Research on the Chinese Path to Modernization in History, Key Topics,and Outlook: A CiteSpace-based Bibliometric Analysis

Wang Linmei and Yang Huiru＊

Sichuan University

Abstract: In the speech delivered at the centenary celebration of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping,general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made important remarks on the “Chinese path to modernization.” This term represents the latest achievement China has scored in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.It has set the course as China embarks on a new journey of building a strong socialist country with Chinese characteristics and achieving national rejuvenation.Drawing on CiteSpace, we conducted a visualized bibliometric analysis of literature on the Chinese path to modernization by searching the CNKI database using subject terms such as “Chinese modernization, Chinese path to modernization, and Chinese-style modernization.” The findings reveal that: (a) Research on the Chinese path to modernization has gone through three stages: initial establishment,pioneering exploration, and comprehensive in-depth development.(b) Existing literature has covered the four key topics associated with the Chinese path to modernization, namely its essence, goal, methodology,and pioneering achievements.(c) Future research may focus on building up China’s strength in agriculture,developing the digital economy, modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, and establishing a unique socialist discourse system for Chinese modernization.

Keywords: the Chinese path to modernization, history, key topics, outlook

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has effectively balanced both domestic and international situations, and successfully pushed forward and expanded the Chinese path to modernization through continued innovation.The report to the 20th CPC National Congress has offered a preliminary explanation of the theoretical framework and central tasks of the Chinese path to modernization, providing new guidance for building socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics.The Chinese path to modernization stands as a major achievement China has made through many years of exploration and practice of the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC.It represents the latest development of scientific socialism and the ongoing evolution of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.It is essential to gain a clear understanding of the history of modernization in China, thoroughly examine existing research, provide a comprehensive overview of key topics, and anticipate future trends.This will serve as a valuable reference for further enriching the study of the Chinese path to modernization.

Preliminary Bibliometric Analysis of the Research on the Chinese Path to Modernization

For this study, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database was used as the sampling frame, “Chinese modernization/Chinese path to modernization/Chinese-style modernization” as the search subject, and CSSCI journals as source journals.The search yielded a total of 4,622 academic articles related to this subject as of March 2023.To reflect the latest research advancements in Chinese modernization,articles published between July 2021 and March 2023 were considered, resulting in a collection of 2,085 entries.After excluding irrelevant entries, a total of 1,168 valid samples were obtained.Building upon the knowledge graph, CiteSpace was used to perform a visualized bibliometric analysis.

Trends in the Number of Publications

A visualized bibliometric analysis of the research outcomes from the CNKI database offers the annual publication trends in the research of the Chinese path to modernization (see Figure 1).Prior to 2020, the body of literature in this field was relatively limited with small fluctuations.However, a significant surge in publications was observed from 2020 onwards, with rapid growth evident in 2022.The number of relevant publications reached 993, approximately six times that of 2020 (164), marking the first peak in the number of publications within this field.A closer examination of publications between July 2021 and March 2023 (Figure 2)reveals a consistent upward trajectory since the concept of “Chinese modernization/Chinese path to modernization” was repeated in July 2021.Despite minor drops in February and August 2022, the subsequent months saw a rapid rebound in publication numbers.Notably, following the introduction of the characteristics and essential requirements of the Chinese path to modernization in the report to the 20th National Congress in October 2022, the number of publications experienced a sharp increase, ushering in a new wave of research enthusiasm.In just the first three months of 2023, the number of articles reached 441, an approximate 2.7-fold increase compared to the publications issued in 2020.

