China has finished the historical transition from a society where the focus was to provide people with enough food and clothes, to one where people live a relatively well-off life. However, China is a country with a large population, a poor economic foundation and unbalanced rural and urban development, as well as unbalanced regional development, and its underdeveloped productivity is still far from being fundamentally emancipated. While carrying out economic restructuring, China is also steadily pushing forward the reform of the political system and its socialist democratic and legal system. The Chinese people are now living an active political life, with their political, economic, cultural and social rights and interests well maintained. However, China has an underdeveloped socialist market economy and immature democratic and legal system, which constitute an immature socialist system, so social unfairness and corruption remain a problem. China will remain at the primary stage of socialism for some time and it is still a developing country. As for the long-term development of socialism, Deng Xiaoping pointed out in a speech in 1992: "It will take a very long historical period to consolidate and develop the socialist system, and it will require persistent struggle by many generations, a dozen or even several dozens. We can never rest on our oars."

In the process of reform and opening up and the national modernization, we will strive to get a deeper understanding of what socialism is and how to build socialism. We will continue to enrich and develop socialism by pursuing the principle of "practice is the sole criterion for testing truth." In this case, we must have a clear idea of the following two points: First, we must have a full and deep understanding of the basic national situation of China at the primary stage of socialism. To develop China, a country of over a billion people, into a prosperous, strong, democratic and modern socialist country with advanced culture and social harmony is an unprecedented cause in human history, and also a long-term and arduous historical task. Second, China will always pursue the policy of reform and encourage innovation. Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin used to point out that the great achievements the Chinese people have made under the leadership of the Communist Party of China in reform and opening up and modernization in the past two decades should be attributed to the continuous efforts in the innovation of theories, systems as well as science and technology. To push forward reform and innovation, not only should we draw upon and make use of the rich and valuable experience that is accumulating during the Party's efforts to press ahead with socialist construction and reform, but we should also absorb and learn from all the fine results of human civilization, and all the advanced management and operation methods that reflect a modern society. Only in this way can the comparative advantages of the socialist system over the capitalist system be given full play. It will take some time for the socialist system to grow up both in terms of theory and practices. Thus, the Party's basic guideline at the primary stage must be unswervingly followed. Great efforts should be made to push forward reform and innovation so as to keep alive the socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Window of strategic opportunities for development

The first two decades of the 21st century will prove to be a period that presents strategic opportunities for China to do many important things.

Twenty-eight years after China began to implement the reform and opening-up policy, the economy continues its rapid growth. It is a miracle. Is it possible for China to meet other opportunities for development and how long will the period last? I believe there are such opportunities ahead and as for how long China will benefit from the opportunities, it largely depends on the country's own internal and external policies and also its responsive capability.