The Correct Unification of Reform, Development and Stability

Three important pivot approaches in developing China’s socialist modernization.

Properly handling the relationship between these three is one of the basic lessons learned from the great achievements made in economic and social development in China since the Reform and Opening-up. The essence of proper handling of these three relationships is to achieve an organic unity between the momentum of reform, the speed of development, and considering the capacity of the general public to bear such speedy change.

Deng Xiaoping repeatedly emphasized that development is critically important and that the key to solving all problems in China lies in development; he also emphasized that reform is the key to determining China’s destiny, the driving force for development, and that we must promote development through reform; he also emphasized that reform and development require stable political and social environment. Without stability, nothing could be done, and even the achievements already made could be lost. Maintaining stability is of top priority. After the 4th Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee, the Party Central Committee adhered to Deng Xiaoping’s strategic thinking on properly handling the relationship between reform, development, and stability, and made a new explanation of the internal relationship between these three according to the new situation. In March 1994, Jiang Zemin pointed out in his speech at the Shanghai delegation seminar of the 2nd Session of the 8h National People’s Congress that “reform, development, and stability are like three closely related strategic chess pieces on the chessboard of China’s modernization construction. If each move is played well and promotes each other, the overall situation will be alive; if one move is not good, the other two will also be in trouble, and the overall situation may be frustrated”.

In December 2008, Hu Jintao pointed out that the promotion of reform and development must be combined with the maintenance of social stability, and we should take into full consideration the momentum of reform, the speed of development, and the capacity of the general public to sustain change, so as to ensure social stability, unity, harmony and stability. Development is critically important, and upholding stability is also a critically important task. Without stability, nothing could be done, and even the achievements already made could be lost. Xi Jinping pointed out that only by properly handling the relationship between reform, development, and stability can social harmony and stability be promoted, and he emphasized that the improvement of people's lives shall be taken as the joint point for properly handling the relationship between reform, development and stability. Reform is the driving force, development is the goal, and stability is the prerequisite. This is a scientific understanding formed in the promotion of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Reform is the driving force. The great achievements of China’s economic construction in the new era are achieved through reforms. The key to achieving future goals lies in deepening reforms. Development is the goal. The key to solving all problems in China lies in its own development, as building a well-off society in an all-round way, building a prosperous, democratic, civilized, and harmonious modern socialist country, and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are all inseparable from development. Stability is the prerequisite. Development and reform must have stable political and social environment. Without stable political and social environment, nothing could be done. In a world, reform and development can only advance under social stability; and only continuous advancement of reform and development can offer a solid foundation for social stability.

Upholding the unity of reform, development, and stability means that, we should persist in unifying the momentum of reform, the speed of development, and the capacity of the general public to bear such speedy change and persist in taking the improvement of people's lives as the key point for properly handling the relationship between reform, development and stability.

The masses of the people are the main actors of reform, development and stability, and it is a major requirement to unify reform, development and stability to safeguard the fundamental interests of the masses. To comprehensively deepen reforms, we must adhere to the people-centered principle, give play to the pioneering spirit of the people, and firmly rely on the people to promote reforms. The ultimate goal is to achieve, maintain, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people, and allow all people to enjoy the fruits of social development more equitably.