Scholars spoke highly of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping’s address at the opening ceremony of a study session attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as principal officials at the provincial and ministerial levels, on Feb. 7. They said that Xi’s latest remarks have provided fundamental guidelines for vigorously advancing Chinese modernization.

Unique features

At the opening ceremony, Xi said that the summation and elaboration of the theory of Chinese modernization is a major theoretical innovation achieved at the 20th CPC National Congress, and it represents the latest major achievement in developing scientific socialism.

According to the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC; it is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development. The summary of Chinese modernization’s characteristics and scientific connotations conforms to the realities of China. Xi noted Chinese modernization dispels the myth that “modernization is equal to Westernization.”

Chinese modernization contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context. Guo Guangyin, a professor from the Philosophy Department at Nanjing University, said that the CPC leadership and socialism are the defining features distinguishing Chinese modernization from Western experiences and also the fundamental reason for the diverse features of Chinese modernization.

Upholding the leadership of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics are the essential requirements of Chinese modernization, demonstrating China’s leadership and institutional strengths in this drive, said Xing Zhanjun, a professor from the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University.

Pursuing high-quality development, developing whole-process people’s democracy, enriching the people’s cultural lives, achieving common prosperity for all, and promoting harmony between humanity and nature reflect the essential requirements for economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement in Chinese modernization, respectively, Xing continued. Building a human community with a shared future and creating a new form of human advancement profoundly embody Chinese modernization’s requirements for promoting world peace and development and advancing human progress.

Chinese modernization has evidenced the possibility and inevitability of diverse paths to modernization in theory and practice, providing Chinese insights to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity, said Yan Xiaofeng, dean of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University.

A scientific worldview and methodology constitute the logical premise for theoretical innovation in Chinese modernization. Yan added that putting people first, maintaining self-confidence and standing on our own feet, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, adopting a problem-oriented approach, and applying systems thinking have effectively rid Chinese modernization of Western modernization’s logical constraints.

Gu Hongliang, vice president of East China Normal University, said that Chinese modernization not only absorbs the quintessence of fine traditional Chinese culture, but also draws inspiration from all of human civilization’s outstanding achievements. It reflects the advanced nature of scientific socialism, as well as the direction of human progress, presenting more path choices for developing nations to achieve modernization and setting an example for other countries that aspire to develop further.

Six major relationships

At the opening of the study session, Xi urged efforts to properly handle six major relationships: top-level design and practical exploration, strategy and tactics, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, and self-reliance and opening up.

Zhang Zhengwen, president of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s elaboration on the six major relationships has offered theoretical guidance for advancing Chinese modernization.

In practice, historic achievements and changes in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era; the deep implementation of major strategies like the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the rural revitalization strategy; and practical advancement in boosting China’s strength in manufacturing, product quality, aerospace, transportation, cyberspace, and digital development have clarified the blueprint of Chinese modernization with more sound institutional guarantees, stronger material foundations, more proactivity, more scientific practical measures, and more appreciable construction outcomes, Zhang said.