KEYWORDS TO UNDERSTAND CHINA

改革开放

改革开放是中国共产党历史上的一次觉醒，是决定当代中国命运的关键举措，也是决定实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键举措。改革开放永无止境，只有进行时，没有完成时。1978年12月，中国共产党召开了具有重大历史意义的十一届三中全会，开启了对内改革、对外开放的历史新时期。其目的就是要解放和发展生产力，实现国家现代化，让中国人民富裕起来。中国改革开放最主要的成果是开创和发展了中国特色社会主义，中国的面貌、中国与世界的关系都发生了深刻的变化。中国实现了从高度集中的计划经济体制到充满活力的社会主义市场经济体制、从封闭半封闭到全方位开放的伟大历史转折。

中国经济持续30年保持10%以上的增长速度，经济总量已经位居世界第二。中国解决了13亿人的温饱问题，为世界贫困人口减少的贡献超过70%。截止到2015年，中国城镇居民人均可支配收入由343元增长到31195元；农民人均纯收入由133元增长到11422元，人民生活总体上达到小康水平。中国主动适应并积极参与世界格局变革调整进程，以负责任大国形象展现在世人面前。2015年，根据国际货币基金组织公布的数据，中国经济对全球经济增长的贡献率超过25%。中国依靠自己的力量实现了经济社会转型，没有发生对外战争、海外殖民和大规模的社会动荡，政治体制保持稳定，法治化程度不断提升，社会生活的自由度不断扩大，民众对政府的信任度接近90%。

REFORM AND OPENING UP

The process of reform and opening up was propelled by a new awakening of the CPC. It has been key to making China what it is today and will be essential to realizing the Two Centennial Goals and national renewal. It is an on-going process with no end. The process that ushered in a new historical period was first launched in 1978 at the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee. Aiming to dismantle the economic straitjacket and unlock growth potential, the reform program shifted China onto a path to modernization and prosperity. In addition to the emergence and development of the concept of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the achievements of China’s reform and opening up are most convincingly evidenced by the profound changes to China and its relations with the rest of the world. China has completed the historic shift from a centrally planned economy to a dynamic socialist market economy and from a closed or semi-closed society to an open one.

After an annual growth rate of more than 10 percent for 30 years running, China has become the second largest economy in the world. The challenge of providing 1.3 billion people with adequate food and everyday essentials was successfully addressed,contributing to a 70 percent drop in the poverty-stricken population worldwide. With per capita disposable income of urban Chinese residents increasing from RMB 343 to RMB 31,195 and the per capita net income of farmers rising from RMB 133 to RMB 11,422, the goal of building a moderately well-off society has been largely achieved. China is also adapting to an evolving world landscape, and actively participates in global affairs as a responsible member of the international community. It now accounts for nearly 25 percent of world economic growth. It has fostered economic and social transformation without engaging in wars on foreign lands, pursuing overseas colonization or causing widespread social unrest. It has enjoyed political stability, strengthened rule of law and expanded individual freedom. The public’s trust in the government is near 90 percent.