incomplete competition, and low efficiency, which became increasingly severe as the economic scale expanded. Some countries also attempted to make partial repairs within the “Soviet model.” For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, the reform of socialist countries represented by Hungary’s “Prague Spring” attempted to introduce market mechanisms or a planned market economy, but these were merely fleeting and did not form an economic system or economic structure. [3]3 The “Prague Spring” was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia in 1968, including economic reforms that sought to introduce market elements into the planned economy, which was crushed by a Warsaw Pact invasion. In the 1980s, the economic problems of the “Soviet model” began to evolve into a crisis of socialist development. Countries such as the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe fully accepted Western economic theories and policy propositions, abandoned the leadership of the Communist Party and the public ownership economy, and took the modernization path of privatization and the so-called free market economy, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe.

在两大阵营对立的国际格局下，几乎所有的社会主义国家都采用了“苏联模式”，其中也包括刚刚成立的新中国。对于当时经济发展水平落后的社会主义国家来说，“苏联模式”具有资源动员、快速积累从而快速实现工业化的优势，但也存在信息不完备、竞争不完全、效率低下等弊病，且随着经济规模的扩张而日益严重。部分国家也曾尝试在“苏联模式”内部进行局部修补，例如二十世纪五、六十年代，以匈牙利“布拉格之春”为代表的社会主义国家改革曾尝试引入市场机制或有计划的市场经济，但都仅仅是昙花一现，并未形成经济制度或经济体系。二十世纪八十年代，“苏联模式”的经济问题开始演化为社会主义发展危机，苏联、东欧等国家全盘接受了西方的经济理论和政策主张，放弃共产党领导和公有制经济，走私有化和所谓自由市场经济的现代化道路，最终苏联解体、东欧剧变。

Unlike the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, China, while adhering to the socialist system, opened the prelude to deeply advancing economic system reform. The report of the 12th National Congress of the CPC characterized the features of the socialist economic system as “planned economy as the mainstay, market regulation as a supplement,” for the first time breaking the tradition of opposition between socialism and the market. [4]4 The 12th National Congress of the CPC was held in 1982. The report of the 13th National Congress of the CPC pointed out that in a socialist economy, both planning and the market cover the whole society, combining the planned economy with market regulation. The report of the 14th National Congress of the CPC clearly stated that the goal of socialist economic system reform was to establish a socialist market economy system. The report of the 15th National Congress of the CPC clarified the ownership foundation of the socialist market economy, establishing the basic economic system with public ownership as the mainstay and diverse forms of ownership developing together.

与苏联、东欧等不同，中国在坚持社会主义制度的前提下拉开了深入推进经济体制改革的序幕。党的十二大报告把社会主义经济制度特征概括为“计划经济为主，市场调节为辅”，第一次打破了社会主义与市场相互对立的传统；党的十三大报告指出，在社会主义经济中计划和市场都是覆盖全社会的，使计划经济与市场调节相结合；党的十四大报告明确提出，社会主义经济制度改革的目标是建立社会主义市场经济体制；党的十五大报告明确了社会主义市场经济的所有制基础，确立了公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展的基本经济制度。

The development process of the socialist market economy is a microcosm and reflection of China’s socialist modernization. China’s modernization adheres to the dialectical unity of the two-point theory and the priority theory [5]5 The “two-point theory” (两点论) and “priority theory” (重点论) are dialectical-materialist principles: the former holds that every contradiction has two aspects that must be considered together, and the latter that one aspect is primary at a given stage.. Under the premise of upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China, upholding the socialist system, upholding the supremacy of the people’s interests, and upholding the dominant position of public ownership, it promotes the benign interaction and integration of an “effective government” and an “efficient market,” makes good use of “two markets” and “two resources” [6]6 “Two markets, two resources” refers to the domestic market and the international market, and domestic resources and international resources., and has achieved remarkable accomplishments. China has leaped to become the world’s second-largest economy and continues to inject new momentum into global economic development.

社会主义市场经济的发展历程，是中国社会主义现代化建设的缩影和写照。中国的现代化建设坚持两点论和重点论的辩证统一，在坚持中国共产党领导、坚持社会主义制度、坚持人民利益至上、坚持公有制主体地位的前提下，推动“有为政府”与“有效市场”的良性互动和结合，用好“两个市场”“两种资源”，取得了举世瞩目的成就。中国一跃成为世界第二大经济体，并持续为全球经济发展注入新动能。

These practical achievements fully prove that China’s path of socialist market economy development and its theoretical innovation are viable and sustainable, conform to China’s specific realities, and provide important practical references for other developing countries.

