Pushing forward reform crucial to ensure nation advances on path to modernization: China Daily editorial

The symposium President Xi Jinping chaired in Jinan, Shandong province, on Thursday, demonstrates the nation's resolve to further deepen reform across the board in response to the internal and external uncertainties in its development environment, with efforts centering on advancing the country's modernization.

Representatives from businesses and academia attended the symposium and put forward opinions and suggestions on topics including the development of venture capital investment, the upgrading of traditional industries, the improvement of the corporate governance of private enterprises and the optimization of the business environment for foreign enterprises.

The symposium once again demonstrated the central leadership's consistent commitment to conducting in-depth research and soliciting opinions from various parties before making major decisions and formulating important documents.

After hearing the participants' remarks, Xi instructed relevant departments to study the opinions and suggestions put forward, and delivered an important speech on not only the problems they touched upon but also some key issues regarding the current reform efforts, an endeavor which he emphasized entails prioritizing people's interests and bearing the big picture of the country's modernization in mind.

History has proved and will continue to prove that reform is the driving force for China's national development. And that reform is a challenging endeavor as it is akin to sailing against the current. It allows for no slackening or respite.

The complex international and domestic situations, the new round of scientific and technological advances and the ongoing industrial transformation, as well as the new expectations of the people should all serve to spur the nation to be agile in adapting reform to the changing circumstances.

Only through reform can quality productive forces be continuously developed; only through reform can social vitality be constantly enhanced; only through reform can the national governance system be modernized to keep pace with the times.

To that end, as Xi urged, the country should give full play to its institutional advantages and better transform them into national governance effectiveness. In the process, the reformers must face squarely the hard-core tasks, and demonstrate their courage and ability to address the urgent and most difficult challenges, and strive to break through deep-seated institutional obstacles and structural contradictions.

Doing the right thing is always harder than the opposite. After more than 40 years of reform, the undertaking has now entered a no-man's land, which leaves the reformers no ready experience to draw on or models to follow. On the way ahead, the nation should fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

In the process of reform, there can be no bystanders. It is the whole nation's dedication to that endeavor and hard work in the right direction that will ensure the country makes steady progress on the Chinese path to modernization.