Upholding and Developing Socialist Democratic Politics

3. Consolidate and develop the patriotic united front

The broad patriotic united front is an important part of the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Comrade Xi Jinping has made many important speeches on united front work, scientifically answering major questions such as why to adhere to the united front, what kind of united front to adhere to, and how to consolidate and develop the united front in the new era. For a long time, we have adhered to the important magic weapon of the patriotic united front. The united front is an important magic weapon for the CPC to win victories in the cause of revolution, construction and reform, as well as for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Whether from the perspective of historical experience or from the perspective of promoting reform and development, it is necessary to adhere to the patriotic united front for a long time.

The patriotic united front is the united front led by the Communist Party of China, and upholding the party’s leadership is the fundamental political guarantee for doing a good job in united front work. The party’s leadership over the united front is primarily political leadership, including leadership over political principles, political orientation, and major principles and policies. The essence of the patriotic united front is broad political unity, and its role lies in uniting all patriotic forces that can be united. The more the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics advances, the more it is necessary to gather the broadest forces. Adhering to the broadest patriotic united front can effectively pool the wisdom and strength of all parties, groups, nationalities, social strata, and people from all walks of life.

Firmly grasp the basic observance of the patriotic united front. Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: “To do a good job in united front work in the new situation, we must master the law, adhere to the principle and pay attention to the method.”1 First, to consolidate and develop the patriotic united front, we must always hold high the two banners of patriotism and socialism. These two banners are a conspicuous symbol of the consolidation and development of the united front since the reform and opening up, and are the political foundation of the patriotic united front in the new era. Second, to consolidate and develop the patriotic united front, we must firmly grasp the two major themes of great unity and great alliance. To win the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and start a new journey of building a modern socialist country in an all- round way, the sons and daughters of China need to unite and work together. The patriotic united front is to find the greatest common divisor and draw the largest concentric circle. Third, to consolidate and develop the patriotic united front, it is also necessary to grasp the basic laws. Properly handle the relationship between consistency and diversity. Fourth, to consolidate and develop the patriotic united front, it is also necessary to improve its working methods. Be good at networking, this is the basic way. “In a certain sense, whether the united front work is done well or not depends on whether the number of friends made, whether they are qualified or not, and whether they are iron enough. More or less is a matter of quantity, and whether it is qualified or not is a matter of quality. “2 Earnestly promote the key work of the patriotic united front in the new situation. On the basis of summing up the existing successful experience and combining it with the new practical requirements, the CPC has made a series of important arrangements for solidly advancing the united front work in various fields and constantly opening up a new situation in the party’s united front. First, persist in doing a good job in the work of democratic parties.

Accurately grasping the nature and positioning of democratic parties as socialist participating parties with Chinese characteristics, strengthening political consultations with democratic parties, and adhering to the basic principle of “long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, treating each other with all sincerity, and sharing honor and disgrace” are the basic guidelines established in the practice of long-term revolution, construction, and reform, and have long-term guiding significance. It is necessary to support democratic parties in strengthening their own construction, and help democratic parties focus on improving their ability to grasp politics, participate in and discuss state affairs, organize and lead, cooperate and work together, and solve their own problems. Second, comprehensively implement the party’s ethnic and religious policies. As a multi-ethnic country and a country with a large number of religious believers, it is very important for China to properly handle ethnic and religious issues for achieving long-term peace and stability in the country. It is necessary to adhere to the correct path of solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics, deepen education on national unity and progress, firmly establish the sense of the Chinese national community, strengthen exchanges, exchanges and blending among all ethnic groups, and “promote all ethnic groups to hug together like pomegranate seeds, work together in unity, and prosper and develop together.“1 Fully implement the party’s basic policy on religious work, fully implement the party’s policy on freedom of religious belief, manage religious affairs in accordance with the law, adhere to the principle of independence and self-management, actively guide religion to adapt to socialist society, adhere to the direction of Sinicization, and guide religious efforts to serve the promotion of economic development, social harmony, cultural prosperity, ethnic unity, and the reunification of the motherland.

Third, comprehensively do a good job in the work of all social strata. Since the reform and opening up, in addition to the traditional workers, peasants and intellectuals, a large number of new social strata have emerged, all of whom are important forces for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Doing a good job in the work of people from new social strata under the new situation is a new major issue entrusted by the times. It is necessary to enhance political consensus, make good use of network platforms, innovate work carriers, and better concentrate them on the cause of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The work of intellectuals outside the party has always been an important part of the party’s united front work, and it is necessary to follow the work line of strengthening education, grasping the ranks, and playing a role, strengthen ideological and political guidance, and give full play to the important role of intellectuals outside the party in promoting reform and development and maintaining social stability. It is necessary to build a new type of government-business relationship that is “pro” and “Qing”, and promote the healthy development of the non-public economy and the healthy growth of people in the non-public economy. Fourth, it is necessary to comprehensively do a good job in the work of overseas Chinese and the families of returned overseas Chinese.

