China’s 'Great Leap' of reform and opening up

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04:30

“The Great Leap”, the third episode of the political documentary “The Path to Prosperity”, features the responses given by China and the Communist Party of China (CPC) while facing with a dramatically changed world and newly rising challenges.

The reform and opening-up policy of 40 years ago has propelled the country to become a richer and stronger nation. But China has been faced with various problems as well, such as the environmental pollution, educational inequality, safety of food and drugs and more, meaning a comprehensive and deepened reform process is necessary.

In November 2013, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed a plan on comprehensively deepening reform in fields such as economics, politics, culture, society, ecological environment.

The plan covers 336 projects in 15 sectors, and is considered by many as “the most ambitious reform plan” of the world today.

China's GDP growth slowed down to 7.9 percent in 2012, dropping from 8 percent for the first time after entering the 21st century. Many traditional industries have been struggling in the brink of deficit. On the meanwhile, the blooming consumption demands could not be fulfilled.

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of “New Normal” for the first time, urging for upgrading the economic structures and shifting to a new driving force for the economy. The supply-side structural reform has given the country an answer to “what should be done” during this phase of development.

The ecological progress, which is crucial to the sustainable development of a country, has also become an important part of the reform. In 2013, the haze that lasted for over 20 days in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area not only bothered the residents and raised their concerns, but also highlighted the contradictions between the economic development and the environmental carrying capacity.

By announcing that “clear water and green mountains are the treasure we should cherish,” Xi Jinping's thought on ecological progress was also taking shape and being enriched.

Nowadays, China's ideas on environmental protection have not only provided the country with new vitality, but also provided new inspiration and experience that the world can learn from.

With all the reforms underway, the starting point and the destination of all the strategies and measures are still the people.

At the same time of deepening reforms, China has also embraced the world with new and wider gestures. The country now has a total of 12 pilot free trade zones across the country, covering an area of over 36,000 square kilometers.

The 19th CPC National Congress of the CPC concluded in October 2017, with Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, outlined the priorities and a blueprint for the Two Centenary Goals at the landmark 19th CPC National Congress.

Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China is now more committed to high-quality development toward the goal of building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.