Core Socialist Values Provide Strong Value Support for Advancing Chinese-Path Modernization

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC pointed out: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress in tandem.” [1]1 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 Communist Party of China, held in July 2024, which focused on further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. To achieve the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform — “basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035, thereby laying a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century” — it is necessary to provide strong value support for the development of Chinese-path modernization through the core socialist values. The core socialist values are values adapted to the system and institutions of socialism with Chinese characteristics, capable of guiding socialist ideological and moral concepts and modes of behavior, and are a supporting force for promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

党的二十届三中全会指出：“中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化。”2035年达成“基本实现社会主义现代化，为到本世纪中叶全面建成社会主义现代化强国奠定坚实基础”的全面深化改革总目标，需要以社会主义核心价值观为中国式现代化的发展提供强有力的价值支撑。社会主义核心价值观是与中国特色社会主义制度和体制相适应的、能够主导社会主义思想道德观念和行为方式的价值观念，是推动中华民族伟大复兴的支撑力量。

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC mapped out a grand blueprint for continuing to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. To focus on cultivating and practicing the core socialist values means taking these core values as the fundamental value guideline for the development of Chinese-path modernization, allowing them to coalesce strong spiritual strength for Chinese-path modernization, and using them to manifest the value characteristics of Chinese-path modernization on a global scale.

党的二十届三中全会擘画了继续完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟蓝图。着力培育和践行社会主义核心价值观，就是要把核心价值观作为中国式现代化发展的根本价值遵循，让核心价值观为中国式现代化凝聚强大的精神力量，以核心价值观在世界范围内彰显中国式现代化的价值特色。

I. The Core Socialist Values Provide a Value Guideline for Chinese-Path Modernization

一、社会主义核心价值观为中国式现代化提供价值遵循

China’s modernization development practice has given rise to the core socialist values. Practice shows that the great achievements of China’s modernization development are not only the rich fruits of adhering to the value concepts of the core values but also provide abundant practical soil for the formation of the core values. In the Party’s “First Program of the Communist Party of China,” the Party already set “the elimination of social classes” and “the public ownership of the means of production” as revolutionary goals, reflecting the Party’s value pursuit of a future equal society at its founding. [2]2 The “First Program of the Communist Party of China” was adopted at the First National Congress of the CPC in 1921, outlining the Party’s initial revolutionary goals and organizational principles. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Communist Party of China led the people, through establishing the basic socialist system, to actively carry out socialist practical explorations pursuing social fairness and people’s happiness. Since reform and opening up, the Party has established common prosperity as the fundamental principle of socialism with Chinese characteristics, enabling values such as equality, prosperity, and justice to be continuously realized in practice. It can be said that in the practice of leading the people in modernization construction, the Communist Party of China has always been guided by Marxist value concepts, rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, continuously explored the spiritual and value-level determinations of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and practically implemented and gradually formed value concepts suited to China’s modernization development — namely, the core socialist values.

中国的现代化发展实践形成了社会主义核心价值观。实践表明，中国现代化发展取得的巨大成就，既是坚持核心价值观的价值理念取得的丰硕成果，也为核心价值观的形成提供了丰富的实践土壤。在《中国共产党第一个纲领》中，党就把“消灭社会的阶级区分”“生产资料归社会公有”等作为革命奋斗目标，体现了中国共产党成立之初对于未来平等社会的价值追求。社会主义革命和建设时期，中国共产党领导人民，通过确立社会主义基本制度，积极开展追求社会公平、人民幸福的社会主义实践探索。改革开放以来，党把共同富裕确立为中国特色社会主义的根本原则，使平等、富强、正义等价值观在实践中不断实现。可以说，在中国共产党领导人民进行现代化建设的实践中，始终以马克思主义价值理念为引领，根植中华优秀传统文化，不断探索中国特色社会主义在精神和价值层面的规定性，实际践行并逐渐形成了符合中国现代化发展的价值观念，即社会主义核心价值观。

The core socialist values are the fundamental value guideline for Chinese-path modernization. Since the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has established the core socialist values as the fundamental value guideline for Chinese-path modernization. At the national level, with the goal of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, construction in the fields of economy, politics, culture, society, and ecological civilization is taken as important content of modernization development, earnestly pursuing the value concepts of prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony. At the social level, social revolution is advanced through the Party’s self-revolution, with law-based governance, the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and whole-process people’s democracy taken as important content of social construction, pursuing the value concepts of freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law. At the individual level, through carrying out patriotic education, promoting the spirit of craftsmanship, and so on, the value concepts of patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendship are upheld and promoted. By taking the core values as the basic value guideline for the development of Chinese-path modernization, Chinese-path modernization has achieved remarkable accomplishments, “propelling our country onto a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.”