Figure 1 Distribution of Annual Publications on the Chinese Path to Modernization

Figure 2 Distribution of Monthly Publications on the Chinese Path to Modernization

Figure 3 Co-occurrence Network Map of Authors Focusing on the Chinese Path to Modernization

The line graph displays prominent inflection points where the number of publications is highly aligned with specific milestone occasions of the Communist Party of China.For instance, the year 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and a pivotal moment in achieving the first centenary goal.Subsequently,the number of publications before and after this period demonstrated a significant increase.Similarly, following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China embarked on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects.This milestone sparked a surge in research literature on the Chinese path to modernization.In general, the research on the Chinese path to modernization closely follows the evolutionary pattern of new concept – new topic - new research.The Chinese path to modernization has formed a prominent trend in recent research.

Analysis of Source Journals and Number of Publications

Examining the source journals and the number of publications provides an effective way to identify the distribution of the research topics across various fields and the publication characteristics of these journals.An investigation of relevant journals within the database reveals that eight CSSCI journals showcased a substantial volume of articles pertaining to the Chinese path to modernization.Specifically, each of these journals has published more than 15 articles on this subject., The top three journals published 40,31, and 23 related articles, respectively.Furthermore, these eight journals possess high composite impact factors, with four of them having a composite impact factor higher than five.This finding indicates that the Chinese path to modernization has become a prominent research topic that garners extensive attention from scholars across multiple disciplines.

Analysis of Core Authors and Research Institutions

Cooperation in scientific research is of great importance for cultivating wellrounded scientists and achieving rapid development in important fields.A comprehensive analysis of core authors and research institutions offers valuable insights into the current state of scientific research cooperation and academic exchanges within a field.This analysis provides a reference point for anticipating future development trends, optimizing existing cooperation methods, and establishing a systematic collaboration network.

Table 1 presents the Top 10 scholars and research institutions in the study of Chinese modernization, ranked by the number of publications between July 2021 and March 2023.Notably, six research scholars have published five or more articles within this period.Among them, Zhang Zhanbin and Ren Baoping have garnered significant citation counts.Zhang’s article,Common Prosperity of Chinese Modernization:The Essence,Theory,and Pathdelves into the role of common prosperity in advancing Chinese modernization from the perspectives of its essence, theory, and path,highlighting the importance of common prosperity in promoting high-quality economic development.Ren’s article,Common Prosperity in the Process of Chinese-style Modernization:Practice and Path Choiceholds that common prosperity represents a major embodiment of the Chinese path to modernization.The article suggests that China should continue the pursuit of common prosperity by drawing inspiration from practical experience.The fact that both articles focus on common prosperity not only highlights its integral theoretical and logical relationship with the Chinese path to modernization but also guides the direction for high-quality economic development.They also note that efforts should be made in the future to deliver more substantive progress in achieving common prosperity.

Table 1 Overview of Core Authors and Research Institutions Focusing on the Chinese Path to Modernization Research

The School of Marxism Studies at Renmin University of China has emerged as the leading research institution, publishing a notable 19 articles on the Chinese path to modernization.It is followed closely by the School of Marxism at Peking University,which has contributed 16 articles to the field.The School of Marxism at Fudan University and the School of Marxism at South China Normal University share the third position, with 15 articles each.A significant focus on this field can be observed in the disciplines of Marxist theory, economics, and management.Geographically,research institutions located in the Beijing-Tianjin region dominate in the research on the Chinese path to modernization.Notably, Renmin University of China has secured a leading position in this area, showcasing many outstanding achievements.

The co-occurrence network map of authors focusing on the Chinese path to modernization research was generated using CiteSpace (Fig u re 3).I n this visualization, node size corresponds to the number of papers published by each aut hor.T he t h ick ness of connecting lines indicates the frequency of co-occurrence among authors, while line colors represent the year of co-occurrence (purple for 2021, green for 2022, and red for 2023).The map reveals the presence of a small-scale cooperation network among some scholars; however, the overall density of cooperation is limited (Density=0.0031＜0.1).This finding suggests that research efforts in the domain of Chinese modernization are relatively fragmented, exhibiting a low level of centralization.In the future, it is essential to consciously enhance connections among scholars from diverse research fields and disciplines.

