Creating a New Form of Human Civilization through the Coordinated Development of the “Five Civilizations”

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “We uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, create a new path for Chinese-path modernization, and create a new form of human civilization.” The harmonious advancement of the “Five Civilizations” endows Chinese-path modernization with the characteristics of comprehensiveness, coordination, development, and people-centeredness. It is an important achievement of the Chinese Communist Party leading the Chinese people in active exploration and innovation in the New Era, demonstrating a new height in the development of Chinese civilization and enriching the connotation of the progress of human civilization.

习近平总书记指出：“我们坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态。”“五大文明”的和谐并进，赋予中国式现代化以全面性、协调性、发展性和人民性的特质，是中国共产党带领中国人民在新时代积极探索与创新的重要成果，彰显了中华文明发展的新高度，丰富了人类文明进步的内涵。

Opening Up a New Path for Material Civilization with Sustainable Development

开辟可持续发展的物质文明新道路

Material civilization constitutes the material foundation and driving force of the new form of human civilization. By providing abundant material wealth, advanced science and technology, and complete infrastructure, it offers a solid material guarantee and broad development space for the comprehensive development of human society, the improvement of people’s living standards, and the prosperity of other civilizational spheres. Xi Jinping’s economic thought systematically answers the question of how China should transform its economic development model, optimize its economic structure, and promote high-quality development in the context of the current domestic and international economic landscape. By adhering to the main line of supply-side structural reform, it points the direction for the construction of material civilization in contemporary China.

物质文明构成了人类文明新形态的物质根基与驱动力，通过提供丰富的物质财富、先进的科学技术和完善的基础设施，为人类社会的全面发展、人民生活水平的提高以及其他文明领域的繁荣提供了坚实的物质保障和广阔的发展空间。习近平经济思想针对当前国内外经济格局系统回答了中国如何转变经济发展方式、优化经济结构、推动高质量发展的问题，通过坚持供给侧结构性改革的主线，为当代中国物质文明建设指明方向。

Vigorously develop new quality productive forces, and consolidate the foundation of material civilization development through high-quality economic development. New quality productive forces, supported by cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, give rise to new types of relations of production, making the division of labor more refined and flexible, and transforming the role of laborers from mere physical workers to laborers whose core driving force is knowledge, skills, and innovation capabilities, thereby significantly improving production efficiency and innovation capacity. At the same time, the reshaping of the relationship between the government and the market not only effectively leverages the government’s macro-control and guiding functions but also ensures the market’s dominant role in resource allocation, greatly accelerating the process of material wealth accumulation. Furthermore, new quality productive forces also promote the efficient allocation of capital, guiding it to flow into areas beneficial to the overall well-being of society, providing a solid financial backing for the sustained prosperity and sustainable development of material civilization. These series of changes work synergistically to jointly lead material civilization towards a higher stage of development, achieving an unprecedented new leap.

大力发展新质生产力，以经济高质量发展夯实物质文明发展的根基。新质生产力凭借诸如人工智能、量子计算等尖端科技的支撑，催生了新型生产关系的诞生，使得生产分工趋向精细化与灵活性，促使劳动者角色从单纯的体力劳动者转变为以知识、技能及创新能力为核心驱动力的劳动者，从而显著提高了生产效率与创新能力。与此同时，政府与市场关系的重塑，既有效发挥了政府的宏观调控与导向功能，又确保了市场在资源配置中的主导地位，极大地加速了物质财富的累积进程。此外，新质生产力还促进了资本的高效配置，引导其流向对社会整体福祉有益的领域，为物质文明的持续繁荣与可持续发展提供了坚实的资金后盾。这一系列变革协同作用，共同引领物质文明迈向更高的发展阶段，实现了前所未有的新跨越。

The outstanding contribution of Chinese-path modernization to human material civilization lies in its bold absorption of civilizational achievements, including those created by capitalism, within an open system, while firmly maintaining and consolidating the socialist institutional system; it both promotes the rapid development of productive forces and fosters the harmony and stability of human society, providing a new path and model for the development of global material civilization. In this process, Chinese-path modernization has not only driven the rapid growth of productive forces and achieved a leap in total economic output but has also created a historic monument in maintaining social stability and promoting fairness and justice, setting a new benchmark for the development of global material civilization. By balancing development and stability, Chinese-path modernization has explored a new path for global material civilization that is both efficient and harmonious, providing a development model that countries around the world can draw upon.

