Fourth, we need to strengthen the Party's overall leadership over China's modernization drive.

The defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and its most prominent trait is its integration of theoretical and practical innovation and institutional and cultural confidence, all of which imbue socialism with Chinese characteristics with great political, theoretical, institutional, and cultural strengths for promoting development. We should implement the guiding principles of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee in tandem with those of its Fourth Plenary Session to continue modernizing China's system and capacity for governance, and combining the strengths of overall Party leadership and Chinese socialism with those of the new development philosophy in order to realize Party leadership over socialist modernization through better defined functions, more sophisticated systems, and more efficient management.

How well we implement the guiding principles of the Fifth Plenary Session will have a bearing on the overall development of our Party and country for the next five years, fifteen years, and beyond. The Recommendations for Formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and Long-Range Objectives through the Year 2035, which were adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session, are rich in content. They incorporate overarching approaches, principles, and strategies as well as detailed requirements, and include strategic decisions that we have been implementing since the CPC's 18th National Congress as well as new major judgments and strategic moves. It is going to require a considerable effort to master this material. If we don't have a thorough understanding of it, we will overlook the essential points and fail to achieve anything of practical value during implementation. Officials at all levels, particularly those in high-ranking positions, need to go through the Recommendations line by line. After acquiring a general understanding, they should delve into the key points and new ideas, and following our fine tradition of linking theory with practice, apply these to the present reality and the long-term horizon to give full play to their enthusiasm, initiative and creativity.

I have mentioned on many occasions that officials in high-ranking positions should be Marxist statesmen and that officials at every level must be politically discerning. Not long ago, I reiterated this point at a meeting of Party members in leadership positions held by the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau. Economic work is not abstract or isolated, but concrete and connected to the whole. Officials at all levels, particularly high-ranking ones, must act in accordance with the overarching strategy of national rejuvenation and the overall context of once-in-a-century world change, continue to enhance their capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation, and bear in mind the fundamental interests of our country. They should consistently strengthen their political ability, strategic foresight, and professional competence with regard to understanding the new development stage, applying the new development philosophy, and creating a new development dynamic. They must willingly shoulder their responsibilities and take effective action to implement the Central Committee's decisions and plans.

To lead China, a major country in the East with over one billion people, in achieving modernization, our Party must adhere to the principles of seeking truth from facts, pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and promoting coordinated development. We must plan in a more farsighted, comprehensive, and strategic fashion so that advances are made on all fronts and a balance is ensured between the quality, structure, scale, speed, performance, and security of development. In building a modern socialist country in all respects, we will leave no region or ethnic group behind; at the same time, due to significant regional disparities and the unbalanced nature of development, it is not possible to synchronize the modernization processes of all regions, and we should encourage and support regions with the right conditions to take the lead in modernization so as to pave the way for others.

With the Chinese New Year just around the corner, local Party and government officials should go the extra mile in epidemic prevention and control and in ensuring ample supplies, people's basic needs, and security and stability. We should take timely, specific, and practical measures to defuse risks in order to ensure a peaceful and joyous social atmosphere. We must firmly persist with routine epidemic control, thoroughly implement all prevention and control measures, and act swiftly to effectively deal with any sporadic cases. We should conduct a full investigation of social problems, strengthen analysis and assessment to attain a proper understanding of all potential risks, and take action to guard against and defuse these risks. We need to ensure energy and material supplies and transportation safety during the Spring Festival. We should enhance the crime prevention and control systems and crack down on illegal and criminal activities that affect the lives and property of our people to ensure social stability. We must act as soon as possible to resolve problems that could lead to public disturbances such as overdue payments for construction projects and wage arrears owed to rural migrant workers.

Comrades, I often recall a remark that Deng Xiaoping made in 1992. He said, "If we can make China a moderately developed country within a hundred years from the founding of the People's Republic, that will be an extraordinary achievement. The period from now to the middle of the next century will be crucial. We must immerse ourselves in hard work: we have difficult tasks to accomplish and bear a heavy responsibility." Now, that heavy responsibility has fallen to us, and we must shoulder it with courage and determination. We must unite our people and lead them in working hard in a down-to-earth way to make achievements that are worthy of the Party, the people, and history.

*This was a speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at a seminar for provincial and ministerial level officials on studying and implementing the guiding principles of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, January 11, 2021.