The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing from July 15 to 18, 2024.

The “plenum” concluded with a communique: It was unanimously agreed that in the face of a grave and complex international environment, the Political Bureau has secured progress (in a long list of respects).

the present and the near future constitute a critical period for our endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

to further deepen reform comprehensively, we must stay committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

we will focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing whole-process people’s democracy, developing a strong socialist culture in China, raising the people’s quality of life, building a Beautiful China, advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level, and improving the Party’s capacity for leadership and long-term governance.

The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization was made public last Sunday, July 21.

For a long number of reasons (60), it is worth reading.

Key points:

I. Great Significance and Overall Requirements

1. Importance and necessity
2. Guiding philosophy: We must stay committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
3. Overall objectives: We will continue to improve and develop 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.
   • a. Building a high-standard socialist market economy.
   • b. Advancing whole-process people’s democracy
   • c. Developing a strong socialist culture in China
   • d. Improving the people’s quality of life.
   • e. Building a Beautiful China
   • f. Advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level
   • g. Improving the Party’s capacity for leadership and long-term governance.
4. Guiding principles
   • Upholding the Party’s overall leadership
   • Adhering to a people-centered approach
   • Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground
   • Strengthening institutional building
   • Staying committed to law-based governance on all fronts
   • Applying systems thinking

II. Building a High-Standard Socialist Market Economy

A high-standard socialist market economy provides an important guarantee for Chinese modernization

5. Upholding and fulfilling the commitments to the public and non-public sectors
6. Building a unified national market
7. Refining the systems underpinning the market economy

III. Promoting High-Quality Economic Development

High-quality development is our primary task in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects.

8. Improving the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions
9. Improving the systems for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy
10. Refining the institutions and mechanisms for developing the service sector
11. Improving the institutions and mechanisms for modernizing infrastructure
12. Improving the systems for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains

IV. Supporting All-Around Innovation

Education, science and technology, and talent function as basic and strategic underpinnings for Chinese modernization

13. Deepening comprehensive reform in education
14. Deepening scientific and technological structural reform
15. Deepening institutional reforms for talent development

V. Improving Macroeconomic Governance

Sound macro regulation, along with effective governance by the government, is essential for ensuring that we can fully leverage the institutional strengths of our socialist market economy.

16. Improving the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms
17. Deepening reform of the fiscal and tax systems
18. Deepening reform of the financial system
19. Improving mechanisms for implementing the coordinated regional development strategy

VI. Promoting Integrated Urban-Rural Development

Integrated urban and rural development is essential to Chinese modernization.

20. Improving the institutions and mechanisms for advancing new urbanization
21. Consolidating and improving the basic rural operation system
22. Improving supporting systems to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich rural areas
23. Deepening reform of the land system

VII. Pursuing High-Standard Opening Up

Opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization

24. Steadily expanding institutional opening up
25. Deepening the foreign trade structural reform
26. Further reforming the management systems for inward and outward investment
27. Optimizing the layout for regional opening up
28. Improving the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative

VIII. Advancing Whole-Process People’s Democracy

Developing whole-process people’s democracy is integral to Chinese modernization.

29. Strengthening the institutions through which the people run the country
30. Improving the mechanisms for consultative democracy
31. Enhancing democracy at the primary level
32. Building a broad united front

IX. Promoting Socialist Rule of Law with Chinese Characteristics

The rule of law provides an important guarantee for Chinese modernization.

33. Deepening reforms in legislation
34. Advancing law-based government administration
35. Improving the institutions and mechanisms for impartial law enforcement and administration of justice
36. Improving the mechanisms for building a law-based society
37. Strengthening the rule of law in foreign-related affairs

X. Deepening Reform in the Cultural Sector

Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement.

38. Improving the responsibility system for ideological work
39. Refining the mechanisms for supplying cultural services and products
40. Improving the system for comprehensive cyberspace governance
41. Establishing a more effective international communication system

XI. Ensuring and Improving the People’s Wellbeing

Ensuring and enhancing the people’s wellbeing in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization.

42. Improving the income distribution system
43. Improving the employment-first policy
44. Improving the social security system
45. Further reforming the medical and healthcare systems
46. Improving the systems for supporting population development and providing related services

XII. Deepening Reform in Ecological Conservation

Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.

47. Improving the basic systems for ecological conservation
48. Improving environmental governance systems
49. Improving the mechanisms for green and low-carbon development

XIII. Modernizing China’s National Security System and Capacity

National security provides a pivotal foundation for ensuring steady and sustained progress in Chinese modernization.

50. Improving the national security system
51. Improving the public security governance mechanisms
52. Improving the social governance system
53. Improving the mechanisms for ensuring national security in foreign-related affairs

XIV. Deepening National Defense and Military Reform

National defense and military modernization is an integral part of Chinese modernization.

54. Improving the institutions and mechanisms for leading and managing the people’s armed forces
55. Deepening reform of joint operations systems
56. Deepening military-civilian reforms

XV. Improving the Party’s Leadership

Leadership by the Party provides a fundamental guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.

57. Upholding the Party Central Committee’s centralized, unified leadership over the endeavor to further deepen reform comprehensively
58. Deepening institutional reforms related to Party building
59. Intensifying efforts to improve conduct, build integrity, and combat corruption
60. Ensuring the implementation of reforms with relentless perseverance

Are you still sure you know what democracy is all about?