中国式现代化对人类物质文明的突出贡献在于，既大胆地在开放型体制中吸收包括资本主义创造的文明成果，也坚定地维护和巩固社会主义的制度体系；既推动了生产力的高速发展，也促进了人类社会的和谐稳定，为全球物质文明的发展提供了新的路径和模式。这一过程中，中国式现代化不仅推动了生产力的迅猛增长，实现了经济总量的飞跃式提升，更在维护社会稳定、促进公平正义方面创造了历史性的丰碑，为全球物质文明的发展树立了新的标杆。通过平衡发展与稳定，中国式现代化为全球物质文明探索出了一条既高效又和谐的新路径，为世界各国提供了可借鉴的发展模式。

Leading a New Path for Political Civilization that Transcends the Endogenous Predicaments of Modernization

引领超越现代化内生困境的政治文明新道路

Political civilization is the progress and achievement of humanity in shaping political and social practice, playing an indispensable role in the harmony and stability of society and the prosperity and development of the country. The active exploration and innovative practice of the new path of Chinese-path modernization in the field of political civilization have not only laid a solid political foundation for its own sustainable development but also provided a scientific institutional system and strong legal guarantees for other civilizational spheres, demonstrating the uniqueness and global influence of Chinese political civilization.

政治文明是人类在塑造政治社会实践中取得的进步与成就，对于社会的和谐稳定与国家的繁荣发展具有不可或缺的作用。中国式现代化新道路在政治文明领域的积极探索与创新实践，不仅为自身可持续发展奠定了坚实的政治基础，同时也为其他文明领域提供了科学的制度体系和有力的法律保障，展现了中国政治文明的独特性与全球影响力。

Chinese-path modernization displays unique charm and profound significance in the field of political civilization. It not only inherits the universal characteristics of the modernization paths of countries around the world but also transcends the endogenous predicaments of the Western modernization path. The Western modernization path is rooted in the capitalist value system. Although it has promoted the development of productive forces and social progress to a certain extent, the strong dominance of its capital logic and the short-sighted pursuit of profit maximization have led to a series of difficult-to-overcome problems such as capital exploitation, labor alienation, polarization, environmental destruction, and predatory expansion. The new path of Chinese-path modernization adheres to the people-centered development philosophy, achieving an organic integration of socialism and modernization. By pursuing the dual enhancement of material abundance and spiritual enrichment, it effectively avoids the inherent risks of the Western modernization path, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the development of global political civilization.

中国式现代化在政治文明领域展现了独特的魅力与深远的意义，它不仅继承了世界各国现代化道路的普遍特性，更超越了西方现代化道路的内生困境。西方现代化道路根植于资本主义价值体系，虽在一定程度上推动了生产力的发展和社会进步，但其资本逻辑的强势主导和利润最大化的短视追求，却导致了资本剥削、劳动异化、两极分化、环境破坏、掠夺扩张等一系列难以克服的问题。中国式现代化新道路坚持以人民为中心的发展理念，实现了社会主义与现代化的有机结合。通过追求物质丰裕与精神富足的双重提升，有效规避了西方现代化道路的固有风险，为全球政治文明的发展贡献了中国智慧与中国方案。

Whole-process people’s democracy not only achieves a transcendence of the phenomenon of populism and state governance failure caused by Western democratic practice but also conducts profound exploration and innovation in the essence and practice of democracy. Western democracy often regards elections as the sole criterion for democracy, neglecting the whole-process and substantive nature of democracy; whole-process people’s democracy emphasizes the whole-process nature of democratic participation, ensuring that the people can participate broadly and deeply in key links such as decision-making, management, and supervision. This model is more in line with the development trend of modern democracy and also reflects the authenticity and effectiveness of democracy. Compared with the Western “liberal democracy” theory that regards elections as the sole criterion for democracy, whole-process people’s democracy delves deeper into the connotation and value of democracy at the theoretical level, while also providing valuable experience and inspiration for the path of democracy with Chinese characteristics at the practical level. This innovative practice not only enriches the diversity of human political civilization but also provides new perspectives and paths for developing countries to explore democratic development paths that suit their own national conditions.

