The Generative Logic of the Theoretical System of Chinese-Path Modernization

The Historical Logic of the Theoretical System of Chinese-Path Modernization

中国式现代化理论体系的历史逻辑

The evolutionary thread of the world modernization wave. The process of modernization is the process of human society transitioning from traditional agricultural society to modern industrial society, the process of history turning into world history. Starting from the Renaissance in the 14th century, countries around the world have been unremittingly pursuing modernization. The renowned American scholar Wallerstein, based on his examination of the *Oxford English Dictionary*, concluded that humanity had already begun using the term “modernization” as early as 1585.[1]1 Immanuel Wallerstein, *The Modern World-System*, vol. 1 (New York: Academic Press, 1974), 1. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution, Western countries such as those in Western Europe and North America successively entered the period of industrialization. Thinkers immersed in the fiery process of the Industrial Revolution and industrialization began to realize that human history was undergoing a great social transformation.[2]2 See, for example, the works of Saint-Simon, Comte, and other early sociologists who theorized industrial society. Especially in the 1950s and 1960s, “modernization,” as an academic discourse, gradually became popular in Western social science research and subsequently spread continuously to all parts of the world.[3]3 The “modernization theory” school, associated with scholars like W.W. Rostow, S.N. Eisenstadt, and others, became dominant in American social science during the Cold War. The Western capitalist modernization model changed the mode of human production and life, the cognitive picture of world history, and human thought and behavior. The process of “modernization” itself possesses specific historical connotations. As Marx emphasized in the *Communist Manifesto*: “The bourgeoisie, during its rule of scarce one hundred years, has created more massive and more colossal productive forces than have all preceding generations together.”[4]4 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party* (1848), in *Marx/Engels Selected Works*, vol. 1 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1969), 38. Capitalist modernization prepared the conditions for the transition from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization. “The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all, even the most barbarian, nations into civilization.” “The cheap prices of commodities are the heavy artillery with which it batters down all Chinese walls, with which it forces the barbarians’ intensely obstinate hatred of foreigners to capitulate. It compels all nations, on pain of extinction, to adopt the bourgeois mode of production.”[5]5 Ibid., 39. Thus, the modernization process embodying “the transformation of history into world history” was advanced by capitalism “compelling all nations” to “adopt the bourgeois mode of production.”[6]6 Ibid., 40. Consequently, for a long time, world modernization has exhibited a pattern of “the East being subordinate to the West.” Some scholars have even placed the Western modernization model in a “universal” position, advocating “Western-centrism” and regarding it as the “only path” for all countries to achieve modernization.

世界现代化浪潮的演进脉络。现代化的过程就是人类社会从传统农业社会向现代工业社会转变的过程，是历史向世界历史转变的过程。从14世纪的文艺复兴开始，世界各国都在不懈追求现代化。美国著名学者沃勒斯坦根据对《牛津英语字典》的考证认定，人类早在1585年已经开始使用“现代化”一词了。①随着工业革命的兴起，西欧、北美等西方国家陆续进入了工业化时期，身处在工业革命和工业化火热进程中的思想家，开始意识到人类历史正在经历着一场伟大的社会变革。②特别是二十世纪五六十年代，“现代化”作为学术话语，在西方社会科学研究中逐渐流行开来，随后不断向世界各地扩展。③西方资本主义现代化模式改变了人类的生产生活方式、人类对世界历史的认识图景与思想行为等。“现代化”过程本身就具有特定的历史性内涵。正如马克思在《共产党宣言》中强调：“资产阶级在它的不到一百年的阶级统治中所创造的生产力，比过去一切世代创造的全部生产力还要多，还要大。”④资本主义现代化为农业文明向工业文明过渡准备了条件。“资产阶级，由于开拓了世界市场，使一切国家的生产和消费都成为世界性的了”，“过去那种地方的和民族的自给自足和闭关自守状态，被各民族的各方面的互相往来和各方面的互相依赖所代替了”⑤，体现“历史向世界历史转变”的现代化进程是以资本主义“迫使一切民族”“采用资产阶级的生产方式”⑥推进的。由此，长期以来世界现代化呈现出“东方从属于西方”的格局，部分学者还将西方现代化模式置于“普世”地位，提倡“西方中心论”，将其视为各国通往现代化的“唯一通道”。