这些实践成就充分证明，中国的社会主义市场经济发展道路及理论创新是走得通、走得远的，符合中国具体实际，并为其他发展中国家提供了重要的实践参照。

III. The Socialist Market Economy Is the Source of Strength for China’s Economic Miracle

三、社会主义市场经济是中国经济奇迹的力量源泉

Through our Party’s economic thought innovation and practical exploration over the past century, Marxist political economy has been enriched and developed theoretically; the great practice and historic progress of reform and development have also created conditions for the constructive development of China’s economic theory. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [7]7 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era., socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, and China’s economic development has also entered a New Era, giving rise to Xi Jinping’s economic thought.

通过我们党百年以来的经济思想创新和实践探索，在理论上对马克思主义政治经济学进行了丰富和发展；改革和发展的伟大实践及历史性进展，也为我国经济理论的建设性发展创造了条件。党的十八大以来，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，我国经济发展也进入新时代，形成了习近平经济思想。

China’s practical exploration of economic development strategies, methods, and paths since reform and opening up has enabled the domestic economy to achieve a historic leap. China’s overall economic strength and comprehensive national power have significantly increased, making it an important engine and stabilizer for global economic growth; new-type industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization have advanced in tandem; China’s scientific and technological strength has markedly improved, and the innovation-driven development strategy has yielded significant results; China has achieved the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule, historically resolved the issue of absolute poverty—a feat recorded in the annals of history and a miracle in the history of global poverty reduction; it has established the world’s most complete industrial system, with manufacturing scale ranking first globally for over a decade; and opening up has reached new heights. China’s socialist market economy development strategy and practical exploration have not only driven rapid economic growth and structural optimization but also achieved comprehensive social progress. These achievements fully demonstrate the superiority of the socialist market economy system and provide useful experience and reference for future development.

我国改革开放以来对经济发展战略、方式和道路的实践探索，使国内经济实现了历史性跨越。我国经济总体实力和综合国力显著增强，成为全球经济增长的重要动力源和稳定器；新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化同步推进；我国科技实力显著提升，创新驱动发展战略成效显著；我国如期实现全面建成小康社会目标，历史性解决了绝对贫困问题，彪炳史册，创造了世界减贫史上的奇迹；建立起世界上最完整的产业体系，制造业规模连续10多年位居世界第一；对外开放迈上新台阶。我国的社会主义市场经济发展战略和实践探索，不仅推动了经济的高速增长和结构优化，还实现了经济社会的全面进步。这些成就充分证明了社会主义市场经济体制的优越性，也为未来发展提供了有益的经验和借鉴。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC once again emphasized the “decisive role” of the market in resource allocation, which is both consistent with the past and advancing with the times, reflecting the general law of market-determined resource allocation. When reflecting on the “Chinese economic puzzle” spanning over forty years, especially the economic achievements since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, there must be profound reasons behind it: the shift of resource allocation signals from planned targets to market prices; the transformation of the economic operation system from closed to open; the foundation of individual rights and interests shifting from government protection to property rights protection; the driving force of economic development shifting from central mobilization to local competition; the subjects of economic decision-making shifting from government officials to entrepreneurs; reform prioritizing incentives over institutions, encouraging “crossing the river by feeling the stones” [8]8 “Crossing the river by feeling, with the whole people having the courage to make mistakes and the tolerance to accept them, preferring imperfect reform to the crisis of no reform… In these aspects, the laws of the market economy have been fully respected, and market vitality has been fully manifested.

党的二十大报告再次强调的市场在资源配置中的“决定性作用”，是一脉相承又是与时俱进的，体现了市场决定资源配置的一般规律。在思考长达四十余年的“中国经济之谜”，尤其是党的十八大以后我国取得的经济成就的时候，背后一定有深刻的理由，那就是资源配置信号由计划指标转向市场价格；经济运行系统由封闭转向开放；个人权益基础由政府保护转向产权保护；经济发展的推动力由中央动员转向地方竞争；经济决策的主体由政府官员转向企业家；改革是激励先于制度，鼓励“摸着石头过河”，全民有试错的勇气、容错的胸怀，宁要不完美的改革，不要不改革的危机……在这些方面，市场经济的规律得到充分尊重，市场活力得到充分的体现。

At the same time, it must also be recognized that the “decisive role” is not the “sole role.” China implements a socialist market economy system, which is integrated with the superiority of the socialist system and with the nature of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the most essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to uphold the superiority of the socialist system and the active role of the Party and government, and through scientific macro-control and effective government governance, fully leverage the advantages of the socialist market economy system.

