China in transition needs four consensuses

Author(s): Chen Baosheng

Source: People's Daily, November 14, 2012

An interview with Chen Baosheng, vice president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee

People’s Daily (“PD” for short): What kind of “consensus” does today’s China need the most?

Chen: At present, four consensuses are most needed, namely the consensus on reform and opening up, consensus on social harmony, consensus on the Scientific Outlook on Development, and consensus on distinct Chinese characteristics.

PD: What are so special about these four consensuses?

Chen: Because of reform and opening-up, the Chinese economy has maintained rapid average annual growth of around 10 percent over the past 30 years. China should unswervingly continue the reform and opening-up, so its systems and mechanisms will be more mature.

China is promoting the most complex modernization process in human history. From the perspective of demographic structure alone, there are more than 200 million migrant workers living a hard life in cities, 185 million aging populations, and more than 500 million netizens in the country. How could it promote modernization under such complex national conditions without social harmony?

China cannot sustain the path of extensive development that is highly dependent on human and natural resources anymore. It needs to take the Scientific Outlook on Development as a long-term guiding theory.

The West used to claim that socialism and the market economy cannot be integrated. However, China has combined the two, and created a 30-year economic miracle. When the West starts to take a new look at China, the Chinese people also need to obtain a clear understanding of their own country.

PD: How can we build consensus effectively?

Chen: Building consensus is not denying difference, but seeking common ground while reserving differences.

The starting point of building consensus is to resolve social conflicts because the biggest barrier affecting the initiative of the masses is the unfairness in income distribution and procedures. Diversified interest groups are inevitable but unfair distribution of interests will lead to contradiction. Therefore, the consensus for reform is to establish a fair distribution system.

The consensus on social harmony is to guarantee and improve the people's livelihood, which is the fundamental measure to benefit the masses with the fruits of reform.

In addition, it must further deepen the reform of political system to approach the goal of reform that anyone can do what they want to do within the law and make a hit by means of their ability.