Promote the Four-Pronged Strategy*

December 13, 2014-January 29, 2016

I

We should implement the guiding principles determined by the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the third and fourth plenary sessions of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013 and 2014, and the Central Conference on Economic Work in 2014. We should familiarize ourselves with and adapt to the new normal of economic development, making comprehensive moves to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, to further reform, to advance the rule of law, and to strengthen Party discipline. In this way, we can push reform and opening up and socialist modernization to a higher level.

(from a speech during a fact-finding trip to Jiangsu Province,
December 13-14, 2014)

II

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, we have committed ourselves to comprehensive moves to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. This Four-pronged Strategy tackles the major problems currently affecting the Party and the country. In implementing this strategy, we should attend to both general planning and specific, critical problems. For example, we have formulated an overall plan to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, while emphasizing that the measurement for moderate prosperity lies in the rural areas; we have created a top-level design for furthering reform, while promoting targeted reforms in key areas and links; we have designed systematic plans for advancing the rule of law, while emphasizing a Chinese-style socialist rule of law system; we have committed to strengthening Party discipline, while improving Party conduct and upholding integrity, striving to eliminate the Four Malfeasances¹ that are so strongly opposed by the public, so as to ensure officials do not dare to be, are not able to be, and do not want to be corrupt. In every aspect of our work, we should address both major and minor problems and both major and minor aspects of a problem, while focusing on major issues and major aspects of a problem. Different problems cannot be solved by undifferentiated measures.

(from the speech at the 20th group study session of the Political
Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, January 23, 2015)

III

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, with a view to upholding and developing Chinese socialism, the CPC Central Committee has formulated the Four-pronged Strategy that consists of four tasks: to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, to further reform, to advance the rule of law, and to strengthen Party discipline. This strategy contains one goal and three measures, with each task being of major strategic importance. Specifically, to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects is our strategic goal, which, when realized by 2020, will mark a major step in our national development; prior to this, all of our hard work will focus on this goal. The other three moves represent the major strategic measures that must be taken to realize this target. None of the three can be neglected. Without further reform, our development will lack momentum, and our society will have no vitality. Without advancing the rule of law, state affairs and social life will not run in an orderly way, and it will be difficult to achieve social harmony and stability. Without strengthening Party discipline, the Party will not be "a good blacksmith to forge good tools", and it will be difficult for the Party to play its role as the core of leadership.

This Four-pronged Strategy shows the importance of advancing the rule of law. Unless we succeed in this we will not be able to govern the country well, and our strategy will come to nothing. We need to understand this element in the framework of the Four-pronged Strategy, fully understand the relationship between the rule of law and the other three, and work to ensure the four moves complement and promote each other.

(from the speech at a study session on implementing the decisions of
the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee
and advancing the rule of law, attended by officials at the
provincial/ministerial level, February 2, 2015)

IV

We should make comprehensive moves to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. This Four-pronged Strategy was created to meet the practical needs of national development, to meet the highest expectations of the people, and to solve the prominent problems we are facing. The United Front² has its own strength and should contribute to implementing the Four-pronged Strategy.

(from the speech at the celebration of the Spring Festival with
prominent non-CPC individuals, February 11, 2015)

V

Over the past two years, proceeding from the reality of China's development and adhering to a problem-solving approach, we have formed an overall strategy to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. This is China's governance strategy in the new era, and an important guarantee for realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

(from the speech at the meeting with members of Board of Directors
of Boao Forum for Asia, March 29, 2015)

VI

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee, with the aim to uphold and develop Chinese socialism, has put forward an overall strategy - to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. This strategy specifies the strategic goal and the strategic measures of the Party and the country in the new era, providing theoretical and practical guidance for realizing the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

(from the speech at a meeting celebrating May 1st International
Labor Day and commending national model workers, April 28, 2015)

VII

Currently, China is making comprehensive moves to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. The country has initiated a strategic goal and the measures for national governance in the new era.

To complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects is our current strategic goal, and a key step in realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. We will continue to focus on economic development, striving to build a moderately prosperous society which ensures that the people benefit from the achievements of reform in a real sense and which propels economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress. We will further reform, modernize our national governance system and capacity, and promote sustainable and sound social and economic development. We will make coordinated efforts to develop the law-based governance of the country, the law-based exercise of state power, and the law-based administration of government; adopt a holistic approach to building a country, a government and a society where the rule of law applies; and ensure that a well￾conceived approach is taken to legislation, that the law is enforced strictly, that justice is administered impartially, and that the law is observed by everyone. We will improve the conduct of the CPC, enhance its capacity to improve and reform itself, maintain a tough stance against corruption and show zero tolerance, and improve systems and governance capacity.

(from the speech at the Seventh BRICS Summit, July 9, 2015)

VIII

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, to realize the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, and proceeding from the reality of China's development, we have put forward the Four-pronged Strategy - to complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects, further reform, advance the rule of law, and strengthen Party discipline. To complete a moderately prosperous society in all respects is the first step and a key step to achieve our goal. By then, China's economic aggregate will reach nearly US$17 trillion and the people's living standards will see a remarkable improvement.

To reach our goal, we must further reform, and modernize the national governance system and capacity. Now we are pushing reform steadily forward. To drive reform to a deeper level, we must open wider to the outside world, providing a more open, inclusive, and transparent environment for foreign investment, and provide more space for our cooperation with other countries including the US. At the same time, we are advancing the rule of law, together with furthering reform; these form the "wings" of moderate prosperity. The CPC is a political party serving the people wholeheartedly, and must maintain close ties with the people. Therefore, to run the country well we must first run the Party well, and to run the Party well we must run it strictly. We must combat malfeasances and corruption within the Party, and deal with both "tigers" and "flies"³ in our fight against corruption, so as to win popular support. We will continue to fight corruption in accordance with the law and institutional checks, and build a law-based political environment in which officials do not dare to be, are not able to be, and do not want to be corrupt.

(from the speech at the reception given by overseas Chinese
in Seattle, the United States, September 23, 2015)

IX

The Four-pronged Strategy contains both the strategic goal and the strategic measures, each of the four points having its own strategic significance. It provides the general principles by which the CPC should govern China in the current era, and the overall strategy concerning the long-term development of the Party and the country. To promote social and economic development in the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020), we must meet the strategic goal of completing a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and focus on the three strategic moves - furthering reform, advancing the rule of law, and strengthening Party discipline. The four points complement, facilitate, and benefit each other.

(from the speech at the 30th group study session of the Political
Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, January 29, 2016)

* Excerpts from speeches made between December 13, 2014 and January 29, 2016.

Notes 

¹  This refers to going through the motions, excessive bureaucracy, self-indulgence, and extravagance. 

²  This refers to the political union formed by various social and political forces, including social classes and strata, political parties and groups, and even ethnic groups and nations, based on their common interests, to achieve a common goal under certain historical conditions. – Tr. 

³  This refers to senior and junior officials guilty of corruption. – Tr.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)