Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has been facing problems of the era squarely. Always taking the people as the center, the CPC Central Committee has led the people to deepen reform in an all-round way and to conquer barriers and difficulties one after another, which has brought about historic achievements and reforms. General Secretary Xi Jinping has creatively put forward sound methods and effective paths for deepening well-rounded reform; developed a comprehensive and systematic reform methodology of rich contents; and boosted the morale of the people to unswervingly advance the reform in an all-round way.

　　The Party takes the overall situation into account, coordinates all parties concerned, and comprehensively deepens reform with a crushing force

　　Great changes in China are always unfolded in a magnificent way in the process of tackling tough problems. At each major juncture of reform, we must rely on the up-to-date scientific theory and methodology for guidance.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping once profoundly revealed the “key” to scientifically and efficiently pushing forward comprehensive reform. “We have strengthened the Party’s centralized, unified leadership over all-round reform, and driven it forward with a holistic view and systems thinking. From laying the groundwork in the initial stage, through building momentum on all fronts in the intermediate stage, to strengthening systems integration, coordination and efficiency at the present stage, we have done away with institutional barriers, obstructive mechanisms, and problems impeding policy innovation in various areas in a steady, forceful and orderly manner. With clear targets, strategic plans and effective measures, we have removed bottlenecks and achieved a historic change from local pilots to systemic, coordinated and deeper reform across the board”.

　　In November 2013, the epoch-making Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee adopted the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening the Reform. For the first time, the general goal of comprehensively deepening the reform was put forward. To fulfill the goal, we should improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and advance modernization of the state’s system and capacity for governance.

　　In December 2013, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a meeting and decided to set up the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping to take charge of the overall reform design, coordination, promotion and implementation.

　　In March 2018, the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform was transformed into the Central Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission.

　　From January 2014 to June 2022, 40 meetings were held among the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms, and 26 among the Central Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission.

　　As the leader of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally headed the endeavor, discussed and grasped cruxes of the issues, and figured out the master plan. He led the whole Party to go all out to make breakthroughs and overcome difficulties.

　　Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, more than 2,500 reform plans regarding diverse fields have been rolled out, and the reform objectives and tasks have been completed on schedule.

　　We ask the people what they need and what they want, and work with them to push forward reform

　　Reform is the Party’s proposition and the people’s demand. When the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee first met the press, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly promised that “the people’s expectation for a better life is what drives us forward.”

　　In the process of planning and pushing forward the reform, he always stresses that we should command and handle the major issues concerning the reform from the standpoint of the people, make reform planning and formulate reform measures for the benefit of the people.

　　In the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping listed the people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness and security for the first time, demonstrating a deeper understanding of the purpose of reform and the objective of development.

　　He reminded leading officials of Party members that they should seriously think about the actual situation of the people when they encounter problems concerning people’s interests that are complex and difficult to handle in the process of comprehensively deepening reform. What is the exact expectation of the people? How to protect the interests of the people? Are the people satisfied with our reform?

　　Based on the current situation, the reform should start with what the people want most and rectify with what they are dissatisfied most. As thus, we help people get rid of a heap of anxieties and difficulties.

　　We must figure out a way based on current circumstances by taking institutional construction as the top priority of reform and opening up in the new era

　　Every Third Plenary Session since 1978 has been a historical beacon of reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the three years of 2013, 2018 and 2020 deserve special attention.

　　In November 2013, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held, at which the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening the Reform was reviewed and adopted, which sounded the clarion call for comprehensively deepening the reform.

　　In February 2018, the Third Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held, which reviewed and adopted the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Deepening the Reform of the Party and State Institutions and the Plan for Deepening the Reform of the Party and State Institutions.

　　In March 2018, the Central Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission was first launched, which sent a strong signal to the whole party and society to comprehensively deepen reform with greater efforts and more practical measures.

　　In October 2020, at the conference marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, Xi Jinping stressed again that it is necessary to combine crossing the river by feeling the stones and strengthening the top-level design with greater political courage and wisdom. We should lose no time to steadily and efficiently deepen the reform in important areas and key links and improve the comprehensive effectiveness of reform.

　　We must address through reform the problems detected in development, and grasp the important relations in reform

　　In July 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected work in the rain in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and for the first time proposed to correctly handle the important relations of reform.

　　1. Properly handle the relationship between emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts. General Secretary Xi Jinping called “conducting research” an heirloom of our Party. From the village party secretary to the top leader of a big country, he has always been a model in conducting in-depth research. From Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, the window and pilot ground of reform and opening up, to Xiaogang, Anhui Province, the origin of rural reform; and from Hainan, a new highland of opening up, toShanghai Pudong, a leading area for socialist modernization, General Secretary Xi Jinping keeps making in-depth investigations at the grassroots level and maps out the master plan for reform.