社会主义核心价值观是中国式现代化的根本价值遵循。新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把社会主义核心价值观确立为中国式现代化的根本价值遵循。在国家层面，以推进中华民族伟大复兴为目标，把经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明等领域的建设作为现代化发展的重要内容，切实追求富强、民主、文明、和谐的价值观念。在社会层面，以党的自我革命推进社会革命，把依法治国、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化、全过程人民民主等作为社会建设的重要内容，追求自由、平等、公正、法治等价值观念。在个体层面，通过开展爱国主义教育、弘扬工匠精神等，坚持和弘扬爱国、敬业、诚信、友善等价值观念。通过把核心价值观作为中国式现代化发展的基本价值遵循，中国式现代化取得了举世瞩目的成就，“推动我国迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程”。

The core socialist values clarify the value direction of Chinese-path modernization development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC proposed the strategic goal of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, which is an adherence to and concretization of the core socialist values. It is necessary to vigorously promote the core socialist values, embody the value concepts and value pursuits contained in the core values in the specific practices of future national and social development, and clarify what the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics should pursue, in what direction it should move, and what value stance it should uphold. The core socialist values clarify the value direction of Chinese-path modernization, ensuring that Chinese-path modernization always advances along the socialist direction.

社会主义核心价值观明确了中国式现代化发展的价值方向。党的二十届三中全会提出以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的战略目标，是对社会主义核心价值观的坚持和具体化。要通过大力弘扬社会主义核心价值观，把核心价值观所蕴含的价值理念、价值追求体现在未来国家和社会发展的具体实践中，明确中国特色社会主义事业要追求什么、要朝着什么样的方向走、要坚持怎样的价值立场。社会主义核心价值观明确了中国式现代化的价值方向，保证中国式现代化始终沿着社会主义方向前进。

II. The Core Socialist Values Coalesce Value Consensus for Chinese-Path Modernization

二、社会主义核心价值观为中国式现代化凝聚价值共识

Advancing Chinese-path modernization development through further comprehensively deepening reform is the era theme for focusing on cultivating and practicing the core socialist values. Perfecting the institutional mechanisms for cultivating and practicing the core socialist values and emphasizing the role of the core values in value cohesion and value guidance within the process of Chinese-path modernization is the era mission entrusted to the core values by history.

以进一步全面深化改革推进中国式现代化发展，是着力培育和践行社会主义核心价值观的时代主题。完善培育和践行社会主义核心价值观制度机制，注重发挥核心价值观在中国式现代化进程中的价值凝聚、价值导向作用，是历史赋予核心价值观的时代使命。

The core socialist values penetrate deeply into the hearts of the people, coalescing people’s strength for the development of Chinese-path modernization. Values determine the direction of people’s cognition and behavior and are the internal force driving people to pursue ideals and move toward the future. Through extensively cultivating and practicing the core socialist values, social individuals take the core values as their personal value pursuit and value standard, use the core values to stimulate their own value consciousness and cultural confidence, and enable the masses to identify with the value standards of the core values in concept and to practice the value requirements of the core values in action. Through the core values entering the mind, heart, and conduct, the value pursuit of the masses is elevated, enabling the broad masses of the people to consciously combine individual needs with social needs, integrate personal struggle goals with the development goals of Chinese-path modernization, and actively and proactively contribute strength to the advancement of Chinese-path modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

社会主义核心价值观深入人民心中，为中国式现代化发展凝聚人民力量。价值观决定着人们的认知和行为的方向，是推动人们追求理想、走向未来的内在力量。通过广泛培育和践行社会主义核心价值观，使社会个体把核心价值观作为个人的价值追求和价值准则，以核心价值观激发自身的价值自觉、文化自信，使人民群众从观念上认同核心价值观的价值准则，从行动上践行核心价值观的价值要求。通过核心价值观入脑入心入行，提升人民群众的价值追求，使广大人民群众自觉把个体需求与社会需要结合起来，把个人奋斗目标与中国式现代化发展目标融合起来，积极主动为中国式现代化的推进、为中华民族的伟大复兴贡献力量。

