Making progress while maintaining stability as the guideline for the work of the government

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping has, on many occasions at home and abroad, referred to making progress while maintaining stability as the guideline for the work of the government. At each session of the Central Economic Work Conference in the last few years, this has been set as the guideline for work to be carried out in the following year. At one such meeting in December 2016, this guideline was again emphasized as an important principle for the country’s governance and an effective approach to handling the economy.

As we pursue stability, we will focus on achieving steady economic performance, without sharp fluctuations in growth, employment, or prices, and without any regional or systemic risks in the financial sector. Stability is the principle that is important to our long-term goals. While maintaining stability, we need to make progress at the same time in key areas and to the extent that is possible.

When we make progress, we will focus on economic structural adjustment and further reform, to make progress in transforming our growth model and in innovation-driven development.

Stability and progress must happen at the same time in a stable economy and society, in order to create an environment for structural transformation and further reform. And substantive progress must be made in transformation and reform before we can expect positive and stable economic and social development.

穩中求進工作總基調

十八大以來，習近平總書記在國內外多個場合談及“穩中求進工作總基調”，近幾年的中央經濟工作會議也都將穩中求進作為第二年工作的總基調。2016年12月，中央經濟工作會議強調穩中求進工作總基調是治國理政的重要原則，也是做好經濟工作的方法論。堅持穩中求進工作總基調，“穩”的重點要放在穩住經濟運行上，確保增長、就業、物價不出現大的波動，確保金融不出現區域性系統性風險。“穩”是主基調，穩是大局，在“穩”的前提下要在關鍵領域有所進取，在把握好度的前提下奮發有為。“進”的重點要放在調整經濟結構和深化改革開放上，確保轉變經濟發展方式和創新驅動發展取得新成效。“穩”和“進”要相互促進，經濟社會平穩，才能為調整經濟結構和深化改革開放創造穩定宏觀環境；調整經濟結構和深化改革開放取得實質性進展，才能為經濟社會平穩運行創造良好預期。