Important Strategic Opportunities

The scientific argument put forward by the Communist Party of China at the beginning of the 21st century regarding the position of China’s further development. It was first put forward at the 16th CPC National Congress in 2002, that is, “The first 20 years of the 21st century represents an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects”. This argument is a scientific argument with a strategic vision made by the Party Central Committee from the height of the times. It embodies the CPC's theoretical grasp of the development of the world situation in the first 20 years of the 21st century and the overall environment and historical stages of China's economic and social development. It is a development stage that China must go through in the process of achieving the third-step strategic goal of socialist modernization, and also a key stage for further improving the socialist market economic system and expanding opening up, characterized by long term, broadness, and globality. In order to seize and make good use of the important period of strategic opportunity, the Party Central Committee closely linked it with national strategic development goals. The 16th CPC National Congress put forward the strategic goal of “building a well-off society in an all-round way”. The strategic opportunity period facing China refers to that facing the entire country and the entire Chinese nation. It is of global, long-term and decisive significance. During the strategic opportunity period, China “faces hard-won historical opportunities” but also “faces many foreseeable and unforeseen risks and challenges”. Firmly seizing and making good use of the important period of strategic opportunity is the key to winning the initiative, gaining advantages, and winning the future. The 18th CPC National Congress emphasized: “In view of the international and domestic trends, China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects. We must accurately judge the changes in the connotation and conditions of the important period of strategic opportunity, fully grasp the opportunities, calmly respond to the challenges, win the initiative, gain advantages, and win the future, so as to achieve the grand goal of building a well-off society in all respects by 2020.” Facts have proved that the Communist Party of China is correct in its judgment that China is in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects in the early stage of the new century. China shall firmly seize this “strategic opportunity period”, and strive to advance socialism with Chinese characteristics to a new stage of development.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has repeatedly emphasized the issue of important period of strategic opportunity. The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2012 emphasized: “From the perspective of the international environment, the basic judgment that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development has not changed. At the same time, the connotation and conditions of the important period of strategic opportunity for development in China in the international environment have undergone great changes.” In July 2013, when the central government specifically studied economic work issues, the central government further emphasized that “China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects, with the basic conditions for sustained and healthy economic development”. In November 2014, Xi Jinping pointed out at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference: “Today’s world is a world of change, a world where new opportunities and challenges emerge in an endless stream, a world in which the international system and international order are deeply adjusted, and a world in which the international balance of power has changed profoundly and is changing in a direction conducive to peace and development. When we look at the world, we must not be blinded by flowers or clouds, but shall watch carefully with the telescope of historical laws. Based on comprehensive judgment, China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects.” In response to the new situation of China’s economic development entering a new normal, the Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2014, especially emphasized: “The fact that economic development has entered a new normal, has changed the connotation and conditions of important period of strategic opportunity, and the economic development mode and economic structure instead of the judgment that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development with bright prospects, and the fundamentals of overall better economic development in China.”

In October 2015, at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Eighteenth CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping analyzed the strategic opportunity period in light of the new changes in the international and domestic situation, and clearly pointed out: “Despite profound and complex changes in the international and domestic environment, the major judgment that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development has not changed. From an international perspective, the world’s political and economic situation is generally conducive to maintaining world peace and development. The world economy has tortuously recovered amid in-depth adjustments. The global governance system has undergone profound changes. The balance of international forces has tended to balance. China faces a relatively stable external environment for development. From a domestic perspective, China has a solid material foundation, rich human capital, vast market space, and huge development potential. The fundamentals of long-term better economic development have not changed. Economic development has entered a new normal. At the same time, as the growth rate is inevitable to shift, the economic development mode accelerates transformation, the economic structure is continuously optimized, the development momentum is continuously transformed, the Reform and Opening-up releases new development vitality, and the good development trend can be maintained.” The 19th CPC National Congress stated: “Currently, the situation at home and abroad is undergoing profound and complex changes. China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development; the prospects are bright but the challenges are severe.” The proposal and practice of the strategic opportunity period not only reflects the Communist Party of China’s full understanding of the long-term nature of the socialist cause, but also embodies a high degree of awareness of the long-term nature of the primary stage of socialism. It is a manifestation of the continuous improvement of the CPC’s governing capacity and leadership.