[China Higher Education] Jin Nuo: In-depth Study and Implementation of the Spirit of Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee Will Provide Strong Intellectual Support for Modernization

Rules are needed for the establishment of government administration, and procedures are required for the implementation of government administration. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee is a landmark meeting in the history of socialist system construction with Chinese characteristics, as well as a brand new starting point for better governance in China. The meeting aimed to study several key issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. It deliberated and passed a decision of the CPC Central Committee concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance” (hereinafter referred to as the “Decision”), and specified the overall goals and key tasks for these issues, and made a series of new claims and arrangements for the national system and governance system in China. This has fully demonstrated the far-sighted strategic vision and a strong sense of historical responsibility of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and deeply reflected new requirements for the development of the cause of the party and the country as well as new expectations of the people in a new era. It is of great practical and profound historical significance to enhancing confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, overcoming various risks and challenges, and ensuring prosperity and prolonged political stability of the Party and the country.

Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee Is a Pioneering and Landmark Meeting

First of all, the theme of this meeting is very important. The plenary session aimed to study several key issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. These key issues concern the flourishing of the cause of the Party and the country, the prolonged political stability of the country, as well as happiness and health of the people. The theme of this meeting continued the strategic arrangements of the 3rd and 4th plenary sessions of the 18th CPC Central Committee for comprehensively deepening the reform and implementing the rule of law. Based on the requirements in a new era, the plenary session specially studied several issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance, and made a decision.

Besides, the timing of this meeting is very critical. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, and 2020 will mark the conclusion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, while 2021 will mark the centenary of the founding of the CPC. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was hosted at the end of October 2019, and made special discussions and arrangements concerning “the modernization of national governance system and capacity”, so as to better summarize the past and plan the future. This has highlighted great significance of this meeting as well as its particularity and strategic meaning.

Moreover, the task of this meeting is very clear. The Decision deliberated and passed at the session has made all-around arrangements to modernize China's system and capacity for governance, and further clarified a three-step strategy: Institutions in all fields are notably improved when the CPC marks its centenary, before the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance is basically achieved by 2035 and realized in full as the People's Republic of China celebrates its centenary, thus further consolidating the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and fully demonstrating its superiority.

Modernization of National Governance Urgently Needs Intellectual Support of Top Universities

Carefully studying, vigorously publicizing and comprehensively implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee are an important political task from present to the near future. For colleges and universities, the core principle of implementing the spirit of the plenary session is to deeply carry out theoretical research, and strive to provide strong intellectual support for the modernization of national governance.

1. National Governance Modernization Calls for Theoretical Innovations in Philosophy and Social Science

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping has put the development of philosophy and social science on a prominent position, and delivered important speeches on the work in this field, and made a series of decisions and arrangements. Xi once made clear that philosophy and social science in China should explore new materials, discover new problems, propose new viewpoints, and construct new theories from the practice of reform and development in the country with things we are doing at the core. Therefore, serving the cause of the Party and the people as a think tank, providing correct thinking and suggestions for scientific and democratic decision-making of the Party and the government, and contributing academic support to the modernization of national system and capacity for governance are a key task of philosophy and social science in China as well as the only way to realize its value. Upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance are facing many major issues. Problems are required to be studied, and the answer needs to be explored, while people call for explanations. This is also a crucial stage for researchers of philosophy and social science to put forward ideas and theories. Therefore, the ideological and theoretical support is urgently provided by the whole circles of philosophy and social science, including Marxist theory, politics and public administration. Colleges and universities should actively serve the call of major national strategies for reform, and provide intellectual support for national governance modernization. This requires us to continuously put forward innovative theories through practice, guide rich practices with development theories, and deeply study and interpret major theoretical and practical issues concerning national governance modernization.

2. National Governance Modernization Requires Think-tank Suggestions from Top Universities

Think tanks are an integral part of national governance system. Think tanks of universities with Chinese characteristics should be based on national practical needs, focus on national key strategies, aim to serve decisions of the Party and the country, and expert in policy research and consulting. They should deeply study a series of major theoretical and practical issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, which urgently need to be replied and addressed. They should also conduct prospective, targeted and reserved policy research surrounding global, strategic and comprehensive issues on national governance, and put forward a number of influential research results and suggestive and operable countermeasures and suggestions.

3. National Governance Modernization Needs Practice Research Rooted in China

We should adhere to the guidance of innovative theories. China’s governance system is the product of Marxist theory of state governance in combination with China’s actual conditions, as well as the effort of Chinese Communists in modern times to learn foreign advanced experience in governance while considering national conditions. The research of national governance modernization should be guided by the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully absorb the innovative achievements of the theory of Marxism with Chinese characteristics, and view major theoretical innovations in economy, politics, law, society, ecology, diplomacy, national defense and Party construction as academic support for the research of national governance modernization.

We should focus on the characteristics of the new era. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, in which the main social contradiction has changed, and people’s new needs in terms of democracy, rule of law, fairness and justice, security and environment are all new issues the theoretical research of national governance modernization should be concerned with. The research of national governance modernization, based on the characteristics of the new era, should explore new materials, discover new problems, and propose new viewpoints from the practice of reform and development in China, so as to promote in-depth and substantive research.

We should highlight priorities of governance research. The Party building plays a decisive and fundamental role in modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance. The research of national governance modernization should emphasize more on strategic and countermeasure research of the Party building. In particular, it should focus on how to play the Party's core role in exercising leadership with a holistic view and coordinating all parties during national governance modernization, and how to realize institutional, standardized and procedural governance in all fields. The research should give a theoretical response to the practice in organic combination with all-around leadership of the Party and modernization of national governance, so as to further convert the advantages of China’s political system into governance efficiency.