At the 20th Central Committee Politburo

Speech at the first collective study

(October 25, 2022)

Xi Jinping

　　Studying and publicizing and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC is the primary political task of the entire Party and the entire country in the current period and for some time to come. Today, we are holding the first collective study of the 20th Central Committee Politburo on the theme of studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, with the aim of setting an example for the whole Party.

　　The 20th National Congress of the CPC has achieved a series of major achievements politically, theoretically, and practically. Comrade Mao Zedong said: "To be good at turning the Party's policies into the actions of the masses, and to be good at making every one of our movements and struggles understood and mastered not only by leading cadres, but also by the broad masses of the people, is an art of Marxist-Leninist leadership." The Central Politburo must take the lead in grasping the study, publicity, and implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC throughout the Party and the country, and promote the widespread and in-depth understanding and mastery of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC by the vast number of cadres and the masses.

　　Whenever the Central Committee of the CPC makes major decisions and deployments, we call on all Party comrades to strengthen their studies to unify the thoughts and actions of the whole Party and gather the strong force to overcome difficulties and forge ahead together. This is a successful experience of the Party. Regarding the study, publicity, and implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, I have made requirements at the first plenary session of the 20th CPC National Congress, the first meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and the first meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and everyone must implement them. Today, I will offer some more opinions from three aspects.

　　 First, make efforts in comprehensive learning. Only through comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth learning can we fully, accurately, and comprehensively understand the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, so that we can clearly understand what it is, what to do, and how to do it, and lay a solid foundation for its implementation. First of all, we must read the original text and understand the principles. Leading cadres must study the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC in its entirety, and at the same time, they should combine the study of the report with the study of the series of speeches and relevant documents of the congress, and combine it with the study of the reports of the 18th and 19th National Congresses of the CPC, and study them in connection with each other.

　　Learning cannot simply stop at remembering some concepts and propositions. Since the new era, the theoretical and practical innovations of the Party have been very vivid, and our learning should also be vivid. We should closely link the historical achievements and historical changes made in the cause of the Party and the state since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the extraordinary and extraordinary journey we have traveled in recent years, our deepening of reform and opening up, promoting high-quality development, effectively responding to major risks and challenges, and the profound changes in the international environment, and deeply understand the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of the major policies and strategic deployments of the Party and state development in the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

　　 Second, make efforts in comprehensive understanding. The spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC is very rich in content, including far-sighted political perspectives and profound theoretical thinking, as well as scientific goal setting and strategic deployment of work. These are interconnected and organically unified. Only by adhering to the method of combining history and reality, theory and practice, and international and domestic aspects, and repeatedly pondering from the whole to the part and then from the part to the whole, can we fully grasp the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and avoid knowing one thing but not another, knowing what it is but not why.

　　For example, we must fully grasp the worldview, methodology, and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC was drafted under the guidance of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Scientific worldview and methodology are the "master keys" for us to study and solve problems. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC profoundly expounds the basic connotation and practical significance of combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with excellent traditional Chinese culture, systematically expounds the worldview, methodology, and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and emphasizes that we must continue to promote theoretical innovation based on practice by adhering to putting the people first, adhering to self-reliance, adhering to upholding the truth and seeking innovation, adhering to problem orientation, adhering to a systems approach, and adhering to a global perspective. Only by deeply understanding the "two combinations" and the "six musts" can we deeply understand the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and always be clear-headed, well-prepared, and effective in action when facing various contradictions, problems, and major risks and challenges.

　　For example, we must fully grasp the profound connotation and significance of the great changes in the past 10 years of the new era. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC systematically summarizes the great changes in the past 10 years of the new era from 16 aspects. Practice has proved that the path we have taken is correct, the ideas we have established and the decisions we have made are scientific, and our work has been effective. Summarizing the past is for opening up the future. In studying the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, we must deeply understand the great changes that have taken place in the cause of the Party and the state in the past 10 years of the new era, deeply feel the profound impact of these great changes on the Party, the Chinese people, socialist modernization, and the development of scientific socialism in 21st-century China, and deeply understand that we must unswervingly adhere to the Party's innovative theories, strategic layouts, and strategic measures in the new era and on the new journey, and strengthen strategic confidence. We must deepen our understanding of the advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system of our country, fully understand the vigorous vitality and bright prospects of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to the unchanging path and unyielding will, and continue to advance the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

　　For example, we must fully grasp the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles that must be firmly grasped in Chinese-style modernization. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC makes a profound interpretation of Chinese-style modernization, including its Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles that must be firmly grasped. We must comprehensively learn and master the theoretical exposition of Chinese-style modernization, and we cannot only touch on one point and ignore the rest. We must deeply understand the relationship between the theory of Chinese-style modernization and the strategic layout of comprehensively building a socialist modern country, recognizing that the former is the theoretical support of the latter, and thus deeply understand the scientific nature and necessity of the strategic layout of comprehensively building a socialist modern country. We must deeply understand that the theory of Chinese-style modernization is a major theoretical innovation based on China's national conditions and realities, reflects the direction of China's modernization development, and is a major innovation in the global theory of modernization. Only in this way can we fully grasp the theoretical system and practical requirements of Chinese-style modernization, and can we more resolutely prevent the way of thinking of blindly copying Western modernization models.

