Place Greater Emphasis on Systemic Integration to Further Deepen Reform Comprehensively

Since the advent of the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly grasped the characteristics of reform and opening up, advancing comprehensive deepening of reform as a complex project. Adhering to a systemic approach, it has focused its efforts on strengthening systemic integration, coordination and efficiency, prompting many fields to achieve historic transformations, systemic reshapings, and holistic reconstructions. On this basis, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China [n1] deployed further comprehensive deepening of reform to advance Chinese-path modernization. Facing problems in domestic reform and risks brought by the complex and volatile international situation, further comprehensive deepening of reform “places greater emphasis on systemic integration,” requiring the proper handling of five major sets of relationships, thereby enriching the connotation of adhering to a systemic approach.

新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央深刻把握改革开放特点，把全面深化改革作为一项复杂的工程予以推进，坚持系统观念，把着力点放到加强系统集成、协同高效上来，促使许多领域实现历史性变革、系统性重塑、整体性重构。在此基础上，中共二十届三中全会部署进一步全面深化改革，推进中国式现代化。面对国内改革中存在的问题和纷繁复杂的国际形势带来的风险，进一步全面深化改革“更加注重系统集成”，要求处理好五个方面的重大关系，使坚持系统观念有了更丰富的内涵。

I. Comprehensive Deepening of Reform Is a Complex Systemic Project

一、全面深化改革是一项复杂的系统工程

The comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era was carried out under circumstances where China’s development faced a series of prominent contradictions and challenges, with no small number of difficulties and problems. At that time, “problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development remained prominent; scientific and technological innovation capacity was insufficient; the industrial structure was irrational; the development model remained extensive; urban-rural development gaps and income distribution gaps among residents remained relatively large; social contradictions increased markedly; problems in education, employment, social security, medical care, housing, the ecological environment, food and drug safety, workplace safety, public order, law enforcement and judicial work—issues directly affecting the people’s vital interests—were numerous; some people still lived in difficulty; formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance were prominent; negative and corrupt phenomena in some fields occurred frequently and were prone to spreading; and the fight against corruption remained severe, among other things.” The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core pointed out: “The key to solving these problems lies in deepening reform.” Against this backdrop, the Party Central Committee sounded the clarion call for comprehensive deepening of reform.

新时代的全面深化改革，是在中国发展面临一系列突出矛盾和挑战、存在不少困难和问题的形势下进行的。当时，“发展中不平衡、不协调、不可持续问题依然突出，科技创新能力不强，产业结构不合理，发展方式依然粗放，城乡区域发展差距和居民收入分配差距依然较大，社会矛盾明显增多，教育、就业、社会保障、医疗、住房、生态环境、食品药品安全、安全生产、社会治安、执法司法等关系群众切身利益的问题较多，部分群众生活困难，形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风问题突出，一些领域消极腐败现象易发多发，反腐败斗争形势依然严峻，等等。”以习近平同志为核心的党中央指出：“解决这些问题，关键在于深化改革。”在这种背景下，党中央吹响了全面深化改革的号角。

The most fundamental difference between comprehensive deepening of reform and China’s reforms over the previous 30-plus years is that comprehensive deepening of reform is considered from the overall perspective of the national governance system and governance capacity, with the emphasis on “comprehensiveness.”

全面深化改革与中国过去30多年改革最根本的区别在于全面深化改革是从国家治理体系和治理能力的总体角度考虑的，突出的是“全面”。

In terms of breadth, comprehensive deepening of reform involves many fields, including politics, the economy, culture, society, ecology, diplomacy, national defense and the military, and Party building. It involves both productive forces and relations of production, and both the economic base and the superstructure. Every reform has a significant impact on other reforms, and every reform requires coordination and cooperation from other reforms. For example, the reform of new-type urbanization is a reform with a wide scope of involvement. It requires not only the coordinated and integrated development of industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, but also the coordinated development of population, economy, resources, and the environment. It must both promote the urbanization of the agricultural transfer population and strictly control the population size of mega-cities, while also coordinating the standardized alignment of basic public services between urban and rural areas. This requires simultaneous supporting reforms in industry, agriculture, science and technology, environmental protection, civil affairs, household registration, medical care, education, social security, and other fields, with coordinated advancement of various related reform measures. If reforms in different fields are not coordinated, and if reform measures in various aspects pull against each other or even conflict, it will be very difficult to advance the reform of new-type urbanization; even if it is pushed through with difficulty, the results will be compromised.