The core socialist values are integrated into social life, coalescing social strength for the development of Chinese-path modernization. Dwelling in a room of orchids, one gradually becomes fragrant. [3]3 “Dwelling in a room of orchids, one gradually becomes fragrant” is a Chinese idiom from the Confucian classic *The Analects*, meaning that one is imperceptibly influenced by one’s environment. Integrating the core values into social life means extensively publicizing, promoting, and advocating the core values in all fields of social life. In the digital space, by embedding the core values into data information and digital technology, the core values are enlivened and popularized in the digital space, promoting the transformation and development of digital society to advance along the socialist direction. In real society, a batch of cultural products such as films, television dramas, and literary works that lead the direction of social values should be created, allowing the core values to enter the daily lives of the masses in different ways. At the same time, the value guidance function of the core values should be exerted in key areas of social life such as professional life, daily life, and family life, promoting the overall improvement and goodness of social development. Through integrating the core socialist values into social life, guiding the direction of social development, and stimulating the vitality of social development, strong social strength is coalesced for the development of Chinese-path modernization.

社会主义核心价值观融入社会生活，为中国式现代化发展凝聚社会力量。居芝兰之室，久而自芳。核心价值观融入社会生活，就是要在社会生活的各个领域广泛宣传、弘扬、倡导核心价值观。在数字空间，通过将核心价值观嵌入数据信息、数字技术，让核心价值观在数字空间活起来、火起来，推进数字社会转型发展朝着社会主义方向前进。在现实社会，要打造一批引领社会价值走向的电影、电视剧、文学作品等文化产品，使核心价值观以不同的方式进入人民群众的日常生活。同时，要在职业生活、日常生活、家庭生活等社会生活的关键领域发挥核心价值观的价值引领功能，推动社会发展整体向善向好。通过社会主义核心价值观融入社会生活，引领社会发展方向，激发社会发展活力，为中国式现代化发展凝聚起强大的社会力量。

The core socialist values are integrated into the construction of the rule of law, coalescing institutional strength for the development of Chinese-path modernization. First, the core values guide legislative practice. After the issuance in 2016 of the “Guiding Opinions on Further Integrating the Core Socialist Values into the Construction of the Rule of Law,” the core values have been written into legal provisions during the formulation and revision of laws such as the Constitution and the Civil Code, establishing the value-dominant position of the core values at the legal level. [4]4 The “Guiding Opinions on Further Integrating the Core Socialist Values into the Construction of the Rule of Law” is a policy document issued by the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council in 2016 to embed core socialist values into legal frameworks. Second, the core values guide law enforcement practice. In recent years, the Supreme People’s Court has successively issued documents such as “Several Opinions on Cultivating and Practicing the Core Socialist Values in the Work of the People’s Courts” and “Guiding Opinions on Deeply Promoting the Integration of the Core Socialist Values into the Interpretation of Legal Reasoning in Judgments,” as well as multiple typical cases, promoting the implementation of the value concepts of the core values in the law enforcement of judicial personnel. [5]5 The Supreme People’s Court is the highest judicial organ in China, responsible for interpreting laws and guiding judicial practice nationwide. Implementing the core values in the construction of the rule of law injects strong institutional strength into the development of Chinese-path modernization.

社会主义核心价值观融入法治建设，为中国式现代化发展凝聚制度力量。一是核心价值观引领立法实践。2016年，《关于进一步把社会主义核心价值观融入法治建设的指导意见》印发后，在宪法、民法典等法律的制定和修订过程中，已经把核心价值观写入法律条文，从法律层面确立了核心价值观的价值主导地位。二是核心价值观引领执法实践。近年来，最高人民法院先后发布《关于在人民法院工作中培育和践行社会主义核心价值观的若干意见》《关于深入推进社会主义核心价值观融入裁判文书释法说理的指导意见》等文件以及多个典型案例，推动核心价值观的价值观念在司法人员的执法中真正落到实处。把核心价值观落实到法治建设中，为中国式现代化发展注入了强有力的制度力量。

III. The Core Socialist Values Manifest the Value Orientation of Chinese-Path Modernization

三、社会主义核心价值观彰显中国式现代化价值取向

The core socialist values, as value orientations rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, formed in the process of China’s modernization, embodying the essence of socialism and the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, not only manifest the value orientation of Chinese-path modernization but also demonstrate the universal human value propositions of Chinese-path modernization.

