Build a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Create a New Situation in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

This is the Jiang Zemin's report delivered at the 16th National Congress of the CPC on November 8, 2002, on behalf of the 15th Central Committee, to the 16th National Congress of the CPC. The theme of the congress is to hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully act on the important thought of “Three Represents”, carry forward our cause into the future, keep pace with the times, build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, speed up socialist modernization and work hard to create a new situation in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Focusing on this theme, the report clearly answered the major questions of what banner the CPC holds, what path the Party takes and what development goals the Party will achieve in the new century and at the new stage, it systematically summarized the ten principles which constitute the basic experience the Party should follow as it leads the people in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

(1) Uphold Deng Xiaoping Theory as our guide and constantly bring forth theoretical innovation; (2) Keep economic development as the central task and solve problems cropping up on our way forward through development; (3) Persevere in Reform and Opening-up and keep improving the socialist market economy; (4) Adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles and develop socialist democracy; (5) Attach equal importance to both material and spiritual civilization and run the country by combining the rule-of-law with the rule of virtue; (6) Ensure stability as a principle of overriding importance and balance reform, development and stability; (7) Persevere in the Party's absolute leadership over the army and take the path of fewer but better troops with Chinese characteristics; (8) Continue to unite with all forces that can be united with and increase the cohesion of the Chinese nation; (9) Pursue the independent foreign policy of peace, safeguard world peace and promote common development; (10) Strengthen and improve the Party's leadership and propel the new great project of Party building.

The above-mentioned ten principles constitute the basic experience the Party must follow as it leads the people in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. This experience and the historical experience gained by the Party since its founding can be summarized as follows: Our Party must always represent the development trend of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. They are the inexorable requirements for maintaining and developing socialism and the logical conclusion our Party has reached through hard exploration and great practice. The report clearly points out that the goal of the CPC and the state in the first 20 years of the 21st century is building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and making a comprehensive plan for economic, political and cultural construction and reform around this goal. The report emphasized fully implementing the important thought of “Three Represents” and said: persistent implementation of the “Three Represents” is the foundation for building our Party, the cornerstone for its governance and the source of its strength. The key to carrying out the important thought of “Three Represents” lies in keeping pace with the times, the core is adhering to the vanguard nature of the Party, and the essence is adhering to governing for the people. We should comprehensively promote the new great project of Party building in accordance with the requirements of the “Three Represents”. The report is of great and far-reaching significance for the CPC to unite and lead the people of all nationalities to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and to create a new situation for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.