从广度来说，全面深化改革涉及政治、经济、文化、社会、生态、外交、国防军队、党的建设等诸多领域，既涉及生产力又涉及生产关系，既涉及经济基础又涉及上层建筑，每一项改革都会对其他改革产生重要影响，每一项改革又都需要其他改革协同配合。例如，新型城镇化改革是一项涉及面广泛的改革，它既要求工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化协调融合发展，又需要人口、经济、资源和环境相协调发展；既要推进农业转移人口市民化，又要严格控制特大城市人口规模，还要统筹城乡基本公共服务的规范对接。这就需要工业、农业、科技、环保、民政、户籍、医疗、教育、社保等各领域同时推进配套改革，各项相关改革措施协调推进，如果各领域改革不配套，各方面改革措施相互牵扯，甚至相互抵触，新型城镇化改革就很难推进下去，即使勉强推进，效果也会打折扣。

In terms of depth, since the New Era, reform has entered a critical period and a deep-water zone. “The easy, universally welcomed reforms have been completed; the tasty meat has been eaten; what remains are hard bones that are difficult to chew.” More often, what is faced are deep-seated institutional and mechanistic issues. Advancing reform, development, and adjusting interest relations often affect the whole when one part is touched, placing higher demands on the systemic nature, holism, and coordination of reform. For example, most state-owned enterprises are located in important industries and key fields related to national security and the lifeline of the national economy. They are key variables for realizing national strategic intentions and responding to changes in the external environment and major risks. However, in the New Era, some institutional and mechanistic drawbacks that have long constrained the development of state-owned enterprises have not yet been completely eliminated. Some state-owned enterprises suffer from problems such as being large but not strong, low asset returns, and insufficient innovation capacity. Comprehensively deepening the reform of state-owned enterprises involves not only reforms to Party building, labor, personnel, and distribution systems within state-owned enterprises, but also the optimization and structural adjustment of the layout of the state-owned economy. This includes both coordination, linkage, reorganization, and integration among central enterprises, and integrated development between central enterprises and local enterprises. This requires adopting a series of reform combinations to further improve the modern enterprise system with Chinese characteristics and promote an all-round, holistic optimization of the layout and structure of the state-owned economy.

从深度来说，新时代以来改革进入攻坚期和深水区，“容易的、皆大欢喜的改革已经完成了，好吃的肉都吃掉了，剩下的都是难啃的硬骨头”，更多面对的是深层次体制机制问题，推进改革发展、调整利益关系往往牵一发而动全身，对改革的系统性、整体性、协同性要求更高。例如，国有企业大多分布在关系国家安全、国民经济命脉的重要行业和关键领域，是实现国家战略意图、应对外部环境变化和重大风险挑战的关键变量，但是新时代一些长期制约国有企业发展的体制机制弊端尚未彻底破除，一些国有企业存在大而不强、资产收益率不高、创新能力不足等问题。全面深化国有企业改革，不仅涉及国有企业的党建、劳动、人事、分配等制度改革，而且还事关国有经济布局优化和结构调整，既有中央企业间的协同联动、重组整合，又有中央企业和地方企业间的融合发展，这就要求必须采取一系列改革组合拳，才能进一步完善中国特色现代企业制度，推动国有经济布局结构实现全方位整体性优化。

Around the time of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly analyzed the characteristics of comprehensiveness, interconnectedness, and systemic nature of comprehensive deepening of reform. For example, in November 2013, at the Second Plenary Session of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: Comprehensive deepening of reform “is not about advancing reform in one field, nor about advancing reform in a few fields, but about advancing reform in all fields.” In December, during the 11th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “When we considered the agenda for this Third Plenary Session, we proposed formulating a plan for comprehensive deepening of reform, rather than only addressing economic system reform, or only addressing economic system and social system reform. The reason for this consideration is that to solve the prominent contradictions and problems we face, relying solely on reform in a single field or at a single level is unlikely to be effective. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning, and enhance the interconnectedness, systemic nature, and coordination of various reforms. Only by solving both the problems of maladaptation in the relations of production and the problems of maladaptation in the superstructure can we produce a comprehensive effect.” In February 2014, at a provincial and ministerial-level leading cadres seminar on studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee for comprehensively deepening reform, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “This project is extremely grand. Tinkering with piecemeal adjustments will not work, nor will fragmented patching. It must be a comprehensive and systemic reform and improvement, a linkage and integration of reforms and improvements across all fields, forming an overall effect and achieving overall results in the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.”

中共十八届三中全会召开前后，习近平总书记多次分析全面深化改革全面性、关联性、系统性的特点。例如，2013年11月，习近平总书记在中共十八届三中全会第二次全体会议上指出：全面深化改革“不是推进一个领域改革，也不是推进几个领域改革，而是推进所有领域改革”。12月，习近平总书记在十八届中央政治局第十一次集体学习时指出：“我们在考虑这次三中全会议题时，就提出要制定一个全面深化改革的方案，而不是只讲经济体制改革，或者只讲经济体制和社会体制改革。这样考虑，是因为要解决我们面临的突出矛盾和问题，仅仅依靠单个领域、单个层次的改革难以奏效，必须加强顶层设计、整体谋划，增强各项改革的关联性、系统性、协同性。只有既解决好生产关系中不适应的问题，又解决好上层建筑中不适应的问题，这样才能产生综合效应。”2014年2月，习近平总书记在省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻中共十八届三中全会精神全面深化改革专题研讨班上指出：“这项工程极为宏大，零敲碎打调整不行，碎片化修补也不行，必须是全面的系统的改革和改进，是各领域改革和改进的联动和集成，在国家治理体系和治理能力现代化上形成总体效应、取得总体效果。”