The historical harbinger of Chinese-path modernization. Over a hundred years ago, during the “Age of Awakening” when modern cultural enlightenment arose in China to save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival, Chinese patriots and people of lofty ideals held high the banners of democracy and science, learning comprehensively from the West in terms of material goods, institutions, and culture. The successive Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, the Hundred Days’ Reform, the Boxer Rebellion, the Xinhai Revolution, the May Fourth Movement, and the various national salvation plans put forward in this process, although ending in failure, promoted the development of China’s modernization. For example, the Westernization faction represented by Li Hongzhang and Zeng Guofan, advocating “Chinese learning as the substance, Western learning for practical application,” took the first step in China’s modernization process by learning from advanced Western ideas and technology and drawing on Western measures in education, taxation, and military affairs. After the defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the bourgeois reformist faction represented by Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao studied the Western political system of constitutional monarchy, for the first time combining political propositions with the practice of national salvation, and launched the Reform Movement of 1898. The reform attempted to change the old political and economic system and was an experiment in China’s political modernization. In his *Impressions of a Journey to Europe*, Liang Qichao called upon Eastern youth: “Our lovely youth! Attention! March forward! Over there on the other side of the ocean, there are tens of thousands of people, worried about the bankruptcy of material civilization, crying out for help in utter despair, waiting for you to save them.”[7]7 Liang Qichao, *Impressions of a Journey to Europe* (1920), in *Collected Works of the Ice-Drinker’s Studio*, vol. 23 (Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 1989), 38. Hu Shi pointed out in the 1930s: “Thirty years ago, those who advocated ‘reform’ were precisely those who advocated modernization at the time.”[8]8 Hu Shi, “The Meaning of ‘Modernization’,” *Independent Review*, no. 77 (1933): 2. Around the time of the May Fourth Movement, Chinese intellectuals began to discuss and explore the issue of China’s modernization path more clearly. However, the discussions at that time were all “going in circles” at the level of comparing Chinese and Western cultures, rarely touching upon the central issue of economic development. By the 1930s, “modernization” frequently appeared in newspapers and periodicals, becoming a hot topic of discussion. In 1933, *Shenbao Monthly* published a special issue titled “The Problem of China’s Modernization,” which extensively discussed and debated the prerequisites for China to achieve modernization and the methods by which it should be carried out.

中国式现代化的历史先声。一百多年前，在中国因救亡图存而兴起现代文化启蒙的“觉醒年代”，中国的仁人志士高举民主和科学的旗帜，从器物、制度到文化全面向西方学习，接连而起的太平天国运动、戊戌变法、义和团运动、辛亥革命、五四运动，以及这一过程中轮番出台的各种救国方案，虽以失败而告终，但却推动了中国现代化的发展。例如，以李鸿章、曾国藩为代表的洋务派，主张“中学为体，西学为用”，通过学习西方先进思想和技术，借鉴西方国家在教育、赋税、军事等方面的措施，迈出了中国近代化历程的第一步；甲午战争失败后，以康有为、梁启超为代表的资产阶级改良派学习西方君主立宪的政治制度，第一次把政治主张同救亡图存的实践结合起来，发动了维新变法运动。变法试图对旧的政治经济制度进行改革，是中国政治近代化的一次尝试。梁启超在《欧游心影录》中号召东方青年：“我们可爱的青年啊!立正!开步走！大海对岸那边有好几万万人，愁着物质文明破产，哀哀欲绝的喊救命，等着你来超拔他哩。”⑦胡适在20世纪30年代时曾指出：“30年前，主张‘维新’的人，即是当日主张现代化的人。”⑧到五四运动前后，中国知识分子开始比较明确地讨论探索中国现代化的道路问题。只是当时的讨论均在中西方文化比较的层次上“兜圈子”，很少涉及到经济发展的中心问题。到20世纪30年代，“现代化”经常出现在报刊上，成为人们热议的话题。1933年，《申报月刊》刊出“中国现代化问题号”特辑，对中国实现现代化的先决条件以及采取何种方式进行现代化进行了广泛的讨论和辩论。

The century-long exploration by the Communist Party of China in advancing Chinese-path modernization. The period of the New Democratic Revolution created the fundamental social conditions for Chinese-path modernization construction. From the moment of its birth, the Communist Party of China shouldered the important mission of leading the Chinese people in exploring the path of modernization. The path of modernization to save the country and the people thereafter embarked on the right track under the leadership of the Party. The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, united and led the Chinese people in bloody battles and unyielding struggles, integrating the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with China’s specific realities, and blazing the correct revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force, pointing the right direction for winning the New Democratic Revolution. The victory of the New Democratic Revolution and the founding of New China completely ended the old China’s state of being a heap of loose sand, opened a new chapter in Chinese history, and also laid a solid foundation for establishing the path of Chinese-path modernization and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The period of socialist revolution and construction laid the fundamental political prerequisite and provided valuable experience for modernization construction. In 1954, the First Session of the First National People’s Congress first proposed the “Four Modernizations,” namely “modernized industry, modernized agriculture, modernized transportation and communications, and modernized national defense.”[9]9 Zhou Enlai, “Report on the Work of the Government” (1954), in *Selected Works of Zhou Enlai*, vol. 2 (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1984), 132. Subsequently, the First Session of the Third National People’s Congress proposed “building China into a powerful socialist country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense, and modern science and technology within a not-too-long historical period,”[10]10 Zhou Enlai, “Report on the Work of the Government” (1964), in *Selected Works of Zhou Enlai*, vol. 2, 439. elevating this goal to a strategic height for socialist construction and providing various guarantees for promoting national prosperity and social progress. The new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization provided Chinese-path modernization with institutional guarantees full of new vitality and material conditions for rapid development. The Chinese Communists, with Comrades Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao as their chief representatives, taking the proposition of “Chinese-style modernization” as their starting point, led the Chinese people to comprehensively achieve new breakthroughs in the work of the Party and the state. China’s economic strength, comprehensive national power, and people’s living standards all rapidly improved, realizing the historic leap from standing up to becoming prosperous. The Chinese characteristics of socialist modernization became increasingly prominent and effective, and the path of Chinese-path modernization was basically formed. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a New Era, our Party continued to advance on the existing foundation, constantly achieving innovative breakthroughs in theory and practice, providing more complete institutional guarantees, a more solid material foundation, and a more proactive spiritual force for successfully advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core continued to lead reform and opening up and socialist modernization, achieving historic great accomplishments and opening up a new situation in Chinese-path modernization construction. Under the strong leadership of the Party, we achieved the First Centenary Goal, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the land of China, historically resolved the problem of absolute poverty, and the Chinese nation ushered in a great leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. Chinese-path modernization continues to accelerate and upgrade.

