Zhejiang Secretary on Supporting Private Sector - He Lifeng Speaks to USTR - Understanding the New Era in the Primary Stage of Socialism

Here are the reports on articles that I found worth reading in the People’s Daily on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Page 1: A few meetings to cover on this page. First, there’s a report on the 34th Chairperson’s Meeting of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC.

“Wang Huning said that it is necessary to thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches during the Two Sessions, deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, resolutely uphold the Two Safeguards; focussing on implementing the major policies and decisions of the CPC Central Committee, meticulously organise and implement key annual work points and plans, conduct in-depth investigations and research, actively engage in consultations and discussions on state affairs, and widely gather people’s hearts, consensus, wisdom, and strength to complete the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan with high quality and achieve a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan. It is essential to thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the construction of a Safe China, focus on implementing the overall national security concept, improving people’s well-being, improving the social governance system, and preventing and resolving various risks and hidden dangers; in-depth research and discussions should be carried out to provide valuable insights, build consensus, and contribute support for the construction of a higher-level Safe China. It is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches during his inspections in Guizhou and Yunnan, deeply study and understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on strengthening the Party’s work style construction and the spirit of the Central Committee’s eight-point regulations and their implementation rules, and solidly carry out the learning and education campaign on the spirit of the right-point regulations in depth, consolidate and deepen the results of thematic education and Party discipline learning and education, and deepen the comprehensive and strict governance of the party to ensure that all decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee are implemented in the CPPCC.” 围绕贯彻落实中共中央大政方针和决策部署，认真组织实施各项年度工作要点、工作计划，深入调查研究，积极协商议政，为高质量完成“十四五”规划目标任务、实现“十五五”良好开局广泛凝聚人心、凝聚共识、凝聚智慧、凝聚力量。要深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于平安中国建设的重要论述，聚焦贯彻落实总体国家安全观、增进民生福祉、完善社会治理体系、防范化解各类风险隐患等问题深入调研议政，为建设更高水平平安中国建真言、聚共识、添助力。要深入学习贯彻习近平总书记在贵州、云南考察时的重要讲话精神，深学细悟习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设的重要论述和中央八项规定及其实施细则精神，扎实开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，巩固深化主题教育和党纪学习教育成果，纵深推进全面从严治党，确保中共中央各项决策部署在政协落到实处.

Next, there’s a consolidated report on Ding Xuexiang’s meetings at the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia. Ding met with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Aren B. Palik, vice president of the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Luvsannyam Gantumu, Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, and Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.

Finally, there’s a report on Han Zheng meeting with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. Xinhua reports:

“Han said that over the past year, China-Singapore relations have witnessed steady and in-depth development. Noting that China’s development has benefited from reform and opening-up, he said that China will remain committed to high-level opening-up and high-quality development. China is willing to take the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to continue to give full play to the role of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, push for greater development of China-Singapore all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership, and make new contributions to regional and world peace and development, Han said. Hailing China’s development achievements, Heng said that under the current situation, all parties should adhere to opening-up and cooperation and safeguard multilateral mechanisms. Singapore is willing to continue to actively participate in China’s development process and is full of confidence in the development of bilateral relations.”

Page 2: There’s a report on Li Hongzhong’s remarks discussing the work of NPC deputies. Some interesting information from this report is Li saying that during the third session of the 14th NPC, more than 2,200 representatives put forward 9,160 suggestions. The Working Committee for Deputies of the NPCSC, in coordination with relevant parties, conducted a thorough review and comprehensive analysis, and lawfully assigned them to 211 undertaking units for handling. Each undertaking unit must focus on implementing the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and deployments, closely integrate them with their departmental functions and responsibilities, strengthen overall coordination, carefully study and process the proposals, and strive to translate them into effective policy improvements and practical measures to enhance work efficiency. 李鸿忠指出，十四届全国人大三次会议期间，有2200多位代表提出9160件建议，全国人大常委会代表工作委员会会同有关方面进行认真梳理和综合分析，依法交由211家承办单位办理。各承办单位要围绕贯彻落实党中央决策部署、紧密结合本部门职能职责，加强统筹协调，认真研究办理，努力转化为完善政策措施、提升工作效能的良策实招。

Next, there’s an interview with Zhejiang Party Secretary Wang Hao discussing the policy orientation towards private enterprises. My big takeaway is that there’s really nothing big that’s been planned.

The first question asks how Zhejiang understands and grasps the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the symposium on private enterprises?

Wang said:

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s attendance at the symposium on private enterprises and his important speech fully reflect his high regard for the development of the private economy and his deep care for private entrepreneurs. His speech was far-reaching in vision, profound in thought, incisive in argument, and rich in content, providing a fundamental guideline and pointing the way forward for the healthy and high-quality development of the private economy. The Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, with a high level of awareness in practicing the two safeguards, immediately conveyed, studied, and implemented the speech. Zhejiang entrepreneurs feel greatly encouraged and inspired, their confidence strengthened, and their determination heightened.王浩：习近平总书记出席民营企业座谈会并发表重要讲话，充分体现了对民营经济发展的高度重视、对民营企业家的关心厚爱。习近平总书记的重要讲话立意高远、思想深邃、论述精辟、内涵丰富，为民营经济健康发展、高质量发展提供了根本遵循、指明了前进方向。浙江省委省政府以践行“两个维护”的高度自觉，第一时间传达学习、贯彻落实。广大浙商倍感振奋、深受鼓舞，信心更足了、拼劲更大了.