Based on the characteristics of comprehensive deepening of reform, General Secretary Xi Jinping fully elaborated on the inherent requirements of its systemic nature, holism, and coordination. In December 2012, during an inspection tour in Guangdong, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “China’s reform has entered a critical period

根据全面深化改革的特点，习近平总书记充分阐述全面深化改革的系统性、整体性、协同性内在要求。2012年12月，习近平总书记在广东考察工作时指出：“我国改革已经进入攻坚期和深水区，进一步深化改革，必须更加注重改革的系统性、整体性、协同性，统筹推进重要领域和关键环节改革。”2013年12月，习近平总书记在中央经济工作会议上强调：“全面深化改革涉及面广，对推进改革的系统性、整体性、协同性的要求大大提高”。2018年12月，习近平总书记在庆祝改革开放40周年大会上总结指出：“我们以巨大的政治勇气和智慧，提出全面深化改革总目标是完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，着力增强改革系统性、整体性、协同性，着力抓好重大制度创新，着力提升人民群众获得感、幸福感、安全感，推出一千六百多项改革方案，啃下了不少硬骨头，闯过了不少急流险滩，改革呈现全面发力、多点突破、蹄疾步稳、纵深推进的局面。”

Deepening reform comprehensively is a complex systemic project; relying on one or a few departments alone is often insufficient. This necessitates establishing a leadership mechanism at a higher level, strengthening top-level design and overall planning, and enhancing research into the interconnectedness, systematic nature, and feasibility of various reforms. Therefore, the Party Central Committee established the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, responsible for the overall design, coordinated planning, overall advancement, and supervision of implementation of reforms. [1]1 The Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform was established in December 2013 at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC. It was renamed the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform in March 2018. Six special task groups were set up under it, covering reform of the economic system and the ecological civilization system, reform in the sphere of democracy and the rule of law, reform of the cultural system, reform of the social system, reform of the Party building system, and reform of the disciplinary inspection system, each performing its own functions while cooperating with one another. All regions and departments correspondingly established reform promotion mechanisms under centralized, unified leadership, linking the upper and lower levels, advancing steadily yet swiftly, and driving the comprehensive deepening of reform into greater depth.

全面深化改革是一个复杂的系统工程，单靠某一个或某几个部门往往力不从心，这就需要建立更高层面的领导机制，加强顶层设计和整体谋划，加强各项改革关联性、系统性、可行性研究。因此中央成立全面深化改革领导小组，负责改革总体设计、统筹协调、整体推进、督促落实；下设经济体制和生态文明体制改革、民主法制领域改革、文化体制改革、社会体制改革、党的建设制度改革、纪律检查体制改革共6个专项小组，各司其职、相互协作，各地区各部门也相应建立起集中统一领导的改革推进机制，上下联动、蹄疾步稳，把全面深化改革引向纵深。

II. The Systems Concept Is a Fundamental Thought and Working Method

二、系统观念是具有基础性的思想和工作方法

II. The Systems Concept Is a Foundational Thought and Working Method

“事必有法，然后可成。”2012年12月，习近平总书记主持十八届中央政治局第二次集体学习时指出：“改革开放是前无古人的崭新事业，必须坚持正确的方法论，在不断实践探索中推进。”全面深化改革作为复杂的系统化工程，更需要坚持正确的方法论。习近平总书记在准确把握新时代全面深化改革的特点和内在要求的基础上，逐步提出了坚持系统观念的重要方法。

“Everything has its method; only then can it be accomplished.” [2]2 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC (中共二十届三中全会) refers to the third plenary meeting of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, held in July 2024, which focused on further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization. Such plenums are major policy-setting events in the Party's decision-making cycle. In December 2012, when presiding over the second collective study session of the 18th Political Bureau of the Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform and opening up is an unprecedented new undertaking; it must adhere to a correct methodology and advance through continuous practical exploration.” As a complex systematic project, deepening reform comprehensively requires all the more adherence to a correct methodology. On the basis of accurately grasping the characteristics and inherent requirements of deepening reform comprehensively in the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping gradually put forward the important method of adhering to the systems concept.

2016年3月，习近平总书记主持召开中央全面深化改革领导小组第22次会议，提出了“推进改革要树立系统思想”的要求，强调要“推动有条件的地方和领域实现改革举措系统集成。要把住顶层设计和路线图，注重改革举措配套组合，使各项改革举措不断向中心目标靠拢。特别是同一领域改革举措要注意前后呼应、相互配合、形成整体”。2017年6月，习近平总书记主持召开中央全面深化改革领导小组第36次会议时强调指出：“注重系统性、整体性、协同性是全面深化改革的内在要求，也是推进改革的重要方法。改革越深入，越要注意协同，既抓改革方案协同，也抓改革落实协同，更抓改革效果协同，促进各项改革举措在政策取向上相互配合、在实施过程中相互促进、在改革成效上相得益彰，朝着全面深化改革总目标聚焦发力。”这次会议对自贸区下一步改革发展提出了“坚持创新驱动发展，加强改革系统集成，更好服务全国改革开放大局”的要求。2019年9月，习近平总书记主持召开中央全面深化改革委员会第10次会议时明确指出：“落实党的十八届三中全会以来中央确定的各项改革任务，前期重点是夯基垒台、立柱架梁，中期重点在全面推进、积厚成势，现在要把着力点放到加强系统集成、协同高效上来，巩固和深化这些年来我们在解决体制性障碍、机制性梗阻、政策性创新方面取得的改革成果，推动各方面制度更加成熟更加定型。”

