'Four Comprehensives' light up the future

Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd R, rear), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R rear), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (4th R, rear) attend a gathering with people from non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliation in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 22, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Four Comprehensives are CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping's ideological directive for governance based on China's experiences and social changes. Consisting of comprehensively building a well-off society, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively implementing the rule of law and comprehensively strengthening the Party's discipline, the Four Comprehensives manifest the CPC Central Committee's political wisdom and political evaluation in response to the significant concerns of the Party and people of all ethnic groups in China, as well as shows the Party's innovative governing capacity under the new circumstances.

Comprehensively building a well-off society is one of the strategic objectives the Party is determined to achieve by 2020, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. Comprehensively deepening reform is the significant strategic decision made by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. Comprehensively implementing the rule of law was included in the strategy at the Fourth Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which advanced that rule of law is a prerequisite as well as guarantee for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. And comprehensively strengthening Party discipline was added to the strategy at the Sixth Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which also set a clear direction for strictly governing the Party.

The closely connected Four Comprehensives form a mutually beneficial organic whole. Logically, comprehensively building a well-off society is the goal, while comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively implementing the rule of law and comprehensively strengthening Party discipline are concrete measures to achieve that goal.

Comprehensively deepening reform is the basis of comprehensively building a well-off society; it also provides the necessary momentum for comprehensively implementing the rule of law and comprehensively strengthening Party discipline.

Comprehensively implementing the rule of law is the necessary requirement and prominent symbol of comprehensively building a well-off society, and the legal guarantee for comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively strengthening Party discipline.

Comprehensively strengthening Party discipline is critical to achieving the goals of comprehensively building a well-off society, comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively implementing the rule of law. By strengthening intra-Party discipline, the CPC aims to become a much more efficient and effective political organization, so that it can comprehensively bring about social changes for the betterment of the people.

The Party leadership is the fundamental basis of realizing the Four Comprehensives, while comprehensively strengthening Party discipline is the premise on which the Party aims to promote the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Therefore, the Four Comprehensives are complementary and parts of an indivisible overall strategy, which explores a broader path for the future.

Experiences since the launching of reform and opening-up show the road to socialism with Chinese characteristics is the development path that best suits China's actual situations, as its distinguishing features are continuous exploration, improvement and development.

The Four Comprehensives, which in fact are a combination of Marxism and Chinese practices, are an innovative governing strategy of the CPC for the new era.

In other words, the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy is the scientific summary of the CPC's experiences as a ruling party. Which makes it not only the new strategy of the Party and country to guide China's development, but also the blueprint for the Chinese Dream and the action plan to achieve success on the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Besides, the strategy can also be seen by other countries and regions as the Chinese model for sustainable development.

The author is deputy director of the Center for Anti-corruption Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing.