Reform can help modernize governance

Upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity is the theme of the four-day Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee in Beijing that concludes on Thursday.

The national governance system and governance capacity are the embodiment of a country's overall governance system and policy implementation capability. The institutional functions of the CPC and the government should be channelized to build a moderately well-off society in an all-round way by 2020, and solve the long-term institutional and systemic problems in the future.

Promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity requires scientific, comprehensive and well-functioning systems in different fields, in order to achieve standardized management of the Party and the country. The country should be governed in accordance with the rule of law, and the Party's scientific, democratic and law-based governance capability should be increased.

In the seven decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially in the four decades since the launch of reform and opening-up, the country has explored new ways of enhancing the Party's governance capacity and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.

China has built up its political system, which includes people's congresses, multiparty cooperation and political consultation mechanisms led by the CPC, and regional autonomy and grass-roots autonomy systems, and it has helped enhance China's governance capacity and improve the national governance system.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, the Party has strengthened its leadership, deepened Party's and government's institutional reform as well as judicial system reform, and incorporated the rule of law into the "four comprehensives" strategy.

The Party has emphasized that the rule of law is its basic governance method, and reform should be carried out in accordance with the rule of law. The Party has also improved the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, developed the socialist democratic political system, and continuously raised its scientific governance level.

Moreover, the Party has enhanced the national governance system and governance capacity against the background of China's rapid economic and social development, people's ever-increasing demands, and intensifying international competition. To meet people's need for a better life and cope with the new challenges in the new era, it is necessary that we learn from the successful experiences of national governance.

However, China's social and economic development faces some problems, including low quality development, relatively low innovation capacity, inadequate environmental protection, as well as loopholes in the rules to improve people's livelihoods. These problems are directly or indirectly related to the national governance system and governance capacity.

To fundamentally solve these problems, China should improve the governance system and institutions, establish a scientific and more efficient institutional system for the Party, and deepen reform in the social, economic, political, cultural and ecological.

The Third Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee has already advocated deepening the institutional reform of the Party and government, in order to improve the Party's governance capacity and leadership. Yet China has to make more efforts to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.

A country's governance system and governance capacity are closely related to its history and tradition. So China has to find a way based on its actual situation to solve its problems.

Also, promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity is a systemic project that requires unified and coordinated reform in various fields.

And to improve the national governance system and governance capacity, China has to defeat the vested interests, and remove the systemic and institutional obstacles. Since reform is critical to China's future, the country has to continuously deepen reform and take measures to eliminate the obstacles impeding productivity, development and social progress, and promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.

The author is a researcher at the National Academy of Governance.The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.