Upholding the CPC's Overall Leadership, and the Central Committee's Authority and Its Centralized, Unified Leadership

The CPC's leadership is the defining feature and greatest strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Its overall leadership has been the fundamental guarantee for the successful advancement of China's reform and opening up. As we continue to reform, we are confronted with formidable challenges given the wide range of sectors and deep-rooted interests involved.

We must continually deepen our understanding of the laws underlying reform, guide practices with new theories, and unveil sounder, more forward-looking, more proactive, and more innovative reform measures. We must accurately assess situations in order to grasp the timing, trends, risks, opportunities, advantages, and challenges we face in reform. This will ensure we create a sound basis for reform-related decisions. We must adapt to the new requirements for development and the new expectations of the people by setting a clear direction, developing well-crafted plans, and defining the objectives, tasks, priorities, timetables, and roadmaps for reform.

Moreover, we must have the immense political courage and unwavering determination needed to root out deep-seated problems, break down the barriers erected by vested interests, and resolutely eliminate obstacles in our thinking and institutions that are hindering the progress of Chinese modernization. Finally, we must bring together the strength and will of the people and foster a public opinion atmosphere, political ecology, and external environment that are conducive to reform. Each one of these tasks hinges on the strong leadership of our Party.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, reform has evolved from a variety of trials and breakthroughs limited to certain areas into an integrated drive being advanced across the board. Foundational institutional frameworks have been basically put in place in all sectors, and historic, systemic, and holistic transformations have been achieved in many fields. At the fundamental level, these achievements are the result of President Xi Jinping taking the helm and charting our course and the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

As we continue with the comprehensive reform, we must adhere to the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, ensuring that the general design, coordination, and overall advancement of reform proceed under its command and direction. Party committees and Party leadership groups at all levels must fulfill their leadership responsibilities. Based on local conditions, they must effectively plan and promote reforms in their respective regions and departments and organize the implementation of major reform initiatives. Officials with primary responsibility should personally take charge of reform efforts. They must both lead and actively participate in reform, personally attending to planning for important reforms, overseeing major projects, coordinating work at key links, and supervising implementation. The implementation of major reform measures must also be subject to oversight and inspection to ensure that they take effect and bear fruit.

Adhering to both the spirit of reform and rigorous standards in conducting Party self-governance, we must deepen institutional reforms related to Party development. It is important to apply the "three distinctions," namely, those between errors caused by lack of experience in pilot reforms and deliberate violations of discipline and law; between errors made in conducting experiments that are not explicitly restricted by higher-level authorities and arbitrary violations of discipline and law in the face of higher-level authorities' explicit prohibition; and between unwitting errors made in pursuing development and violations of discipline and law for personal gain. On this basis, the problem of officials acting arbitrarily or lacking the willingness, courage, or ability to deliver should be addressed. We must encourage all officials to fully play their part, igniting the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of the whole Party for driving reform and development forward. In doing so, we will steadily improve the Party's leadership as we deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization.

Editor: Yi Xiaowei