The third Plenary Session of 18th Central Committee, a historic meeting just ended with high attention from abroad and inside. Compared to the Third Plenary Session of 11th Central Committee thirty five years ago, this meeting is facing more challenges and complex situations. This historic meeting reveals the development path of China in the future. From the communique, this meeting sets up general objective, plan and strategy for the further reform as a new starting point for China’s reform and development.

Set up general objective of China’s reform

The communiqué clearly reveals that general objective of China’s reform is to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and push on with modernization of the country's governing system and capabilities.

The objective is based on two judgments. First it depends on China’s national condition which is the primary stage of Socialism. Thus development is the absolute need. The path for achieving Chinese dream to build up a powerful nation is the sustainable development. We should insist the strategic judgment that development is the solution to the problems China’s facing today. We should continue to insist taking economic development as key task and reforming economic institutions. The second judgment is that China will continue to follow path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The point was mentioned several times by President Xi Jinping before the third Plenary Session of 18th Central Committee. We should reject both the old and rigid closed-door policy and any attempt to abandon socialism and take an erroneous path. We should uphold the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and correct direction of reform. The history shows the success of reform depends on what path we choose. It’s a scientific judgment that we insist path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, not only from national conditions but also from history.

Implement general plan of China’s reform

The third Plenary Session of 18th Central Committee implements the plan set by the 18th CPC Congress. It will push forward economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological reform. It combines top level design with practices of wading cross the river by feeling the stones. The reform model combined system design with practices avoids the bookishness and empiricism. It insists the development view of materialism. It is also an innovation of China’s reform.

General requirement for the plan is that decisive results must be achieved in key sectors, and a well-developed, scientific, procedure-based and effective framework must be in place by 2020 to ensure institutions in all sectors be more mature.

One characteristic of the plan is to focus on systematic effect.  China’s reform now comes the hard part that a slight more in one part may affect the whole situation. We should pay attention on the systematic effect of partial reform. We also should pay attention on the international reaction of domestic reform as well as ripple effect of international affairs on the domestic reform. Thus the communiqué stresses the systematic features, entirety and coordination of reform.

The core solution is the proper relationship between the government and the market. It’s tough issue for any country’s governance. There is no universal and unchangeable solution. The next stage of China’s reform is to leave the market to play the decisive role in allocation of resources. It’s a great answer to controversial issue of state sector advancing as private sector retreating. Chinese economy will achieve more effectiveness, fairness and sustainability through new round reform.

This meeting also sets up the comprehensively deepening reform leading group. The group will be in charge of general design, coordination, implementation and supervision. The group will play central role in China’s next stage of reform and development. It aims to strengthen the party’s leadership role in the reform as well as to enhance the party’s governing capacity. The reform will insist the party’s leadership, people’s involvement and governing the country under the rule of law.

A new start point for China’s reform and development

China’s current status in the international system is the achievement of reform and opening up policy set by the Third Plenary Session of 11th Central Committee thirty five years ago. China’s path in the next three decades will depend on strategic choice made by this meeting. In order to build a moderately prosperous society, China should insist the path of reform and development. Now China’s reform and development is at a new start point which is based on 35 years success of reform and opening up policy. Through people’s motivation and creativity, China will make greater achievements in the future.

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