Decision of the Central Committee of the CPC on Several Major Issues in Comprehensively Deepening of Reform

Adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee on November 12, 2013. Included in the Selection and Compilation of Important Documents since the 18th National Congress (Vol. 1).

The “Decision” was put forward in order to accomplish the strategic goals and work deployment put forward by the 18th National Congress of the CPC. Xi Jinping said that this is to answer the question of what banner to hold and what path to follow under the new historical conditions, and it is an important declaration and embodiment of unswervingly holding the banner of Reform and Opening-up.

The “Decision” is divided into 16 parts, with 60 articles in total. The “Decision” emphasized the great significance of deepening the reform in all respects and pointed out that the most important achievement of Reform and Opening-up is the creation and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which has provided a powerful impetus and strong guarantee for socialist modernization. Reform and Opening-up is an important magic weapon for the Party and the people to make great strides to catch up with the times. In the face of the new situation and new tasks, it is necessary to comprehensively deepen reform at a new historical starting point.

The “Decision” put forward that the overall goal of deepening the reform in all respects is to improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. The national governance system is the system of managing the country under the leadership of the Party; the national governance capacity is the ability to use the national system to manage all aspects of social affairs. The two are an organic whole and complement each other. Only with a good national governance system can the governance capacity be improved, and only by improving the national governance capacity can the effectiveness of the national governance system be given full play.

The “Decision” put forward that deepening reform in all respects must "closely revolve around" six points: Closely revolve around ensuring that the market has a decisive role in allocating resources in deepening economic structural reform; closely revolve around persisting in the organic integration of the leadership of the Party, the people mastering their own affairs and governing the country according to the law in deepening political structural reform; closely revolve around constructing the Socialist core value system and a strong socialist culture country in deepening cultural structural reform; closely revolve around guaranteeing and improving the people’s livelihood even better, and stimulating social fairness and justice in deepening social structural reform; closely revolve around building a beautiful China in deepening ecological civilization structural reform, accelerate the establishment of ecological civilization systems; closely revolve around raising the levels of scientific governance, democratic governance and governance according to the law in deepening Party building structure reform.

The “Decision” pointed out that economic structural reform is the focus of deepening reform, the core issues are dealing with the relationship between the government and the market well, ensuring that the market has a decisive function in resource allocation, and giving better rein to the function of government. It put forward that, by 2020, decisive results are to be obtained in reform of important areas and crucial segments, the reform tasks put forward in this “Decision” are to be completed, institutions and systems that are structurally complete, scientifically standardized and effective in operation are to be formed, to ensure that institutions in all areas become ever more mature and finalized. In terms of adhering to and perfecting the basic economic system, the “Decision” has proposed to vigorously develop the mixed ownership economy. A mixed ownership economy with shareholding that overlaps or mutually blends State-owned capital, collective capital, non-public capital, etc., is an important real form of the basic economic system, it interests the enlargement of the function of State-owned capital, maintaining and increasing its value and raising competitiveness, it interests that capital under all sorts of ownership draw on each other’s strong points to offset weaknesses, stimulate each other and develop jointly.

The “Decision” emphasized that the people are the subjects of the reform, and in order to fully give rein to the vigour, initiative and creativity of the popular masses, the deepening of the reform in all respects has to take stimulating social fairness and justice, and enhancing the people’s welfare as starting point and stopover point.

The “Decision” is a programmatic document for deepening reform in all respects under the new situation. It is of great significance for building a well-off society in all respects and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.