Modernizing Governance

A key session of the Communist Party of China （CPC）， held in Beijing on October 28-31， adopted a decision on some major issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of Chinas capacity for governance. Below are edited excerpts of a report published by Xinhua News Agency.

The 19th CPC Central Committee concluded its fourth plenary session in Beijing on October 31 with the release of a communiqué.

Xi Jinping， General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee， made an important speech and delivered a work report.

The session reviewed and adopted the CPC Central Committees decision on some major issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese character- istics and advance the modernization of Chinas system and capacity for governance.

“The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a scientifi c system developed by the Party and the people through their long-term practices and explorations，” the communiqué read.

All the work and activities of Chinas national governance are carried out in accordance with the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics， said the document， noting that the countrys system and capacity for governance are a crystallization of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and its enforcement capability.

The session fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Third Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee， acknowledging its endeavors that led to major achievements in various causes of the Party and the country despite complicated situations marked by increasing risks and challenges at home and abroad.

The communiqué said as proven by practice， the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and Chinas system for governance are systems of strong vitality and huge strength.

These systems are able to push for the continuous progress of the country with nearly 1.4 billion people and ensure the realization of the two centenary goals toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation， which has a civilization of more than 5，000 years， it added.

Strength

The communiqué said Chinas state and governance systems enjoy notable strengths in the following aspects：

—Upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC， following the CPCs scientifi c theories， maintaining political stability and ensuring that the country keeps advancing in the direction of socialism；

—Seeing that the people run the country， promoting the peoples democracy， maintaining close ties with the people and relying on them to push forward the countrys development；

—Ensuring law-based governance in all fi elds， building a country of socialist rule of law， and guaranteeing social fairness and justice and the peoples rights；

—Ensuring that the whole country works together and stimulating the enthusiasm of all aspects to mobilize resources for major undertakings；

—Upholding equality between all ethnic groups， creating a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation to work jointly for common prosperity and development；

—Upholding the dominant role of the public sector and common development of economic entities under diverse forms of ownership， the distribution system whereby distribution according to labor is dominant and a variety of other modes of distribution exist alongside it， and the synergy between the socialist system and the market economy， and continuously unlocking and developing the productive forces；

—Upholding common ideals and convictions， values， and moral standards， promoting Chinas fine traditional culture， revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture， as well as inspiring the people to embrace shared ideologies and mindsets；

—Adhering to the vision of making development people-centered， and continuously guaranteeing and improving peoples livelihoods and wellbeing to achieve common prosperity for everyone；

—Continuing reform and innovation， moving with the times， and promoting self-improvement and development to build a society full of vitality；

—Selecting officials based on integrity and ability and on the basis of merit regardless of background to cultivate more talented individuals；

—Keeping the armed forces under the Partys command and ensuring that the peoples armed forces are completely loyal to the Party and the people so as to safeguard Chinas sovereignty， security and development interests；

—Upholding the principle of “one country， two systems，” maintaining lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions， and promoting the peaceful reunifi cation of China；

—Adhering to the unity of independence and self-reliance and opening up to the rest of the world， taking an active part in global governance， and continuing to make contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

“All these notable strengths are the fundamental basis for fostering stronger confi dence in the path， theory， system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics，” the communiqué said.

Targets and tasks

The session stressed upholding and improving the fundamental， basic and important institutions that underpin the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. A set of institutions that are well conceived， fully built， procedure-based and effi ciently functioning must be built to better transform institutional strength into effective governance， it added.

The session vowed to see that institutions in all fi elds are notably improved when the CPC marks its centenary before the modernization of Chinas system and capacity for governance is basically achieved by 2035 and realized in full as the Peoples Republic of China celebrates its own centenary.

The session underscored：

— Upholding and improving the system of institutions for Party leadership to improve its capacity to practice scientific， democratic and law-based governance；

— Upholding and improving the system of institutions through which the people run the country and developing socialist democracy；

— Upholding and improving the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and improving the Partys capacity for law-based governance and law-based exercising of state power；

— Upholding and improving the government administration system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. A law-based government administration with well-defi ned functions and duties shall be built；

— Upholding and improving Chinas basic socialist economic system and promoting the high-quality development of the economy；

— Upholding and improving the system to make advanced socialist culture prosperous and developed to consolidate the common ideological foundation upon which all people are united and work together；

— Upholding and improving the livelihood system for protecting both urban and rural residents and working to meet peoples everincreasing needs for a better life；

— Upholding and improving the social governance system based on collaboration， participation and common interests， as well as maintaining social stability and defending national security；

— Upholding and improving the system for developing an ecological civilization and promoting the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature；

— Upholding and improving the Partys absolute leadership over the armed forces and ensuring that they will faithfully fulfi ll their missions in the new era；

— Upholding and improving the system of “one country， two systems” and advancing the process toward the peaceful reunifi cation of China；

— Upholding and improving the independent foreign policy of peace and working to build a community with a shared future for humanity；

— Upholding and improving the Party and state oversight systems and strengthening checks on and oversight over the exercise of power.

The session was attended by 202 members of the CPC Central Committee and 169 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee.

Also present were members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection， senior offi cials of relevant departments， a number of delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress who work at the grassroots level as well as experts and scholars.