社会主义核心价值观作为扎根中华优秀传统文化、在中国现代化进程中形成、体现社会主义本质和全体中国人民根本利益的价值取向，不仅体现了中国式现代化的价值取向，还彰显了中国式现代化的全人类价值主张。

The core socialist values reflect the value orientation of Chinese-path modernization. As values that are compatible with socialism with Chinese characteristics and formed in the practice of China’s modernization, the core values have consolidated the value consensus of over 1.4 billion Chinese people and have been forged in the process of advancing the great cause of building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The core values not only uphold and develop the value concepts of the basic principles of scientific socialism, enabling scientific socialism to radiate vibrant vitality in 21st-century China; they have also, in concrete modernization practice, gradually become the value core of Chinese-path modernization, driving China’s modernization cause to continuously reach new heights and injecting an inexhaustible spiritual force into the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The distinct value pursuits of the core values at the national, societal, and individual levels in fact embody the concrete value practice of Chinese-path modernization in the process of pursuing national prosperity, social harmony, and people’s happiness.

社会主义核心价值观反映了中国式现代化的价值取向。作为与中国特色社会主义相适应、在中国现代化实践中形成的价值观念，核心价值观凝聚了14亿多中国人民的价值共识，是在推动强国建设、民族复兴伟业进程中形成的。核心价值观不仅坚持发展了科学社会主义基本原则的价值理念，使科学社会主义在21世纪的中国焕发出勃勃生机；还在具体的现代化实践中，逐渐成为中国式现代化的价值内核，推动中国的现代化事业不断迈上新台阶，为中华民族伟大复兴注入了源源不断的精神力量。核心价值观在国家、社会、个体层面的鲜明价值追求，实际上体现了中国式现代化追求国家富强、社会和谐、人民幸福过程中的具体价值实践。

The core socialist values manifest the universal value propositions of Chinese-path modernization for all humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that ‘modernization equals Westernization,’ presented another picture of modernization, expanded the path choices for developing countries to achieve modernization, and provided a Chinese solution for humanity’s exploration of a better social system.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022. From the value dimension, the core values, adopting a holistic mode of thinking and standing at the height of the shared destiny of all humanity, contribute Chinese wisdom to the development of human society. Through the value guidance of Chinese-path modernization, they provide a new type of modernization path for human development that differs from the path of Western countries, which relies on exploiting and oppressing other nations and peoples. In concrete practice, the core values advocate value concepts such as peaceful development and win-win cooperation, and assert that in the international community, one must both be self-reliant and self-confident, taking oneself as the mainstay, while also pursuing fairness, justice, and human progress. Therefore, Chinese-path modernization represents a transcendence of the Western modernization model, and the core values followed by Chinese-path modernization represent a transcendence of existing Western value concepts, thereby providing a new value direction for the progressive development of human society.

社会主义核心价值观彰显了中国式现代化的全人类价值主张。习近平总书记指出：“中国式现代化，打破了‘现代化=西方化’的迷思，展现了现代化的另一幅图景，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的路径选择，为人类对更好社会制度的探索提供了中国方案。”从价值维度看，核心价值观以整体性思维，站在全人类命运的高度，为人类社会的发展贡献了中国智慧。通过中国式现代化的价值引领，为人类现代化发展提供一条不同于西方国家依靠剥削、压迫其他国家和民族的新型现代化道路。在具体的实践中，核心价值观倡导和平发展、合作共赢等价值理念，主张在国际社会中既要自立自信、以我为主，又要追求公平正义、人类进步。因此，中国式现代化是对西方现代化模式的超越，中国式现代化所遵循的核心价值观是对西方既有价值观念的超越，这为人类社会的进步发展提供了新的价值方向。

(Author’s bio: Wang Haijian, Associate Professor at the Institute of Contemporary Chinese Political Development and Strategy, East China Normal University, and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Shanghai Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.)

（作者简介：王海建，华东师范大学当代中国政治发展与战略研究所副教授，上海市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特聘研究员。）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