The Political Bureau of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held on Thursday afternoon its fourth group study session on the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

While presiding over the session, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, stressed that this group study session will set an example for the entire Party to further advance the study and implementation of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as part of the theoretical study program to consolidate Party members' understanding in theories.

Liu Guozhong, Li Ganjie, Li Shulei, He Weidong, and Chen Min'er, who are all members of the Political Bureau, shared what they have achieved with the group from studying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, explaining what impact the study has on their own thinking and work.

After listening to the speakers, Xi made an important speech. He pointed out that studying and implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the fundamental requirement for us to break new ground to advance our causes and pursue development on the new journey in the new era. One important piece of experience drawing from our Party's historical achievements and remarkable successes is to always equip our Party with the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to Chinese context and the needs of the times and use them to guide our practice and advance our work. Facing the complex international and domestic situation, arduous tasks of promoting reform and development, and maintaining stability, and various uncertain and unpredictable risks and challenges on the new journey in the new era, it is urgent for Party members and officials, especially leading officials at all levels, to further study and implement to the letter the Thought in order to achieve the strategic goals set at the 20th CPC National Congress. This primarily explains why the CPC Central Committee has decided to launch this Party-wide theoretical study program.

Xi stressed that for every step forward in the Party's theoretical innovation, theoretical study must follow suit. The Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been developed for 10 years. Along with this journey, we have also encouraged the entire Party to study it for 10 years and achieved notable results. However, the task of theoretical study remains daunting. The theme of this study program has been decided to be the study and implementation of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, so as to encourage the whole Party, especially leading officials, to continuously further their study and implementation of the Thought.

Xi pointed out that the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era covers all realms and respects, including reform, development, social stability, domestic affairs, foreign relations, national defense, and governance of the Party, the state, and the military, which constitute a complete scientific system. As the report to the 20th CPC National Congress has clarified, the main contents of this Thought are summarized in the 10 affirmations, the 14 commitments, and achievements in 13 areas. We should not only study and master the main contents comprehensively and systematically, but also grasp the theoretical system of this Thought as a whole, so as to understand it inside out. We must understand and grasp the new ideas, thoughts, and strategies proposed for various fields and the specific requirements put forward for various aspects of work in the context of the entire theoretical system, so that one-sidedness with only fragments of the Thought being learnt can be avoided, and we will never fail to see the wood for the trees.

Xi emphasized that to thoroughly study and understand the Thought, we must also grasp its worldview, methodology, and the stances, viewpoints and methods running through it. In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, a science-based method was put forward for continuing to promote theoretical innovation, that is, we must put people first, must maintain self-confidence and stand on our own feet, must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, must adopt a problem-oriented approach, must apply systems thinking and maintain a global vision. These "six musts" epitomize the stances, viewpoints and methods of the Thought. Only if we gain an accurate command of the stances, viewpoints and methods of the Thought, including the six musts, can we better understand the essence of the Thought, have right thinking and methods for doing things, keen vision of situations, ability to analyze issues profoundly, and do our work with precision and ease.

Xi noted that studying the Thought is for application and turning it into a powerful intellectual tool to transform ourselves and the world. During this theoretical study program, Party members and officials, especially leading officials at all levels, must consciously involve their own thoughts in it, and gain a good command of the requirements of the Party's new theories for maintaining firm ideals and convictions, raising their ideological level and enhancing their Party consciousness, which includes never forgetting the original aspiration and founding mission, bearing in mind the country's most fundamental interests, improving political acumen, understanding and capacity to deliver, being strict in practicing self-cultivation, using power and exercising self-discipline, being earnest in thinking, work and behavior, being faithful, clean and responsible and being pragmatic and honest for the sake of the people, so as to preserve the political character of Communists forever. In particular, we should transform the Thought's worldview and methodology as well as the stances, viewpoints and methods running through it into our own ideological tool, internalizing them in our hearts and manifesting them in our actions.

Xi pointed out that the Party's new theories should be applied to the implementation of the major strategic plans put forward at the 20th CPC National Congress. We should be good at applying the Thought in observing, understanding and steering the trends of the times, better implement the national rejuvenation strategy within a wider context of the once-in-a-century changes taking place in the world, have a profound insight into time and momentum as well as crisis and opportunity, and actively identify, respond to, and steer changes. We should be good at using this Thought to make new progress and breakthroughs in promoting modernization through a Chinese path, strengthen political leadership, enrich strategic support, expand practical paths, solve problems hindering development, and stimulate vitality, to make the Chinese modernization more distinct in its Chinese characteristics, more prominent in its strengths, and brighter in its prospects. We should also be adept at using the Thought to solve various problems in economic and social development, so as to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, speed up the creation of a new development pattern, advance high-quality development and promote common prosperity. We should be adept at utilizing this Thought to forestall and defuse major risks, enhance the sense of vigilance, be prepared for worst-case scenarios and contingencies, always save for a rainy day, be prepared against possible war, be proactive in taking precautionary measures, preempt and nip risks in the bud, resolutely prevent various risks from spiraling out of control and guard against systemic risks. We should also be adept at utilizing this Thought to further advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, always stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large political party like ours faces, pay attention to solving the new problems that arise and deep-seated problems that exist, so as to ensure that the Party will never change its nature, its conviction, or its character.

Xi emphasized that comrades in the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee should set an example during the theoretical study program. It is an effective management and work method for leading officials to set examples through their own conduct and influence the subordinates. They should set a higher standard, meet stricter requirements and take more practical measures in the program in order to set examples, establish benchmarks and lead the way for the whole Party. They should take the lead in doing a good job on the theoretical study, guiding and promoting an in-depth study of the Thought among the whole Party. They should also take the lead in conducting inspections and researches, go to the grassroots to see the real situation and communicate with the people, and be more conscious of problems so as to get a clear picture of the situation, pinpoint the problems, put forth right solutions, and put forward new line of thought and new approaches for solving problems with a view to guiding and promoting the trend of conducting inspections and researches among the Party. They should take the lead in conducting inspections and examinations and rectifying misdeeds detected. Study, examinations and rectifications should be well integrated. In line with the new circumstances, new tasks and new responsibilities, they should integrate the theoretical study with examinations and rectifications to identify their own shortcomings and deficiencies in work, place themselves under supervision from within and outside the Party with correct attitude, conscientiously carry out criticism and self-criticism, make efforts to solve problems from the root cause of thinking and institutional mechanism, so as to do a good job in examinations and rectifications within the whole Party and win public trust with specific results from rectifications. They should take the lead in organizing the theoretical study program in the regions and areas under their jurisdiction, perform their duties well, know well how the study is going on, make efforts to detect symptoms of potential problems and tendentious problems. They should do their work in a down-to-earth manner to make sure that they do not deviate from the right direction and their work intensity remains strong, so that the theoretical study will be carried out in a solid manner and concrete results will be achieved.