Xi stresses need to boost reform, innovation drive

General secretary outlines road map for nation to advance on Chinese path of modernization

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to furthering reform and innovation in the latest policy address on the Chinese path to modernization, setting out his broad vision for China to move toward building itself into a modern socialist nation.

He expounded on Tuesday on the significance and the need to advance the Chinese path to modernization, at the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing.

The session was attended by newly elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as principal officials at the provincial and ministerial levels.

Xi told the senior officials that the theory of the Chinese path to modernization must be cherished, expanded and moved forward.

The vision was first mentioned by Xi in his landmark speech on the 100th anniversary in July 2021 of the founding of the CPC, when he announced China's success in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

In his report to the 20th CPC National Congress in October, Xi described the Chinese path to modernization as the modernization of a huge population, common prosperity for all, material and cultural-ethical advancement, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development.

In the speech on Tuesday, Xi highlighted the need to advance reform and innovation to keep forging new growth drivers and strengths and fully invigorate social creativity.

Analysts said Xi's latest remarks outlined a road map for China to move toward its goal of building itself into a modern socialist country in all respects, while signaling that the world's second-largest economy will remain unwavering in sharing its opportunities with the world.

Xu Xiujun, secretary-general of the China Society of Emerging Economies and a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, noted that Xi underlined the role of innovation in driving future economic growth, a key step for China to achieve a higher level of efficiency than that offered by the capitalist system.

"As China continues on its own pathway to modernization, we could expect quicker steps on common prosperity and enabling the people to better share outcomes of growth," Xu said, referring to Xi's call in Tuesday's speech for more effective steps to ensure social justice.

In his speech, Xi stressed that the Chinese path to modernization breaks the myth that modernization equals Westernization, and it displays a different vision for modernization and gives choices to developing countries in their modernization process.

Bai Zhili, an associate professor at Peking University's Institute of Public Governance, said one of the key global implications of the Chinese path to modernization is that it presents a different solution that offers more hope to developing countries.

"China's phenomenal development over the past few decades has been a huge inspiration for many developing countries, as it set an example for the growth of a country with a huge population, a socialist system and a history of feudal society," Bai said.

Xu, the researcher, said that Chinese solutions and proposals will gain greater popularity among developing countries as China advances on its path toward modernization.

Speaking at the study session, Xi reiterated that China will uphold independence, self-reliance and strength, remain committed to development based on its own strengths and maintain a firm grasp on the future of its development and progress.

The need for self-reliance in science and technology has been repeatedly emphasized by the nation's top leadership, after countries including the United States scaled up export controls to limit China's access to cutting-edge technology.

However, Xi also reaffirmed on Tuesday a pledge to keep expanding high-level opening-up, deepen participation in the global division of labor and cooperation and better utilize domestic and international resources.

Xu, the researcher, said the remarks signaled that China, with a middle-income group of over 400 million people, will continue to share market opportunities with the rest of the world and give fresh momentum to global economic growth despite some countries' rising protectionism and export controls.

"Greater strides in opening-up are a must for China's own development, and the Chinese path to modernization represents opportunities for the whole world," he said.