In March 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the 22nd meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Reform Comprehensively, where he put forward the requirement to “establish a systems thinking in advancing reform,” emphasizing the need to “achieve systemic integration of reform measures in qualified localities and fields. We must grasp top-level design and the roadmap, pay attention to the coordinated combination of reform measures, and ensure that all reform measures continuously converge on the central goal. In particular, reform measures in the same field should be noted for their front-and-back coherence, mutual coordination, and formation of an integrated whole.” In June 2017, when presiding over the 36th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Reform Comprehensively, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “Emphasizing systematicity, wholeness, and synergy is an inherent requirement of deepening reform comprehensively and also an important method for advancing reform. The deeper reform goes, the more attention must be paid to synergy—grasping synergy in reform plans, in reform implementation, and even more so in reform effects—so that all reform measures mutually coordinate in policy orientation, mutually promote each other in the implementation process, and bring out the best in each other in reform outcomes, concentrating efforts on the general goal of deepening reform comprehensively.” This meeting put forward the requirement for the next stage of reform and development of free trade zones to “adhere to innovation-driven development, strengthen reform systemic integration, and better serve the overall situation of the nation’s reform and opening up.” In September 2019, when presiding over the 10th meeting of the Central Committee for Deepening Reform Comprehensively, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly stated: “In implementing the various reform tasks set by the Central Committee since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, the early-stage focus was on laying foundations and setting up the framework; the mid-stage focus was on comprehensive advancement and accumulating momentum; now the focus must be shifted to strengthening systemic integration, synergy, and efficiency, consolidating and deepening the reform achievements we have made in recent years in resolving institutional obstacles, mechanistic blockages, and policy innovations, and pushing all systems toward greater maturity and stability.”

2020年10月，习近平总书记在中共十九届五中全会上明确指出“系统观念是具有基础性的思想和工作方法”，并根据中共十八大以来全面深化改革、党和国家各项事业发展中系统观念的运用和发展，第一次明确把系统观念作为党的基础性思想和工作方法提了出来：“‘十四五’时期经济社会发展必须遵循坚持系统观念的原则。党的十八大以来，党中央坚持系统谋划、统筹推进党和国家各项事业，根据新的实践需要，形成一系列新布局和新方略，带领全党全国各族人民取得了历史性成就。在这个过程中，系统观念是具有基础性的思想和工作方法。全面建成小康社会后，我们将开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程，我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，发展不平衡不充分问题仍然突出，经济社会发展中矛盾错综复杂，必须从系统观念出发加以谋划和解决，全面协调推动各领域工作和社会主义现代化建设”。

In October 2020, at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly stated that “the systems concept is a foundational thought and working method,” and, based on the application and development of the systems concept in deepening reform comprehensively and in the development of all Party and state undertakings since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, for the first time explicitly proposed the systems concept as a foundational thought and working method of the Party: “Economic and social development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period must adhere to the principle of upholding the systems concept. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has adhered to systematic planning and coordinated advancement of all Party and state undertakings, forming a series of new layouts and new strategies based on new practical needs, leading the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups in achieving historic accomplishments. In this process, the systems concept has been a foundational thought and working method. After completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we will embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. China’s development environment faces profound and complex changes, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent, and contradictions in economic and social development are complex and intertwined. These must be planned and resolved from the perspective of the systems concept, comprehensively and coordinately promoting work in all fields and socialist modernization.”

此后，习近平总书记在指导部署全面深化改革工作中，反复强调坚持系统观念。2021年2月19日，习近平总书记主持召开中央全面深化改革委员会第18次会议，强调“要把加强改革系统集成、推动改革落地见效摆在更加突出的位置”，“要有系统观念，提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，主动识变求变应变，强化全局视野和系统思维，加强改革政策统筹、进度统筹、效果统筹，发挥改革整体效应”。2023年4月21日，习近平总书记主持召开二十届中央全面深化改革委员会第一次会议，就深化科技体制改革提出“要坚持系统观念，围绕‘为谁创新、谁来创新、创新什么、如何创新’，从制度建设着眼，对技术创新决策、研发投入、科研组织、成果转化全链条整体部署，对政策、资金、项目、平台、人才等关键创新资源系统布局，一体推进科技创新、产业创新和体制机制创新，推动形成企业为主体、产学研高效协同深度融合的创新体系”。11月30日，习近平总书记在上海主持召开深入推进长三角一体化发展座谈会时指出，长三角区域要加快完善一体化发展体制机制，“加强各项改革举措的系统集成和协同配合，推动一体化向更深层次更宽领域拓展”。

