CPC kicks off 20th National Congress, opening up new prospects for socialism with Chinese characteristics

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Hu Jintao attend the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened on Oct. 16 in Beijing.

The congress takes place at a critical time as the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance toward the Second Centenary Goal.

The congress clearly identifies the banner the Party will hold, the path it will take, and the goal it will continue to strive for.

Goals, tasks and policies for the cause of the Party and the country for the next five years and beyond will be made at the congress.

The congress is of key importance to building on past successes to further advance the cause of the Party and the country, to the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

It is of important significance to mobilizing and motivating the Party, the armed forces, and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, to building China into a modern socialist country in all respects and to comprehensively driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The complicated and grave circumstances and environment the Party has faced and the arduous tasks it has undertaken were rarely seen in the world and history.

Especially the period between the 19th and the 20th National Congresses of the CPC was a period in which the timeframes of the Two Centennial Goals converged. It was extremely unusual and extraordinary for the development of the Party and China.

Over the past 10 years, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has implemented the national rejuvenation strategy within a wider context of the once-in-a-century changes taking place in the world. It has demonstrated great historical initiative, tremendous political courage, and a powerful sense of mission, taken forward China’s great struggle, great project, great cause, and great dream, united and led the whole Party, the military and Chinese people of all ethnic groups in effectively responding to the grave and complicated international and domestic situation and a series of major risks and challenges that kept emerging, and pushed forward socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era in an energetic manner.

It was through the endeavors made in the past 10 years that China has achieved a great success for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

The Party has taken a series of strategic measures and promoted a series of transformative practices. A series of breakthroughs have been achieved, and a series of landmark achievements have been made. Many tough problems that remained unsolved for a long time have been solved; many things of vital importance and long-term significance have been accomplished. China has overcome many political, economic, ideological, and natural risks and challenges.

The country has completed poverty eradication targets and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule, achieving its First Centenary Goal and embarking on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects.

The historic achievements and historic shifts in the cause of the Party and the country have provided stronger institutions, firmer material foundations, and a more proactive mindset for realizing national rejuvenation.

The great transformation in the past 10 years was of milestone significance in the history of the Party, of the People's Republic of China, of the reform and opening up, and of the development of socialism and the Chinese nation.

It was through the endeavors made in the past 10 years that China has successfully promoted and expanded the Chinese path to modernization.

Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting coordinated economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development, the country has pioneered a uniquely Chinese path to modernization, created a new model for human advancement, and provided a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity.

Scientific socialism is full of vitality in 21st century China, and the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics is now flying high and proud for all to see.

It has been fully proved by practice that socialism with Chinese characteristics is a fundamental achievement of the Party and the people, forged through innumerable hardships and great sacrifices, and a sure path toward a better life for the people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

As long as China remains firmly committed to its aspiration and its path, follows socialism with Chinese characteristics and advances the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation along the Chinese path to modernization, the country will be able to make sure that the future of its development remains firmly in its own hands.

It was through the endeavors made in the past 10 years that China has brought together a mighty force for making national rejuvenation a reality.

In the past 10 years, China has encountered severe challenges and risks. With firm confidence and rising to challenges, the country has pooled as much strength as possible for collective endeavors. Today, the Chinese people are more self-confident, self-reliant, and capable of self-improvement, and have greater ambition, grit, and determination. The tremendous strength they have accumulated over this historical process is being fully unleashed, exhibiting historic initiative and creativity never seen before. With brimming confidence, the Chinese people are now writing a great history for China’s development in the new era.

The historic achievements and shifts in the cause of the Party and the country were made possible fundamentally because General Secretary Xi Jinping, as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party, has steered a steady course at the helm, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has provided scientific guidance.

The Party has set comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and set Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology. This reflects the common will of all Party members, the military and people of all ethnic groups. It has a decisive bearing on the development of the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and the historic course of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

This is an important historical conclusion the Party has drawn from its endeavors over the past century and since the 18th CPC National Congress, an important political judgment that mirrors the will of the Party and the people, and the most important political achievements made by the Party since the 18th CPC National Congress.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era provides answers to the questions of China, the world, the people and the times. It is the Marxism of contemporary China and of the 21st century. It embodies the best of the Chinese culture and ethos in our times, adapting the basic tenets of Marxism to China’s specific realities and China’s fine traditional culture. It offers a guide to action for China as the country strives to achieve national rejuvenation.

Today, the Chinese nation has achieved a tremendous transformation - it has stood up, grown rich, and is becoming strong. The Party, having gone through a glorious journey in the past century, is now leading the Chinese people in advancing toward national rejuvenation with unstoppable momentum on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Nowadays profound changes unseen in a century are evolving rapidly in the world and the Chinese nation has entered a critical period on its path toward rejuvenation. The country is closer, more confident, and more capable than ever of realizing the goal of national rejuvenation. In the meantime, it is also prepared to work harder than ever to get there.

It is expected that the 20th CPC National Congress will view the prevailing trends in domestic and international development in a science-based manner, scientifically cope with the strategic opportunities, risks and challenges facing the world, and comprehensively grasp the new requirements for the development of the cause of the Party and the country on the new journey in the new era, as well as the new expectations of the people.

It is also expected that the congress will make planning and deployment on the cause of the Party and the country from a strategic and overall perspective, guide the Party, the armed forces, and the people of all ethnic groups to gain greater confidence and initiative from history, open up new prospects for socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the historic process of national rejuvenation.

Xi stressed that the Party is advancing an unprecedented great cause in an era of unprecedented changes. Bearing the people in mind, upholding truth and ideals and walking on the right path, China has the confidence and strength. Despite the changing international situation and severe challenges, the Party will champion its great founding spirit, stay true to its original aspiration, remain mindful of potential dangers, make Party building an unceasing endeavor, run China's own affairs well, and work for its goals with the determination to never let up.

China will rally more closely around the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

The country will also acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and boost its consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. It will stay confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It will firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

With courage and unity, China will strive to build a modern socialist country in all respects, achieve a new victory for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and make new impressive miracles on a new journey toward realizing its Second Centenary Goal.

Wish the 20th CPC National Congress a complete success!