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Edited and Translated by People's Daily Online The white paper on "China's Peaceful Development" released by the Chinese government on Sept. 6 has reset the scope of China's core interests, with "China's political system established by the Constitution and its overall social stability" and "the basic safeguards for ensuring sustainable economic and social development" incorporated into China's core interests for the first time. The revision of the scope is the practical conclusion of China's core interests. There have always been discussions at home and abroad about to what extent the reform will affect China’s basic political system and about whether reform should be advanced at the expense of sacrificing the social stability to some extent. The white paper has clearly included them into China’s core interests, making a major clarification and declaration. The difficulties in reform lie in not only its process but also its direction. We need to set a direction and place some limitations for reform, both of which run substantial risks. The awareness of the necessity of social stability should be developed based on observing numerous lessons relating to social instability. The related words in the statement made by the Chinese government on Sept. 6 seem short, yet they are the conclusion of a variety of "reforms" and "revolutions" across the world over the past several decades. China must constantly advance the reform of its political system, but the goal of political reform is not to overthrow China’s basic political system but rather make the political system more efficient and turn it into a practical tool for serving the people. Furthermore, reform must constantly develop and realize the ideals of the people's republic. Because China's political system was established in a rough manner and is under much influence of the old times, reform involves huge and complicated contents and is virtually always under way. It is irresponsible for China's destiny and people's well-being to advocate hasty changes in China's basic political system. China has spent more than 60 years changing the destiny of the Chinese nation, and we are not sure whether there is a political system more fit to China. It would be risky for Chinese people to exchange the peace of a generation or even several generations for a "political utopia." The current external conditions for China's reform are not as good as they were in the 1980s. As China and the West are entering into competition, hoping or promoting China's demise by "reform" is already an open policy of the West, which is increasingly disturbing China's reform. China needs to speed up reform according to its own demands while avoiding deviation — under the influence of the West — from the direction of reform. It is not easy to make accurate judgments at every critical point and skillfully adjust the speed of reform and its direction. Chinese society needs to reach a common understanding on the basic reform direction and the nation's core interests. China's current ways for seeking social consensus are too old, while emerging view exchange platforms are more inclined to provide opportunities to break common ideas. China faces both space and resistance to reach consensus. The latest statement of the Chinese government about core interests provides at least important political support for society to increase common understanding. Although there are many sayings like this, the clear attitude from the government helps eliminate confusion in society and dispel unrealistic attempts. Chinese society depends on the government's resolute support to reach consensus. |
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