中国共产党推进中国式现代化的百年探索。新民主主义革命时期为中国式现代化建设创造了根本社会条件。中国共产党一经诞生就肩负着带领中国人民探索现代化道路的重要使命，救国救民的现代化道路从此在党的领导下走上了正轨。以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人团结带领中国人民浴血奋战、百折不挠，把马克思列宁主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，开辟了农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的正确革命道路，为夺取新民主主义革命胜利指明了正确方向。新民主主义革命的胜利和新中国的建立，彻底结束了旧中国一盘散沙的局面，揭开了中国历史的新篇章，也为中国式现代化道路的确立和实现中华民族伟大复兴奠定了坚实的基础。社会主义革命和建设时期为现代化建设奠定了根本政治前提和提供了宝贵经验。1954年，第一届全国人民代表大会第一次会议首次提出“四个现代化”，即“现代化的工业、现代化的农业、现代化的交通运输业和现代化的国防”⑨。此后第三届全国人民代表大会第一次会议提出“在不太长的历史时期内，把我国建设成为一个具有现代农业、现代工业、现代国防和现代科学技术的社会主义强国”⑩，并将这一目标上升到社会主义建设的战略高度，为推进国家繁荣和社会进步提供了各方面保障。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期为中国式现代化提供了充满新的活力的体制保证和快速发展的物质条件。以邓小平同志、江泽民同志、胡锦涛同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，以“中国式的现代化”命题为出发点，带领中国人民全面推动党和国家各项事业取得新突破，我国经济实力、综合国力和人民生活水平都得到迅速提升，实现了从站起来到富起来的历史性飞跃，社会主义现代化建设的中国特色不断彰显、成效日益显著，中国式现代化道路基本形成。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，我们党在已有基础上继续前进，不断实现理论和实践上的创新突破，为成功推进和拓展中国式现代化提供了更为完善的制度保证、更为坚实的物质基础、更为主动的精神力量。以习近平同志为核心的党中央继续领导改革开放和社会主义现代化建设，取得了历史性的伟大成就，开创了中国式现代化建设的新局面。在党的坚强领导下，我们实现了第一个百年奋斗目标，在中华大地上全面建成小康社会，历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题，中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，中国式现代化持续提级加速。

The Theoretical Logic of the Theoretical System of Chinese-Path Modernization

中国式现代化理论体系的理论逻辑

Theoretical origins. There is no single definitive theory of modernization, nor any single definitive model of modernization. The modernization explorations of countries around the world possess both general characteristics and their own uniqueness; this uniqueness originates in cultural backgrounds and regional specificities. Chinese-path modernization is deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, embodies the advanced essence of scientific socialism, and draws on and absorbs all outstanding achievements of human civilization. The theory of Chinese-path modernization draws on the scientific worldview and methodology of Marxism, inherits the spiritual connotations contained in fine traditional Chinese culture such as ceaseless self-renewal, following the straight and correct path, valuing harmony and upholding the mean, and regarding the people as the foundation of the state, inherits the value ideas of common prosperity, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development, and constructs a unique path representing Chinese characteristics, Chinese methods, and Chinese subjectivity, containing a proud spirit that manifests the distinctive qualities of Chinese civilization, and embodying a unique value choice distinct from the West. By combining the basic principles of Marxism concerning modernization and modernity with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, Chinese-path modernization has created a new form of human civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach to expanding the diverse models of modernization.

理论渊源。没有定于一尊的现代化理论，也没有定于一尊的现代化模式。世界各国的现代化探索既有一般性特征，也有其独特性，这种独特性源于文化背景和区域特质。中国式现代化深深植根于中华优秀传统文化，体现科学社会主义的先进本质，借鉴吸收一切人类优秀文明成果。中国式现代化理论汲取了马克思主义的科学世界观和方法论，继承了中华优秀传统文化蕴含的自强不息、正道直行、贵和尚中、民为邦本等精神内涵，继承了共同富裕、人与自然和谐共生、和平发展的价值思想，构筑起代表中国特质、中国方式、中国主体性的独特道路，蕴含着彰显中华文明特质的豪迈精神，体现了区别于西方的独特价值选择。把马克思主义关于现代化、现代性的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，中国式现代化创造了人类文明新形态，为拓展现代化的多元模式贡献了中国智慧和中国方案。

Theoretical framework. Chinese-path modernization is rich in connotation and broad in extension. It is the arduous struggle led by the Communist Party of China, uniting and leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country, with the modernization of people as the core, exploring the path of economic modernization, political modernization, cultural modernization, social modernization, and ecological modernization in stages and steps. Its core essentials can be summarized as “115951,” namely, one basic premise, one fundamental guideline, five features, nine essential requirements, five major principles, and one fundamental goal. The one basic premise is the leadership of the Party. Party leadership determines the fundamental nature of Chinese-path modernization, ensures that Chinese-path modernization anchors its goals and advances steadily and far, stimulates the strong impetus for advancing Chinese-path modernization, and gathers the mighty force for advancing Chinese-path modernization; it concerns the fundamental direction, future and destiny, and ultimate success or failure of Chinese-path modernization. The one fundamental guideline is Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The “Fourteen Perseverances” proposed at the 19th National Congress of the CPC and the “Ten Clarifications” and “Thirteen Areas of Achievement” proposed at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC summarize the main content of this thought. To continue promoting theoretical innovation on the basis of the practice of Chinese-path modernization, we must first grasp well the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and adhere to and apply well the positions, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, namely, must uphold putting the people first, uphold self-confidence and self-reliance, uphold upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, uphold a problem-oriented approach, uphold a systems perspective, and uphold maintaining a global vision. The five features are a huge population, common prosperity for all the people, coordination between material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, harmony between humanity and nature, and taking the path of peaceful development; these five aspects mark the basic features of Chinese-path modernization. The nine essential requirements are upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China, upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics, achieving high-quality development, developing whole-process people’s democracy, enriching the people’s spiritual world, achieving common prosperity for all the people, promoting harmony between humanity and nature, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and creating a new form of human civilization. The five major principles are upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership, upholding the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhering to a people-centered development philosophy, persisting in deepening reform and opening up, and persisting in carrying forward the spirit of struggle. The one fundamental goal is achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The arduous struggle led by the Communist Party of China, uniting and leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country, is all for achieving national prosperity, national rejuvenation, and people’s happiness. The path of Chinese-path modernization explored in this journey of struggle is the only correct path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

理论构架。中国式现代化内涵丰富、外延广博，是中国共产党团结带领全国各族人民艰苦奋斗，以人的现代化为核心，分阶段分步骤地求索经济现代化、政治现代化、文化现代化、社会现代化、生态现代化之路。其核心要义可以概括为“115951”，即一个基本前提、一个根本遵循、五大特色、九个本质要求、五个重大原则、一个根本目标。一个基本前提是党的领导。党的领导决定中国式现代化的根本性质，确保中国式现代化锚定奋斗目标行稳致远，激发推进中国式现代化的强劲动力，凝聚推进中国式现代化的磅礴力量，关乎中国式现代化的根本方向、前途命运、最终成败。一个根本遵循是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想。党的十九大提出的“十四个坚持”、党的十九届六中全会提出的“十个明确”“十三个方面成就”概括了这一思想的主要内容。继续推进中国式现代化实践基础上的理论创新，首先要把握好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，即必须坚持人民至上，坚持自信自立，坚持守正创新，坚持问题导向，坚持系统观念，坚持胸怀天下。五大特色是人口规模巨大、全体人民共同富裕、物质文明和精神文明相协调、人与自然和谐共生、走和平发展道路，这五个方面标注了中国式现代化的基本特色。九个本质要求是坚持中国共产党领导，坚持中国特色社会主义，实现高质量发展，发展全过程人民民主，丰富人民精神世界，实现全体人民共同富裕，促进人与自然和谐共生，推动构建人类命运共同体，创造人类文明新形态。五个重大原则是坚持和加强党的全面领导，坚持中国特色社会主义道路，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，坚持深化改革开放，坚持发扬斗争精神。一个根本目标是实现中华民族伟大复兴。中国共产党团结带领全国各族人民艰苦奋斗，都是为了实现国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福，在这个奋斗征程中探索出的中国式现代化道路，是实现中华民族伟大复兴的唯一正确道路。

These six major elements are indispensable components of Chinese-path modernization. Party leadership is the premise and foundation; Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the guideline and principle; the two together are the guarantee of strength and value guidance for advancing Chinese-path modernization. The five features, nine essential requirements, and five major principles are the paths and measures, driving the path of Chinese-path modernization forward. These elements work together in synergy, jointly pointing toward the fundamental goal of achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

这六大要素是中国式现代化不可或缺的组成部分。党的领导是前提、基础，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是遵循、原则，二者是推进中国式现代化的力量保障与价值指引，五大特色、九个本质要求、五个重大原则是路径、举措，推动中国式现代化道路不断前进。这些要素协同发力，共同指向实现中华民族伟大复兴的根本目标。

Theoretical characteristics. Chinese-path modernization represents advanced nature and is a new form of human civilization. Modernization itself is not an end; for China, the goal of modernization is clear, that is, achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Based on this goal, we continuously design, adjust, optimize, and integrate the roadmap and timetable for modernization. Chinese-path modernization is a dialectical unity of generality and particularity. Chinese-path modernization possesses both the common features of modernization in various countries and, even more, Chinese characteristics based on its own national conditions. Chinese-path modernization is deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, manifests the spiritual temperament of the Party’s century-long unremitting exploration, gathers the civilizational achievements of the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and embodies profound cultural heritage. The unique worldview, values, view of history, view of civilization, view of democracy, view of ecology, and so forth contained in Chinese-path modernization, along with its great practice, represent a major innovation in world modernization theory and practice. Chinese-path modernization is a dialectical unity of indigenousness and globality. Chinese-path modernization originates in China; it is the experience gained and the path explored through the indomitable and unceasing quest of the Communist Party of China uniting and leading the Chinese people, and it shows bright prospects. At the same time, Chinese-path modernization represents the direction of progress in human civilization, presents a new picture different from the Western modernization model, and is a completely new form of human civilization. It sets an example for the vast number of developing countries to independently move toward modernization, provides them with entirely new choices, and also constitutes a major innovation in world modernization theory and practice.

理论特质。中国式现代化代表着先进性，是人类文明新形态。现代化本身不是目的，对中国而言，现代化的目标是明确的，那就是实现中华民族伟大复兴。基于这一目标，我们不断设计、调整、优化、整合现代化的路线图、时间表。中国式现代化是一般性与特殊性的辩证统一。中国式现代化既有各国现代化的共同特征，更有基于自己国情的中国特色。中国式现代化深深植根于中华优秀传统文化，彰显了党百年不懈求索的精神气质，汇聚了中国特色社会主义伟大实践的文明成果，体现出深厚的文化底蕴。中国式现代化蕴含的独特世界观、价值观、历史观、文明观、民主观、生态观等及其伟大实践，是对世界现代化理论和实践的重大创新。中国式现代化是本土性和世界性的辩证统一。中国式现代化源于中国，是中国共产党团结带领中国人民百折不挠、上下求索取得的经验、摸索的道路，展现出光明的前景。与此同时，中国式现代化代表人类文明进步的发展方向，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，是一种全新的人类文明形态，为广大发展中国家独立自主迈向现代化树立了典范，提供了全新选择，也是对世界现代化理论和实践的重大创新。

Theoretical origins indicate where it comes from; Chinese-path modernization is not water without a source, nor a tree without roots. The theoretical framework focuses on defining itself, grasping the elements of the subject, object, content, and goals of Chinese-path modernization, presenting the completeness and self-consistency of the system. Theoretical characteristics manifest a distinctive charm; they are a refinement and reinterpretation of the theoretical origins and theoretical framework. Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement obtained by our Party leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country through arduous long-term exploration and practice, at the cost of immense hardships and sacrifices. Its theory is an open structure, requiring continuous expansion and deepening in practice.

理论渊源标注从哪里来，中国式现代化不是无源之水、无本之木；理论构架重在厘定自身，把握中国式现代化的主体、对象、内容、目标等要素，呈现出体系的完整性和自洽性；理论特质是彰显独特韵味，是对理论渊源和理论构架的提炼和再阐释。中国式现代化是我们党领导全国各族人民在长期探索和实践中历经千辛万苦、付出巨大代价取得的重大成果，其理论是开放结构，需要在实践中不断拓展和深化。

The practical logic of the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization

中国式现代化理论体系的实践逻辑

Scientifically understanding historic achievements. Since entering the New Era, the cause of the Party and the state has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations, withstanding tests and challenges from political, economic, ideological, natural, and other domains. The material foundation has become more solid, and practical advancement has become more stable. We are comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, making a scientific and complete strategic plan for the development of the cause of the Party and the state in the New Era, adhering to arming the mind, guiding practice, and advancing work with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, making the Marxist political party with over ninety-eight million members more united and unified; adhering to the direction of socialist market economy reform, taking the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and foothold of modernization construction, promoting coordination between material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, and continuously improving the people’s well-being; adhering to the path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics, systematically improving the Party’s leadership system, comprehensively developing whole-process people’s democracy, seeking our own development while firmly safeguarding world peace and development, continuously enhancing China’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, comprehensive national power, and international influence, and continuously enriching and developing new forms of human civilization. Practice has proven that the path of Chinese-path modernization is the only way to build a great modern socialist country in all respects, and is the broad and bright road to building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

科学理解历史性成就。进入新时代以来，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，经受住了来自政治、经济、意识形态、自然界等方面的风险挑战考验，物质基础更加坚实，实践推进更加稳健。我们以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，对新时代党和国家事业发展作出科学完整的战略部署，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作，使拥有九千八百多万名党员的马克思主义政党更加团结统一；坚持社会主义的市场经济改革方向，把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点，推进物质文明和精神文明相协调，不断增进民生福祉；坚持走中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，系统完善党的领导制度体系，全面发展全过程人民民主，在坚定维护世界和平与发展中谋求自身发展，我国的经济实力、科技实力、综合国力、国际影响力持续增强，不断丰富和发展人类文明新形态。实践证明，中国式现代化道路是全面建成社会主义现代化强国的必由之路，是强国建设、民族复兴的康庄大道。

Adhere to basic methodology. On the new journey of the New Era, the practice of Chinese-path modernization has entered an all-round, wide-ranging, and deep-seated stage. Arranging the "one chess game" of Chinese-path modernization is of paramount importance, requiring overall consideration, systematic planning, and holistic advancement. It is necessary to adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, always keep in mind the "Six Musts,"[14]14 The "Six Musts" (六个必须坚持) refers to the six principles that must be adhered to in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: putting the people first, self-reliance and self-strengthening, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking a problem-oriented approach, applying systems thinking, and maintaining a global vision. uphold the scientific worldview and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and continuously improve strategic thinking, historical thinking, dialectical thinking, systematic thinking, innovative thinking, law-based thinking, and bottom-line thinking capabilities. We must coordinate the advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan[15]15 The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan (五位一体总体布局) 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.[16]16 The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面战略布局) is a strategic layout comprising comprehensively building a modern socialist country, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively governing the country according to law, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. Chinese-path modernization is a vast systemic project that will inevitably permeate all fields of the economy and society. Only by adhering to a systematic concept, observing the general trend, understanding the overall situation, and planning major affairs, and scientifically recognizing the essential characteristics and inherent laws of Chinese-path modernization, can we grasp the development direction of things as a whole, better manage complex situations, and effectively respond to the risks and challenges that come one after another. The central task of the Communist Party of China on the new journey of the New Era 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,[17]17 The Second Centenary Goal (第二个百年奋斗目标) is to build 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. and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. On the new journey, we must more consciously strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and holistic advancement, properly handle the temporal relationship between the present and the long term, and the spatial relationship between the whole and the parts, consciously connect history with reality, actively link the international with the domestic, comprehensively consider many factors such as economy and politics, material and culture, development and security, resources and ecology, reform and opening up, and continuously win new great victories in advancing Chinese-path modernization.

遵循基本方法论。新时代新征程，中国式现代化实践已经步入全方位、宽领域、深层次阶段。布好中国式现代化“一盘棋”至关重要，需要统筹兼顾、系统谋划、整体推进，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，始终牢记“六个必须坚持”，坚持辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的科学世界观和方法论，不断提高战略思维、历史思维、辩证思维、系统思维、创新思维、法治思维、底线思维能力，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局。中国式现代化是一项庞大的系统工程，必然会渗透到经济社会各个领域，只有坚持系统观念，观大势、明大局、谋大事，科学认识中国式现代化的本质特征和内在规律，才能从整体上把握事物的发展走向，更好地驾驭复杂局面，有效应对接踵而至的风险挑战。新时代新征程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。在新征程上更要自觉加强前瞻性思考、全局性谋划、整体性推进，把握好时间上的当前与长远关系、空间上的全局与局部关系，自觉贯通历史与现实，主动联系国际与国内，综合考虑经济与政治、物质与文化、发展与安全、资源与生态、改革与开放等诸多因素，在推进中国式现代化中不断夺取新的伟大胜利。

