The Premise, Overall Plan and Goals of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics 

The premise, overall plan and goals of socialism with Chinese characteristics were articulated on November 8, 2012, at the 18th National Congress of the CPC. The premise is that China is in the primary stage of socialism. The "primary stage of socialism" describes the fundamental national conditions and fundamental realities prevailing in contemporary China. The CPC and the Chinese government must at all times be fully aware of these conditions, and any efforts to promote reform and development must be firmly rooted in these realities. It is not only economic development that must be appropriate for the primary stage; this requirement applies equally to political, cultural, social and ecological development. We must bear in mind the stage we are at not only when total economic output is low, but also once it has increased. This must be borne in mind not only when drawing up long-term development plans, but also in the course of day-to-day work.

The overall plan for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics encompasses economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development – Overall Plan for Development in Five Areas. Chinese socialism develops every aspect of socialism. It will continue to make economic development the core and, on the basis of continuous economic development, promote political, cultural, social, ecological and other areas of development in a coordinated way. 

The goals of Chinese socialism are to achieve socialist modernization and the great renewal of the Chinese nation. Since it was founded, the CPC has taken the mission of realizing this great renewal. It has led the people in revolution, reconstruction, and reform, so that they can become prosperous, so that the country can become stronger, so that Chinese nation can be revitalized, and so that China can, in accordance with its strategic plan for modernization, become a modern socialist country which is wealthy, strong, democratic, cultured and harmonious.

建設中國特色社會主義的總依據、總布局、總任務

2012年11月8日，中共十八次全國代表大會提出建設中國特色社會主義的總依據、總布局、總任務。中國特色社會主義總依據是社會主義初級階段。社會主義初級階段是當代中國的基本國情、基本實際。中國共產黨和中國政府在任何情況下都要牢牢把握這個國情，推進任何方面的改革發展都要牢牢立足這個實際。不僅在經濟建設中要始終立足初級階段，而且在政治建設、文化建設、社會建設、生態文明建設中也要始終牢記初級階段；不僅在經濟總量低時要立足初級階段，而且在經濟總量提高后仍然要牢記初級階段；不僅在謀劃長遠發展時要立足初級階段，而且在日常工作中也要牢記初級階段。

中國特色社會主義總布局是經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設、生態文明建設“五位一體”。中國特色社會主義是全面發展的社會主義，堅持以經濟建設為中心，在經濟不斷發展的基礎上，協調推進政治建設、文化建設、社會建設、生態文明建設以及其他各方面建設。

中國特色社會主義的總任務是實現社會主義現代化和中華民族偉大復興。中國共產黨從成立那天起，就肩負著實現中華民族偉大復興的歷史使命。中國共產黨領導人民進行革命建設改革，就是要讓中國人民富裕起來，國家強盛起來，振興中華民族，按照現代化建設的戰略部署，把中國建設成為富強民主文明和諧的社會主義現代化國家。