On the morning of November 20, the theoretical study task force of the CPC leadership group of MOFCOM held an expanded group study session in order to achieve a deep understanding of the guiding principles of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. Zhong Shan, Secretary of the CPC leadership group of MOFCOM and Minister of Commerce, presided over the meeting, and according to the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, made a speech in the light of commerce work on the topic of "Studying and Implementing the Guiding Principles of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to Contribute to a Good Start of the Building of a Modernized Socialist Country”. MOFCOM’s ministerial officials in Beijing spoke one by one to share what they have learned. Head of the policy research office of the CPC Central Committee’s committee on the work of central CPC and state organs attended the session to provide guidance.

Zhong Shan studied and publicized the guiding principles of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in the light of the achievements in commercial development in the 13th five-year-plan period and the approaches to commercial development during the 14th five-year-plan period. He touched upon achieving a deep understanding of the significance of the fifth plenary session, and the significance, favorable conditions and important features of China's entering a new stage of development, an accurate understanding of the long-range objectives through the year 2035 and the guidelines, main objectives and key tasks of China's development during the 14th five-year-plan period, and a clear understanding of the strategic envision and key aspects of fostering a new development paradigm, as well as upholding the leadership of the CPC across the board and mobilizing all resources to unite as one and strive for the realization of the 14th five-year plan and the long-range objectives through the year 2035.

Attendees believe that the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee is an important meeting held when the timeframes of the two centenary goals converge and when the world is undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century. The fifth plenary session is of systemic and historic significance. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the plenary session is far-sighted and inspiring, giving a coherent answer to a series of fundamental and strategic major issues about our way forward, creatively putting forward many new ideas, new perspectives, new assertions and new requirements, and providing basic guidelines for promoting high-quality development, fostering a new development paradigm and securing new victories in building a modernized socialist country across the board. The proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 adopted at the plenary session are a master plan guiding us as we embark on a new journey towards fully building a modern socialist country and march towards the second centenary goal, as well as an action guideline for China's economic and social development in the next five years and even beyond.

Zhong Shan underlined that studying and implementing the guiding principles of the important speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the plenary session is a major political task for MOFCOM at present and for some time to come. To fulfill this political task, we should organize well-designed activities with members of the CPC leadership group of MOFCOM and the MOFCOM leadership taking the lead, and party organizations at all levels and all party members and officials studying in depth and implementing in full the guiding principles. We should study in earnest the guiding principles of the fifth plenary session, adopt new methods to improve the quality and ensure the efficacy of this process, and align thoughts and actions with the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans. We should gain a sound, accurate and deep understanding of the guiding principles to get better prepared for implementing the new development concept and contributing to the building of a new development paradigm. We should implement the guiding principles in full, apply what we learn in our work on commerce and step up strategic planning to do a good job in formulating and implementing plans for the commercial development in the 14th five-year period.

The meeting required that MOFCOM should rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, follow the guide of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core, and keep in alignment, fortify confidence in the socialist path, theories, system and culture with Chinese characteristics, uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. The overall leadership of the Party in commerce should be strengthened. Efforts should be made to implement the spirit of the 5th Plenary Session in all aspects and the whole process of commerce. MOFCOM will promote the implementation of the strategy of expanding domestic demand, improve the modern commercial circulation system, facilitate consumption upgrade, and ensure a smooth domestic circulation; it will promote high level of opening up to the outside world, stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment, and ensure a smooth dual-cycle of the domestic and international circulations. Going forward, MOFCOM will take the lead and make more contributions to promoting high-quality development, creating the new development paradigm, and embarking on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country.

The meeting was attended by departments of MOFCOM, members of the leadership of the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision of the PRC at MOFCOM, heads of the units directly under MOFCOM in Beijing, as well as some directors and young officials below the director level at MOFCOM.