同时，也要看到“决定性作用”并非“全部作用”。我国实行的是社会主义市场经济体制，它是同社会主义制度的优越性结合在一起的，是同中国共产党领导、中国特色社会主义最本质特征的性质结合在一起的。要坚持发挥社会主义制度的优越性、发挥党和政府的积极作用，通过科学的宏观调控和有效的政府治理，充分发挥社会主义市场经济体制的优势。

For example, using medium- and long-term planning to guide economic and social development is an important way for our Party to govern the country, showing unique advantages in promoting economic and social development. However, we have made useful explorations in how to implement development plans effectively, further optimize resource allocation between achieving short-term and long-term goals, and fully mobilize the enthusiasm of both central and local governments; in macro-control, China has not rigidly adhered to the short-term adjustment methods of some Western countries but has placed greater emphasis on the organic integration of cross-cycle and counter-cyclical macro-control policies to ensure economic operation remains within a reasonable range; we have established and improved the indicator system for Chinese-path modernization, forming a more mature and systematic measurement system for modernization indicators, and constructing an index system that reflects the dynamics of Chinese-path modernization practice; we have seized the opportunities brought by the promotion and application of big data and machine learning methods, driving changes in the research paradigms of philosophy and social sciences such as economics in China, breaking free from the constraints of mainstream Western economic research paradigms, and forming research paradigms with our own characteristics; and so on. These unique institutional and mechanism innovations are the crystallization of wisdom from Chinese-path modernization practice and await refinement into theoretical achievements using scientific research methods.

比如，用中长期规划指导经济社会发展，是我们党治国理政的一种重要方式，在推动经济社会发展方面显示出独特优势，但如何贯彻执行好发展规划，在实现短期目标与实现长期目标之间进一步优化资源配置、充分发挥中央和地方两个积极性等方面，我们做了有益的探索；在宏观调控方面，我国没有拘泥于西方一些国家注重短期调节的调控方式，更加注重跨周期和逆周期宏观调控政策有机结合，确保经济运行在合理区间；我们建立并完善中国式现代化的指标体系，形成更加成熟更加系统的现代化指标测度体系，构建反映中国式现代化实践动态的指数体系；我们抓住大数据和机器学习等方法推广应用的机遇，推动我国经济学等哲学社会科学研究范式变革，突破西方主流经济学研究范式窠臼，形成具有自身特色的研究范式；等等。这些独具特色的体制机制创新是中国式现代化实践的智慧结晶，有待于使用科学研究方法不断凝练为理论成果。

The socialist market economy system transcends the capitalist Western economic model, discarding its paradigms of capital-centered modernization, polarized modernization, materialistic expansion modernization, and external expansion and plunder modernization. It also develops the modernization envisioned in Marxist classic works, that is, adhering to the socialist direction under relatively backward productive forces, neither becoming dependent on the world capitalist economic system nor severing close ties with the process of economic globalization, thus forming a great practice guided by the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

社会主义市场经济体制超越了资本主义西方经济学模式，摒弃了他们以资本为中心的现代化、两极分化的现代化、物质主义膨胀的现代化、对外扩张掠夺的现代化范式，也发展了马克思主义经典著作构想的现代化，即在生产力条件相对落后的基础上坚持社会主义方向，既没有依附于世界资本主义经济体系，又与经济全球化进程保持密切联动，形成了在马克思主义中国化时代化最新成果指导下的伟大实践。

IV. Adhering to the Direction of Socialist Market Economy Reform Is an Important Pillar for Comprehensive Deepening of Reform

