Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), delivered a report to the 19th CPC National Congress on behalf of the 18th CPC Central Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 18. Hailing the historic achievements in reform, opening up and socialist modernization in the past five years, Xi said socialism with Chinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era. Highlights of the report follow:

New Era

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era. This is a new historic juncture in China's development.

What the "New Era" Means

Socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era means the Chinese nation, which since modern times began has endured so much for so long, has achieved a tremendous transformation—it has stood up, grown rich and become strong, and it now embraces the brilliant prospects of rejuvenation.

It means that scientific socialism is full of vitality in 21st century China, and that the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics is now flying high and proud for all to see.

It means that the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics have kept developing, blazing a new trail for other developing countries to achieve modernization. It offers a new option for other countries and nations who want to speed up their development while preserving their independence; and it offers Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach to solving the problems facing mankind.

As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved. What we now face is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life.

The Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era makes certain things clear:

It makes clear that the overarching goal of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is to realize socialist modernization and national rejuvenation, and, that on the basis of finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, a two-step approach should be taken to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the century.

It makes clear that the principal contradiction facing Chinese society in the new era is that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. We must therefore continue commitment to our people-centered philosophy of development, and work to promote well-rounded human development and common prosperity for everyone.

It makes clear that the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics is the five-sphere integrated plan, and the overall strategy is the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. It highlights the importance of fostering stronger confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It makes clear that the overall goal of deepening reform in every field is to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance.

It makes clear that the overall goal of comprehensively advancing law-based governance is to establish a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and build a country of socialist rule of law.

It makes clear that the Party's goal of building a strong military in the new era is to build the people's forces into world-class forces that obey the Party's command, can fight and win, and maintain excellent conduct.

It makes clear that major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

It makes clear that the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China; the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China; the Party is the highest force for political leadership. The Thought sets forth the general requirements for Party building in the new era and underlines the importance of political work in Party building.

The Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era builds on and further enriches Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development. It represents the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and encapsulates the practical experience and collective wisdom of our Party and the people. It is an important component of the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and a guide to action for all our members and all the Chinese people as we strive to achieve national rejuvenation.

New Great Project

Realizing our great dream demands a great project. This project is the great new project of Party building that is just getting into full swing.

This great struggle, great project, great cause, and great dream are closely connected, flow seamlessly into each other, and are mutually reinforcing. Among them, the great new project of Party building plays the decisive role.

Basic Policy to Uphold and Develop Socialism With Chinese Characteristics in the New Era

• Ensuring Party leadership over all work

• Committing to a people-centered approach

• Continuing to comprehensively deepen reform

• Adopting a new vision for development

• Seeing that the people run the country

• Ensuring every dimension of governance is law-based

• Upholding core socialist values

• Ensuring and improving living standards through development

• Ensuring harmony between human and nature

• Pursuing a holistic approach to national security

• Upholding absolute Party leadership over the people's forces

• Upholding the principle of "one country, two systems" and promoting national reunification

• Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind

• Exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party

New Vision of Development

China's economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development. This is a pivotal stage for transforming our growth model, improving our economic structure, and fostering new drivers of growth. It is imperative that we develop a modernized economy. This is both an urgent requirement for getting us smoothly through this critical transition and a strategic goal for China's development.

• Furthering supply-side structural reform

• Making China a country of innovators

• Pursuing a rural vitalization strategy

• Implementing the coordinated regional development strategy

• Accelerating efforts to improve the socialist market economy

• Making new ground in pursuing opening up on all fronts

New Journey

Securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and embarking on a journey to fully build a modern socialist China.

The period between now and 2020 will be decisive in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects.

The period between the 19th and the 20th National Congress is the period in which the timeframes of the two Centenary Goals converge. In this period, not only must we finish building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and achieve the first Centenary Goal; we must also build on this achievement to embark on a new journey toward the second Centenary Goal of fully building a modern socialist country.

Based on a comprehensive analysis of the international and domestic environments and the conditions for China's development, we have drawn up a two-stage development plan for the period from 2020 to the middle of this century.

In the first stage from 2020 to 2035, we will build on the foundation created by the moderately prosperous society in all aspects with a further 15 years of hard work to see that socialist modernization is basically realized.

In the second stage from 2035 to the middle of the 21st century, we will, building on having basically achieved modernization, work hard for a further 15 years and develop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.

This is our strategic vision for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era: Finish building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, proceed to basically realize modernization, and then move on to turn China into a great modern socialist country in every dimension.

The General Requirements for Party Building for the New Era

The general requirements for Party building for the new era are:

Uphold and strengthen overall Party leadership and ensure that the Party exercises effective self-supervision and practices strict self-governance in every respect;

Take strengthening the Party's long-term governance capacity and its advanced nature and purity as the main thrust; take enhancing the Party's political building as the overarching principle; take holding dear the Party's ideals, convictions, and purpose as the underpinning; and take harnessing the whole Party's enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity as the focus of the efforts;

Make all-round efforts to see the Party's political building enhanced, its theory strengthened, its organizations consolidated, its conduct improved, and its discipline enforced, with institution building incorporated into every aspect of Party building;

Step up efforts to combat corruption and continue to improve the efficacy of Party building; and

Build the Party into a vibrant Marxist governing party that is always at the forefront of the times, enjoys the wholehearted support of the people, has the courage to reform itself, and is able to withstand all tests.

• Putting political Party building first

• Arming the whole Party with the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

• Training a contingent of competent and professional officials

• Strengthening primary-level Party organizations

• Working ceaselessly to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline

• Securing a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption

• Improving Party and state oversight systems

• Strengthening every dimension of our ability for governance