On October 16, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China opened, during which Xi Jinping delivered a report on behalf of the 19th Central Committee. Let us study together the “key terms” contained in the report.

　 　[Theme of the Conference]

　　The theme of the Congress is: Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the great spirit of founding the Party, remain confident and self-reliant, uphold fundamental principles while fostering innovation, forge ahead with unyielding determination and courage, and unite in striving to build a modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　 　[“Three Musts”]

　　The Communist Party of China has traversed a century of arduous struggle. Committed to the enduring cause of the Chinese nation and to the noble cause of world peace and development, our Party bears an immense responsibility and enjoys an unparalleled honor. All Party members must remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind; we must be modest and prudent, and strive hard with unyielding determination; we must dare to fight and be adept at fighting. We must strengthen our confidence in history, enhance our sense of historical initiative, and write a more splendid chapter of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

　 　[An Extremely Unusual and Extraordinary Five-Year Period]

　　The five years since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China have been an extraordinarily unusual and remarkable period. The Party Central Committee has coordinated the strategic overall plan for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with the unprecedented changes in the world over the past century, made major strategic arrangements for the development of the Party and the country, and united and led the entire Party, the armed forces, and all ethnic groups across the country in effectively responding to a severe and complex international situation and a succession of enormous risks and challenges, thereby advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era with a vigorous and enterprising spirit.

　 　[Three Major Events]

　　Over the past decade, we have witnessed three major events of profound contemporary significance and far-reaching historical impact for the cause of the Party and the people: first, the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China; second, the entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era; and third, the successful completion of the battle against poverty and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thereby achieving the First Centenary Goal.

　　 [The Great Transformations of the Past Decade in the New Era]

　　The momentous transformations of the past decade in the new era hold milestone significance in the history of the Party, the history of the People’s Republic of China, the history of reform and opening-up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the Chinese nation.

　　 [Ultimately, it comes down to two “yeses”]

　　Practice has shown us that the reason why the Communist Party of China is capable and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is superior ultimately lies in the fact that Marxism works—and, more specifically, that the sinicized and contemporary form of Marxism works. It is precisely because our Party is guided by the scientific theory of Marxism that we are able to maintain firm faith and conviction and to take the initiative in shaping history.

　　 [The Central Task of the Communist Party of China]

　　From this moment forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country in fully building a modern socialist power and achieving the Second Centenary Goal, thereby comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization.

　　 [Chinese Modernization]

　　Chinese modernization is socialist modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China; it shares common features with modernization in other countries, yet it also bears distinct Chinese characteristics rooted in China’s national conditions.

　　— Chinese modernization is modernization on a massive scale.

　　— Chinese modernization is modernization that delivers common prosperity for all the people.

　　— Chinese modernization is a modernization that balances material and cultural progress.

　　— Chinese modernization is a model of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

　　— Chinese modernization is modernization that follows the path of peaceful development.

　　The essential requirements of Chinese modernization are: upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China; adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics; achieving high-quality development; developing whole-process people’s democracy; enriching the spiritual world of the people; realizing common prosperity for all the people; promoting harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature; advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind; and creating a new form of human civilization.

　　 [The Critical Period for the Initial Stages of Fully Building a Modern Socialist Country]

　　The next five years will be a crucial period for making the initial strides in fully building a modern socialist country.

　　 [Five “Adherences”]

　　China’s development has entered a period characterized by the coexistence of strategic opportunities and risks and challenges, as well as an increasing number of uncertain and hard-to-predict factors. “Black swan” and “gray rhino” events can occur at any time. We must strengthen our sense of potential danger, adhere to bottom-line thinking, remain vigilant in times of peace and prepare in advance, and be ready to withstand major tests marked by turbulent conditions and even overwhelming storms. On the road ahead, we must firmly uphold the following major principles.

　　— Uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership.

　　— Upholding the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

　　— Upholding the development philosophy of putting the people first.

　　— Uphold and deepen reform and opening up.

　　— Uphold and carry forward the spirit of struggle.

