Building a socialist market economy

A socialist market economy is inseparable from a basic socialist system. Effective alignment of the two, so as to take full advantage of a socialist system and tap the full potential of market mechanisms in resource allocation, is key to developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Over the past 40 years, since the rollout of reform and opening up, economic structural reform has been a gradual process of developing a socialist market economy, a process that has gone through stages of testing, implementation, and continuous improvement. It is a process focused on rationalizing the relationship between the government and the market.

In 1992, the 14th CPC National Congress affirmed that the objective of China’s structural economic reform was to build a socialist market economy, and to allow the market to play a basic role in resource allocation under the macro control of the state. This move showed that the Party had incorporated the concept of market economy into socialism. A related decision was adopted by the 14th CPC Central Committee at its third plenary session in November 1993. The ensuing 20 years witnessed continuous attempts to find the right balance in the relationship between the government and the market. The market’s basic role in resource allocation under the macro control of the state was reaffirmed by the 15th National Congress. The 16th National Congress floated the idea of giving the market more latitude in playing its basic role in allocating resources. The 17th National Congress highlighted the need to allow the market to better play its basic role in allocating resources through necessary institutional changes. The 18th National Congress reaffirmed the need to let the market play a greater role in resource allocation. The third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee emphasized the market’s decisive role in resource allocation and the importance of improving the functions of the government. These policy adjustments point to the fact that the key to further structural economic reform remains the correct balance in the relationship between the government and the market.  

建立社會主義市場經濟體制

社會主義市場經濟體制是同社會主義基本制度結合在一起的。實現社會主義基本制度與市場經濟的有機結合，把社會主義的制度優勢和市場經濟配置資源的優勢都發揮好，是堅持和發展中國特色社會主義一項極其重j要的內容。中國改革開放40年來，經濟體制改革最主要的內容就是社會主義市場經濟體制從探索到建立再到不斷完善的過程，其核心是理順政府與市場的關系。

1992年，黨的十四大提出中國經濟體制改革的目標是建立社會主義市場經濟體制，要使市場在國家宏觀調控下對資源配置起基礎性作用，標志著中國共產黨把市場經濟寫在了社會主義的旗幟上。1993年11月召開的黨的十四屆三中全會通過了《中共中央關于建立社會主義市場經濟體制若干問題的決定》。此后20多年時間里，中國一直在根據實踐尋找政府和市場關系新的科學定位。黨的十五大提出“使市場在國家宏觀調控下對資源配置起基礎性作用”，黨的十六大提出“在更大程度上發揮市場在資源配置中的基礎性作用”，黨的十七大提出“從制度上更好發揮市場在資源配置中的基礎性作用”，黨的十八大提出“更大程度更廣范圍發揮市場在資源配置中的基礎性作用”。十八屆三中全會提出要使市場在資源配置中起決定性作用和更好發揮政府作用，這說明全面深化經濟體制改革的核心問題仍然是處理好政府和市場的關系。