Thereafter, in guiding and deploying the work of deepening reform comprehensively, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized adhering to the systems concept. On February 19, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the 18th meeting of the Central Committee for Deepening Reform Comprehensively, stressing that “strengthening reform systemic integration and promoting reform implementation and effectiveness must be placed in a more prominent position,” and that “we must have a systems concept, improve political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, actively recognize, seek, and respond to changes, strengthen a global perspective and systems thinking, strengthen coordination of reform policies, progress, and effects, and bring into play the overall effect of reform.” On April 21, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the first meeting of the 20th

在全面深化改革的实践中，以习近平同志为核心的党中央领导全国各地区各部门把坚持系统观念贯穿于改革全过程，坚决破除各方面体制机制弊端，实现改革由局部探索、破冰突围到系统集成、全面深化的转变，各领域基础性制度框架基本建立，许多领域实现历史性变革、系统性重塑、整体性重构。例如，新时代生态环境治理坚持系统观念，对突出生态环境问题采取有力措施，实施大气、水、土壤污染综合防治，坚持山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，加强大江大河和重要湖泊生态环境系统治理、综合治理、协同治理，在治理过程中强化目标协同、多污染物控制协同、部门协同、区域协同、政策协同，有效增强了生态治理工作的系统性、整体性、协同性，实现生态文明建设全国“一盘棋”。

III. Adhering to the Systems Concept Requires Handling Five Major Relationships

三、坚持系统观念要处理好五大关系

Before the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, on 20 May 2024, the Party Central Committee convened a symposium of non-Party personages to solicit opinions on the Central Committee’s decision on further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech, emphasizing that “in planning and advancing reform, we must adhere to the systems concept” and “pay greater attention to systemic integration. We must strengthen the coordination and matching of reform measures, ensure that reform measures in various fields and aspects exert force in the same direction, and enhance overall effectiveness. Relevant localities, relevant departments, and relevant fields must form a joint force for advancing reform, and resolutely prevent and overcome the phenomena of each going its own way and impeding one another.” On 23 May, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium of enterprises and experts in Jinan, Shandong Province, and delivered an important speech, again emphasizing that “reform must pay greater attention to systemic integration, adhere to planning and advancing with an overall perspective and systematic thinking, strengthen the coordination and matching of various reform measures, ensure that reform measures in various fields and aspects exert force in the same direction and form a joint force, enhance overall effectiveness, and prevent and overcome the phenomena of each going its own way and impeding one another.” It can be seen that the central authorities require further deepening reform comprehensively to continue adhering to the systems concept and to pay greater attention to systemic integration. By the time the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was convened, an unprecedentedly comprehensive and systematic exposition was made on how to adhere to the systems concept in further deepening reform comprehensively.

中共二十届三中全会前，2024年5月20日，中共中央召开党外人士座谈会，就中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定听取意见，习近平总书记主持并发表重要讲话，强调“谋划和推进改革，必须坚持系统观念”，“更加注重系统集成。要加强改革举措协调配套，推动各领域各方面改革举措同向发力，增强整体效能。相关地方、相关部门、相关领域要形成推进改革的合力，坚决防止和克服各行其是、相互掣肘”。5月23日，习近平总书记在山东省济南市主持召开企业和专家座谈会并发表重要讲话，同样强调“改革要更加注重系统集成，坚持以全局观念和系统思维谋划推进，加强各项改革举措的协调配套，推动各领域各方面改革举措同向发力、形成合力，增强整体效能，防止和克服各行其是、相互掣肘的现象”。可见，中央要求进一步全面深化改革继续坚持系统观念，并且更加注重系统集成。到中共二十届三中全会召开之时，对于进一步全面深化改革如何坚持系统观念，做出了前所未有的全面系统的阐述。

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China deployed the further deepening of reform comprehensively, one of whose distinctive features is the continued emphasis on adhering to a systemic perspective, “paying greater attention to systemic integration.” Taking the goals and tasks of advancing Chinese-path modernization and the major problems faced as the guide, it strengthens the overall planning and systemic layout of reform, introduces a series of major reform measures, and ensures that reform is more focused, coordinated, and efficient. In his “Explanation on the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization’,” General Secretary Xi Jinping, when clarifying the principles that the drafting of the Decision focused on, pointed out that the fifth point is “strengthening systemic integration, strengthening the overall planning and systemic layout of reform, so that reforms in all aspects complement each other and are coordinated and efficient.” The “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization” (hereinafter referred to as the “Decision”) adopted at the plenary session, when clarifying the “guiding ideology for further deepening reform comprehensively,” explicitly states “paying greater attention to systemic integration.” When the “Decision” clarifies the “principles for further deepening reform comprehensively,” it points out the need to implement the “six adherences” [3]3 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC refers to the third plenary meeting of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, held in July 2024, which focused on further deepening reform comprehensively. principle, the sixth of which is “adhering to a systemic perspective, properly handling major relationships such as those between the economy and society, the government and the market, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, and development and security, and enhancing the systemic, holistic, and coordinated nature of reform.” This is the first time the Central Committee of the CPC has made a comprehensive exposition on how to adhere to a systemic perspective in further deepening reform comprehensively, and its core essence is to properly handle the five major relationships. This is also a strategic deployment made by the Central Committee of the CPC on the new journey of the New Era, proceeding from the Party’s practical experience in comprehensively deepening reform and the practical needs of the present.