　　For example, we must fully grasp the various strategic deployments made by the 20th National Congress of the CPC. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC makes deployments for work in various fields and aspects from 12 aspects. This is determined according to the overall layout of "five in one" and the strategic layout of "four comprehensives," and it is an organic whole that must be comprehensively learned, understood, and implemented. In studying the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, we must closely link the new strategic opportunities, new strategic tasks, new strategic stages, new strategic requirements, and new strategic environments facing China's development, deeply understand the arduousness and complexity of achieving various goals and tasks in comprehensively building a socialist modern country, and enhance the consciousness and determination to implement them.

　　 Third, make efforts in comprehensive implementation. Empty talk ruins the country, while practical work revitalizes it; one part deployment, nine parts implementation. Without paying attention to implementation, and without seriously implementing it, even the best plans and deployments will become castles in the air. The implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC must be planned and deployed. On the premise of grasping the overall goals, overall direction, and overall requirements, we must refine various goals and tasks, and develop specific implementation plans in a targeted manner, formulate clear timetables and blueprints, and steadily advance. Comrades of the Political Bureau must take the lead in working diligently and practically, making deployments for the work of studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC in their respective areas of responsibility or the places they govern, and taking action quickly.

　　The decisions and deployments made by the 20th National Congress of the CPC cover all aspects of reform, development, stability, domestic affairs, foreign affairs, national defense, Party governance, state governance, and military governance. The Central Committee of the CPC has made unified deployments for implementation, and the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Central Military Commission, and other relevant aspects and departments should formulate implementation plans, put forward clear requirements, and focus not only on progress but also on quality.

　　The goals and tasks set by the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China include short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. We must distinguish between priorities, comprehensively promoting progress while emphasizing key areas; focusing on the present while looking to the future, undertaking foundational work that benefits the long term, and preventing formalism and bureaucratism. We must maintain continuity in our work. Plans, programs, and work arrangements already established should be carefully reviewed; those in line with the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC should continue to be implemented, while deficiencies should be addressed promptly. All regions and departments should combine their own realities with the strategic deployments put forward by the Central Committee of the CPC, transforming them into work tasks for their respective regions and departments. We must firmly establish the concept of the whole country as one entity. Planning and promoting work in our respective regions and departments must be premised on implementing the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the CPC, creatively carrying out work, and contributing both to the region and the overall situation.

　　It must be emphasized that governing a large party and a large country like ours would be impossible without the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC, and without ideological unity and consistency throughout the Party and the country. Comrades of the Political Bureau must take the lead in upholding the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC, implementing the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the CPC, and safeguarding the overall situation. While fulfilling their own responsibilities and managing their work, they should also pay attention to coordination and cooperation among various levels and departments.

　　At the outset of drafting the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, I emphasized that the report should fully reflect the spirit of daring to struggle and daring to win, guiding the entire Party to enhance its ability to struggle, inspiring the entire society to maintain confidence, and focusing on strengthening the capacity to prevent risks, meet challenges, and withstand pressure. We must uphold the spirit of struggle, bravely face various risks and challenges, overcome various difficulties, and unswervingly implement the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the CPC.

　　The Central Committee of the CPC will soon issue a decision on earnestly studying, publicizing, and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and the Central Publicity Group will also go to various places to give lectures. Relevant departments should refine their work plans and promote the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC to government agencies, enterprises and institutions, urban and rural communities, schools, military camps, various new economic organizations and new social organizations, and websites. All levels of party schools (administrative colleges) should make learning and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC the main content of cadre training. As usual, the Central Committee of the CPC will hold a special seminar for newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee to study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC. All regions and departments should promptly organize concentrated training for cadres. Leading cadres at all levels should take personal responsibility, acting as both practical workers and advocates, taking the lead in giving lectures. Departments of publicity and ideological work should carefully organize and coordinate arrangements, do a good job in publicity and ideological education, strengthen external publicity, and guide the international community to comprehensively understand the major policies and development strategies of the Party and the state.