In 2024, the total volume of Zhejiang’s private economy reached 6.1 trillion yuan, accounting for 67.4% of the province’s GDP, contributing more than 70% of the province’s tax revenue, more than 80% of imports and exports, more than 80% of employment, and more than 90% of the number of enterprises. In the five series of lists such as the Top 500 Private Enterprises in China in 2024 released by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Zhejiang ranks first in terms of the number of shortlisted enterprises. Driven by the support of the private economy, the province’s overall economic growth remained stable with continuous progress, improved quality, and a positive development trend.. In 2024, the province's GDP exceeded 9 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.5%. 2024年，浙江民营经济总量达到6.1万亿元，占全省地区生产总值的比重达67.4%，贡献了全省70%以上的税收、80%以上的进出口、80%以上的就业、90%以上的企业数量。在全国工商联发布的“2024中国民营企业500强”等5张系列榜单中，浙江入围企业数量均居全国首位。在民营经济的支撑带动下，全省经济呈现稳中有进、进中提质、趋势向好的良好态势。2024年，全省地区生产总值超过9万亿元，增长5.5%.

Going ahead, we will thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the symposium on private enterprises and the important speech of General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection in Zhejiang, faithfully implement the ‘Double Eight Strategy’, closely focus on the missions and tasks of ‘striving to become an important window to fully demonstrate the superiority of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in the new era’, ‘building a high-quality development and common prosperity demonstration zone’, and ‘striving to write a new chapter of Chinese-style modernisation in Zhejiang’, resolutely shoulder the responsibility of ‘economically advanced provinces must take the lead’, thoroughly implement the ‘two unswervings’, and fully implement the ‘Several Measures for Zhejiang Province to Promote High-quality Development of the Private Economy’, further optimize a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalised business environment, continue to build a close and clean relationship between government and business, and effectively implement policies, provide services, and perform duties, so as to ‘respond to requests, refrain from unnecessary interference’, stimulate the vitality of the private economy, and create new momentum and advantages for Zhejiang’s high-quality development.” 下一步，我们将深入贯彻落实习近平总书记在民营企业座谈会上的重要讲话精神和习近平总书记在浙江考察时的重要讲话精神，忠实践行“八八战略”，紧紧围绕“努力成为新时代全面展示中国特色社会主义制度优越性的重要窗口”“高质量发展建设共同富裕示范区”“奋力谱写中国式现代化浙江新篇章”等使命任务，坚决扛起“经济大省要挑大梁”的责任担当，深入落实“两个毫不动摇”，全面实施《浙江省促进民营经济高质量发展若干措施》，进一步优化市场化法治化国际化营商环境，持续构建亲清政商关系，切实把政策落实到位、把服务提供到位、把职责履行到位，做到“有求必应、无事不扰”，激发民营经济动力活力，塑造浙江高质量发展新动能新优势.

The second question is: “What practical measures has Zhejiang taken to promote the high-quality development of the private economy?” In this regard, Wang makes three points:

• First, he talks about improving the bidding and tendering process and reducing burdens on private enterprises. In particular, he mentions the strict enforcement of regulations such as the seven prohibitions (七个不准) in bidding and tendering, strengthening the ‘Three 70%’ (三个70%) mechanism to support private investment, and optimizing the ‘8+4’ economic policy package to ensure businesses fully benefit from supportive policies. He said that Zhejiang this year has reduced burdens on various business entities by more than 250 billion yuan and added approximately 400 billion yuan in new loan rollovers without principal repayment. If you are interested, the Three 70% refers to terms that the provincial industrial fund’s investment in private investment projects should reach over 70%; the annual new energy consumption indicators supporting private investment projects should not be less than 70%; and the land use guarantee for private investment projects should not be less than 70%. 一是政策组合拳。深入实施《浙江省促进民营经济高质量发展若干措施》，落细落地招投标“七个不准”，“三个70%”要素保障机制等举措，优化实施“8+4”经济政策包，推动惠企政策直达快享、应享尽享。今年将为各类经营主体减负2500亿元以上，新增无还本续贷4000亿元左右。比如，我们提出招投标“七个不准”，加快推进招投标领域治理改革，着力破除招投标领域的隐性壁垒，为民营企业提供更加公平的市场环境；我们规定“三个70%”，即省产业基金投向民间投资项目比重达70%以上、每年新增能耗指标支持民间投资项目比重不低于70%、民间投资项目用地保障比重不低于70%，为民营企业发展提供有力要素保障.