中共二十届三中全会部署进一步全面深化改革，其中一个鲜明特点就是继续强调坚持系统观念，“更加注重系统集成”，以推进中国式现代化的目标任务和面临的重大问题为提领，加强对改革的整体谋划、系统布局，推出一系列重大改革举措，确保改革更加凝神聚力、协同高效。习近平总书记在《关于〈中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定〉的说明》中阐明决定稿起草重点把握的原则时，指出第五点就是“强化系统集成，加强对改革整体谋划、系统布局，使各方面改革相互配合、协同高效”。全会通过的《中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定》（以下简称《决定》），阐明“进一步全面深化改革的指导思想”时，明确指出“更加注重系统集成”。《决定》阐明“进一步全面深化改革的原则”，指出要贯彻好“六个坚持”的原则，其中第六个就是“坚持系统观念，处理好经济和社会、政府和市场、效率和公平、活力和秩序、发展和安全等重大关系，增强改革系统性、整体性、协同性”。这是中共中央首次就进一步全面深化改革如何坚持系统观念做出全面论述，其核心要义就是要处理好五个方面的重大关系。这也是中共中央在新时代新征程从党的全面深化改革实践经验和现实需要出发做出的战略部署。

On the new journey of the New Era, realizing the Party’s central task urgently requires further deepening reform comprehensively and properly handling the problems and risks faced in development. From a domestic perspective, turning the blueprint of Chinese-path modernization into reality requires solving the prominent problems faced through further deepening reform comprehensively. “For example, the market system is still not well developed, market development is insufficient, the relationship between the government and the market has not yet been fully straightened out, innovation capacity does not meet the requirements of high-quality development, the industrial system as a whole is large but not strong, comprehensive but not refined, the situation of key core technologies being controlled by others has not fundamentally changed, the agricultural foundation is still not solid, the gap in urban-rural regional development and income distribution is still large, and there are still shortcomings in people’s livelihood security and ecological environmental protection, etc.” It is necessary to continuously improve various systems and mechanisms to provide institutional guarantees for advancing Chinese-path modernization. From an international perspective, advancing Chinese-path modernization will encounter various contradictions and risk challenges on the road ahead. “Especially at present, the changes unseen in a century are accelerating, local conflicts and turmoil occur frequently, global problems intensify, external suppression and containment continue to escalate, China’s development has entered a period where strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist and uncertainties and unpredictable factors increase, and various ‘black swan’ and ‘gray rhino’ events may occur at any time.” Under such circumstances, to realize Chinese-path modernization, which features a huge population, common prosperity for all the people, coordination of material and cultural-ethical progress, harmony between humanity and nature, and a path of peaceful development, the arduousness and complexity of reform and development are unprecedented. This places higher demands on adhering to a systemic perspective, requiring the proper handling of the five major relationships.

新时代新征程实现党的中心任务，迫切需要进一步全面深化改革，妥善处理发展中面临的问题和风险。从国内来看，把中国式现代化蓝图变为现实，需要通过进一步全面深化改革来解决面临的突出问题，“比如，市场体系仍不健全，市场发育还不充分，政府和市场的关系尚未完全理顺，创新能力不适应高质量发展要求，产业体系整体大而不强、全而不精，关键核心技术受制于人状况没有根本改变，农业基础还不稳固，城乡区域发展和收入分配差距仍然较大，民生保障、生态环境保护仍存短板，等等”，需要不断完善各方面体制机制，为推进中国式现代化提供制度保障。从国际来看，推进中国式现代化前进道路上会遇到各种矛盾和风险挑战，“特别是当前世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，局部冲突和动荡频发，全球性问题加剧，来自外部的打压遏制不断升级，我国发展进入战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多的时期，各种‘黑天鹅’、‘灰犀牛’事件随时可能发生”。在这种形势下，要实现人口规模巨大、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、走和平发展道路的中国式现代化，改革发展的艰巨性和复杂性前所未有，这就对坚持系统观念提出了更高要求，需要处理好五个方面的重大关系。

The relationship between the economy and society needs to be properly handled. High-quality economic development is the primary task of building a modern socialist country in all respects, and ensuring and improving people’s livelihood in the course of development is a major task of Chinese-path modernization. These two are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Economic development is the key driving force for continuously improving people’s livelihood, maintaining social stability, and promoting social progress. Only by solving the problems of unbalanced and inadequate development facing high-quality development in the course of further deepening reform comprehensively, and by constantly liberating and developing the productive forces, especially new quality productive forces, can a constant source be provided for developing social undertakings and improving people’s well-being. For this reason, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes coordinating economic strength with social needs: “Economic development and social security are like a rising tide lifting all boats; shallow water allows small boats, deep water allows large ships,” and “ensuring and improving people’s livelihood must be based on economic development and sustainable financial capacity.” Social livelihood is the ultimate goal of economic development. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “The ultimate purpose of carrying out reform and promoting development is to enable the people to live a better life.” Further deepening reform comprehensively focuses on addressing shortcomings in people’s livelihood security such as education, housing, and employment, promoting the development of social undertakings and the improvement of people’s livelihood. This can stimulate and enhance social vitality, provide guarantees and impetus for high-quality economic development, create a harmonious and stable social environment for economic development, and play the role of a shock absorber for economic operations.

