The Strategic Principle of “Doing Two Jobs Simultaneously”

It is a strategic policy that concerns the overall situation proposed by Deng Xiaoping at the beginning of the Reform and Opening-up for the purpose of overcoming the criminal behaviors that breed due to various reasons, as well as the negative, backward, and corruption risks in the field of social spiritual life, and promoting economic development and overall social progress, an important content of Deng Xiaoping Theory and an important part of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The specific content of “grasping two links at the same time” is not stereotype. In accordance with the development and changes of the modernization situation and the need to keep Reform and Opening-up in the right direction, Deng Xiaoping emphasized different priorities when talking about the strategic policy of “grasping two links at the same time”.

Deng Xiaoping pointed out in his speech in June 1979: “Democracy and the rule of law must be upheld”. These are like two links, neither of which can be weakened. In 1982, he also pointed out: “We must focus on both links, one is to adhere to the policy of opening to the outside world and invigorating the economy internally, and the other is to resolutely combat economic crimes”. Without cracking down on economic crimes, not only the policy of opening up to the outside world, but also the policy of invigorating the economy internally will fail. In the process of strengthening socialist ideological and ethical progress, he emphasized that “we should achieve material progress and at the same time foster an advanced culture and ideology” is in essence to coordinate the relationship between promoting material progress and cultural and ideological progress. In January 1986, Deng Xiaoping stated at the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee: “The four modernizations must focus on two links. Only one link will not work. The so-called ‘grasping two links at the same time’ means we should develop the economy and at the same time strengthen democracy and the legal system.” Deng Xiaoping pointed out on June 9 after the political turmoil subsided in 1989: “When the special economic zone was established in the early 1980s, I discussed with comrades in Guangdong that we must pursue the process of Reform and Opening-up and at the same time fight crime, including focusing on ideological and political work. It is actually the doctrine that everything has two aspects. But looking back today, there are obvious shortcomings, one link is relatively hard, and the other is relatively soft. One hard and one soft are not commensurate, and not well coordinated.” On June 16, 1989, Deng Xiaoping said in a conversation with several responsible comrades of the central government: “We should pursue the process of Reform and Opening-up and at the same time punish corruption. Combining and comparing these two can make our policy clearer and gain more buy-in”.

Adhering to “grasping both links at the same time and attaching sufficient importance to both” is a fundamental policy of socialist modernization in China. With the development of Reform and Opening-up and modernization construction in China, the main contents are generally summarized into three main aspects, namely, “we should pursue the process of Reform and Opening-up and at the same time fight crime; we should develop the economy and at the same time strengthen democracy and the legal system; we should achieve material progress and at the same time foster an advanced culture and ideology”. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the strategic policy of “grasping two links at the same time” has also been fully reflected in various tasks. The “Decision” of the 4th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed that to build a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics and a socialist country under the rule of law, we must adhere to the combination of governing the country by law and virtue. It also highlights the importance of the strategic policy of “grasping two links at the same time” at the level of national governance. Adhering to the strategic policy of “grasping two links at the same time” is of strategic significance to promoting reform, opening up and socialist modernization. The strategic policy of “grasping two links at the same time” correctly embodies that socialism should be an objective requirement for the overall development of material progress and ideological and ethical progress. In order to prevent and correct the one-sidedness in ideological methods and work practices, guide people to correctly understand and grasp the basic characteristics of socialism, and more consciously do a good job in promoting material progress and cultural and ideological progress in reform, opening up and modernization, clear guidelines are provided. “Grasping two links at the same time”, as the guiding principle for the unification of ideological methods and working methods, also reflects the leadership art of the Communist Party of China using Marxist materialist dialectics to solve a series of major issues in governing the country.