　　 [Accelerating the Establishment of a New Development Paradigm]

　　It is imperative to fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, uphold the direction of socialist market-economic reform, adhere to high-standard opening-up, and accelerate the establishment of a new development pattern in which the domestic circulation serves as the mainstay and the domestic and international circulations reinforce each other.

　　[Key Focus Areas for Economic Development]

　　We will steadfastly focus on the real economy in our efforts to develop the economy, advance new industrialization, and accelerate the building of a manufacturing powerhouse, a quality powerhouse, a spacefaring powerhouse, a transportation powerhouse, a cyber powerhouse, and a digital China.

　　 [Implementing the Strategy of Rejuvenating the Country through Science, Education, and Technology]

　　We must steadfastly uphold the principles that science and technology are the primary productive forces, talent is the primary resource, and innovation is the primary driving force; thoroughly implement the strategies of rejuvenating China through science, education, and talent, as well as the strategy of innovation-driven development; pioneer new areas and new tracks for development; and continuously cultivate new drivers and new advantages for growth.

　　Uphold innovation’s central role in China’s overall modernization drive. Improve the system of unified leadership by the Party Central Committee over science and technology work, strengthen the new national system for major scientific and technological initiatives, bolster China’s strategic scientific and technological forces, optimize the allocation of innovation resources, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system.

　　 [Whole-Process People’s Democracy]

　　Whole-process people’s democracy is the essential attribute of socialist democratic politics and represents the broadest, most genuine, and most effective form of democracy. We must unswervingly follow the path of political development with Chinese characteristics and uphold the organic unity of Party leadership, the people being the masters of the country, and law-based governance.

　　 [Comprehensive Law-Based Governance]

　　Governing the country in all respects according to law is a profound revolution in state governance, bearing on the Party’s governance and rejuvenation, on the people’s happiness and well-being, and on the long-term stability and security of the Party and the country. We must better leverage the safeguarding role of the rule of law in consolidating fundamentals, stabilizing expectations, and delivering long-term benefits, and advance the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country on the track of the rule of law.

　　 [Cultural Confidence and Self-Reliance]

　　To comprehensively build a modern socialist country, we must uphold the path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics, strengthen our cultural confidence, and strive to build a strong socialist culture by holding high the banner, rallying public support, cultivating new generations, revitalizing culture, and enhancing China’s international image. We will develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific, and popular—oriented toward modernization, the world, and the future—stimulate the cultural innovation and creative vitality of the entire nation, and bolster the spiritual strength needed to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　 　[Benefiting the People]

　　There is a constant principle in governing a country: putting the people’s interests first. Bringing benefits to the people is the essential requirement of our Party’s commitment to serving the public good and governing for the people. We must steadfastly ensure and improve people’s livelihoods through development, encourage collective endeavor to create a better life, and continuously realize the people’s aspirations for a better life.

　　 [Improving the Distribution System]

　　Uphold the principle of distribution according to work as the mainstay, while allowing for a variety of distribution methods to coexist, and establish a coordinated and complementary institutional framework encompassing primary, secondary, and tertiary distribution. Strive to increase the share of household income in national income distribution and the share of labor compensation in primary distribution. Adhere to the principle that greater effort yields greater rewards, encourage hard work as the path to prosperity, promote equality of opportunity, raise the incomes of low-income groups, and expand the middle-income group. Regulate the order of income distribution, standardize mechanisms for wealth accumulation, protect legitimate income, moderate excessively high incomes, and outlaw illegal income.

　　[Promoting Green Development]

　　Nature is the fundamental condition upon which humanity depends for its survival and development. Respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature are intrinsic requirements for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. We must firmly establish and put into practice the philosophy that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” and plan development from the perspective of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

　　 [Overall National Security Concept]

　　National security is the foundation of national rejuvenation, and social stability is the prerequisite for national strength. We must unswervingly implement the holistic approach to national security, integrate the safeguarding of national security into every aspect and stage of the Party’s and the state’s work, and ensure both national security and social stability.