• Second, he talks about supporting private enterprises to actively participate in the ‘two heavy’ projects and the two new works; encouraging private enterprises to take the lead in building high-level innovation platforms, implement major scientific and technological breakthroughs, and give full play to the role of innovation subjects; boost consumption to help private enterprises vigorously expand the market; and carrying out special actions to standardize enterprise-related law enforcement, strengthen law enforcement supervision, efficiently deal with bribery, infringement of intellectual property rights and other illegal acts, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of private enterprises and private entrepreneurs in accordance with the law. 二是工作组合拳。大力支持和引导民营企业践行新发展理念，大力支持和引导民营经济人士弘扬企业家精神。支持民营企业积极参与“两重”建设和“两新”工作，强力推进“千项万亿”重大项目建设，常态化向民营企业推介“三张项目清单”，激发民营企业投资活力。鼓励民营企业牵头建设高能级创新平台、实施重大科技攻关，充分发挥创新主体作用。深入开展“千团万企拓市场增订单行动”，大力提振消费，帮助民营企业大力拓展市场。深化招投标领域治理改革，开展规范涉企执法专项行动，强化执法监督，高效处置商业贿赂、侵犯知识产权等违法行为，依法保护民营企业和民营企业家合法权益.

• Third, he talks about improving the business environment and addressing the issue of arrears.

The final question is how will Zhejiang guide and promote private enterprises and private entrepreneurs to make new and greater contributions to promoting Chinese-style modernisation?

Wang makes four points:

• Support and guide private enterprises and entrepreneurs to be bold in exploration, daring in action, and pioneers in innovation…

• Support and guide private enterprises and entrepreneurs to strengthen internal capabilities and pursue innovation-driven development, fully leveraging their role as key innovation players, building innovative enterprises, continuously improving quality, efficiency, and core competitiveness, and becoming the main force in building an innovative Zhejiang and developing new quality productive forces suited to local conditions.

• Support and guide private enterprises and private entrepreneurs to pursue excellence, improve quality and efficiency, further improve corporate governance structure, continuously improve the use, management and protection mechanism of production factors such as labor, talents, knowledge, technology, capital and data, ensuring smooth transitions and inheritance of entrepreneurial spirit, and striving to build modern and world-class enterprises.

• Support and guide private enterprises and entrepreneurs to cultivate a deep sense of patriotism, operate with integrity and in accordance with the law, actively fulfill their social responsibilities, remember their roots and keep striving for progress, and create new brilliance and make new contributions in advancing Chinese-style modernization.

一是支持引导民营企业和民营企业家敢闯敢干、敢为人先，弘扬“四千”精神，在看到前途、看到光明、看到未来中成为新时代新征程最有定力、最有信心、最有底气的民营企业和民营企业家群体。二是支持引导民营企业和民营企业家苦练内功、创新发展，充分发挥创新主体作用，建设创新型企业，不断提高企业质量、效益和核心竞争力，成为打造创新浙江、因地制宜发展新质生产力的主力军。三是支持引导民营企业和民营企业家追求卓越、提质增效，进一步健全企业治理结构，不断完善劳动、人才、知识、技术、资本、数据等生产要素的使用、管理、保护机制，做好新老交接、薪火传承，努力打造现代化企业和世界一流企业。四是支持引导民营企业和民营企业家厚植家国情怀，诚信守法经营，积极履行社会责任，富而思源、富而思进，在推进中国式现代化中再创新辉煌、作出新贡献.

Page 3: There’s a report on He Lifeng’s talks with USTR Jamieson Greer “at the request of the U.S. side.” Xinhua says:

“The two sides exchanged candid, in-depth views on important bilateral economic and trade issues, following up on the consensus reached during a phone call between their two heads of state on Jan. 17, 2025. He expressed grave concern over the United States’ additional tariffs on Chinese goods over the issue of fentanyl, the Section 301 investigation and the proposed ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. He said China hopes the U.S. side will soon return to resolving shared concerns through equal consultation. Greer said candid talks are important as they can boost mutual understanding and help resolve emerging issues. Both sides expressed belief that maintaining a stable bilateral economic and trade relationship serves the interests of both countries, and agreed to continue communication on issues of concern.”

There’s also a consolidated report on Wang Yi meeting with Evan Greenberg, executive vice chair of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Aingimea.

Xinhua’s report on the Wang-Greenberg meeting says:

Wang “praised Greenberg's long-term commitment to promoting China-U.S. communication and cooperation, expressing hope that the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and people of insight from all walks of life in the United States will make new contributions to the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. China and the United States share extensive interests and broad prospects for cooperation that can benefit both nations and the world, Wang noted, adding that at this critical juncture in their relationship, both sides should take the important consensus and vision of the two heads of state as a guide, enhance communication, deepen mutual understanding, avoid misjudgments and manage differences. China is willing to engage in dialogue and consultation with the United States based on equality and mutual respect to address each other's legitimate concerns, Wang added. Greenberg said the U.S.-China relationship is the most significant bilateral relationship in the world. Both sides should leverage experience and wisdom to enhance understanding, expand cooperation and coexist harmoniously. In a world with increasing risk factors and uncertainties, both sides should intensify engagement to fulfill the vision of the two heads of state and achieve peace and prosperity for each nation, Greenberg stated.”