需要处理好经济和社会的关系 经济高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务，在发展中保障和改善民生是中国式现代化的重大任务，这二者相互联系、相互促进。经济发展是持续改善民生、保持社会稳定、推动社会进步的关键驱动力，只有在进一步全面深化改革中解决高质量发展面临的发展不平衡不充分的问题，不断解放和发展生产力尤其是新质生产力，才能为发展社会事业、改善民生福祉提供源头活水。正因为如此，习近平总书记强调统筹经济实力与社会需求，“经济发展和社会保障是水涨船高的关系，水浅行小舟，水深走大船”，“把保障和改善民生建立在经济发展和财力可持续的基础之上”。社会民生是经济发展的落脚点，正如习近平总书记所强调的：“抓改革、促发展，归根到底就是为了让人民过上更好的日子。”进一步全面深化改革注重解决教育、住房、就业等民生保障中的短板，促进社会事业发展和民生的改善，可以激发和增强社会活力，为经济高质量发展提供保障和动力，为经济发展营造和谐稳定的社会环境，发挥经济运行减震器的作用。

The relationship between the government and the market needs to be properly handled. The relationship between the government and the market is the core issue of economic system reform. Since the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to this issue

需要处理好政府和市场的关系 政府和市场的关系是经济体制改革的核心问题。新时代以来，习近平总书记对这一问题高度重视，做出诸多重要论述。例如，2014年5月，习近平总书记在十八届中央政治局第十五次集体学习时指出：“使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用和更好发挥政府作用，二者是有机统一的，不是相互否定的，不能把二者割裂开来、对立起来，既不能用市场在资源配置中的决定性作用取代甚至否定政府作用，也不能用更好发挥政府作用取代甚至否定使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用。”2015年11月，习近平总书记在十八届中央政治局第二十八次集体学习时指出：“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。”中共十八大以来，党和政府坚持社会主义市场经济改革方向，从广度和深度上推进市场化改革，减少政府对资源的直接配置和对微观经济活动的直接干预，使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用；同时，提高政府监管效能，着力解决好“谁来管”“管什么”“怎么管”的问题，以更好发挥政府作用。但是，政府和市场的关系尚未完全理顺。高水平社会主义市场经济体制是中国式现代化的重要保障，进一步全面深化改革把深化经济体制改革作为重点，围绕处理好政府和市场关系这个核心问题，对经济体制改革重点领域和关键环节做出部署，更好发挥市场机制作用，创造更加公平、更有活力的市场环境，实现资源配置效率最优化和效益最大化；“放得活”的同时又“管得住”，健全宏观经济治理体系，更好维护市场秩序、弥补市场失灵，畅通国民经济循环，激发新发展活力。

The relationship between efficiency and fairness must be properly handled. Efficiency and fairness constitute a fundamental pair of contradictions in human economic and social life, and properly handling their relationship is an important issue to be confronted in the process of modernization. Since the New Era, comprehensive and deepening reform has emphasized the coordination of efficiency and fairness. In April 2016, when presiding over the 23rd meeting of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reform must advance both in the direction of adding new momentum for development and in the direction of safeguarding social fairness and justice.” In February 2023, at the opening ceremony of a study seminar on implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping further elaborated the Marxist stance and viewpoint that Chinese-path modernization must balance efficiency and fairness, pursuing their unity and mutual promotion, and stressed: “We must both create efficiency higher than that of capitalism and more effectively safeguard social fairness, better achieving the mutual consideration, mutual promotion, and mutual unity of efficiency and fairness.” This also points out the principle that further comprehensive deepening of reform must coordinate and balance efficiency and fairness. High-quality economic development pursues efficiency; without improving the efficiency of economic development, the “cake” cannot be made bigger. Fairness is the prerequisite for efficiency; without safeguarding fairness, the “cake” cannot be distributed well. One-sided pursuit of efficiency easily leads to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, while one-sided emphasis on fairness can affect the release of vitality in economic and social development. Only by coordinating efficiency and fairness, organically combining them so that each enhances the other, can a win-win situation for both efficiency and fairness be ensured, and can common prosperity be promoted amid high-quality development.

