Adhere to the General Principle of Pursuing Progress While Maintaining Stability

Core Reading

核心阅读

The general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability is an important principle of our Party’s governance and a methodology for doing economic work well. We must deeply study, understand, and apply this methodology to complete the year’s economic and social development goals and tasks with high quality.

稳中求进工作总基调是我们党治国理政的重要原则，是做好经济工作的方法论。要深入学习好、领会好、运用好这一方法论，高质量完成全年经济社会发展目标任务。

Since the beginning of this year, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all regions and departments have better coordinated the domestic and international situations, better coordinated epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, and better coordinated development and security. The national economy has continued to recover and is generally trending upward. At the same time, China’s economic operations face new difficulties and challenges. The more complex the situation, the more necessary it is to be guided by scientific theory. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: “We must adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, July 2023. The general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability is a methodology for doing economic work well. To do the current economic work well, we must study, understand, and apply this methodology to complete the year’s economic and social development goals and tasks with high quality.

今年以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，各地区各部门更好统筹国内国际两个大局，更好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，更好统筹发展和安全，国民经济持续恢复、总体回升向好。与此同时，我国经济运行面临新的困难挑战。越是形势复杂，越需要以科学理论为指导。习近平总书记强调：“要坚持稳中求进工作总基调”。稳中求进工作总基调是做好经济工作的方法论。做好当前经济工作，要学习好、领会好、运用好这一方法论，高质量完成全年经济社会发展目标任务。

Deeply Understand the Rich Connotation of the General Principle of Pursuing Progress While Maintaining Stability

深刻理解稳中求进工作总基调的丰富内涵

The general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability is an important principle of our Party’s governance. China’s more than 40 years of reform and opening up have been comprehensive and also gradual, crossing the river by feeling the stones, insisting on pilot projects first, and then promoting experience across the board after results are achieved—this is the historical experience of pursuing progress while maintaining stability. Since the New Era, [2]2 The New Era refers to the period beginning with the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, characterized by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. facing an external environment of sluggish world economic recovery, frequent local conflicts and turmoil, and intensifying global problems, and facing a series of profound changes such as China’s economy entering a new normal, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, faced difficulties head-on, forged ahead, and promoted historic achievements in economic development.

稳中求进工作总基调是我们党治国理政的重要原则。我国40多年改革开放是全面的也是渐进的，摸着石头过河，坚持试点先行，取得经验后再在面上推开，这是稳中求进的历史经验。新时代以来，面对世界经济复苏乏力、局部冲突和动荡频发、全球性问题加剧的外部环境，面对我国经济发展进入新常态等一系列深刻变化，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持稳中求进工作总基调，迎难而上，开拓进取，推动经济发展取得了历史性成就。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important discourses on adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, pointing out that “development is the absolute principle, and stability is also the absolute principle; grasping development and grasping stability must both be firm,” and “we must adhere to putting stability first and pursuing progress while maintaining stability, better coordinate the domestic and international situations, better coordinate epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, and better coordinate development and security.” He emphasizes that “stability is the main tone; we must seek progress on the premise of maintaining overall stability,” pointing out that “the focus of ‘stability’ should be placed on stabilizing economic operations, ensuring that growth, employment, and prices do not experience major fluctuations, and ensuring that finance does not experience regional systemic risks,” and “the general direction must be stable, policies and guidelines must be stable, and strategic deployments must be stable.” He emphasizes “actively forging ahead on the basis of holding the foundation and stabilizing the position,” pointing out that “the focus of ‘progress’ should be placed on adjusting the economic structure and deepening reform and opening up, ensuring that the transformation of the economic development model and innovation-driven development achieve new results,” and “not stopping, moving as fast as possible, and striving for the best results.” He emphasizes that “stability” and “progress” should promote each other, pointing out that “stability is the main tone, stability is the overall situation; on the premise of stability, we must make progress in key areas, and on the premise of grasping the measure, we must strive for achievement.” This series of important discourses profoundly reveals the dialectical unity relationship between “stability” and “progress” and elucidates the rich connotation of the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability.

习近平总书记围绕坚持稳中求进工作总基调发表了一系列重要论述，指出“发展是硬道理，稳定也是硬道理，抓发展、抓稳定两手都要硬”“我们要坚持稳字当头、稳中求进，更好统筹国内国际两个大局，更好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，更好统筹发展和安全”；强调“稳是主基调，要在保持大局稳定的前提下谋进”，指出“‘稳’的重点要放在稳住经济运行上，确保增长、就业、物价不出现大的波动，确保金融不出现区域性系统性风险”“大方向要稳，方针政策要稳，战略部署要稳”；强调“在守住根基、稳住阵脚的基础上积极进取”，指出“‘进’的重点要放在调整经济结构和深化改革开放上，确保转变经济发展方式和创新驱动发展取得新成效”“不停步、能快则快，争取最好结果”；强调“稳”和“进”要相互促进，指出“稳是主基调，稳是大局，在稳的前提下要在关键领域有所进取，在把握好度的前提下奋发有为”；等等。这一系列重要论述，深刻揭示了“稳”和“进”的辩证统一关系，阐明了稳中求进工作总基调的丰富内涵。

To deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, we must grasp “stability” and “progress” as a whole. We must deeply recognize that what should be stable must be stabilized; the key is to maintain overall stability in the economic and social situation. We must grasp the stage-specific characteristics of economic development, maintain strategic resolve, and do the right things at the right time. We must also deeply recognize that pursuing progress while maintaining stability does not mean inaction, but rather acting on the premise of grasping the measure, doing things just right, grasping balance, and grasping timing. We must adhere to establishing the new before abolishing the old, [3]3 “Establishing the new before abolishing the old” (先立后破) is a policy principle emphasizing sequencing in reform: new mechanisms or industries should be set up before dismantling old ones, to avoid disruption. steadily and surely, organically combining stabilizing growth, adjusting structure, and promoting reform, maintaining strategic resolve and patience, both prudently handling various reform and opening up and structural adjustment measures, and consolidating the overall economic and social stability situation through new progress in reform and opening up and structural adjustment.

深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于坚持稳中求进工作总基调的重要论述精神，必须把“稳”和“进”作为一个整体来把握。要深刻认识到，该稳的要稳住，关键是保持经济社会大局稳定；要把握经济发展阶段性特征，保持战略定力，在正确的时间做正确的事。也要深刻认识到，稳中求进不是无所作为，而是要在把握好度的前提下有所作为，恰到好处，把握好平衡，把握好时机。要坚持先立后破、稳扎稳打，把稳增长、调结构、推改革有机结合起来，保持战略定力和耐心，既稳妥把握改革开放和结构调整各项举措，又通过改革开放和结构调整的新进展巩固经济社会稳定大局。

Grasp the Dialectical Unity Relationship between “Stability” and “Progress”

把握好“稳”与“进”的辩证统一关系

The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of last year proposed that to do economic work well, we must “adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, adhere to seeking truth from facts, respecting laws, systems thinking, and bottom-line thinking, and take practice as the standard for testing various policies and work results.” [4]4 The Central Economic Work Conference is an annual high-level meeting of the CPC Central Committee that sets economic policy priorities for the following year. This requires us to grasp the dialectical unity relationship between “stability” and “progress.”

去年底召开的中央经济工作会议提出，做好经济工作，必须“坚持稳中求进工作总基调，坚持实事求是、尊重规律、系统观念、底线思维，把实践作为检验各项政策和工作成效的标准”。这要求我们把握好“稳”与“进”的辩证统一关系。

To grasp the dialectical unity relationship between “stability” and “progress,” we must correctly handle the relationship between reform, development, and stability. Reform is a powerful driving force for economic and social development, development is the key to solving all economic and social problems, and stability is the prerequisite for reform and development. Adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability requires better leveraging the Party’s leadership core role in commanding the overall situation and coordinating all parties, unifying the intensity of reform, the speed of development, and the degree of social acceptability. We must take comprehensively deepening reform as the fundamental driving force for advancing Chinese-path modernization, [5]5 Chinese-path modernization (中国式现代化) is the official term for China’s model of modernization, distinct from Western models, emphasizing common prosperity, material and cultural-ethical progress, harmony with nature, and peaceful development. as an important lever for stabilizing the overall situation, responding to changes, and opening up new prospects, both striving to maintain economic and social stability, creating a stable macro environment for adjusting the economic structure, deepening reform and opening up, and upholding and improving the socialist market economy system; and promoting substantive progress in adjusting the economic structure, deepening reform and opening up, and upholding and improving the socialist market economy system, creating good expectations for stable economic and social operations, grasping the direction, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新) is a Party slogan meaning to maintain core socialist principles while innovating in practice. working hard and practically, and maintaining economic development and overall social stability. The people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle. We must take improving people’s lives as an important junction for correctly handling the relationship between reform, development, and stability, promoting reform and development while maintaining social stability, and promoting social stability through reform and development; we must take whether the masses are satisfied, happy, and agreeable as the standard for testing all work, continuously enhancing the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security, and creating a good social atmosphere for reform and development.