Correctly handle major relationships. Advancing Chinese-path modernization and comprehensively building a modern socialist country is a great and arduous undertaking. It is necessary to accurately grasp several major relationships running through the process of advancement, such as top-level design and practical exploration, strategy and tactics, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, self-reliance and self-strengthening versus opening up to the outside world. Adhere to the close integration of top-level design and practical exploration. Top-level design does not come out of thin air; it is necessary to ask the people for policies, needs, and advice, consolidate foundations and plan for the long term in overall coordination, and make up for shortcomings and strengthen weak points in grassroots exploration, especially in cutting-edge practices and unknown fields, encouraging bold exploration and daring to be the first. Adhere to the dialectical unity of strategy and tactics. We must maintain the firmness, comprehensiveness, and foresight of strategy, grasp the flexibility, phasing, and targeting of tactics, maintain the strategic firmness of "a thousand blows still remain strong"[18]18 "A thousand blows still remain strong" (千磨万击还坚劲) is a line from a poem by the Qing dynasty poet Zheng Xie, describing bamboo's resilience; it is often used metaphorically to mean unwavering firmness in the face of trials. and the tactical flexibility of "all roads lead to Rome" in relationships such as the whole and the part, the present and the long term, the macro and the micro, think and handle problems from a strategic height and overall dimension, solve difficult problems from a tactical perspective, and flexibly adjust struggle tactics. Adhere to the unity of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. In actively responding to changes and seeking changes, adhere to the correct direction and follow fundamental principles; firmly base ourselves on practice and focus on the questions of the times, act according to the situation and follow the trend, safeguard the foundation, source, root, and soul of Chinese-path modernization, place scientific and technological innovation at the core of the overall national development situation, solve the driving force problem of modernization development through innovative development, shape new drivers and new advantages for development, and achieve a fundamental transformation of the development model. Properly handle the relationship between efficiency and fairness. Adhere to simultaneously making the "cake" bigger and dividing the "cake" well, promote a better combination of an effective market and a proactive government, explore a path to common prosperity that takes into account both efficiency and fairness, ensure the people's rights to equal participation and equal development, not only create higher efficiency than capitalism but also more effectively maintain social fairness, so that the fruits of modernization construction benefit all people more and more fairly. Adhere to the organic unity of vitality and order. Achieve a dynamic balance of vitality without chaos, active yet orderly. Deepen the reform of systems and mechanisms, respect the people's pioneering spirit, fully unleash the creative potential of the whole society, promote the benign interaction of government governance, social regulation, and residents' autonomy, and form a vivid situation where the vitality of reform and innovation competes to burst forth and surge fully. Adhere to the organic unity of self-reliance and self-strengthening versus opening up to the outside world. Make good use of both domestic and international markets and resources, promote high-level opening up based on the foundation of self-reliance and self-strengthening, expand the development space of Chinese-path modernization, oppose zero-sum game thinking, uphold the concept of win-win cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind with greater political courage and wisdom.

正确处理重大关系。推进中国式现代化，全面建设社会主义现代化国家，是一项伟大而艰巨的事业，要准确把握贯穿推进过程中的顶层设计与实践探索、战略与策略、守正与创新、效率与公平、活力与秩序、自立自强与对外开放等几对重大关系。坚持顶层设计与实践探索的紧密结合，顶层设计不是空穴来风，要问政于民、问需于民、问计于民，在统筹协调上固根基、谋长远，在基层探索中补短板、强弱项，特别是在前沿实践、未知领域，鼓励大胆探索、敢为人先；坚持战略与策略的辩证统一关系，要坚持战略的坚定性、全局性、前瞻性，把握策略的灵活性、阶段性、针对性，在整体与部分、当前和长远、宏观和微观等关系上保持“千磨万击还坚劲”的战略坚定性和“条条大路通罗马”的策略灵活性，从战略高度和全局维度思考处理问题，从策略上解难题，灵活调整斗争策略；坚持守正与创新相统一，在积极应变、主动求变的创新中坚持正确方向、遵循根本原则，在牢牢立足实践、着眼时代之问中因势而动、顺势而为，守好中国式现代化的本和源、根和魂，把科技创新摆在国家发展全局的核心位置，通过创新发展解决好现代化发展的动力问题，塑造发展新动能新优势，实现发展方式的根本性转变；处理好效率与公平的关系，坚持做大“蛋糕”和分好“蛋糕”并举，推动有效市场和有为政府更好结合，探索兼顾效率和公平的共同富裕路径，保证人民平等参与、平等发展权利，既要创造比资本主义更高的效率，又要更有效地维护社会公平，让现代化建设成果更多更公平惠及全体人民；坚持活力和秩序有机统一，实现活而不乱、活跃有序的动态平衡，深化体制机制改革，尊重人民首创精神，充分释放全社会创造潜能，促进政府治理同社会调节、居民自治的良性互动，形成改革创新活力竞相迸发、充分涌流的生动局面；坚持自立自强与对外开放有机统一，用好国内国际两个市场两种资源，立足于自立自强的基点推进高水平对外开放，拓展中国式现代化的发展空间，反对零和博弈思维，秉持合作共赢理念，以更大的政治勇气和智慧推动构建人类命运共同体。