全过程人民民主不仅实现了对西方民主实践造成的民粹主义与国家治理失效现象的超越，更在民主的本质与实践上进行了深刻的探索与创新。西方民主往往将选举视为民主的唯一标准，忽视了民主的全过程性和实质性；而全过程人民民主强调民主参与的全过程性，确保人民在决策、管理、监督等关键环节都能广泛而深入地参与，这一模式更加符合现代民主的发展趋势，也体现了民主的真实性与有效性。与西方将选举视为民主唯一标准的“自由民主”理论相比，全过程人民民主在理论层面更加深入地挖掘了民主的内涵与价值，同时也在实践层面为中国特色民主道路提供了宝贵的经验与启示。这一创新实践不仅丰富了人类政治文明的多样性，也为发展中国家探索符合自身国情的民主发展道路提供了新的视角与路径。

Shaping a New Path for Cultural-Ethical Progress that Combines Inheritance and Innovation

塑造传承与创新相结合的精神文明新道路

Cultural-ethical progress, as an important dimension of the new form of human civilization, not only shapes the cultural landscape and values of society but also provides indispensable conceptual foundations, intellectual resources, and spiritual support for the development of other civilizations.

精神文明作为人类文明新形态的重要维度，不仅塑造着社会的文化面貌与价值观念，更为其他文明的发展提供着不可或缺的理念基石、智力资源和精神支撑。

The evolution of the new path of Chinese-path modernization in the field of cultural-ethical progress is particularly evident in its innovative path of the “Two Integrations.” [1]1 The “Two Integrations” (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. The “Two Integrations” not only provides a rigorous and scientific theoretical orientation for the practice of China’s cultural-ethical progress but also endows it with profound and rich cultural heritage. Under the guidance of Marxism, China’s cultural-ethical progress is committed to cultivating the noble moral character of citizens, promoting the comprehensive improvement of the level of social civility, and thereby promoting the widespread formation of core socialist values, building a solid spiritual foundation for social harmony and stability. At the same time, core value concepts from excellent traditional Chinese culture, such as benevolence, integrity, and justice, have been endowed with new contemporary significance in the context of the New Era, becoming key spiritual resources for guiding social trends and consolidating national consensus. The path of the “Two Integrations” enables China’s cultural-ethical progress to exhibit distinct contemporary characteristics while being deeply rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese culture, radiating unique charm and vigorous vitality.

中国式现代化新道路在精神文明领域的演进，尤为显著地体现在其“两个结合”的创新路径上。“两个结合”不仅为中国精神文明建设的实践提供了严谨而科学的理论导向，还为其赋予了深厚且丰富的文化底蕴。在马克思主义的引领下，中国精神文明建设致力于培育公民的高尚道德品质，促进社会文明水平的全面提升，进而推动了社会主义核心价值观的广泛形成，为社会和谐稳定构筑了坚实的精神基石。与此同时，中华优秀传统文化中的仁爱、诚信、正义等核心价值理念在新时代背景下被赋予了崭新的时代意义，成为引领社会风气、凝聚民族共识的关键精神资源。“两个结合”的路径使得中国精神文明建设既展现出鲜明的时代特色，又深深扎根于中华文化的沃土之中，焕发出独特的魅力与蓬勃的生机。

The new path of Chinese-path modernization profoundly embodies the inheritance and innovation of the cultural-ethical progress of the Chinese nation. Chinese culture, with its long historical origins and broad and profound connotations, constitutes the spiritual pillar and cultural foundation of the Chinese nation. In the journey of advancing modernization, China not only attaches great importance to protecting and inheriting the essence of Chinese culture but also unswervingly promotes its creative transformation and innovative development. By deeply excavating and interpreting the value implications of excellent traditional Chinese culture in the New Era, and closely combining it with the actual needs and characteristics of the times of modern society, China has created a series of cultural achievements that highlight Chinese characteristics, contemporary features, and national traits. These achievements have greatly enriched the spiritual world and cultural life of the people and significantly enhanced the international influence and appeal of Chinese culture. On this basis, China also actively promotes cultural exchange and mutual learning, sharing the wisdom of Chinese culture with countries around the world, contributing China’s unique strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Driven by both inheritance and innovation, Chinese culture radiates new vitality and vigor, becoming an important cornerstone and powerful support for the continuous progress of the new path of Chinese-path modernization in the field of cultural-ethical progress.