　　 [New Security Landscape]

　　We must uphold the principle of putting people’s security first, regard political security as the fundamental pillar, economic security as the foundation, military, technological, cultural, and social security as the safeguards, and the promotion of international security as the supporting framework. We should coordinate external and internal security, territorial security and national security, traditional and non-traditional security, as well as our own security and common security; integrate the maintenance and shaping of national security; consolidate the grassroots foundations for national security and social stability; improve mechanisms for participating in global security governance; build a China that is safer at a higher level; and use a new security architecture to underpin a new development paradigm.

　　 [Ushering in a New Era of Modernization of National Defense and the Military]

　　Achieve the centenary goal of building a strong military and usher in a new phase of modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

　　Achieving the centenary goal of building a strong military on schedule and accelerating the development of the People’s Armed Forces into a world-class military are strategic imperatives for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. We must implement the Party’s thought on strengthening the military in the new era, adhere to the military strategy guidelines for the new era, uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over the People’s Armed Forces, and steadfastly pursue political strengthening of the military, reform-driven strengthening, science-and-technology-driven strengthening, talent-driven strengthening, and law-based governance of the military. We must simultaneously engage in struggle, prepare for war, and carry out development; promote the integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization; accelerate the modernization of military theory, military organizational forms, military personnel, and weapons and equipment; enhance our strategic capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests; and effectively fulfill the missions and tasks of the People’s Armed Forces in the new era.

　　 “Upholding and improving ‘One Country, Two Systems’ and advancing national reunification”

　　“The ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle is a great innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the optimal institutional arrangement for ensuring the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao after their return; it must be upheld over the long term.”

　　Uphold and implement the Party’s overarching strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, firmly grasp the initiative and dominant position in cross-Strait relations, and unswervingly advance the great cause of national reunification.

　　The issue of Taiwan is entirely China’s own affair and must be decided by the Chinese people themselves. We remain committed to pursuing the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and exerting our greatest efforts; at the same time, we will never renounce the option of employing force and reserve the right to take all necessary measures. Such measures are directed solely against external interference and the tiny minority of “Taiwan independence” separatists and their secessionist activities—not against the broad masses of our compatriots in Taiwan. The historic tide of national reunification and national rejuvenation rolls inexorably forward; complete reunification of the motherland must be achieved, and it certainly can be achieved!

　　 [Community with a Shared Future for Mankind]

　　China has put forward the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and stands ready to work with the international community to implement them. We earnestly call on all countries to champion the common values of humanity—peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom—foster mutual understanding and affinity among peoples, respect the diversity of world civilizations, and use exchanges among civilizations to transcend divides, mutual learning to overcome clashes, and coexistence to dispel notions of civilizational superiority, so as to jointly address the myriad global challenges we face. The Chinese people are committed to joining hands with peoples around the world to usher in a brighter future for humanity.

　　 [The New Great Project of Party Building in the New Era]

　　The key to comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies with the Party. As the world’s largest Marxist ruling party, our Party must always win the support of the people and consolidate its long-term governance; to this end, it must remain clear-headed and steadfast in addressing the unique challenges faced by a large party. All Party members must bear in mind that the comprehensive and rigorous governance of the Party is an ongoing process, as is the Party’s self-revolution; we must never afford to slacken or take a break, nor succumb to fatigue or war-weariness. We must persevere in advancing the comprehensive and rigorous governance of the Party and in deepening the new great project of Party building in the new era, using the Party’s self-revolution to lead social revolution.

　 　“The Five Indispensable Paths”

　　The entire Party must bear in mind that upholding the Party’s overall leadership is the only path to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics; that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only path to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; that unity and struggle are the only path for the Chinese people to create monumental achievements in history; that implementing the new development philosophy is the only path for China’s development and growth in the new era; and that exercising full and rigorous self-governance is the only path for the Party to forever maintain its vitality and dynamism and to successfully navigate the new “exam” ahead.

　 　[Strategic Work]

　　When the youth are strong, the nation is strong. Today’s Chinese youth are living in a golden age, with an unprecedentedly broad platform for showcasing their talents and an exceptionally bright prospect for realizing their dreams. The entire Party must treat youth work as a strategic priority, arming young people with the Party’s scientific theories, inspiring them with the Party’s original aspiration and mission, and serving as their trusted confidant, enthusiastic advocate, and guiding mentor.