Xinhua News Agency Commentator: The Only Correct Path to National Strength and National Rejuvenation

　　BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) — Title: The Only Correct Path to National Strength and National Rejuvenation — A Second Commentary on Deeply Understanding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

　　Xinhua News Agency Commentator

　　“Chinese modernization is both viable and sustainable, and it represents the only correct path for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.” At the opening ceremony of the seminar on studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly elucidated the significant importance of the Chinese path to modernization and thoroughly revealed its scientific essence, thereby injecting powerful ideological and practical momentum into our efforts to study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and to correctly understand and vigorously advance Chinese modernization.

　　One knows the difficulty only after experiencing it; what seems easy often proves arduous. Since the founding of New China, and particularly since the launch of reform and opening-up, our Party has united and led the people in accomplishing, in just a few decades, an industrialization process that took Western developed countries centuries to complete. This has given rise to the remarkable achievements of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, opening up vast prospects for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, building on past successes, our Party has continued to advance, consistently achieving innovative breakthroughs in both theory and practice, and successfully promoting and expanding Chinese modernization. Our understanding has deepened steadily: we have formulated Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, marking a new leap in the sinicization and contemporary adaptation of Marxism and providing the fundamental guiding principle for Chinese modernization; we have further refined our grasp of the essence and core attributes of Chinese modernization, articulating its distinctive features, essential requirements, and major principles, and have begun to construct a coherent theoretical framework that makes Chinese modernization clearer, more scientific, and more tangible and attainable; strategically, we have continuously improved our planning, furnishing solid strategic underpinnings for Chinese modernization; and in practice, we have enriched its implementation, driving historic achievements and transformative changes across the Party and the country, thereby securing more robust institutional safeguards, a stronger material foundation, and a more vigorous spiritual force for advancing Chinese modernization. Along this journey, Chinese modernization has set the stage for the irreversible historical process of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese people are advancing with unshakable confidence in the great leap forward—moving from standing up, to becoming prosperous, to growing strong. Today, we are closer than ever before in history—and more confident and capable—of achieving the goal of national rejuvenation.

　　History and practice have amply demonstrated that the path of Chinese modernization is not only viable and steady but also increasingly broad and promising. On this new journey, by steadfastly advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, we will surely continue to create new developmental miracles and make fresh, even greater contributions—both to our own development and to the well-being of the world.

　　For a country to achieve modernization, it must not only follow the general principles of modernization but also align with its own national conditions and forge a path with distinctive national characteristics. Throughout human history, no nation or country has ever attained strength and rejuvenation by relying on external forces, blindly copying foreign models, or merely following in others’ footsteps. Chinese‑style modernization is firmly rooted in China’s reality, tailored to its specific circumstances; it shares common features with modernization in other countries, yet it also boasts distinct characteristics shaped by China’s unique national conditions. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly articulates five defining features of Chinese‑style modernization: it is modernization on an enormous scale; it is modernization that delivers common prosperity for all the people; it is modernization that balances material and spiritual progress; it is modernization that fosters harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature; and it is modernization that follows the path of peaceful development. These features profoundly illuminate the scientific essence of Chinese‑style modernization. They constitute both a theoretical synthesis and a practical imperative, charting a broad and promising course toward building a great modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　　Chinese modernization is the fruit of the long-term practice and exploration of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people, and it is a great yet arduous undertaking. Precisely because it is so arduous, it is all the more magnificent; precisely because it is so arduous, its glory shines even brighter. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, let us unswervingly follow the only correct path of Chinese modernization—this path that leads to national strength and national rejuvenation—remain steadfast in upholding the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic policy, firmly maintain confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture, and adhere to independence and self-reliance. We must stay true to our course and unwavering in our resolve, neither retracing the old road of isolation and rigidity nor taking the dangerous detour of changing banners and principles. We must ground our national and ethnic development in our own strength and keep the destiny of China’s development and progress firmly in our own hands, continuously securing new victories in the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country.