The Five-sphere Integrated Plan

At its Sixth Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee in 1986, the CPC introduced an overall scheme of China’s development, that is, taking economic development as the key link, continuing to reform the political structure, and speeding up the country’s cultural and ideological progress. At its 13th National Congress, the Party defined a master plan of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, integrating economic prosperity, political democracy and advanced culture and ideology. Such a three-sphere integrated plan was followed by the Party’s 14th through the 16th national congresses. Addressing a seminar of leading officials at provincial and ministerial levels in February 2005, Hu Jintao spoke of a four-sphere plan that covered economic, political, cultural and social advancement.

The Five-sphere Integrated Plan – the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics encompassing economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development – was proposed in November 2012 at the 18th National Congress of the CPC. While economic development continues to be the central pillar, economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development are to be promoted on all fronts, modernization is to be fostered in all areas, and all elements are to be developed in a coordinated manner. The Five-sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy support each other and interact in a planned manner. Proceeding from economic growth, they help develop a socialist market economy, democratic governance, advanced culture, ecological progress, and a harmonious society. Together, they help make the people more prosperous, the country stronger, and China more beautiful. The enunciation of the Five-sphere Integrated Plan illustrates how the CPC continues to extend its understanding of coordinated development and of the framework of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

統籌推進“五位一體”總體布局

1986年召開的黨的十二屆六中全會首次提出了以經濟建設為中心，堅定不移地進行政治體制改革，堅定不移地加強精神文明建設的總體布局，并在黨的十三大上明確提出了經濟富強、政治民主、精神文明“三位一體”的中國特色社會主義事業的總體布局，此后黨的十四大、十五大、十六大都延續了經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設“三位一體”的社會主義現代化建設總體布局。2005年2月，胡錦濤在省部級主要領導干部專題研討班上提出了社會主義經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設“四位一體”總布局。2012年11月召開的黨的十八大，將生態文明建設提升到總體布局中來，從而形成了“五位一體”的建設中國特色社會主義總體布局。要求在堅持以經濟建設為中心的同時，全面推進經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設、生態文明建設，促進現代化建設各個環節、各個方面協調發展。“五位一體”和“四個全面”相互促進、統籌聯動，在推動經濟發展的基礎上，建設社會主義市場經濟、民主政治、先進文化、生態文明、和諧社會，協同推進人民富裕、國家強盛、中國美麗。“五位一體”總體布局的提出，體現了中國共產黨對協調發展認識的不斷深化，對中國特色社會主義規律認識的不斷深化。