Xinhua’s report on the Wang-Aingimea meeting says:

Wang “noted that since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nauru, both sides have fostered mutual understanding and support, while the pragmatic cooperation has developed comprehensively, bringing tangible benefits to the people of Nauru. China appreciates Nauru’s firm adherence to the one-China policy and believes that Nauru will continue to support China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, thus consolidating the political foundation of bilateral relations, Wang said. China is willing to deepen cooperation with Nauru in various fields including agriculture and fisheries, sports, marine development, climate change response, and capacity building, Wang said, adding that China congratulates Nauru on the upcoming official opening of its embassy in China and is willing to provide conveniences and assistance for the embassy's operation. Aingimea, for his part, said that Nauru sincerely thanks China for the valuable assistance provided in infrastructure construction and socio-economic development, which helps improve people’s livelihood and sustainable development of Nauru. Nauru will not waver in its stance of adhering to the one-China principle and looks forward to expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields and pushing bilateral relations to a new level, Aingimea added.”

Page 9: There’s a really interesting article by Kang Xiaoqiang, a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at the Central Party School. At least, I found this to be a rather interesting read.

My brief take: Kang broadly discusses the concept of the primary stage of socialism that China finds itself in. He argues that the Party under Xi Jinping has carried out a theoretical assessment of the stage that China is in within the primary stage of socialism. And this assessment has led to the conclusion that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. This new era, however, does not mean that China has escaped the primary stage of socialism. Rather, it implies that there are new characteristics to China’s development and new contradictions that need to be addressed. This calls for policy innovation. In other words, the theoretical assessment informs that policy must change, which is why it can no longer be business as usual for China as it was prior to the 18th Party Congress. What domains of policy are to continue to be impacted are captured in the “five ares” of the new historical position of socialist development in China that Kang articulates. One other truly remarkable bit about the article is that it places Xi Jinping on a pedestal with Marx, Engels and other major Marxist thinkers.

Let’s dive in. Kang writes that:

“A major difference between scientific socialism and utopian socialism is that it is not an unchanging dogma, but rather regards socialism as a practical process of continuous improvement and development. The development of socialism is not only a long historical process but also a process that needs to be divided into different historical stages. Since the 18th Party Congress, based on the historic transformation of the main contradictions in society, General Secretary Xi Jinping has creatively put forward major propositions, such as ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, which is a new historical orientation for China’s development’ and ‘China has entered a new development stage’, scientifically expounding the new era coordinates of the primary stage of socialism and enriching and developing the theory of the development stages of socialism. A profound understanding of the original development of the theory of socialist development stages in the new era is of great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance for comprehensively grasping the new characteristics and new trends of contemporary China’s development and for enhancing the political, ideological, and action consciousness of implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.” 科学社会主义和空想社会主义的一大区别，就在于它不是一成不变的教条，而是把社会主义看作一个不断完善和发展的实践过程。发展社会主义不仅是一个长期历史过程，而且是需要划分为不同历史阶段的过程。党的十八大以来，基于社会主要矛盾历史性转化，习近平总书记创造性提出“中国特色社会主义进入了新时代，这是我国发展新的历史方位”“我国进入了一个新发展阶段”等重大论断，科学阐明了社会主义初级阶段新的时代坐标，丰富和发展了社会主义发展阶段理论。深刻理解社会主义发展阶段理论在新时代的原创性发展，对于全面把握当代中国发展的新特征、新走向，对于增强贯彻落实习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的政治自觉、思想自觉、行动自觉，具有重要现实意义和深远历史意义.

Kang then argues that:

The new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an iconic concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The category of ‘new era’ had been used by classic Marxist writers in different contexts. For instance, when explaining social progress from the dimension of technological change, they have pointed out that the self-acting spinning mule machine ‘opened up a new era of automated systems’; from the perspective of social form change, it was pointed out that the Italian poet Dante ‘was the last poet of the Middle Ages and the first poet of the new era’ and so on. In 1883, the German Social Democratic Party founded a theoretical journal ‘New Era: Review of Spiritual and Social Life’, where Engels published many articles and often offered advice, helping the editorial board maintain the right direction for the publication. However, explicitly linking the ‘new era’ with socialism, especially Chinese socialism, is an original contribution of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi has profoundly pointed out: ‘This new era is a new era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and not some other new era’. This indicates that the new era is a new era with socialist qualitative determination, and ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’ before ‘new era’ is not an optional modifier, but a profound and accurate definition and positioning of the ‘new era’.” 中国特色社会主义新时代是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的一个标识性概念。“新时代”这个范畴，马克思主义经典作家曾在不同语境使用过。譬如，从科技变革的维度阐明社会进步时，指出自动走锭纺纱机“开辟了自动体系的新时代”；从社会形态变迁的维度，指出意大利诗人但丁“是中世纪的最后一位诗人，同时又是新时代的最初一位诗人”；等等。1883年，德国社会民主党创办理论杂志《新时代。精神生活和社会生活评论》，恩格斯在该杂志上发表过许多文章，经常提出忠告，帮助杂志编辑部端正办刊方向。但是，明确把“新时代”与社会主义特别是中国特色社会主义相联结，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的原创性贡献。习近平总书记深刻指出：“这个新时代是中国特色社会主义新时代，而不是别的什么新时代。”这表明，新时代是具有社会主义质的规定性的新时代，“新时代”前面的“中国特色社会主义”不是可有可无的修饰语，而是对“新时代”的深刻定性、准确定位.

