Editor's note: The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China concluded with a blueprint mapped out for China's future development in the next five years and beyond. CGTN is publishing "How China Works – Charting the Future," a special series delving deep into a key report adopted at the congress to see how the country can fulfill the goals and tasks on the new journey of the new era.

While sharing some common characteristics with other countries, our modernization has some unique features adapted to the realities of China.

First, our modernization is for a huge population. Success in modernizing a country of 1.4 billion people – a population that exceeds in size the combined total of all the developed countries – will completely change the international landscape and have a far-reaching impact on humanity.

Second, our modernization aims at common prosperity for everyone, which is an essential requirement of Chinese socialism. Committed to the people-centered philosophy of development in our drive for modernization, we have proactively addressed regional divides, disparities between urban and rural areas, and the gap in income distribution. We have promoted social fairness and justice, worked towards common prosperity for all our people, and stood firmly against polarization between rich and poor.

Third, our modernization balances material and cultural-ethical progress. It upholds the core socialist values, strengthens education on ideals and convictions, spreads splendid traditional culture, boosts people's moral strength, and fosters material abundance and the well-rounded development of all.

Fourth, our modernization features a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. When we modernize our country, we strive to synergize material and eco-environmental progress, and follow a path of sound development that ensures growth, better lives and a good environment; otherwise the pressure on resources and the environment will simply become unbearable.

Fifth, our modernization follows a path of peaceful development. Some of the old capitalist countries pursued modernization through violent exploitation of colonies and at the cost of other countries development. In contrast, our modernization emphasizes mutual benefit with other countries, strives for a global community of shared future, and works to deliver peace and development to humanity.

Past experience shows that the Chinese path to modernization fits China's realities. It respects the laws governing the development of socialism and human society. We should press ahead with our modernization to drive forward our national rejuvenation and contribute more to humanity.

(Source: Part of Xi Jinping's speech at the second full assembly of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, October 29, 2020.)

This episode is presented by Dou Hongyu.