The phrase the "Four Comprehensives" may well be the hottest
buzzword in Chinese political circles at present. Premier Li
Keqiang once again emphasized the set of the
concepts—comprehensively establishing a moderately prosperous
society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law, and strictly
governing the Communist Party of China (CPC)—in this year's
Government Work Report, which was delivered on the opening day of
the Third Session of the 12th National People's Congress on March
5. Moreover, he proposed concrete measures for their realization.
The strategic plan for turning the "Four Comprehensives" from a
concept into a tangible reality has hence become more concrete.
This collection of tenets is expected to comprise the Chinese
Government's guiding principles for governance for some time to
come.
All of the four pillars have appeared in some form or another
before; but they were only referred to as a whole for the first
time by President Xi Jinping last December. A strong logically
dependent relationship exists between each of the components.
Realizing the general objective of "comprehensively establishing a
moderately prosperous society" would be unfeasible without
"comprehensively deepening reform," and this goal in turn would be
unattainable without the twin actions of "comprehensively advancing
the rule of law" and "comprehensively strictly governing the
CPC."
The "Four Comprehensives" represent a continuation of the
governance principles of the top CPC leadership since the reform
and opening-up drive began in the late 1970s. For over 30 years,
the CPC has in succession birthed a series of philosophies: Deng
Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the Three Represents, and
the Scientific Outlook on Development, all of which have
constituted vital components of the umbrella philosophy of
"socialism with Chinese characteristics" and played significant
roles individually throughout the various stages of China's modern
development.
The four principles have been accorded special attention,
insisted upon and repeatedly emphasized by CPC leaders ever since
the early days of reform and opening up and have become the guiding
principles that have determined the general direction of the
national takeoff. Xi's proposal of the "Four Comprehensives" not
only conforms to the guidelines and policies of the CPC but has
also refined the principles to a new level of clarity and
precision.
The "Four Comprehensives" have expanded the CPC's horizons and
capacity for governing the country and are adapted to the
requirements of "the new normal" characterized by slower and more
sustainable growth rather than the breakneck expansion experienced
in the previous years. Going forward, they are expected to greatly
improve the overall competence of the CPC's governance.
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