四、坚持社会主义市场经济改革方向是全面深化改革的重要依托

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has accelerated the improvement of the socialist market economy system and has responded promptly to a series of new issues and challenges in deepening institutional reform, further enriching and developing the theory of the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics. The report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC established “improving the property rights system and market-based allocation of factors of production” as the focus for accelerating the improvement of the socialist market economy system. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC [9]9 The dual-carbon goals refer to China’s pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. listed the socialist market economy system as a basic socialist economic system, forming a basic economic system framework together with “public ownership as the mainstay and diverse forms of ownership developing together” and “distribution according to work as the mainstay and multiple modes of distribution coexisting.” The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC further pointed out the need to build a high-level socialist market economy system, fully leverage the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, and better play the role of the government.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央加快完善社会主义市场经济体制，并就深化体制改革的一系列新问题、新挑战作出了及时回应，进一步丰富和发展了中国特色社会主义市场经济理论。党的十九大报告将“完善产权制度和要素市场化配置”确立为加快完善社会主义市场经济体制的重点。党的十九届四中全会将社会主义市场经济制度列为社会主义基本经济制度，与“公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展”“按劳分配为主体、多种分配方式并存”共同形成基本经济制度的框架结构。党的二十大报告进一步指出，要构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，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。

A key factor in the great success of China’s economic development is that we have leveraged both the strengths of the market economy and the superiority of the socialist system. We develop the market economy under the premise of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system; we must never forget the modifier “socialist.” The reason it is called a socialist market economy is to uphold our institutional superiority and effectively prevent the drawbacks of a capitalist market economy. We must adhere to dialectics and the two-point theory, continue to work on the integration of the basic socialist system and the market economy, and give full play to the advantages of both sides. We need both an “efficient market” and an “effective government,” striving to solve this worldwide economic problem in practice.

我国经济发展获得巨大成功的一个关键因素，就是我们既发挥了市场经济的长处，又发挥了社会主义制度的优越性。我们是在中国共产党领导和社会主义制度的大前提下发展市场经济，什么时候都不能忘了“社会主义”这个定语。之所以说是社会主义市场经济，就是要坚持我们的制度优越性，有效防范资本主义市场经济的弊端。我们要坚持辩证法、两点论，继续在社会主义基本制度与市场经济的结合上下功夫，把两方面优势都发挥好，既要“有效的市场”，也要“有为的政府”，努力在实践中破解这道经济学上的世界性难题。

Thus, as an important task of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the long-range objectives for 2035, building a high-level socialist market economy system will become the only way to comprehensively deepen reform and advance Chinese-path modernization. To follow this path, we must currently continue to uphold socialism unwaveringly while fully leveraging the role of the market, respecting the laws of development, conforming to the trends of the times, and adhering to seeking truth from facts.

由此可见，作为“十四五”规划和二〇三五年远景目标的重要任务，构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制将成为全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的必由之路。要走好这条道路，当下我们既要继续坚持社会主义不动摇，又要充分发挥市场的作用，尊重发展规律，顺应时代潮流，坚持实事求是。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must conform to the new trends of the times and the new requirements of practice. At present, facing new strategic opportunities, new strategic tasks, new strategic stages, new strategic demands, and new strategic environments, we must adhere to comprehensively deepening reform and innovation-driven development, and promote the further improvement of the socialist market economy system. Only then can we effectively respond to the new situation and new requirements, providing a solid economic system guarantee for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