把握好“稳”与“进”的辩证统一关系，要正确处理改革发展稳定的关系。改革是经济社会发展的强大动力，发展是解决一切经济社会问题的关键，稳定是改革发展的前提。坚持稳中求进工作总基调，要更好发挥党总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用，把改革力度、发展速度和社会可承受程度统一起来。要把全面深化改革作为推进中国式现代化的根本动力，作为稳大局、应变局、开新局的重要抓手，既努力维护经济社会平稳，为调整经济结构和深化改革开放、坚持和完善社会主义市场经济体制创造稳定宏观环境；又推动调整经济结构和深化改革开放、坚持和完善社会主义市场经济体制取得实质性进展，为经济社会平稳运行创造良好预期，把准方向、守正创新、真抓实干，维护经济发展和社会大局稳定。人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标。要把改善人民生活作为正确处理改革发展稳定关系的重要结合点，在保持社会稳定中推进改革发展，通过改革发展促进社会稳定；要把群众满意不满意、高兴不高兴、答应不答应作为检验各项工作的标准，不断提升人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感，为改革发展营造良好社会氛围。

To grasp the dialectical unity relationship between “stability” and “progress,” we must correctly handle the relationship between crossing the river by feeling the stones and strengthening top-level design. Since reform and opening up, and especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [7]7 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in 2012, marked the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the launch of the comprehensive deepening of reform. we have adhered to combining strengthening Party leadership with respecting the people’s pioneering spirit, adhered to combining crossing the river by feeling the stones with top-level design, adhered to unifying problem orientation with goal orientation, and adhered to promoting the combination of pilot projects first with comprehensive advancement, both encouraging bold experimentation and bold breakthroughs, and adhering to seeking truth from facts, doing well and achieving success, ensuring that reform and opening up proceed steadily and far, that the socialist system with Chinese characteristics becomes more mature and more established, and that the modernization level of the national governance system and governance capacity has significantly improved. This fully embodies the methodology of pursuing progress while maintaining stability. Currently, comprehensively deepening reform has entered a deep-water zone and a critical period, involving a wide range of areas; major reform measures may affect the whole situation if one part is moved. [8]8 “Affect the whole situation if one part is moved” (牵一发而动全身) is a Chinese idiom meaning that a small change in one area can have far-reaching consequences for the entire system. We must understand the nature of the water, grasp the overall situation, and pursue progress while maintaining stability. We must respect the people’s pioneering spirit, respect practice, respect creativity, encourage bold exploration and courageous pioneering, and allow crossing the river by feeling the stones. At the same time, we must plan reform and development according to the laws already recognized, strengthen top-level design, deepen our understanding of the laws in practice, and strive to achieve the goals and tasks of the New Era and the new journey.

把握好“稳”与“进”的辩证统一关系，要正确处理摸着石头过河和加强顶层设计的关系。改革开放以来特别是党的十八大以来，我们坚持加强党的领导和尊重人民首创精神相结合，坚持摸着石头过河和顶层设计相结合，坚持问题导向和目标导向相统一，坚持试点先行和全面推进相促进，既鼓励大胆试、大胆闯，又坚持实事求是、善作善成，确保改革开放行稳致远，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。这充分体现了稳中求进的方法论。当前，全面深化改革已进入深水区、攻坚期，涉及面广，重大改革举措可能牵一发而动全身，必须识得水性、把握大局、稳中求进。要尊重人民首创精神，尊重实践、尊重创造，鼓励大胆探索、勇于开拓，允许摸着石头过河。同时，按照已经认识到的规律来谋划改革发展，加强顶层设计，在实践中再加深对规律的认识，努力实现新时代新征程的目标任务。

Adhere to Pursuing Progress While Maintaining Stability, Promote the Economy to Achieve Effective Improvement in Quality and Reasonable Growth in Quantity

坚持稳中求进，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长

On the new journey, we must, on the basis of holding the foundation and stabilizing the position, put more effort into “progress,” continue to enhance the resilience of China’s economic development, continuously promote the sustained improvement of economic operations, the continuous enhancement of endogenous driving forces, the continuous improvement of social expectations, and the continuous resolution of risks and hidden dangers, and promote the economy to achieve effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity.

新征程上，我们必须在守住根基、稳住阵脚的基础上，在“进”上多下功夫，继续增强中国经济发展的韧性，不断推动经济运行持续好转、内生动力持续增强、社会预期持续改善、风险隐患持续化解，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长。

Make efforts to promote high-quality development. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC[1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, July 2023. states: “High-quality development is the primary task in building a modern socialist country in all respects.” To accomplish this primary task, we must adhere to taking economic construction as the center, and promote the economy to achieve effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth. We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development concept, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, organically combine the implementation of the strategy of expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reform, accelerate the construction of a modern economic system, and strive to improve total factor productivity, enhance the resilience and security level of industrial and supply chains, and promote integrated urban-rural development and coordinated regional development. At the same time, guide leading cadres to observe and analyze economic and social issues from a political perspective, strive to master the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, uphold and apply the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, correctly understand and grasp the major theoretical and practical issues in China’s development, and continuously improve their ability and level to promote high-quality development.

