Ten major messages from the central reform group meeting

There are ten major reform messages that came out of the first meeting of central leading group for overall reform on Wednesday.

1. The leader of the group is Xi Jinping, General Secretary, Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. The Deputy Group Leaders are Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. It embodies the authoritative position of this group and dynamics of the reform.

2. The group has six sub-groups covering the economy and the environment, democracy and law, culture, the social system, Party building and discipline inspection. It reflects the mechanism of deepening the reforms in an all-round way as well as a pragmatic approach to all-round deepening reforms.

3. The three working rules for the group, sub-groups and its general office that the groups should take substantial action, not exist in name only. The year 2014 will mark the beginning of overall deepening reform.

4. Attention will be paid to issues with great social expectations, which fit the people’s needs. It will be helpful to form an atmosphere and firm faith for reform in society.

5. The "Bring forth political courage, implement firmly and unshakeably" shows the daring resolution of the central authorities towards overall reform.

6. It is urged that sub-groups and the general office should closely coordinate with other departments, in order to make joint efforts.

7. "Unveil plans quickly; push forward implementations of reform measures under those plans". This is an important move of practical action for overall reform.

8. "Enhance investigation and survey on grand reform issues; listen to the voices from the grassroots and front line as much as possible". It will integrate “top to bottom” and “bottom to top.”

9. "Focusing on the consultation role of related experts, scholars and research institutes for overall reform" will make policy-making more scientific and democratic.

10. "Every province and municipality should establish a leading group of overall reform as soon as possible. Departments concerned should build up the reform responsibility system. Also it should form a connection mechanism with the leading group." This is a detailed request for the reform mechanism.

The author is the head of the China Institute for Reform and Development, a think tank based in southern China's Hainan Province.The article is translated in English by Jiao Meng.