习近平总书记指出，我们要顺应时代发展新趋势、实践发展新要求。当前，面临新的战略机遇、新的战略任务、新的战略阶段、新的战略要求、新的战略环境，我们要坚持全面深化改革和创新驱动，推动社会主义市场经济体制更加完善，才能有效应对新形势新要求，为以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴提供坚实经济体制保障。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that the driving force for high-quality development shifts from extensive high-speed growth driven by factor inputs to intensive growth driven by technological innovation. New quality productive forces are productive forces that rely on scientific and technological innovation to play a leading role, and are the intrinsic requirement and key focus for promoting high-quality development. Particularly in the wave of the new round of scientific and technological industrial revolution, it is necessary to innovate the allocation of production factors, build a new set of growth engines such as next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and new energy, and allow all types of advanced and high-quality production factors to flow smoothly toward the development of new quality productive forces.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着高质量发展的经济发展动力从要素投入驱动的粗放型高速增长转向技术创新的集约型增长。新质生产力是依靠科技创新发挥主导作用的生产力，是推动高质量发展的内在要求和重要着力点。特别是在新一轮科技产业革命的浪潮中，需要创新生产要素配置方式，构建新一代信息技术、人工智能、生物技术、新能源等一批新的增长引擎，让各类先进优质生产要素向发展新质生产力顺畅流动。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that reform will continue to focus on solving various problems that the people are anxious and concerned about, promoting the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, and the simultaneous progress of economic construction and ecological protection. It is people-centered, continuously enhancing the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security. While making and enlarging the “cake,” we must further distribute the “cake” well, regulate the order of income distribution, narrow the income distribution gap, and ensure that the fruits of modernization benefit all people more and more fairly.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着改革将继续着力解决人民群众急难愁盼的各种问题，促进物质文明和精神文明协调发展，经济建设与生态保护协同进行，以人民为中心，不断增强人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感。在做好做大“蛋糕”的同时，进一步分好“蛋糕”，规范收入分配秩序，缩小收入分配差距，让现代化建设成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that with the progress of science and technology in recent years, emerging industries have gradually risen, business models have become increasingly diverse, and economic space has continuously expanded. Under the dual-carbon goals [9]9 The dual-carbon goals refer to China’s pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060., we must vigorously develop the circular economy, cultivate new energy industries, rapidly iterate the internet economy, and expand development space into strategic high-tech fields such as deep space, deep sea, deep earth, and deep blue [10]10 “Deep blue” here refers to information technology fields such as cyberspace and artificial intelligence, often termed the “blue ocean” of digital economy.. We must adhere to the principle that science and technology are the primary productive forces, talent is the primary resource, and innovation is the primary driving force. In particular, we must deepen the reform of the talent development system and mechanism, build an education system conducive to the growth of top-notch innovative talents, gather outstanding talents from all fields into the great cause of Chinese-path modernization, and empower high-quality development with talent leadership.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着随着近年来科学技术进步，新兴产业逐渐崛起，经营方式日渐多元，经济空间不断拓展，要在双碳目标下大力发展循环经济，培育新能源产业，快速迭代互联网经济，将发展空间拓展至深空、深海、深地、深蓝等“四深”战略高技术领域。坚持科技是第一生产力、人才是第一资源、创新是第一动力。尤其是要深化人才发展体制机制改革，建设有利于拔尖创新人才成长的教育体系，把各方面优秀人才聚集到中国式现代化的伟大事业中来，以人才引领赋能高质量发展。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that new quality productive forces require not only regulation by market mechanisms and continuous innovation by micro-entities such as enterprises, but also government forward planning guidance and scientific policy support. They are jointly cultivated and driven by the government’s “visible hand” and the market’s “invisible hand.” Therefore, it is necessary to deepen reforms of the economic system, science and technology system, and others, focus on removing blockages and bottlenecks that constrain the development of new quality productive forces, and establish a high-standard market system.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着新质生产力既需要市场机制调节、企业等微观主体不断创新，也需要政府超前规划引导、科学政策支持，由政府“有形之手”和市场“无形之手”共同培育和驱动形成。因此，要深化经济体制、科技体制等改革，着力打通束缚新质生产力发展的堵点卡点，建立高标准市场体系。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that starting from the foundation of relations of production, reforms of the ownership structure, the forms of public ownership, and the property rights structure of state-owned enterprises are taken as the main measures to adjust relations of production. Starting from the organic integration of ownership and the economic operation mechanism, the overall model of reform is determined; based on ownership reform, the method of “incremental reform” [11]11 “Incremental reform” is a strategy of introducing market-oriented reforms in new or expanding sectors of the economy while initially preserving the existing state-owned sector, a hallmark of China’s reform and opening up. is used to coordinate the relationship between enterprise property rights reform and the reform of market price mechanisms and competition mechanisms.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着从生产关系的基础出发，把所有制结构、公有制实现形式、国有企业产权结构的改革作为调整生产关系的主要措施。从所有制和经济运行机制有机结合出发，确定改革的总体模式；以所有制改革为基础，利用“增量改革”的办法协调企业产权制度改革与市场价格机制和竞争机制改革的关系。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, meaning that security is the prerequisite for development, and development is the guarantee of security. Coordinating development and security and promoting high-quality development are inseparable from a sustained and stable security environment. Economic security is the foundation of national security and an important manifestation of the modernization of the national security system and capacity. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [12]12 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the launch of the New Era., General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on safeguarding economic security, emphasizing that “we must resolutely safeguard our country’s development interests, actively guard against various risks, and ensure national economic security.” These important expositions are rich in content and profound in thought, reflecting a deep grasp of the basic laws of national security, and providing a fundamental guide for doing a good job of economic security guarantee work in the New Era and new journey.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，意味着安全是发展的前提，发展是安全的保障。统筹发展和安全，推动高质量发展，离不开持续稳定的安全环境。经济安全是国家安全的基础，是国家安全体系和能力现代化的重要体现。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记围绕维护经济安全作出了一系列重要论述，强调“我们要坚决维护我国发展利益，积极防范各种风险，确保国家经济安全”。这些重要论述内涵丰富、思想深邃，体现了对国家安全基本规律的深刻把握，为新时代新征程做好经济安全保障工作提供了根本遵循。