The new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an integration and complex of ‘new era’ and ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’, and is an organic unity that encompasses both a temporal scale and spatial norms. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the ‘mother’ of the development of practice in the new era, which determines the nature and orientation of the new era; the new era is a specific growth period of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which regulates the breadth and depth of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the new historical mission it carries. Discussing the new era without socialism with Chinese characteristics would imply losing its ‘root’ and ‘soul’, becoming a rootless tree, a sourceless water, and losing its forward direction and momentum; discussing socialism with Chinese characteristics without the new era, we will miss out on the time dimension of development and easily deviate from reality. Therefore, the concept of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics not only adheres to the basic principles of scientific socialism, but also clarifies the historical orientation of the development of China in reality and provides an action framework. The scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which is composed of the internal coherence and organic unity of ‘ten clears’, ‘fourteen persistences’, ‘thirteen achievements’, ‘two integrations’ and ‘six musts’, is fully developed and systematically constructed on this basis. 原创性理论往往是在概念的结合和深化过程中形成和发展的。中国特色社会主义新时代是“新时代”和“中国特色社会主义”的集成体、复合体，是包含着时间尺度和空间规约性的有机统一体。中国特色社会主义是新时代实践发展的“母体”，规定了新时代的性质和取向；新时代是中国特色社会主义的特定成长时段，规约着中国特色社会主义发展的广度和深度以及所承载的新的历史使命。离开中国特色社会主义谈新时代，就会失去“根”和“魂”，成为无根之木、无源之水，就会迷失前行的方向和动力；离开新时代谈中国特色社会主义，就会欠缺发展的时间向度，容易脱离现实。因而，中国特色社会主义新时代这一概念，既坚守了科学社会主义基本原则，又对现实中国发展明晰历史方位、提供行动框架。由“十个明确”“十四个坚持”“十三个方面成就”“两个结合”“六个必须坚持”等内在贯通、有机统一所构成的习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的科学体系，正是在此基础上全面展开、系统建构起来的.

Kang ends this section stating that:

“The 19th Central Committee’s Sixth Plenary Session, on the basis of the 19th Party Congress, provided a further scientific summary of the connotations of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, emphasising: ‘The new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an era that inherits the past and opens up the future, continues to win great victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics under new historical conditions; an era of decisively completing the building of a moderately prosperous society and further comprehensively building a modern socialist powerful country; an era where all ethnic groups unite and struggle, continuously creating a beautiful life and gradually realizing common prosperity for all people; an era where all Chinese children work together with one heart to vigorously realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; an era where our country continuously makes greater contributions to humanity.’ These ‘five ares’ precisely grasp the new historical position of socialist development in China from five perspectives - socialism with Chinese characteristics, socialist modernization, Chinese people, the Chinese nation, and human development - through an organic combination of historical and current, theoretical and practical, domestic and international dimensions, and deeply expand the understanding of what the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics ‘is’ from an epistemological height. At the same time, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly proposed in the report of the 19th Party Congress that ‘from building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to basically achieving modernization, and then to building a modern socialist country in all respects, a strategic arrangement for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and scientifically outlined the development blueprint of ‘what’ the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics will look like from the dimension of modernization development goals.” 党的十九届六中全会在党的十九大的基础上，对中国特色社会主义新时代的内涵作出进一步科学概括，强调：“中国特色社会主义新时代是承前启后、继往开来、在新的历史条件下继续夺取中国特色社会主义伟大胜利的时代，是决胜全面建成小康社会、进而全面建设社会主义现代化强国的时代，是全国各族人民团结奋斗、不断创造美好生活、逐步实现全体人民共同富裕的时代，是全体中华儿女勠力同心、奋力实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的时代，是我国不断为人类作出更大贡献的时代。”这“五个是”，从中国特色社会主义、社会主义现代化、中国人民、中华民族、人类发展五个视角，基于历史和现实、理论和实践、国内和国际有机结合的维度，对我国社会主义发展新的历史方位予以精准把握，从认识论高度深化和拓展了对中国特色社会主义新时代“是什么”的理解。同时，习近平总书记在党的十九大报告中明确提出“从全面建成小康社会到基本实现现代化，再到全面建成社会主义现代化强国”这一新时代中国特色社会主义发展的战略安排，从现代化发展目标的维度科学擘画了中国特色社会主义新时代“是什么样”的发展蓝图.

In the second section of this article, Kang argues that “the introduction of the iconic concept of a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a deepening understanding of the new historical direction of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” 中国特色社会主义新时代这一标识性概念的提出，是对中国特色社会主义新的历史方位的深化认识.

