An editorial from Caijing Magazine editor Hu Shuli:
Market-oriented reform is a multi-dimensional process. In fall 2006, the Party advocated ‘advancing reform and innovation in the economic, political, cultural and social systems, and continuing to open the door to the outside world.’ This was a basic summary of the characteristics and tasks of the current reform effort. In addition, it clearly showed that reforms in various spheres will affect one another.
So we must think comprehensively while continuing reform, and advance it in various ways. Current efforts to deepen reforms of the economic system face many challenges. Therefore, it is high time that we continued on political system reform actively and safely. The core goal for political-system reform is to accelerate democratic change and establish a modern, socialist country with democracy and a full-fledged legal system.
Efforts to reform the political system and other arenas should proceed shoulder-to-shoulder. These changes should include ever-advancing – never retreating — reforms of the economic system. This is a long and hard battle. [Full text]