Historical Evolution of the Theory of the Chinese Path to Modernization Theory

The Stage of Initial Establishment (1979-2021)

The Chinese path to modernization is a summation in the new era of CPC’s endeavors in leading the Chinese people to explore and pioneer a path to build and promote socialist modernization.To grasp its essence, it is necessary to put the research in the context of the course of global modernization and the history of the CPC.As early as the new democratic revolution period, “modernization” was introduced to address China’s challenges, but it had a limited scope, chiefly focusing on industrialization.Meaningful exploration of modernization in China began after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.In September 1954, Zhou Enlai proposed the goal of “the Four Modernizations,” initially emphasizing the development of industry, agriculture,transportation, and national defense.In 1964, “modernization of transportation” was adjusted to “modernization of science and technology.” This framework formed the basis of China’s modernization theory and continues to evolve as China advances its modernization agenda.Due to limitations with the CNKI database, we had to rely on historical materials to investigate the research on China’s practice in modernization before 1979.During this period, China established a socialist model characterized by a planned economy.

In March 1979, Deng Xiaoping put forward the concept of “Chinese-style modernization,” emphasizing that Chinese-style modernization must be based on Chinese characteristics.This was the first time the concept of Chinese-style modernization was officially put forward in the full sense.At the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1982, the CPC Central Committee put forward the construction of“socialism with Chinese characteristics.” In 1987 at the 13th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee set the basic line for the primary stage of socialism, announcing that the goal of China’s modernization is to build China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, and culturally advanced.In 1992 at the 14th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee emphasized that China’s modernization is a comprehensive modernization of the economy, politics, and culture.In 1997 at the 15th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee revised some remarks and incorporated informatization, internationalization, and ecological conservation into the scope of modernization, once again enriching its implication.In the early 21st century, under the leadership of Hu Jintao, the CPC proposed the “four-sphere” integrated modernization plan based on the Scientific Outlook on Development, to address the new opportunities and challenges in economic and social development.The “four-sphere” modernization further enriched the implication of modernization.During this period, academic research on modernization primarily focused on agricultural modernization, the socialist market economy, and the construction of a moderately prosperous society, accumulating valuable practical experience that contributed to the development of a modernization theory in China.

Following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has continued advancing theoretical research and practical innovation in socialism with Chinese characteristics,and formed Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which has elevated the understanding of China’s modernization theory and provided fundamental guiding principles for it.The future direction and trends of the Chinese path to modernization have increasingly become significant subjects of interest in both academic and political communities.Emphasis on top-level design and practical exploration was a prominent feature of academic research during this period.As this paper focuses on the Chinese path to modernization research efforts after 2021, previous studies on this topic will not be extensively discussed.In summary, between 1979 and 2021, there have been as many as 500,000 publications with “Chinese modernization,”“socialist modernization,” and “modernization” as keywords.These articles cover diverse fields such as agricultural economy, Chinese and international politics, economic system reform, macroeconomic management, sustainable development, and an industrial-based economy.They address specific topics including agricultural mechanization, agricultural modernization, socialism, educational modernization, and the course of modernization.The research results achieved during this period not only provide abundant resources for further exploring the practice of China’s modernization but also contribute to enriching the theoretical framework, signifying the initial establishment of China’s modernization theory.

The Pioneering and Exploring Stage of the Theory on the Chinese Path to Modernization

On July 1, 2021, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, pointed out in his speech commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) that we had pioneered a new and uniquely Chinese path to modernization, and created a new model for human advancement, adding new dimensions to the concept of modernization.In the new era,the Chinese path to modernization is rooted in the theoretical practice accumulated since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and a review of historical experience.It has deepened and expanded the concept of Chinese-style modernization envisioned in the early days of reform and opening up, reflecting that the CPC has a clear mind and is confident in its future development.It indicates that the Chinese path to modernization theory has officially entered the stage of pioneering exploration.In November 2021, the novelty and significance of the Chinese path to modernization was once again underscored in theResolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century.The Resolution noted that the Chinese path to modernization has created a new model for human advancement.It not only expanded the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization but also provided new sources of inspiration and paths for the global modernization cause.The Chinese path to modernization has gained wide attention from global academic communities.