需要处理好效率和公平的关系 效率和公平是人类经济社会生活中的一对基本矛盾，处理好效率和公平的关系是现代化进程中要面对的重要问题。新时代以来，全面深化改革强调统筹效率与公平。2016年4月，习近平总书记在主持召开中央全面深化改革领导小组第23次会议时指出：“改革既要往有利于增添发展新动力方向前进，也要往有利于维护社会公平正义方向前进”。2023年2月，习近平总书记在学习贯彻中共二十大精神研讨班开班式上进一步阐述了中国式现代化要统筹兼顾效率和公平，追求二者统一、相互促进的马克思主义立场和观点，强调“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，更好实现效率与公平相兼顾、相促进、相统一”。这也为进一步全面深化改革指明了必须统筹兼顾效率和公平的原则。高质量经济发展追求效率，不提升经济发展的效率，“蛋糕”无法做大；公平是效率的前提，不保障公平，“蛋糕”分不好。片面追求效率容易导致富者愈富、穷者愈穷，片面强调公平则会影响经济社会发展活力的释放。只有统筹效率与公平，二者有机结合、相得益彰，才能保证效率与公平的双赢，才能在高质量发展中促进共同富裕。

The relationship between vitality and order must be properly handled. In the historical process of modernization, handling the relationship between vitality and order is a worldwide challenge. Releasing vitality through reform is often accompanied by contradictions. In August 2020, at a symposium of experts on economic and social affairs, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “A modernized society should be both full of vitality and possess good order, presenting an organic unity of vitality and order.” In February 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: “Chinese-path modernization should and can achieve a dynamic balance of being lively without chaos, active yet orderly.” This sets clear requirements for further comprehensive deepening of reform. On the one hand, further comprehensive deepening of reform must deepen reforms of systems and mechanisms in all areas, build systems and mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation, stimulate the endogenous driving force and innovation vitality of the whole society, and ensure that all sources of strength conducive to the development of social productive forces flow fully. On the other hand, it must improve the social governance system of joint contribution, joint governance, and shared benefits, enhance the effectiveness of social governance, form good social order, and make the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security more substantial, more guaranteed, and more sustainable. Social development needs to be full of vitality, but this vitality must be orderly; only then can the steady and sustained progress of further comprehensive deepening of reform be ensured.

需要处理好活力和秩序的关系 在现代化的历史进程中，处理活力与秩序的关系是一道世界性难题。在改革中释放活力的同时又往往经历着矛盾。2020年8月，习近平总书记在经济社会领域专家座谈会上指出：“一个现代化的社会，应该既充满活力又拥有良好秩序，呈现出活力和秩序有机统一。”2023年2月，习近平总书记进一步指出：“中国式现代化应当而且能够实现活而不乱、活跃有序的动态平衡。”这就为进一步全面深化改革提出了明确要求。一方面，进一步全面深化改革要深化各方面体制机制改革，构建支持全面创新体制机制，激发全社会内生动力和创新活力，使一切有利于社会生产力发展的力量源泉充分涌流。另一方面，完善共建共治共享的社会治理体系，提升社会治理效能，形成良好的社会秩序，使人民获得感、幸福感、安全感更加充实、更有保障、更可持续。社会发展需要充满活力，但这种活力又必须是有序的，如此才能确保进一步全面深化改革行稳致远。

The relationship between development and security must be properly handled. In the process of modernization, development and security are mutually conditional and support each other. On the one hand, security is the prerequisite for development; only with national security and social stability can the economy and society sustain healthy development. On the other hand, development is the foundation and guarantee of security; without economic development, nothing else is possible; only by continuously enhancing its comprehensive national strength through development can a country have sufficient resources and capabilities to safeguard security. Since the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to coordinating

需要处理好发展和安全的关系 在现代化进程中，发展和安全互为条件，彼此支撑。一方面，安全是发展的前提，只有国家安全、社会稳定，经济社会才能持续健康发展。另一方面，发展是安全的基础和保障，经济不发展，一切都无从谈起；一个国家只有通过发展不断提升自身的综合国力，才能有足够的资源和能力来保障安全。新时代以来，习近平总书记高度重视统筹发展和安全的关系，做出一系列重要论述。2020年10月，习近平总书记在深圳经济特区建立40周年庆祝大会上指出：“越是开放越要重视安全，统筹好发展和安全两件大事，增强自身竞争能力、开放监管能力、风险防控能力。”2020年12月，习近平总书记在十九届中央政治局第二十六次集体学习时强调坚持系统思维构建大安全格局，指出要“坚持统筹发展和安全，坚持发展和安全并重，实现高质量发展和高水平安全的良性互动”。进一步全面深化改革面临不少内部问题和外部风险，必须统筹处理好发展和安全的关系，既通过改革为高质量发展注入强劲动力，与时俱进筑牢安全屏障，提升国家安全实力，又深入推进国家安全思路、体制、手段创新，营造有利于经济社会发展的安全环境，以高水平安全保障高质量发展，努力实现发展和安全的动态平衡。

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC deployed major reform measures for the next five years. By further deepening reform comprehensively and properly handling the major relationships in these five areas, it will inevitably enhance the systemic, holistic, and coordinated nature of reform, yield fruitful reform results, and provide strong impetus and institutional guarantees for Chinese-path modernization.

中共二十届三中全会部署未来五年的重大改革举措，进一步全面深化改革处理好这五个方面的重大关系，必然能够增强改革的系统性、整体性、协同性，取得丰硕的改革成果，为中国式现代化提供强大动力和制度保障。

Author: Wang Aiyun, Professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Researcher at the Institute of Contemporary China Studies.

作者：王爱云，中国社会科学院大学教授、当代中国研究所研究员。

Online editor: Jin Qiu

网络编辑：金秋