Grasp the basic guarantee conditions. Chinese-path modernization is an unprecedented pioneering undertaking. Facing various risks and challenges, we must adhere to bottom-line thinking, maintain strategic sobriety, and enhance the ability to struggle. Bottom-line thinking is an active defensive thinking, meaning where to start ideologically, what kind of preparation to make, how to strive and fight for it, clarifying the dialectical relationship between knowledge and action, defense and offense, guarding and acting, following objective laws and exerting subjective initiative, and continuously turning comparative advantages and latecomer advantages into competitive advantages and development advantages. We should maintain strategic sobriety, strengthen strategic confidence, enhance strategic initiative, deeply understand the arduousness and complexity of achieving the various goals and tasks of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, take the Party's central task as the axis, take the overall strategic arrangement as the axis line, comprehensively grasp the timing, degree, and effectiveness of the struggle, and always think ahead and prepare for various risks and challenges. We should enhance the ability and confidence to struggle, strengthen the ability to prevent risks, meet challenges, and resist pressure, temper the will to struggle with a sense of responsibility, enhance the consciousness of action to implement the Party's strategies and policies, and strive to build a cadre team that is politically competent, meets the requirements of the New Era, and has the ability to lead modernization construction, truly achieving the ability to be summoned, fight when called, and win when fought. Continue to carry forward the spirit of struggle, not believing in evil, not fearing ghosts, not afraid of pressure, unswervingly carry out the great struggle with many new historical characteristics, and unswervingly open up new horizons for the development of the cause.

把握基本保障条件。中国式现代化是一项前无古人的开创性事业，面对各种风险挑战要坚持底线思维，保持战略清醒，增强斗争本领。底线思维是积极主动的防御思维，意味着思想上从何处着眼、做什么样的准备、如何努力和争取，明确知与行、防御与进取、有守与有为、遵循客观规律与发挥主观能动性的辩证关系，不断把比较优势、后发优势变成竞争优势、发展优势；应保持战略清醒、坚定战略自信、增强战略主动，深刻认识实现全面建设社会主义现代化国家各项目标任务的艰巨性和复杂性，以党的中心任务为轴心，以总的战略安排为轴线，全面把握斗争的时、度、效，对各种风险挑战做到常怀远虑、未雨绸缪；应提升斗争的本领和底气，加强防风险、迎挑战、抗打压能力，锤炼挺膺担当的斗争意志，增强践行党的战略策略的行动自觉，着力打造一支政治过硬、适应新时代要求、具备领导现代化建设能力的干部队伍，真正做到召之即来、来之能战、战之必胜。继续发扬斗争精神，不信邪、不怕鬼、不怕压，义无反顾地进行具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争，坚定不移打开事业发展新天地。

The theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization based on Chinese practice is an independent knowledge system with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner. It is a "three-in-one" integrated innovation integrating political discourse, academic discourse, and life discourse. It is the "self-shaping" of Chinese scholars based on Chinese practice, rather than the "other-shaping" of other scholars wearing colored glasses. Theories such as the mission-oriented political party theory, common prosperity theory, good life theory, consensus-building theory, and self-revolution theory have already shown strong explanatory power. They are not only convincing and guiding for China's reality but also have direct enlightening significance for other countries in the world. On this basis, Chinese scholars need to consciously refine iconic concepts related to the study of Chinese-path modernization and take multiple measures to lead the research direction of the international academic community.

基于中国实践的中国式现代化理论体系，是具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的自主知识体系，是融合政治话语、学术话语、生活话语的“三位一体”整合创新，是中国学者基于中国实践的“自塑”而非其他学者戴着有色眼镜的“他塑”。使命型政党论、共同富裕论、美好生活论、凝聚共识论、自我革命论等理论已呈现出较强的解释力，不仅对中国实际有说服力和引领力，而且对世界其他国家有直接启示意义。在此基础上，我国学者需要自觉提炼关涉中国式现代化研究的标识性概念，多措并举地引领国际学术界的研究方向。

The ultimate goal of national rejuvenation is the modernization of people, and the modernization of people is ultimately reflected in the cultural modernization represented by values. This should become the focus of the practical exploration of Chinese-path modernization. In terms of its essence, modernization should not be limited to a specific culture, but marks a form of human civilization generated by the interaction and integration of various cultures, representing the shared achievements of civilization created by all mankind. Chinese-path modernization is not limited to the geographical scope of the nation-state; it has also made great contributions to the development of world history. Looking to the future, Chinese-path modernization must still provide ideas and methods for solving world problems, propose and explain world issues in the process of solving world development problems, demonstrate its due international effects, and create a new form of human civilization in the process of advancing world history.

民族复兴的落脚点是人的现代化，人的现代化最终体现为以价值观念为代表的文化现代化，这应成为中国式现代化实践探索的重点。现代化就其本质来看，不应局限于某种特定的文化，而是标志着各种文化在交融互动中生成的人类文明形态，代表着人类共同创造的共享性文明成果。中国式现代化不局限于民族国家的地理范围，也为世界历史的发展作出了巨大贡献。面向未来，中国式现代化仍然要为解决世界性问题提供思路和办法，在破解世界性发展难题进程中提出和阐释世界性议题，展现应有的国际效应，在推进世界历史进程中创造人类文明新形态。

Online editor: Zhang Fujun

网络编辑：张福军