Mo Gaoyi:

Thank you, Mr. Tang. Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Mu Hong. He will walk us through the major achievements in comprehensively deepening reform since the beginning of the new era, as well as the overall objectives and principles of further deepening reform comprehensively.

Mu Hong:

Friends from the media, good morning. I will brief you on the major achievements in comprehensively deepening reform since the beginning of the new era, as well as the overall objectives and principles of further deepening reform comprehensively.

The resolution begins with the following statement: "The third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee was epoch-making, starting a new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization. The third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was also epoch-making, ushering in a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform as well as systematically and holistically designing and advancing reform in the new era, and opening new ground for China's reform and opening up." This is an important assessment made by the Party Central Committee on the major achievements of comprehensively deepening reform since the beginning of the new era.

Since the Party's 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has brought together the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people, leading them to break the shackles of stale thinking and tearing down barriers erected by vested interests with great historical initiative, tremendous political courage, and a powerful sense of mission. With the courage to brave uncharted waters, take on tough problems, and navigate potential dangers, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made resolute efforts to remove institutional obstacles in all areas. This has achieved the transition from explorative reform for breakthroughs in individual sectors and areas to more integrated and comprehensively deepening reform, putting in place foundational institutional frameworks in all sectors. All these efforts have provided an effective institutional guarantee for completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the Party's first centenary goal, and have taken China on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects. These achievements are especially evident in the following aspects:

First, the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics have been consolidated and developed. Our foundational systems have been increasingly reinforced, basic systems have been continuously improved, and innovations in important systems have yielded fruitful results. Through the development of whole-process people's democracy, the system of institutions through which the people run the country has been improved to be more comprehensive, extensive and well-aligned. Progress has been made in building the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. This includes improvements to systems and mechanisms for sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice, and widespread observance of the law throughout society. The guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain has been upheld, and the system of advanced socialist culture has been continuously improved and developed.

Second, a strong impetus has been injected into economic development, driving China's economy toward high-quality development. Reforms to develop the socialist market economy have continued, the modern market system has been improved. Reforms for the market-based allocation of production factors have been advanced. Reforms of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises have been deepened. The growth of the private sector has been facilitated, and efforts have been made to build systems and mechanisms to support all-around innovation. Reforms of fiscal, taxation and financial systems have been deepened, and systems and mechanisms for integrated urban and rural development have been improved. Efforts to build a new pattern of development have accelerated, alongside initiatives to build new systems that support a higher-standard open economy. The institutional environment has been continuously improved to ensure effective market mechanisms, dynamic market players, and sound macro regulation.

Third, historic, systemic, and holistic transformations have been achieved in many fields, and China's system and capacity for governance have been further modernized. For example, two rounds of large-scale reform in Party and state institutions have been conducted, and the system for these institutions to perform their duties better in light of new circumstances has been continuously improved. Ecological conservation systems have been established, and an institutional framework for ecological conservation has been put in place. This framework ensures tight prevention at the source, strict management in the process, due compensation for damage, and serious punishments for violations to keep our skies blue and our waters clear. The most extensive and far-reaching reform of national defense and the armed forces since the founding of the People's Republic of China has been carried out, realizing a holistic and groundbreaking transformation of the people's armed forces.

Fourth, the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security has continued to improve. Institutional innovation in key sectors such as income distribution, employment, education, medical services and social security has been pushed forward, creating the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems. Systems and mechanisms for targeted poverty alleviation have been established and improved, helping to win the biggest battle against poverty in human history. The centralized, unified, high-performing, and authoritative leadership system for national security has been enhanced. An emergency management mechanism has been established and improved, and a social governance system based on collaboration, participation, and shared benefits has been implemented.

Fifth, the Party has strengthened itself through revolution and grown stronger. The Party's leadership systems have been continuously improved, and the oversight systems of the Party and the state have been enhanced. Systems and mechanisms for taking coordinated steps to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to be corrupt have been established and improved. These measures have ensured the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership and guaranteed that the Party fulfills its core role in providing overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides.

We owe these historic achievements to the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and to the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally taken charge, made plans and promoted the comprehensive deepening of reform. Aiming to promote innovation in reform through theoretical innovation, he has systematically elaborated on the mission, direction, objectives, strategies, driving forces and approaches of reform, and put forward a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform, scientifically answering major theoretical and practical questions such as what banner to hold and what path to take in the new era, as well as why and how to comprehensively deepen reform. All these demonstrate the charm of truth and the strength of practice in guiding new practices and leading new changes, providing powerful theoretical tools for further deepening reform comprehensively.

At a new historical starting point, the resolution makes it clear that the overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. These overall objectives build on the overall objectives of comprehensively deepening reform proposed at the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, and are well aligned with the strategic plans made at the 20th CPC National Congress, so as to set the goals and the direction for further deepening reform comprehensively.

The resolution states that, in order to further deepen reform comprehensively, we must earnestly implement the major principles of upholding the Party's overall leadership, taking a people-centered approach, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking institution building as our main task, exercising law-based governance on all fronts, and applying systems thinking. These six principles encapsulate the core essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on comprehensively deepening reform, representing a scientific conclusion drawn from the valuable experience we have gained from our efforts to deepen reform comprehensively since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly in the new era, which we must strictly adhere to over the long term. Thank you.