On the opening day of the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing, the flagship news publication of the CCP has published a headline editorial claiming that the event will serve to open up a “new frontier” for Socialism with Chinese characteristics.
According to the People’s Daily editorial the congress is an “extremely important event convened during a key period for the development of Socialism with Chinese characteristics.
“Our party will clearly announce what banner it will fly, what path it will pursue, what type of spiritual condition it will use to bear what kind of historic mission and achieve what kind of goals, as well as propose a comprehensive, strategic, forward-facing action plan.
“The convening of this congress relates to the future continuation of the undertakings of the party and the state, the future path and fate of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, the broadest possible fundamental interests of the People, and possesses major political, theoretical and practical significance for the comprehensive establishment of a healthy society, achieving the great success of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, and realising the Chinese dream of the great revival of the Chinese people.
“Looking back at the past extremely unsteady five years, the central party has met with adversity and advanced with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core; expanded and moved forward, expunged the old and established the new, endeavoured to make the country prosperous, and employed great political courage and an intense sense of responsibility to bear and undertake many of the great struggles that possess new and unique historical features.
“The state’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, national defence strength, integrated national strength, international influence and people have all obtained marked upgrade, and on the foundation of the great accomplishments obtained by national development since the establishment of a new China, and in particular the reform and opening up period, [we] have taken Socialism with Chinese characteristics to a new stage of development.
“The accomplishments of the past five years have been comprehensive and groundbreaking, the reforms of the past five years have been deep-rooted and fundamental. These historic accomplishments and historic reforms signal that China’s development stands at a new historic starting point, and possesses great and far-reaching significance for the development of the undertakings of the party and the state.
The People’s Daily editorial seeks to extol and reiterate the critical importance of the party elite, and in particular President Xi Jinping, to modern China’s economic and social wellbeing.
“The leadership of the party is the most characteristic feature of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the greatest advantage of the Socialism with Chinese characteristics system.
“Over the past five years, the most fundamental reason that reform and opening up and the establishment of modernised socialism has been able to achieve historic accomplishments, and Socialism with Chinese characteristics has been able to display such vigour, has been the central party’s resolute leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.
“The core role of the party’s leadership in assuming overall responsibility for the general situation and adjusting various parties has been fully employed, and is an accomplishment that possesses profound significance for the past five years, as well as a core reason for all the developmental progress that we have achieved.
“What’s especially important is the spirit of the series of key speeches delivered by President Xi Jinping and the new concepts, new thoughts and new strategies for national and political administration, raising our party’s understanding of the laws for Communist party implementation, the establishment of socialism and the development of human society to a new level.
“[This] comprises a complete, scientific ideological and theoretical system, and is the latest outcome of the Sinicization of Marxism, opening up a new frontier for the development of modern Chinese Marxism.”