中国式现代化新道路深刻体现了对中华民族精神文明的承继与创新。中华文化以悠久的历史渊源和广博深厚的内涵，构成了中华民族的精神支柱与文化基石。在推进现代化的征途中，中国不仅高度重视保护与传承中华文化的精髓，更矢志不渝地推动其创造性转化和创新性发展。通过深度挖掘与阐释中华优秀传统文化在新时代的价值意蕴，并紧密结合现代社会的实际需求与时代特征，中国创造出一系列彰显中国特色、时代风貌与民族特色的文化硕果。这些成就极大地丰富了人民群众的精神世界与文化生活，显著提升了中华文化的国际影响力与感召力。在此基础上，中国还积极促进文化的交流互鉴，与世界各国分享中华文化的智慧，为构建人类命运共同体贡献了中国独有的力量。在传承与创新的双重驱动下，中华文化焕发出崭新的生命力与活力，成为中国式现代化新道路在精神文明领域不断前行的重要基石与强大支撑。

Creating a New Path for People-Centered Social Civilization

创建以人为本的社会文明新道路

Social civilization is the cornerstone of the new form of human civilization, providing stable order, comprehensive guarantees, and efficient organizational support for the development of other civilizations. In the exploration of the new path of Chinese-path modernization, the construction of people's livelihood and social governance have become key drivers of progress in social civilization, not only enhancing the well-being of the people but also laying a solid foundation for social harmony, stability, and sustained healthy development.

社会文明是人类文明新形态的基石，为其他文明发展提供稳固秩序、全面保障与高效组织支持。在中国式现代化新道路探索中，民生建设与社会治理成为推动社会文明进步的关键，不仅提升民生福祉，更为社会和谐稳定与持续健康发展奠定坚实基础。

In the exploration of the new path of Chinese-path modernization, the construction of people's livelihood has been placed in a position of paramount importance, becoming a solid foundation for promoting the development of social civilization. The Chinese government adheres to a people-centered development philosophy, taking the improvement of people's livelihood as the starting point and ultimate goal of all work, and is committed to achieving the goals of ensuring children's education, providing education for all, rewarding labor with fair income, offering medical care for the sick, supporting the elderly, providing housing for all, and assisting the vulnerable, thereby comprehensively enhancing the quality of life and sense of happiness of the people. Through the implementation of targeted poverty alleviation and the rural revitalization strategy, China has successfully resolved the poverty problem for hundreds of millions of people, making a tremendous contribution to the global cause of poverty reduction. At the same time, the continuous improvement of public service systems in education, healthcare, and social security has provided the public with fairer and more accessible basic services, effectively narrowing the gaps between urban and rural areas, regions, and groups, and promoting social harmony and stability. This series of livelihood measures has not only strengthened the people's sense of identification with and spiritual belonging (归属) to social civilization but also laid a solid material foundation for the comprehensive progress of social civilization.

在中国式现代化新道路的探索中，民生建设被置于至关重要的位置，成为推动社会文明发展的坚实基础。中国政府坚持以人民为中心的发展理念，将改善民生作为一切工作的出发点和落脚点，致力于实现幼有所育、学有所教、劳有所得、病有所医、老有所养、住有所居、弱有所扶，全方位提升人民群众的生活质量和幸福感。通过实施精准扶贫、乡村振兴战略，中国成功解决了数亿人口的贫困问题，为世界减贫事业作出了巨大贡献。同时，教育、医疗、社保等公共服务体系的不断完善，为民众提供了更加公平、可及的基本服务，有效缩小了城乡、区域、群体间的差距，促进了社会的和谐与稳定。这一系列民生举措，不仅增强了人民群众对社会文明的认同感与归属感，更为社会文明的全面进步奠定了坚实的物质基础。

The exploration of the new path of Chinese-path modernization in the field of social governance also demonstrates unique wisdom and innovation. Under the leadership of the Party, all sectors of society actively build a social governance pattern based on collaboration, participation, and shared benefits [n], pushing the center of gravity of social governance down to the grassroots level and gradually achieving refined and intelligent social governance. At the same time, emphasis is placed on leveraging the unique role of core socialist values in social governance, advocating a social ethos of integrity, friendliness, harmony, and coexistence, thereby enhancing social cohesion and centripetal force. Furthermore, modern information technology tools such as big data and cloud computing are utilized to improve the efficiency of social governance, achieving precise governance and services, allowing the people to enjoy convenient and efficient services while also experiencing the warmth and humanistic care of social governance. This series of innovations in social governance has not only promoted social harmony and stability but also provided a strong guarantee for the sustained healthy development of social civilization.