Based on the keyword time zone view generated by CiteSpace, we listed the top ten keywords in 2021 by their centrality (see Table 2).Table 2 shows that the research during this period mainly focuses on the relationship between the Chinese path to modernization and common prosperity, the comparison between Chinese and Western modernization, and the significance of the Chinese path to modernization for human advancement.This means that the Chinese path to modernization as a socialist modernization pursuing the goal of common prosperity, has pioneered a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, one with features unique to Chinese civilization and elements common to world civilizations while upholding historical materialism and following the law governing the evolution of world history.These discussions offer academic explanations and interpretations of the goal, essence, implication, and achievements of the Chinese path to modernization from different perspectives.They provide an important theoretical accumulation for the transition of the Chinese path to modernization studies from incomplete to complete, from Westernization to localization, from a one-dimensional perspective to a comprehensive perspective, and from fragmentation to systematization.It marks the full completion of the pioneering exploration stage of Chinese modernization theory.

Table 2 Core Keywords of Research on the Chinese Path to Modernization

The Stage of Comprehensive In-depth Development (2022–present)

In October 2022, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China(CPC) Central Committee, fully expounded for the first time the original essence,characteristics, and essential requirements of Chinese modernization in his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.In the report, the Chinese path to modernization is closely linked with the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.Xi noted that the Chinese path to modernization created a new model of human advancement and is the only right way to build a stronger China and achieve national rejuvenation.As the practice evolves, academic research on the Chinese path to modernization has entered a stage of comprehensive in-depth development, characterized by spanning across multiple disciplines, dimensions, and approaches, with a notable emphasis on innovation.

The trending keywords in 2022, as shown in Table 2, suggest that the research during this period mainly focuses on how the Chinese path to modernization harnesses the logic of capital, the leadership of the CPC over the Chinese path to modernization, and the characteristics of the Chinese path to modernization.As a socialist modernization under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese path to modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all as it has addressed the challenge of wealth inequality arising from unchecked capital expansion and the pursuit of maximizing surplus value.It is the modernization of peaceful development as it has transcended the old development path of pursuing global dominance through warfare.It is the modernization of a huge population as it has benefited more than 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today.It is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature as it has deviated from the old model of modernization that prioritizes economic growth at the expense of the environment.In particular, a Chinese path to modernization is the modernization of material and culturalethical advancement as it has completely rejected the materialistic expansion caused by the Western “l(fā)ogic of capital.” The above discussion shows that the academic community has begun to consider the Chinese path to modernization as a pioneering exploration.They have made systematic suggestions based on China’s national conditions and development goals to advance modernization across all fronts, with a view to making the Chinese path to modernization clearer, more scientific, and more viable.It signifies that the Chinese modernization theory has entered the stage of comprehensive development.

Analysis of Key Research Topics of the Chinese Path to Modernization

Keywords, serving as a comprehensive representation of the research subject and its content, can accurately capture the research focus and identify development trends within a specific field.In this study, CiteSpace was used to plot a knowledge graph of keywords in the Chinese path to modernization research t o b e t t e r d i s p l a y the current research landscape in this field.In node type selection,the item or keyword was chosen, and the thresholds were set to be Top 50, with a time slice of one year.The Pathfinder was used to trim the graph.The final results are shown in Figure 4.The results of Q=0.7444＞0.3 and S=0.9113＞0.5 suggest that the network has a significant community structure and the clustering result is rational, with a strong reference value.