Overseas Chinese and their families of returned overseas Chinese are also an important force in socialist modernization, and they also need extensive unity and joint efforts to work together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Section 3: Comprehensively advancing the rule of law Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has made a series of major decisions and put forward a series of major measures on the comprehensive rule of law, systematically answered the major theoretical and practical issues involved in the comprehensive rule of law, and comprehensively expounded the basic issues such as the positioning, goals, path, layout and policy of the rule of law, which has become a scientific guide for promoting the construction of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

1. Governing the country according to law is the basic way for the party to lead the people in governing the country

Law is the most important instrument of governance, and the rule of law is the basic way to govern a country. In the face of the new requirements for the development of the cause of the party and the country in the new era, the Communist Party of China has incorporated the comprehensive rule of law into the “four comprehensive” strategic layout. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that governing the country according to law is the basic way for the party to lead the people to govern the country, and endowed the rule of law with a basic and strategic position in governing the country.

Governing the country according to law is the essential requirement and important guarantee for adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a process of joint advancement of material, political, spiritual, social and ecological civilizations, and the improvement of the level of rule of law is not only the proper meaning of the question, but also the basic support running through it. Since the reform and opening up, the Communist Party of China has integrated the construction of the rule of law into the theory and practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which has become an important part of the modernization drive. In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the rule of law has a more important position and role in the overall work of the party and the state. Whether it is developing the socialist market economy, developing socialist democratic politics, building advanced socialist culture, building a socialist harmonious society, building a socialist ecological civilization, or properly responding to various complex contradictions and severe risks and challenges, it is more necessary to give play to the guiding and normative role of the rule of law, and it is more necessary to use the rule of law thinking and methods to carry out work.

It can be said that the results of governing the country according to law directly affect the process of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and only by giving full play to the important role of governing the country according to law can we ensure the smooth realization of the “two centenary goals” and continuously open up the bright prospects of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Governing the country according to law is an inevitable requirement for modernizing the national governance system and governance capacity. The rule of law is the rule of rules and systems. In modern society, rule of law is the main criterion for measuring the modernization level of national governance system and governance capacity, and it is also an inevitable requirement for realizing the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity. Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out, “The issue of rule of law and rule of man is a basic issue in the history of human political civilization, and it is also a major issue that all countries must face and solve in the process of realizing modernization.” Looking at the modern history of the world, there is not a single country that has successfully achieved modernization that has not solved the problem of rule of law and rule of man well. “1 In the face of the complex governance tasks of modern countries, to ensure the effective operation of all aspects of politics, economy and society, there must be rules and laws to follow, and rule of law thinking and methods must be used. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee focused on promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, clearly put forward important tasks such as safeguarding the authority of the Constitution and law, deepening the reform of the administrative law enforcement system, ensuring the independent exercise of judicial and procuratorial powers in accordance with the law, improving the operation mechanism of judicial power, and improving the judicial guarantee system for the people’s seal, so as to accelerate the pace of promoting the construction of a rule of law in China. Promoting the comprehensive rule of law is of vital significance to promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and then promoting the entire socialist modernization. Governing the country according to law is the fundamental guarantee for achieving long-term peace and stability in the country and the happiness and well-being of the people. History and reality have taught us that the rule of law must be relied upon to achieve long-term peace and stability in the country and the happiness and well-being of the people. China is a large country with a large population, vast territory, many ethnic groups and complex national conditions, and it is not easy for the Communist Party of China to govern such a large country, and it is not easy to ensure the long-term peace and stability of the country and the happy and healthy life of the people. Only by bringing the work of the party and the state into the track of rule of law, persisting in coordinating social forces, balancing social interests, regulating social relations, and regulating social behavior on the track of rule of law, can we make our society both vigorous and orderly in the midst of profound changes, achieve economic development, political clarity, cultural prosperity, social justice, and good ecology, and realize the strategic goals of China’s socialist modernization.

Similarly, only by adhering to the rule of law can we ensure that the people enjoy a wide range of rights and freedoms in accordance with the law, guarantee the people’s rights to equal participation and equal development in accordance with the law, punish criminal acts that harm the interests of the people in accordance with the law, safeguard social fairness and justice, and realize, safeguard and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people.