He adds that “among them, the division and description of the stages of social development is a basic issue in the history of socialist thought. In the history of socialist thought, utopian socialism was the first to explore the issue of future social development stages…Marx and Engels provided important epistemological guidance and methodological reference for scientifically grasping the stages of socialist development, but because they had not experienced the practice of comprehensively governing a socialist country, their stage division of the future society was mainly speculative. The issue of the development stage of socialist society is more of a new issue brought about by socialist practice. Today, the changes of the times and the breadth and depth of China’s development have far exceeded the imagination of the classical Marxist writers at that time. Real practice is the source of the original development of scientific theory. Based on the development of the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping made the major political judgment that ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era’ for the first time at the 19th Party Congress, made an objective and clear assessment on the new orientation of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and provided a contemporary answer to the basic issue of the socialist development stage in the history of socialist thought.” 其中，关于社会发展阶段的划分及描绘，是社会主义思想史的一个基本问题。在社会主义思想史上，较早探讨未来社会发展阶段问题的是空想社会主义。马克思、恩格斯为科学把握社会主义发展阶段提供了重要的认识论指引和方法论参照，但由于没有经历全面治理社会主义国家的实践，他们关于未来社会的阶段划分主要是预测性的...社会主义社会的发展阶段问题，更多是社会主义实践提出的一个崭新课题。今天，时代变化和我国发展的广度和深度远远超出了马克思主义经典作家当时的想象。现实实践是科学理论原创性发展的源泉。基于中国特色社会主义实践的发展，习近平总书记在党的十九大上首次作出“中国特色社会主义进入了新时代”的重大政治论断，对中国特色社会主义发展的新方位作出客观明晰的判断，对社会主义发展阶段这一社会主义思想史的基本问题给出时代回答.

“From the perspective of the historical evolution of world socialism, we can gain a deeper understanding of the historical position of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and its theoretical and practical significance. In January 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the opening ceremony of the seminar for new and alternate members of the Central Committee to study and implement the spirit of the 18th Party Congress. He analysed the historical process of socialist thought from its inception to the present, classifying it into six time periods. These include the emergence and development of utopian socialism, the establishment of the theoretical system of scientific socialism by Marx and Engels, the victory of the October Revolution led by Lenin and the practice of socialism, the gradual formation of the Soviet model, the exploration and practice of socialism by our Party after the founding of New China, and the historic decision made by our Party to carry out reform and opening up and to create and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. On this basis, in January 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping made a profound exposition on the development process of socialism from utopianism to science, from theory to practice, and from one country to multiple countries, which not only deepened the understanding of the historical inevitability of socialism but also expanded the rational understanding of the evolutionary trends of socialism. The great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics in China shows that socialism has not died and will not die, but is full of vitality. The historical evolution and struggle between the two ideologies and two social systems on a global scale have undergone a profound shift in favor of Marxism and socialism. Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has written a magnificent chapter in the historical development of world socialism, becoming the banner of scientific socialism in the 21st century. It is in this sense that General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: ‘The success of scientific socialism in China holds tremendous significance for Marxism, for scientific socialism, and for world socialism’.” 从世界社会主义历史演进的视角，可以更深入理解中国特色社会主义新时代的历史方位及其理论和现实意义。2013年1月，习近平总书记在新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员学习贯彻党的十八大精神研讨班开班式上的重要讲话，从6个时间段分析了社会主义思想从提出到现在的历史过程，包括空想社会主义产生和发展，马克思、恩格斯创立科学社会主义理论体系，列宁领导十月革命胜利并实践社会主义，苏联模式逐步形成，新中国成立后我们党对社会主义的探索和实践，我们党作出进行改革开放的历史性决策、开创和发展中国特色社会主义。在此基础上，2018年1月，习近平总书记对社会主义从空想到科学、从理论到实践、从一国到多国的发展历程进行深刻论述，不仅深化了对社会主义历史必然性的理解，而且拓展了对社会主义演进趋向的理性认知。中国特色社会主义在中国取得巨大成功表明，社会主义没有灭亡，也不会灭亡，而且焕发出蓬勃生机活力。世界范围内两种意识形态、两种社会制度的历史演进及其较量发生了有利于马克思主义、社会主义的深刻转变。中国特色社会主义谱写了世界社会主义历史发展的壮丽篇章，成为21世纪科学社会主义发展的旗帜。正是在这个意义上，习近平总书记深刻指出：“科学社会主义在中国的成功，对马克思主义、科学社会主义的意义，对世界社会主义的意义，是十分重大的.”

In the final section, Kang rather emphatically states that “the primary stage of socialism is the basic national condition and the greatest reality of contemporary China’s development.” He adds that “General Secretary Xi Jinping’s enrichment and development of the theory of the primary stage of socialism has deepened the understanding of the inherent movement laws of the primary stage of socialism.” 社会主义初级阶段是当代中国发展的基本国情和最大实际...习近平总书记对社会主义初级阶段理论的丰富和发展，深化了对社会主义初级阶段内在运动规律的认识.