Figure 4 Co-occurrence Network of Keywords in the Chinese Path to Modernization Research

The nodes represent the co-occurrence frequency, with large nodes indicating highfrequency keywords.However, co-occurrence frequency can only indicate the level of attention given to a particular research topic.When examining key topics, it is necessary to consider the centrality of keywords.Nodes with centrality higher than 0.1 are usually considered important.In this study, keywords with co-occurrence frequency higher than 10 and centrality higher than 0.1 are identified as core keywords.According to Table 3 and analysis of the knowledge graph, there are eight keywords with centrality higher than 0.1 and co-occurrence frequency greater than 10.They are common prosperity (0.43),modernization (0.39), socialism (0.15), world history (0.15), historical materialism (0.11),Chinese path (0.11), logic of capital (0.16), and Party’s leadership (0.11).Based on the core keyword analysis and the co-occurrence clustering, we identified the following four key topics: the essence, goal, methodology, and pioneering achievements of the Chinese path to modernization.

Essence of the Chinese Path to Modernization

The discussions on this topic mainly focus on what the Chinese path to modernization is.The essence of the Chinese path to modernization can be explained from two perspectives: its internal logic and world history.The Chinese path to modernization has multiple special logical implications.It is the summation of the values, the path, and the functioning mechanisms that have taken shape during this process and the practical achievement the Chinese people have scored after century-long explorations under the leadership of the CPC.The Chinese path to modernization is fundamentally characterized by socialism with Chinese characteristics, focuses on coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological advancement, and is guaranteed by modernization of national defense and the armed forces.It seeks to make the Chinese people prosperous, the Chinese nation strong, and the country beautiful through wellcoordinated steps.Guided by scientific theories and rooted in China’s experience, the Chinese path to modernization has sent a message to countries that are seeking or taking steps toward modernization that they can find models and paths that suit their national conditions, contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to the diversity of world civilizations recover the diversity of world civilizations.

From the perspective of world history, Chinese modernization, as a new proposition,is the integration of modernization with the Chinese context.Therefore, it is essential to examine the history of global modernization to find the key to understanding the essence of the Chinese path to modernization.Generally speaking, the Chinese path to modernization is a comprehensive system of modernization in politics, economics, and culture.It is the practice of modernization in China.The world history of modernization does not view the Chinese path to modernization as a coincidental anomaly.Instead, it defines the fundamental characteristics of the Chinese path to modernization: It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.The rise and fall of each dynasty and the stage of development of China’s history were largely influenced by modernization China has traveled 100 years on its exploratory journey towards modernization.Initially learning from the West, it has now embarked on a new journey of independent exploration of its own path to modernization.This distinctive endeavor makes the Chinese path to modernization all the more unique and invaluable.

Goal of the Chinese Path to Modernization

The discussions on this topic mainly focus on “common prosperity.” Existing studies cover the following four aspects:

First, a comprehensive explanation of the logic behind common prosperity in the context of the Chinese path to modernization from the perspectives of its essence,theoretical origin, and history.In terms of essence, it is widely acknowledged in the literature that common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism, an important feature of the Chinese path to modernization, and a goal pursued by the CPC throughout its cause of building socialist modernization.In terms of its theoretical origin, the concept of the Chinese path to modernization-based common prosperity can be traced back to the Marxist idea of common prosperity.This concept places “free and all-round development of human beings” at its core.In terms of history, the journey of the CPC leading the Chinese people to build socialist modernization represents the pursuit of common prosperity.In order to make substantive progress in promoting common prosperity for all on the new journey, it is crucial to uphold the CPC’s overall leadership and implement the new development philosophy to foster high-quality development.

Second, the logical relationship between common prosperity and Chinese modernization.There are two prevailing views on this topic.On the one hand, the pursuit of common prosperity is a prominent feature of the Chinese path to modernization.Therefore, all the doctrines and policies to advance modernization must follow this principle and use it to measure their effectiveness.On the other hand, achieving common prosperity through the Chinese path to modernization is the prerequisite and guarantee for realizing national rejuvenation.The Chinese path to modernization is both the theoretical achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the practical achievements the CPC has made during its exploration of leading all Chinese people to pursue common prosperity.The key to achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through the Chinese path to modernization lies in how to make more substantive progress in promoting common prosperity on the new journey.