中国式现代化新道路在社会治理领域的探索，同样展现出独特的智慧与创新。在党的领导下，社会各界通过积极构建共建共治共享的社会治理格局，推动社会治理重心向基层下移，逐步实现社会治理精细化、智能化。同时，注重发挥社会主义核心价值观在社会治理中的独特作用，倡导诚信友善、和谐共处的社会风尚，增强了社会的凝聚力与向心力。此外，利用大数据、云计算等现代信息技术手段，提升社会治理效能，实现精准治理与服务，让人民群众在享受便捷高效服务的同时，也感受到了社会治理的温度与人文关怀。这一系列社会治理创新，不仅促进了社会的和谐稳定，也为社会文明的持续健康发展提供了有力保障。

Building a New Path of Ecological Civilization Featuring Harmony between Humanity and Nature

构筑人与自然和谐共生的生态文明新道路

Ecological civilization, as an important pillar of the new form of human civilization, is not only related to the sustainability of its own development but also provides a solid ecological foundation, favorable environmental conditions, and abundant natural resources for the development of other civilizations. In exploring the green chapter of the new path of Chinese-path modernization, the development concepts that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [n] and "when ecology thrives, civilization thrives; when ecology declines, civilization declines" guide the Communist Party of China in leading the Chinese nation to achieve world-renowned achievements in environmental governance and ecological construction, contributing Chinese solutions to the joint construction and shared enjoyment of global ecological civilization.

生态文明作为人类文明新形态的重要支柱，不仅关乎自身发展的可持续性，更为其他文明的发展提供了坚实的生态基础、良好的环境条件和丰富的自然资源。在探索中国式现代化新道路的绿色篇章中，“绿水青山就是金山银山”“生态兴则文明兴，生态衰则文明衰”的发展理念，指引中国共产党领导中华民族创造出世界瞩目的环境治理与生态建设成就，为全球生态文明共建共享贡献出中国方案。

The root causes of ecological and environmental problems are deeply embedded in the mode of economic development. In advancing the construction of ecological civilization, it is necessary to adhere to the concept of green development, constraining economic activities and human behavior within the limits that natural resources and the ecological environment can bear, leaving sufficient time and space for natural ecosystems to recover, and striving to achieve the coordinated progress of economic and social development with ecological and environmental protection. On the one hand, by phasing out outdated production capacity and promoting the efficient use of resources, the comprehensive green transformation of the economy and society has been led. On the other hand, by supporting the research, development, and application of green technologies and promoting the upgrading of the economic structure, the large-scale development of green industries has been advanced, achieving a win-win situation for the economy and the environment, demonstrating a vivid practice where the well-being of the people and ecological protection go hand in hand.

生态环境问题的根源深植于经济发展方式之中。在推进生态文明建设中，需要坚持践行绿色发展理念，将经济活动和人类行为约束在自然资源和生态环境能够承受的范围内，为自然生态留出足够的恢复时间和空间，力求实现经济社会发展与生态环境保护的协同共进。一方面，通过淘汰落后产能，促进资源有效利用，引领了经济社会全面绿色转型；另一方面，通过支持绿色技术研发与应用，促进经济结构升级，推动了绿色产业的规模化发展，实现经济与环境的双赢，展现了人民福祉与生态保护并行不悖的生动实践。

China's ecological civilization construction emphasizes systematic and holistic advancement. By establishing and improving the institutional system for ecological civilization, the systematic and long-term nature of ecological civilization construction has been ensured. This institutional system, based on strict environmental protection laws and regulations, has promoted the sustained and in-depth advancement of ecological civilization construction. At the same time, China actively participates in global environmental governance and promotes the implementation of international conventions, demonstrating its responsibility as a major responsible country and injecting new momentum into global environmental governance.

中国的生态文明建设注重系统性、整体性的推进。通过建立健全生态文明制度体系，确保了生态文明建设的系统性和长效性。这一制度体系以严格的环境保护法规为基石，推动了生态文明建设的持续深入。同时，中国积极参与全球环境治理，推动国际公约的落实，展现了作为负责任大国的担当，为全球环境治理注入了新的动力。

The new path of Chinese-path modernization is a path of modernization characterized by the coordinated development of the "Five Civilizations" [n], a path of modernization that unifies economic prosperity, political democracy, cultural flourishing, social equity, and a sound ecological environment. It not only successfully transcends the inherent difficulties and challenges faced by traditional modernization processes but also explores a unique new path of modernization for the world. With firm steps and practical actions, China is writing a glorious chapter in the new form of human civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

中国式现代化新道路是“五大文明”协调发展的现代化道路，是经济富强、政治民主、文化繁荣、社会公平和生态良好相统一的现代化道路，不仅成功超越了传统现代化进程中所面临的内在困境与挑战，更为全球探索出了一条独具特色的现代化新路径。中国正以坚定的步伐和务实的行动，书写着人类文明新形态的辉煌篇章，为构建人类命运共同体贡献着中国智慧与中国力量。

(The author is a researcher at the Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Peking University)

（作者系北京大学习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究院研究员）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