He further states that:

“General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized on the one hand that ‘we must firmly grasp the basic national conditions of the primary stage of socialism and firmly base ourselves on the greatest reality of the primary stage of socialism’, and on the other hand, he has clearly proposed ‘to more accurately grasp the dynamic characteristics of the primary stage of socialism in my country’. Understanding the main contradictions in society is the ‘key’ to grasping the stage of social development. The 19th Party Congress made a new summary of the changes in the principal contradiction in our society, requiring us to focus on solving the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development on the basis of continuing to promote development, and better promote the all-round development of people and the all-round progress of society. At the same time, we must clearly recognise that the primary stage of socialism is a long historical process, and the change in principal contradiction of society is merely a change within this historical stage of the socialist primary stage. This, however, has not altered our assessment about the historical stage of socialism in our country. The basic national condition is that China is still in and will remain in the primary stage of socialism for a long time; this has not changed, and China’s international status as the world’s largest developing country has not changed. 深化了对社会主义初级阶段之“变”与“不变”辩证统一的认识。习近平总书记一方面强调“要牢牢把握社会主义初级阶段这个基本国情，牢牢立足社会主义初级阶段这个最大实际”，一方面明确提出“更准确地把握我国社会主义初级阶段不断变化的特点”。认识社会主要矛盾是把握社会发展阶段的“钥匙”。党的十九大对我国社会主要矛盾的变化作出了新的概括，要求我们在继续推动发展的基础上，着力解决好发展不平衡不充分问题，更好推动人的全面发展、社会全面进步。同时要清醒认识到，社会主义初级阶段是一个长历史过程，社会主要矛盾的变化只是在社会主义初级阶段这个历史阶段中发生的变化，没有改变我们对我国社会主义所处历史阶段的判断，我国仍处于并将长期处于社会主义初级阶段的基本国情没有变，我国是世界最大发展中国家的国际地位没有变.

To grasp the basic national conditions of the primary stage of socialism, we must also fully understand the historical inevitability and stage of development of the primary stage. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘The primary stage of socialism is not a static, immutable, stagnant stage, nor is it a spontaneous, passive stage that can be naturally crossed without much effort, but rather a dynamic, proactively energetic process always brimming with vigorous vitality, a step-by-step progressive process of continuous development and progress, constantly accumulating and developing quantitative changes that are increasingly approaching a qualitative leap’. This important assertion profoundly elaborates on the dialectical unity of the long-term and stage-based characteristics of the primary stage of socialism, the relationship between quantitative and qualitative changes, and the combination of law-based and purposeful development. It indicates that the primary stage of socialism is a real movement and process, containing ‘change’ within ‘unchangingness’, and that not only does the primary stage of socialism differ from socialism in other stages, but it will also present different characteristics and features at different stages of development, revealing that socialist development in the primary stage can achieve stage-based qualitative leaps through quantitative accumulation. 把握社会主义初级阶段这一基本国情，还要充分认识初级阶段发展的历史必然性和发展阶段性。习近平总书记指出：“社会主义初级阶段不是一个静态、一成不变、停滞不前的阶段，也不是一个自发、被动、不用费多大气力自然而然就可以跨过的阶段，而是一个动态、积极有为、始终洋溢着蓬勃生机活力的过程，是一个阶梯式递进、不断发展进步、日益接近质的飞跃的量的积累和发展变化的过程。”这一重要论断，对社会主义初级阶段长期性与阶段性、量变与质变、合规律性与合目的性的辩证统一特点作出深刻阐述，表明社会主义初级阶段是现实的运动和过程，在“不变”中也蕴含着“变”，不仅初级阶段的社会主义与其他阶段的社会主义有差别，而且在其发展的不同阶段也会呈现不同的特点和特征，揭示出初级阶段的社会主义发展通过量变积累，也会有阶段性的质变跃迁.

He adds:

“The entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era means that the Chinese nation, which has endured great hardships since modern times, has ushered in a great leap from standing up, to becoming prosperous, to becoming strong, and has ushered in a bright prospect of realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it means that scientific socialism has been revitalized with powerful vitality in 21st-century China, and has raised high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the world; it means that the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics are continuously developing, expanding the path for developing countries to move toward modernisation, providing emerging choices for countries and nations that both wish to accelerate development and maintain their own independence, and contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to resolving humanity’s problems.” 中国特色社会主义进入新时代，意味着近代以来久经磨难的中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，迎来了实现中华民族伟大复兴的光明前景；意味着科学社会主义在21世纪的中国焕发出强大生机活力，在世界上高高举起了中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜；意味着中国特色社会主义道路、理论、制度、文化不断发展，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径，给世界上那些既希望加快发展又希望保持自身独立性的国家和民族提供了全新选择，为解决人类问题贡献了中国智慧和中国方案.