Third, interpret the important discourses of common prosperity proposed by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.A large body of literature holds that the CPC leaders attach great importance to common prosperity for all.Since the 18th National Congress, a series of important remarks have been made.For example, achieving common prosperity for all is the essence and an important feature of the Chinese path to modernization; time-phased goals should be formulated to promote common prosperity; and strengthening the CPC’s leadership is necessary for achieving common prosperity.These remarks also emphasize that common prosperity and socialist modernization are an organic whole of unity and have the same historical course.This indicates that the Chinese path to modernization has not only pioneered a new path for humanity to achieve common prosperity but also expanded the channels for developing countries to pursue common prosperity.

Fourth, practical strategies to promote common prosperity from a specific perspective.The Marxist political economy argues that eliminating all systems of exploitation is the prerequisite for achieving common prosperity; building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects provides the material foundation for achieving common prosperity; the basic economic system and distribution system for the primary stage of socialism provides the institutional support for achieving common prosperity.Following this logic, the Chinese path to modernization must give full play to the unique advantages of the basic economic system of socialism.It must uphold and improve the basic economic system whereby public ownership is dominant and other forms of ownership develop side by side; keep distribution according to work as the mainstay with multiple forms of distribution existing alongside it; develop the socialist market economy to inject vigor to common prosperity(Zhang, 2021, pp.52–60); focuses on eliminating relative poverty; and pursue inclusive development where efficiency and equity are considered.Only by doing so can common prosperity be achieved.

Methodology of the Chinese Path to Modernization

Recently, the methodology of the Chinese path to modernization has been a hot topic in the academic community.A review of recent literature suggests that discussions on this topic mainly focus on the keywords of historical materialism, the logic of capital, and the CPC’s leadership.

The studies centering around the keyword of historical materialism investigate the methodology of the Chinese path to modernization from two aspects: the Chinese path to modernization from the perspective of historical materialism, and the significance of historical materialism embedded in the Chinese path to modernization.Karl Marx expounded on the driver of modernization, the cause of problems faced by Western modernization, and the chain of contradictions using historical materialism.He also foresaw that capitalism was not the only way for humanity to pursue modernization.This assertion was the starting point of the Chinese path to modernization.As an important component in the course of human modernization, the Chinese path to modernization not only contains elements that are common to modernization but also offers a special value.In the process of the Chinese path to modernization, guided by Karl Marx’s theory of historical materialism, the CPC has united and led the Chinese people to make exploratory endeavors on all fronts including social systems, economic development,lifestyle, and values.It reflects the Chinese people’s major choice of following their own path.Therefore, the Chinese path to modernization, as a new path to modernization, has rich implications from the perspective of historical materialism as it fully reflects the contradiction between the forces and relations of production and the fundamental principle that the masses are the makers of history.In addition, the Chinese path to modernization has expanded the channels for humanity to pursue modernization and set a new model for developing countries to pursue modernization following a path that fits their national conditions.

Existing studies centering on the logic of capital focus on how Chinese modernization transcends the logic of capital.The Chinese path to modernization embraces a peopleoriented logic, putting public interests and people’s welfare above capital expansion.Chinese modernization has restructured the relationship between labor, capital, and state, pioneering a new modernization path with workers as the mainstay.In the process of promoting high-quality economic development, the Chinese path to modernization is committed to following the Party’s leadership and giving full play to the coordinating functions of the state as “regulator.” It has succeeded in making capital, which is profitseeking in nature, subordinate to the original political aspiration and values of socialism with Chinese characteristics and creates and responds to such “major theoretical propositions” as regulating and guiding the healthy development of capital.It has provided an innovative answer to the major theoretical proposition of how to regulate and guide the healthy development of capital.

