Modernizing the national governance system and capabilities

Modernizing the national governance system and capabilities

At its third plenary session held on November 9-12, 2013, the 18th CPC Central Committee stated that the overarching goal of comprehensively expanding in-depth reform is to refine and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to modernize the national governance system and capabilities. The governance system and capabilities of a country are embodied in its institutions and the ability of its institutions to execute.

China's national governance system, led by the Party, is a system of institutions for managing the country. These include economic, political, cultural, social, ecological and Party development mechanisms and institutions, as well as laws, regulations and plans. These are a complete set of tightly linked and coordinated national institutions.

China's national governance capabilities are defined by its ability to use these institutions to manage various aspects of society, including reform, development and stability; internal affairs, foreign relations and national defense; and governance of the Party, the nation and the armed forces.

These institutions and their capabilities are mutually complementary and holistically integrated; there must be a good governance system in order to improve governance capabilities, and capabilities must be improved if institutions are to be fully effective. Promoting their modernization means adapting to changing times and reforming institutions, laws and regulations which are unsuited to the needs of development, while at the same time constantly establishing new institutions, laws and regulations, so that all institutions become more scientific and more complete, thereby making the governance of the Party, of the nation and of the society more institutionalized, more standardized and more procedure-oriented.

More emphasis must be given to strengthening governance capabilities:  – Work must be done according to more clearly-defined institutional guidelines;

– There must be a stronger awareness of acting in accordance with the law;  – We must be adept at using institutions and laws to manage the country;

– All institutional strengths should become national governance capacities; and  – The Party's ability to govern scientifically, democratically and in accordance with the law must be improved.

Modernizing the national governance system and capabilities is a requirement for refining and developing Chinese socialism, and it is necessary for achieving socialist modernization.

国家治理体系和治理能力现代化

2013年11月召开的党的十八届三中全会提出，全面深化改革的总目标是完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度，推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。国家治理体系和治理能力是一个国家制度和制度执行能力的集中体现。国家治理体系是在党领导下管理国家的制度体系，包括经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明和党的建设等各领域体制机制、法律法规安排，也就是一整套紧密相连、相互协调的国家制度；国家治理能力则是运用国家制度管理社会各方面事务的能力，包括改革发展稳定、内政外交国防、治党治国治军等各个方面。国家治理体系和治理能力是一个有机整体，相辅相成，有了好的国家治理体系才能提高治理能力，提高国家治理能力才能充分发挥国家治理体系的效能。推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，就是要适应时代变化，既改革不适应实践发展要求的体制机制、法律法规，又不断构建新的体制机制、法律法规，使各方面制度更加科学、更加完善，实现党、国家、社会各项事务治理制度化、规范化、程序化。要更加注重治理能力建设，增强按制度办事、依法办事意识，善于运用制度和法律治理国家，把各方面制度优势转化为管理国家的效能，提高党科学执政、民主执政、依法执政水平。推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，是完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度的必然要求，是实现社会主义现代化的应有之义。