Socialism with Chinese Characteristics 

An important proposition on how to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics was first clearly enunciated by Deng Xiaoping in his 1982 speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th National Congress of the CPC. He emphasized the importance of integrating the universal truths of Marxism with China's realities, pursuing a path of our own, and building a socialist society with Chinese characteristics. Since then, the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics has become the clear theme of all theory and practice of the CPC. There are four aspects of Chinese socialism: its path, theories, system and culture. The Chinese socialist path is the one which must be taken to achieve socialist modernization, the only one which can guide the Chinese people in creating a good life for themselves. 

Chinese socialist theories are guiding the Party and the people along the Chinese socialist path as they realize the great renewal of the Chinese nation, and are scientific theories in the forefront of their times and advancing with the times. 

The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics provides the fundamental institutional guarantees of China's development and progress, advanced institutions with distinctively Chinese features, clear institutional strengths, and a powerful capacity for improving themselves. 

The culture of Chinese socialism crystallizes the deepest aspirations and the most distinctive traits of the Chinese spirit, and it is a powerful driving force for the Chinese people as they move forward.

In its integration of theory and practice, socialism with Chinese characteristics has systematically answered the basic question of what type of socialism can be established in a large East Asian country like China, with its vast population and weak foundations, and how this socialism should be developed. At present, its premise for development is that China is in the primary stage of socialism; its approach is to employ an Overall Plan for Development in Five Areas which encompasses economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development; its goal is to achieve socialist modernization and the great renewal of the Chinese nation. The most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC.

中國特色社會主義

1982年，鄧小平在中共十二大開幕詞中指出“把馬克思主義的普遍真理同我國的具體實際結合起來，走自己的路，建設有中國特色的社會主義”，第一次鮮明提出建設中國特色社會主義的重大命題。此后，建設中國特色社會主義就成為中國共產黨全部理論和實踐的鮮明主題。中國特色社會主義包含道路、理論體系、制度和文化四個層面。中國特色社會主義道路是實現社會主義現代化的必由之路，是指引中國人民創造自己美好生活的必由之路。中國特色社會主義理論體系是指導黨和人民沿著中國特色社會主義道路實現中華民族偉大復興的正確理論，是立于時代前沿、與時俱進的科學理論。中國特色社會主義制度是當代中國發展進步的根本制度保障，是具有鮮明中國特色、明顯制度優勢、強大自我完善能力的先進制度。中國特色社會主義文化積淀著中華民族最深層的精神追求，代表著中華民族獨特的精神標識，是中國人民勝利前行的強大精神力量。中國特色社會主義，從理論和實踐結合上系統回答了在中國這樣人口多底子薄的東方大國建設什么樣的社會主義、怎樣建設社會主義這個根本問題。當前，建設中國特色社會主義，總依據是社會主義初級階段，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”，總任務是實現社會主義現代化和中華民族偉大復興。中國共產黨的領導是中國特色社會主義最本質的特征。