Xi Jinping Thought: New guiding principle

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One of the highlights of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the amendment to the party constitution. This conference has enshrined “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” as the supreme guiding principle. New Era refers to a new phase of development, which marks a sharp difference with the past.

Advance with the Times

The CPC says the Constitution conforms to the needs of its theoretical innovation, practice, and development.

Professor Shen Chuanliang from the Central Party School. /CGTN Photo

Professor Shen Chuanliang from the Central Party School has been studying the Party history for some two decades. His focus is the new stage.

He says to put the Party’s latest thoughts on governance into the charter in order to consolidate consensus. And putting the breakthrough theoretical achievements and practical experience into the charter will help promote the whole country’s development in the New Era with the new tasks.

Shen Chuanliang says putting “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” into the party constitution shows the significance of its core position and historic role. This new Thought carries a vast spectrum of meanings.

It makes clear the Party’s overarching goal, strategy, and policies for rejuvenation to make a strong, modern country by the middle of the century.

These include the change of the principal contradiction, fostering confidence in the path, law-based governance, building a strong military, and new types of international relations. Certain principles are mandatory, like the Party’s leadership in all work, a people centered-approach, deepening reforms, and a new vision for growth.

The closing session of the 19th CPC Party Congress, where delegates unanimously approved CPC charter amendments. /CGTN Photo

“This amendment is based on the Party’s previous thoughts, to provide new ideas and solutions in dealing with new challenges and contradictions of society, which enters into the new era,” Shen Chuanliang says.

Evolution of Thoughts

Every congress has a historic mission and leaves a legacy that changes China dramatically.

Delegates of the 19th Party Congress took photos in front of of the Great Hall of the People. They each provided a proposed list of candidates for the new Central Committee. /CGTN Photo

Mao Zedong Thought helped the CPC win political power and established the New China. Deng Xiaoping’s Black or White Cat Theory broke barriers, ushering in opening up and economic growth. Jiang Zemin’s Three Represents Theory irreversibly transformed the formation of the Party, to also include private entrepreneurs. And Hu Jintao’s Scientific Outlook on Development shifted the growth model.

Now Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era redefines social contradictions, resets the goal.

Delegates of the 19th Party Congress took photos in front of the Great Hall of the People. They each provided a proposed list of candidates for the new Central Committee. /CGTN Photo

Professor Shen says revision is a CPC tradition in advancing with the times. Nearly every Party Congress has amended the charter.

Once the new theoretical thoughts are enshrined, they could lead the country in an irreversible direction. And for the next generation of the world’s largest political party, they will be the ones to carry on communism in China’s New Era.