The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Amid the anticipation of the people and the attention of the world, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee successfully concluded on Thursday, reviewing and passing Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. The resolution highly praises the successful practices and great achievements of deepening reform comprehensively since the new era. The Third Plenary Session has made systemic arrangements for further deepening reform comprehensively. The reform task laid out in this resolution shall be completed by 2029. This is a crucial meeting held at a key juncture where important events converge globally. Faced with various risks and challenges, the CPC and the Chinese people, with high spirits, have uphold the great banner of reform and opening-up, making the Third Plenary Session a historical new coordinate on the journey of Chinese modernization.

The Third Plenary Session has once again strengthened people's confidence in further deepening reform comprehensively. Reform and opening-up are the source of vitality for contemporary China's development and progress, and are important magic keys for the Party and the people to catch up with the times in great strides. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, the continuous improvement in the quality of life of the Chinese people has provided the best practical answer. Faced with complex international and domestic situations, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and new expectations from the people, only by consciously placing reform in a more prominent position, closely focusing on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, can we seize historical opportunities and take the initiative in history. The current and future periods are critical for the comprehensive advancement of Chinese modernization and the great cause of national rejuvenation. The Chinese people firmly believe that further deepening reform comprehensively is the only way to meet various difficulties and challenges and continuously advance modernization. 

The overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance. In this third plenary session, the overall goal of further deepening reform comprehensively in China has become clearer, with a specific vision for the mid-term goals by 2035. The plenary session clearly put forward "seven focuses", which are not only the key points for promoting Chinese modernization, but also the focal points for further deepening reform comprehensively. To steadily advance reform, we will focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing whole-process people's democracy, developing a strong socialist culture in China, raising the people's quality of life, building a Beautiful China, advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level, and improving the Party's capacity for leadership and long-term governance.

Opening-up is a distinct symbol of Chinese modernization, representing China's dual contribution to the world in both practical and spiritual aspects. In the long river of history, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee opened the broad and magnificent journey of reform and opening-up, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee sounded the horn for comprehensively deepening reform, creating a new situation for China's reform and opening-up, and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee planned further major measures to comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up, focusing more on system integration, highlighting key points, emphasizing the effectiveness of reform, and providing strong momentum and institutional guarantee for Chinese modernization. Under this goal, it is expected that a series of specific, clearly defined, and effectively implemented economic and social policies will be followed up and implemented. In this process, the potential and vitality of various systems continue to be released, the socialist system continues to self-improve and develop, China's national governance system and governance capabilities continue to modernize, and its advantages become more prominent in global comparisons.

The reform and opening-up is the release and stimulation of social vitality. People are the most precious resource and wealth. Only when everyone is full of vitality, unleashing their potential, only when everyone is constantly innovative and daring to think and act, can the modernization cause have a continuous driving force. The communique of this third plenary session clearly states that developing whole-process people's democracy is integral to Chinese modernization, and ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization. The Third Plenary Session's measures to further deepen reform comprehensively, especially the further improvement of the market economy system, stimulation of the vitality of the private economy, implementation of the whole-process people's democracy, improvement of the comprehensive rule of law system and protection of people's rights and interests, will greatly stimulate the masses to devote themselves enthusiastically to the torrent of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Chinese modernization is continuously advancing in the process of reform and opening-up, and will also open up broad prospects in the process of reform and opening-up. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was a key meeting held at a critical juncture, responding to concerns and expectations of various parties. We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and through the united struggle of the people of all ethnic groups in the country, by further comprehensively deepening reform, Chinese modernization will inevitably reach higher levels, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely achieve new glory.