The new understanding of the inherent movement laws of the socialist primary stage is also reflected in the analysis and assessment of the new development stage’s basic characteristics, main bases, essential meaning, major significance, historical mission, time span, and roadmap. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee proposed that after comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society and achieving the first centenary goal, we will seize the momentum to open a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and advance toward the second centennial goal, marking that our country has entered a new development stage. This important assertion defines the historical position and goal orientation of the new development stage from the dimension of modernization development stages. Meanwhile, General Secretary Xi pointed out: ‘The new development stage we are in today is a stage within the primary stage of socialism, and simultaneously a stage that has accumulated over several decades and has reached a new starting point.’ This clarifies the relationship between the new development stage and the primary stage of socialism, indicating that the new development stage still belongs to the category of the primary stage of socialism and is not a stage outside of it. 对社会主义初级阶段内在运动规律的新认识，还体现在对新发展阶段的基本特征、主要依据、精髓要义、重大意义、历史使命、时段时长、路线图等的分析和研判。党的十九届五中全会提出，全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后，我们要乘势而上开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程、向第二个百年奋斗目标进军，这标志着我国进入了一个新发展阶段。这一重要论断，从现代化发展阶段的维度对新发展阶段的历史方位、目标取向进行界定。同时，习近平总书记指出：“今天我们所处的新发展阶段，就是社会主义初级阶段中的一个阶段，同时是其中经过几十年积累、站到了新的起点上的一个阶段。”这厘清了新发展阶段与社会主义初级阶段之间的关系，表明新发展阶段仍属于社会主义初级阶段的范畴之中，并非社会主义初级阶段之外的阶段.

It is worth pointing out that both the new era and the new development stage are historical stages that contain the term ‘new’ in their names, and they have internal consistency. Their main social contradictions and goals have something in common, and their development periods overlap, but the two are not completely identical. Their differences are mainly reflected in the following two aspects: First, the historical starting point of the new era is earlier than the new development stage. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘Since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.’ This clarifies that the historical starting point of the new era is the 18th Party Congress. In January 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the opening ceremony of the special seminar for provincial and ministerial leaders to study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee: ‘The next 30 years will be a new development stage for us to complete this historical ambition.’ The new development stage begins after the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the realization of the first centennial goal. Therefore, in terms of time interval, the new era encompasses the new development stage. Figuratively speaking, if the new era is a big ‘step’, then the new development stage is a small ‘step’ within it. Secondly, from the perspective of the historical mission, the new era must complete the goals of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a socialist modern power in all respects, while the new development stage focuses on the goal of building a socialist modern power in all respects. 值得指出的是，新时代与新发展阶段都是冠以“新”的历史阶段，具有内在一致性，其社会主要矛盾、奋斗目标有共通之处，发展时段有交叉重叠，但两者并非完全等同。归纳起来，这种差别主要体现在以下两个方面：其一，新时代的历史起点早于新发展阶段。习近平总书记指出：“从党的十八大开始，中国特色社会主义进入新时代。”这明确了新时代的历史起点是党的十八大。2021年1月，习近平总书记在省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻党的十九届五中全会精神专题研讨班开班式上指出：“未来30年将是我们完成这个历史宏愿的新发展阶段。”新发展阶段始于全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后。因此，在时间区间上，新时代囊括了新发展阶段。形象地说，如果说新时代是个大“阶梯”，那么新发展阶段则是其中的小“阶梯”。其二，从承载的历史使命来看，新时代要完成全面建成小康社会和全面建成社会主义现代化强国等奋斗目标，而新发展阶段则聚焦全面建成社会主义现代化强国这个奋斗目标.

Kang finally ends with this:

General Secretary Xi has pointed out: ‘Any tendency to rush ahead of reality and surpass the current stage must be carefully avoided, and any outdated concepts and practices that lag behind actual conditions, ignore profound objective changes, and cling to old ways must be resolutely corrected.’ Accurately grasping and precisely assessing the stages and historical position of socialist development is the basic premise and realistic foundation for effectively carrying out socialist construction. Whenever the assessment of socialist development stages matches objective reality, the socialist cause will tend toward prosperity and vitality; whenever the judgment of socialist development stages exceeds or lags behind objective reality, the socialist cause will suffer setbacks and take more detours. Entering the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the CPC Central Committee, with Xi Jinping at its core, standing at China’s new historical position, based on profound summaries of historical experience and scientific analysis of national conditions, has proposed many innovative assertions regarding socialist development stages. These assertions are neither behind the times nor beyond the current stage, achieving original theoretical advancement of socialist development stages in the new era, providing fundamental grounds for clarifying the Party’s central tasks in the new era and new journey, and opening up broader space for the development of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics.” 习近平总书记指出：“任何超越现实、超越阶段而急于求成的倾向都要努力避免，任何落后于实际、无视深刻变化着的客观事实而因循守旧、固步自封的观念和做法都要坚决纠正。”准确把握和精准研判社会主义发展阶段及其历史方位，是有效开展社会主义建设的基本前提和现实基础。什么时候对社会主义发展阶段的研判契合客观实际，社会主义事业就会趋向勃兴、富有活力；什么时候对社会主义发展阶段的判断超越或滞后客观实际，社会主义事业就会遭受挫折、多走弯路。进入中国特色社会主义新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足我国发展新的历史方位，基于对历史经验的深刻总结和我国国情的科学分析，在社会主义发展阶段方面提出了诸多创新性论断。这些论断，既不落后于实际，也不超越阶段，实现了社会主义发展阶段理论在新时代的原创性发展，为我们明确新时代新征程党的中心任务提供了根本依据，为中国特色社会主义事业发展打开了更为广阔的空间.