BEIJING -- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a symposium on May 20 at Zhongnanhai in Beijing to solicit views and suggestions of non-CPC personages on drafting a resolution to further comprehensively deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization. The symposium was attended by leaders from the central committees of other political parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), and personages with no party affiliation. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech. Xi said that the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided to convene the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee to discuss arrangements for further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization, and to make a resolution in this regard. The decision was made out of consideration for the new situation and new tasks faced by the Party and the country on the new journey. It was meant to thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, make systematic planning and arrangements for further comprehensively deepening reform, and provide strong impetus and institutional guarantees for achieving the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.

Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang attended the symposium.

Those who took the floor at the symposium included Zheng Jianbang, chairman of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, Ding Zhongli, chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, Hao Mingjin, chairman of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association, Cai Dafeng, chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, He Wei, chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, Jiang Zuojun, chairman of the Central Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party, Wu Weihua, chairman of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society, Su Hui, chairperson of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, Gao Yunlong, chairman of the ACFIC, and Piao Shilong, a representative of personages without party affiliation. They fully agreed with the draft resolution of the CPC Central Committee on further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization, and agreed that it scientifically planned major measures for further comprehensively deepening reform, clarified the guiding ideology, objectives, principles and key tasks of reform at the new historical starting point, and was of great theoretical, practical and epoch-making significance. They also put forward opinions and suggestions on stimulating economic vitality, creating a new paradigm for coordinated regional development, promoting high-quality population growth, developing new quality productive forces, deepening the reform of the medical and health system, overcoming institutional barriers in talent cultivation, establishing a fin-tech system that caters to scientific and technological innovation, boosting joint efforts between state-owned and private enterprises in innovation, advancing high-level opening up, and promoting integrated development across the Taiwan Strait.

After attentively listening to their speeches, Xi delivered an important address. He first introduced the considerations of the CPC Central Committee for further deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization to be reviewed at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and drafting process of the document. He emphasized that they are consistent practices and fine traditions of the CPC Central Committee to promote democracy, draw on the wisdom of the people, and widely solicit opinions from various sectors when studying major issues and formulating documents for important meetings. Entrusted by the CPC Central Committee, the United Front Work Department sought opinions and suggestions from non-CPC personages on issues concerning the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in December last year. They put forward a lot of opinions and suggestions on what has been achieved in comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, and the general targets of work and important principles that must be followed in this regard. Their opinions and suggestions are also about targets and tasks as well as measures to be adopted in various fields in deepening reform. They also suggested on how non-CPC personages should play their roles in this regard. Xi appreciated the opinions and suggestions non-CPC personages put forward at the meeting, and extended gratitude to them on behalf of the CPC Central Committee. He said that their opinions and suggestions will be seriously studied and adopted.

Xi stressed that it is imperative for us to face problems in comprehensively deepening reform. It is imperative to be more conscious of problems, adopt a problem-oriented approach, focus on the needs for development and respond to what the people aspire for. It is essential to work hard to overcome the bottlenecks and obstacles constraining high-quality development, address the hot issues that go against social fairness and justice, respond to the challenges and difficulties regarding people's well-being, solve the prominent problems concerning Party building, and defuse risks in all areas, so as to ensure that the reform is more targeted and effective. Both the symptoms and root causes must be addressed, with focus on addressing root causes. Not only should great efforts be made in all areas, so that the reform measures will cover all prominent problems that need to be solved to advance Chinese modernization, but also should more concrete actions be taken with focus on the economy to remove deep-rooted barriers in institutions and mechanisms and address structural problems.

Xi noted that more consensus should be built to further deepen reform comprehensively. It is imperative to fully stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the entire Party and nation, and ensure that they are of one mind and make concerted efforts. It is necessary to encourage investigation and research, implement the Party's mass line, understand people's needs, and seek people's advice. It is imperative to respect the creativity of the people and the grass roots, strive to identify key areas where efforts should be intensified and breakthroughs made for reform from the most pressing difficulties and problems that are of great concern to the people, and boost people's sense of fulfillment and identity. It is also imperative to promote democracy, draw on the wisdom of the people, make reform policies more scientific, and strengthen the implementation of such policies.

Xi stressed that it is a must to stick to systems thinking and adopt a holistic outlook while planning and promoting reform. Efforts must be made to strengthen strategic and dialectical thinking, prioritize urgent issues, and pay more attention to system integration. It is imperative to strengthen the coordination of reform measures, promote reform measures across fields and in all aspects towards one direction, and increase overall efficiency. It is imperative for all relevant areas, departments, and sectors to jointly promote reform, and they should be resolutely prevented from going their own ways and constraining each other.

Xi pointed out that reform requires careful planning and even more importantly, effective implementation of plans and policies. It is essential to hammer away at implementing policies and plans for reform. Officials should have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well and come up with down-to-earth and effective solutions that deliver real results. It is imperative to resolutely prevent and overcome pointless formalities, and avoid engaging in vanity projects that are only for show and projects for personal political gains that waste money and manpower. Efforts should be made to formulate a sound plan for appropriately and timely implementing policies in a targeted way, do the best and act within capabilities, and avoid being divorced from reality. It is imperative to stay true to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and pay attention to establishing the new before abolishing the old, and not the other way round. It is important to strengthen organizational leadership, effectively assign responsibilities, improve the ability and level of leading teams and leading officials at all levels in implementing reform measures, and ensure that the reform decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee yield results.

Li Ganjie, Li Shulei, Li Hongzhong, He Lifeng, Zhang Guoqing, Chen Wenqing, Wang Xiaohong, Mu Hong, and leading officials from relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attended the symposium.

Those non-CPC personages also present at the symposium included Shao Hong, He Baoxiang, Wang Guangqian, Qin Boyong, Zhu Yongxin, Yang Zhen, Zhang Endi, Jiang Liping, Fang Guanghua and Yang Huayong.