Building a socialist market economy
A socialist market economy is inseparable from a basic socialist system. Effective alignment of the two, so as to take full advantage of a socialist system and tap the full potential of market mechanisms in resource allocation, is key to developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Over the past 40 years, since the rollout of reform and opening up, economic structural reform has been a gradual process of developing a socialist market economy, a process that has gone through stages of testing, implementation, and continuous improvement. It is a process focused on rationalizing the relationship between the government and the market.
In 1992, the 14th CPC National Congress affirmed that the objective of China’s structural economic reform was to build a socialist market economy, and to allow the market to play a basic role in resource allocation under the macro control of the state. This move showed that the Party had incorporated the concept of market economy into socialism. A related decision was adopted by the 14th CPC Central Committee at its third plenary session in November 1993. The ensuing 20 years witnessed continuous attempts to find the right balance in the relationship between the government and the market. The market’s basic role in resource allocation under the macro control of the state was reaffirmed by the 15th National Congress. The 16th National Congress floated the idea of giving the market more latitude in playing its basic role in allocating resources. The 17th National Congress highlighted the need to allow the market to better play its basic role in allocating resources through necessary institutional changes. The 18th National Congress reaffirmed the need to let the market play a greater role in resource allocation. The third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee emphasized the market’s decisive role in resource allocation and the importance of improving the functions of the government. These policy adjustments point to the fact that the key to further structural economic reform remains the correct balance in the relationship between the government and the market.
建立社会主义市场经济体制
社会主义市场经济体制是同社会主义基本制度结合在一起的。实现社会主义基本制度与市场经济的有机结合，把社会主义的制度优势和市场经济配置资源的优势都发挥好，是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义一项极其重j要的内容。中国改革开放40年来，经济体制改革最主要的内容就是社会主义市场经济体制从探索到建立再到不断完善的过程，其核心是理顺政府与市场的关系。
1992年，党的十四大提出中国经济体制改革的目标是建立社会主义市场经济体制，要使市场在国家宏观调控下对资源配置起基础性作用，标志着中国共产党把市场经济写在了社会主义的旗帜上。1993年11月召开的党的十四届三中全会通过了《中共中央关于建立社会主义市场经济体制若干问题的决定》。此后20多年时间里，中国一直在根据实践寻找政府和市场关系新的科学定位。党的十五大提出“使市场在国家宏观调控下对资源配置起基础性作用”，党的十六大提出“在更大程度上发挥市场在资源配置中的基础性作用”，党的十七大提出“从制度上更好发挥市场在资源配置中的基础性作用”，党的十八大提出“更大程度更广范围发挥市场在资源配置中的基础性作用”。十八届三中全会提出要使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用和更好发挥政府作用，这说明全面深化经济体制改革的核心问题仍然是处理好政府和市场的关系。