Adhering to the socialist market economy is an important foundation for comprehensively deepening reform, also meaning that we will further expand reform and opening up. During his state visit to France in May 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that China is planning and implementing major measures to further comprehensively deepen reform, steadily expanding institutional opening up, further expanding market access, and shortening the negative list for foreign investment access. This will provide countries around the world with broader market space and bring more opportunities for win-win cooperation. Adhering to comprehensively deepening reform under the socialist market economy actually further provides entrepreneurs from all countries with a ticket to participate in the process of Chinese-path modernization and share in China’s development opportunities. With the deepening of the reform process and the unfolding of Chinese-path modernization construction, the Chinese solution will provide countries and regions around the world, including the vast number of developing countries, with a reference for exploring more cutting-edge and advanced development paths and models.

坚持社会主义市场经济是全面深化改革的重要依托，也意味着我们将进一步扩大改革开放。习近平总书记在2024年5月对法国进行国事访问期间表示，中国正在谋划和实施进一步全面深化改革重大举措，稳步扩大制度型开放，进一步扩大市场准入，缩减外商投资准入负面清单，这将为世界各国提供更广阔的市场空间，带来更多合作共赢的机遇。坚持社会主义市场经济下的全面深化改革，实际上进一步为各国企业家提供了参与中国式现代化进程、分享中国发展机遇的入场券。随着改革进程的深入和中国式现代化建设的展开，中国方案将为包括广大发展中国家在内的全球各个国家和地区，提供探索更加前沿与先进的发展道路和发展模式的借鉴。

V. Conclusion

五、结语

Developing the socialist market economy is the inevitable result of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times and of Chinese socialist modernization, formed on the basis of ideological exploration and practical summary. Learning from history, comprehensively deepening reform must continue to adhere to this great creation and correct path, accelerate the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system, and continuously promote the in-depth development of Chinese-path modernization.

发展社会主义市场经济，是在现代化的思想探索和实践总结基础上形成的马克思主义中国化和中国社会主义现代化的必然结果。以史为鉴，全面深化改革必须继续坚持这一伟大创造和正确途径，加快构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，不断推动中国式现代化向纵深发展。

Never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission [13]13 “Never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission” is a paraphrase of the phrase “never forget the original aspiration, keep the mission firmly in mind” (不忘初心，牢记使命), a key slogan of Xi Jinping’s political campaign to reinforce the Party’s founding ideals.. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “For China to seize opportunities, meet challenges, and achieve new and greater development, fundamentally it must rely on reform and opening up.” Adhering to and improving the socialist market economy system means further deepening the economic system reform, thereby responding to the needs of the times, grasping the new development stage, implementing the new development philosophy, and building a new development pattern. Only by continuing to systematically and scientifically summarize the ideological theory and practical experience of the socialist market economy, cherishing the hard-won development achievements, continuously summarizing and deepening the exploration of the path of socialist development with Chinese characteristics, and accelerating the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system, can we continuously advance Chinese-path modernization and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation at an early date.

不忘初心，方得始终。正如习近平总书记所强调的那样，“中国要抓住机遇、迎接挑战，实现新的更大发展，从根本上还要靠改革开放”。坚持和完善社会主义市场经济体制，就是要进一步深化经济体制改革，从而回应时代需要，把握新发展阶段，贯彻新发展理念，构建新发展格局。只有继续系统科学地总结社会主义市场经济的思想理论和实践经验，珍惜来之不易的发展成果，不断总结和深化探索中国特色社会主义发展道路的途径，加快构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，才能不断推进中国式现代化，早日实现中华民族伟大复兴。

(The author is a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Vice President, and Professor of Peking University)

（作者系北京大学党委常委、副校长、教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心