Chinas Reform and Opening Up Begins | Generated by AI
The Communiqué of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (《十一届三中全会公报》), held in December 1978, is a landmark document in modern Chinese history. This meeting marked a turning point in China’s political, economic, and social development, setting the stage for the country’s reform and opening-up policies.
Key Points of the Communiqué
1. End of the “Two Whatevers” Policy
- The meeting rejected the rigid “Two Whatevers” policy (“凡是毛主席作出的决策，我们都坚决维护；凡是毛主席的指示，我们都始终不渝地遵循”), which had stifled political and economic progress after Mao Zedong’s death.
- It emphasized the need for pragmatism and truth from facts (实事求是), allowing for a reassessment of past policies and mistakes.
2. Shift in Economic Focus
- The Communiqué called for a shift from class struggle to economic development as the central task of the Party.
- It laid the groundwork for market-oriented reforms, decentralization, and the introduction of a “socialist market economy” in later years.
3. Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Campaigns
- The meeting initiated the rehabilitation of officials and intellectuals who had been persecuted during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976).
- This included the restoration of Deng Xiaoping’s leadership role, who became the de facto leader of China’s reforms.
4. Emphasis on Democracy and the Rule of Law
- The Communiqué stressed the importance of democratic centralism and the rule of law to prevent future political chaos.
- It called for strengthening legal institutions and protecting citizens’ rights.
5. Opening-Up to the World
- The meeting signaled China’s intention to engage with the global economy and learn from foreign experiences, setting the stage for the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and foreign investment policies of the 1980s.
Legacy
- The Third Plenum is often regarded as the beginning of China’s “Reform and Opening-Up” era, which transformed China into the world’s second-largest economy.
- It marked the end of Maoist orthodoxy and the start of a more pragmatic, development-oriented approach under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership.
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