Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 4, 2025

On the Methodological Principles of Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively

(Abstract)

Huang Jianjun

To advance comprehensive deepening of reform, it is imperative to be guided by a scientific worldview and methodological framework. On this new journey, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has articulated a series of new ideas, perspectives, and conclusions concerning the overarching goals and tasks of reform. These embody key modes of thought and approaches to governance, including “putting the people first,” “upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground,” “problem-oriented approach,” “systematic integration,” and the “unity of abolishing the old and establishing the new,” thereby contributing original insights to the Marxist worldview and methodology. More specifically, Xi employs profound philosophical reasoning, a sweeping historical perspective, and a strategic vision of long-term development. He adheres to dialectical materialism’s view of material reality, using the principle of “maximum objective reality”—seeking truth from facts to anchor reform in objective conditions. From the perspective of historical materialism, he emphasizes a people-centered approach as the fundamental principle, affirming that reform must be rooted in, reliant upon, and beneficial to the people. Drawing on the dialectical method of interconnectedness, he adopts a systems approach to promote integrated reform planning and strategic coordination. By applying the dialectical understanding of contradiction, he adopts a problem-oriented framework that identifies key reform areas through a “problem list” and insists on addressing both root causes and symptoms in a unified manner. Finally, he upholds the Marxist theory of practice, emphasizing implementation and results, and promoting the integration of theoretical planning with practical execution. These methodological principles embedded in Xi Jinping’s important statements on furthering reform provide a scientific guide and an actionable roadmap for comprehensively deepening reform.