　　2. Properly handle the relationship between overall progress and key breakthroughs. We will select key areas and links to make breakthroughs in, and drive other reforms with breakthroughs in key areas. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that we should well command the central part of reform and make the key work drive the work across the board.

　　3. Properly handle the relationship between top-level design and crossing the river by feeling the stones. The establishment and expansion of China’s pilot FTZs is a case in point. The reform of the management of arable land, construction land, and residential land in rural areas; the national park system; the pilot reform of the state supervision system; Beijing’s reform to make government departments responsive to people’s call; Zhejiang’s one visit at most to the government office to get everything done; and the comprehensive medical reform in Sanming, Fujian, are all pilot attempts for comprehensively deepening reform, where one after another innovation at the grassroots level proves to be significant experience.

　　4. Properly handle the relationship between boldness and steadiness. It is encouraged to share experience and practice that can be replicated and popularized all the more to drive reform across the board and to accumulate small victories into a big victory.

　　5. Properly handle the relationship between reform, development and stability. As the three important fulcrums of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the relationship between the three runs throughout the reform of more than 40 years.

　　We must enhance our thinking in six aspects in the principle of planning before action and working to win

　　Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has elaborated on strategic thinking, dialectical thinking, rule of law thinking, systematic thinking, bottom line thinking and innovative thinking, which constituted a reform methodology of profound insights.

　　In reviewing the general situation and drawing up the blueprint, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly stressed the need for strategic thinking, bearing in mind the overall situation, grasping the general trend and focusing on major issues.

　　We endeavor to resolve difficulties with dialectical thinking by taking into account not only the non-principal factors, but more importantly the principal factors. In the endeavor to deepen reform in an all-round way, only by looking at  problems in a dialectical way and approaching things from multiple perspectives can we avoid one-sided viewpoint, understand complex China and grasp the general trend of reform.

　　We should strive for good governance and promote reform based on the rule of law. “Reform and the rule of law are like the two wings of a bird and the two wheels of a cart”; “All major reforms must be justified by law”; and “It must be ensured that reform is carried out in accordance with the law.”

　　We should build a synergy with systematic thinking and command the overall situation with systematic methodology. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly pointed out that “comprehensively deepening the reform is a complex and systematic project” where “top-level design and overall planning should be strengthened.”

　　We should set the boundary with the bottom line thinking, and take the initiative. The more challenging and complex the development environment is, the more resolute we should be in promoting the reform. We must not only fight the well-prepared war to prevent and resist risks, but also take the initiative to fight the strategic war to head off disaster and turn risks into opportunities.

　　We should increase vitality with innovative thinking and take innovation as the paramount driving force. General Secretary Xi Jinping called for putting innovation at the core of the country’s overall development agenda and conducting reform and innovation in all aspects of economic and social development.

　　We must carry through reform and opening up in the principle of establishment before abolition and systematic integration

　　In the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experiences of the Party over the Past Century, reform and opening up is called as “Great Call”.

　　With a deep understanding about the rich connotation of “carrying through reform and opening up”, we can get many dialectical relations from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s reform methodology.

　　Abolition and establishment. We should be brave to break the status quo and be quick to establish the new mode by following the principle of no abolition before establishment or the principle of establishment before abolition.  

　　Up and down. We should do a good job in top-level design and carry out exploration at the grassroots level for sound interaction between the two.

　　Key points and the overall situation. We should advance overall work and make a point of making breakthroughs at key links, to do a good job in carrying out both general work and the key work.

　　Big and small. We should bear in mind the overall situation, proceed from trivial work and do a good job in carrying out both big and small tasks.

　　Inside and outside. We should have the courage to admit our own shortcomings and conduct self-reform, and we should expand opening up to promote reform.

　　General and local. Regarding systematic and holistic work demanding coordination, we should advocate systematic integration to drive local changes.

　　Preparedness and effectiveness. We should map out the strategy to carry out reform and opening up to attain substantial results.

　　Regulation and innovation. We should attach great importance to institutional construction, set and observe rules, but do not blindly follow the pattern; we are ready to try and innovate.

　　Average and vanguard. We should not only pay attention to the overall progress of reform, but also encourage the reform vanguards to try first.

　　Sharpness and toughness. We should maintain the sharpness of the reform and persist in reform; we should make progress every day through sustained efforts.

　　Plotting and doing. We should be brave to make planning and good at so doing, and then we act accordingly. In a down-to-earth manner, we do hard work in a brilliant way.

　　Commitment and responsibility. Reformers, with deep feelings for the people, shoulder historical responsibilities.

　　By Xi Jinping Thought on Economy Study Center, China Development and Reform Press