在推动高质量发展上下功夫。党的二十大报告提出：“高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务。”完成这一首要任务，必须坚持以经济建设为中心，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长。必须完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，把实施扩大内需战略同深化供给侧结构性改革有机结合起来，加快建设现代化经济体系，着力提高全要素生产率、提升产业链供应链韧性和安全水平、推进城乡融合和区域协调发展。同时，引导领导干部用政治眼光观察和分析经济社会问题，努力掌握习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观和方法论，坚持好、运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法，正确认识和把握我国发展的重大理论和实践问题，不断提高推动高质量发展的能力和水平。

Make efforts to comprehensively deepen reform and opening up. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform is the key to liberating and developing social productive forces, and is the fundamental driving force for promoting national development.” To further liberate and develop social productive forces, we must continue to deepen reform and opening up, and enhance the momentum and vitality of both domestic and international economic circulations. We must always adhere to the direction of socialist market economy reform, adhere to the “Two Unswervinglys”[2]2 The New Era refers to the period beginning with the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, characterized by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era., deepen the reform of state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises, enhance the core competitiveness of state-owned enterprises, optimize the development environment for private enterprises, and promote the growth and expansion of the private economy. Deepen market-oriented reforms of factors of production, promote the construction of a unified, open, competitive, orderly, well-regulated, and well-governed high-standard market system, and promote the construction of a unified national market. Improve the basic systems of the market economy such as property rights protection, market access, fair competition, and social credit, strengthen anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition, regulate and guide the healthy development of capital in accordance with the law, and create a favorable environment for various business entities to invest and start businesses. Promote high-level opening up, steadily expand institutional opening up in rules, regulations, management, and standards, and enhance our voice in the international economic cycle. Promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, actively participate in negotiations on international economic and trade rules, promote the formation of an open, diverse, and stable world economic order, and create conditions for the linkage and circulation of both domestic and international markets and resources.

在全面深化改革开放上下功夫。习近平总书记指出：“改革是解放和发展社会生产力的关键，是推动国家发展的根本动力。”进一步解放和发展社会生产力，必须继续深化改革开放，增强国内外大循环的动力和活力。要始终坚持社会主义市场经济改革方向，坚持“两个毫不动摇”，深化国资国企改革，提高国企核心竞争力，优化民营企业发展环境，促进民营经济发展壮大。深化要素市场化改革，推动建设统一开放、竞争有序、制度完备、治理完善的高标准市场体系，推动构建全国统一大市场。完善产权保护、市场准入、公平竞争、社会信用等市场经济基础制度，加强反垄断和反不正当竞争，依法规范和引导资本健康发展，为各类经营主体投资创业营造良好环境。推进高水平对外开放，稳步扩大规则、规制、管理、标准等制度型开放，增强在国际大循环中的话语权。推动共建“一带一路”高质量发展，积极参与国际经贸规则谈判，推动形成开放、多元、稳定的世界经济秩序，为实现国内国际两个市场两种资源联动循环创造条件。

Make efforts to coordinate development and security. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Security and development are the two wings of a bird and the two wheels of a cart.” Security is the foundation of development, and stability is the prerequisite for prosperity. The path forward cannot be smooth sailing; we must comprehensively recognize and effectively respond to major risks and challenges, coordinate the two major tasks of development and security, plan and deploy national security together with economic and social development, be adept at using development achievements to consolidate the strength foundation of national security, and also be adept at shaping a security environment conducive to economic and social development, promote security through development, ensure development with security, and strive to build a foundation for lasting peace and a long-term stable enterprise. We must accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, form a strong domestic economic circulation system and a stable foundation, enhance national security strength through development, and firmly hold the bottom line of safe development. Adhere to a holistic approach to national security, deeply promote innovation in national security thinking, systems, and means, enhance the ability to dynamically maintain national security in an open environment, create a security environment conducive to economic and social development, and ensure a new development pattern with a new security pattern.

在统筹发展和安全上下功夫。习近平总书记指出：“安全和发展是一体之两翼、驱动之双轮。”安全是发展的基础，稳定是强盛的前提。前进的道路不可能一帆风顺，必须全面认识和有力应对重大风险挑战，统筹好发展和安全两件大事，把国家安全同经济社会发展一起谋划、一起部署，既善于运用发展成果夯实国家安全的实力基础，又善于塑造有利于经济社会发展的安全环境，以发展促安全、以安全保发展，努力建久安之势、成长治之业。要加快构建新发展格局，形成强大的国内经济循环体系和稳固的基本盘，通过发展提升国家安全实力，牢牢守住安全发展这条底线。坚持总体国家安全观，深入推进国家安全思路、体制、手段创新，增强在对外开放环境中动态维护国家安全的本领，营造有利于经济社会发展的安全环境，以新安全格局保障新发展格局。

Online editor: Zhang Fujun

网络编辑：张福军