Existing studies focusing on the CPC’s leadership mainly investigate the dialectical relationship between the CPC and the Chinese path to modernization.The majority of existing literature holds that the two are complementary and mutually reinforcing.On the one hand, the Chinese path to modernization is a socialist modernization led by the CPC, and the CPC’s leadership is its fundamental feature.Without the CPC’s leadership,the Chinese path to modernization would not have been pioneered and the achievements would not have been gained.On the other hand, upholding the CPC’s leadership is an essential requirement of the Chinese path to modernization.The key to accomplishing the mission on the new journey in the new era lies in upholding and strengthening the the overall leadership of the CPC.Upholding the the overall leadership of the CPC is the path China must take to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics; it is also a major principle that China must follow to promote the Chinese path to modernization.

Pioneering Achievements of the Chinese Path to Modernization

Among recent research on the Chinese path to modernization, some have examined its pioneering achievements, particularly with a focus on the Chinese path, world history, and socialism.

The first pioneering achievement is that China has contributed a unique path to modernization.Some researchers held that the Chinese path to modernization, rooted in the Marxist theory of modernization, has completed its evolution from a onedimensional perspective to a more comprehensive multidimensional perspective through the practices and explorations during the period of the new democratic revolution, the period of socialist revolution and construction, the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, as well as the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.The Chinese path to modernization has successfully pioneered a non-capitalist road to modernization, achieving the unity of the leadership core and the people, the unity of social progress and individual development, and the unity of means and objectives and creating the Chinese model of socialist advancement.

The second pioneering achievement of the Chinese path to modernization lies in its enrichment of world history.Literature indicates that the CPC has pioneered a new path in its pursuit of modernization.This path is guided by a set of scientific theories, with the leadership core anchored in an advanced ruling party, driven by the fundamental purpose of serving the people’s interests, drawing inspiration from refined Chinese traditional culture, and striving to achieve the goal of national rejuvenation.When viewed through the lens of Marxist theories of world history, the Chinese path to modernization emerges in the global historical context.It has been developed alongside the tide of world history,adapting to its evolving trends (Guo & Ren, 2022, pp.16–25).The success of the Chinese path to modernization has theoretically and practically challenged the perception that the Western model of modernization is the only way to modernization by adding new dimensions to the concept of modernization.It holds significant implications for the Chinese nation and the progress of humanity as a whole.It has enriched the forms of human advancement by creating a new model amid the global pursuit of modernization.

The third pioneering achievement of the Chinese path to modernization lies in its contribution to scientific socialism theories.Aligned with the fundamental principles of scientific socialism, the Chinese path to modernization represents the latest achievement in developing scientific socialism.It embodied the essential characteristics and scientific nature inherent in scientific socialism.Furthermore, the Chinese path to modernization has aligned with the common values of humanity and set new norms for the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, as well as among nation.It reflects the values of scientific socialism, charts the course for the advancement of human civilization, and promotes the free and well-rounded development of individuals at a higher level.Thus, the Chinese path to modernization has achieved a new breakthrough in the development of scientific socialism.

Outlook for Future Research on the Chinese Path to Modernization

Following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the central strategic task for the CPC and the Chinese government in the next three decades is to build a stronger China and achieve national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.We further analyzed trending keywords in the Chinese path to modernization research in 2023 using the sequence diagram.The analysis reveals that the future research directions of the Chinese path to modernization mainly focus on four aspects, building up China’s strength in agriculture, developing the digital economy,modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, and establishing a Chinese modernization discourse system.

Building up China’s Strength in Agriculture

A strong agriculture is the foundation of a great modern socialist c ountry.Agricultural development is essential to meeting the people’s needs for a better life, achieving highquality development, and consolidating the foundation of national security.In 2017, the rural revitalization strategy was unveiled in the report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to prioritize the development of agriculture and the countryside.The report to the 20th CPC National Congress of the Communist Party of China has further reinforced the objective of “moving faster to build up China’s strength in agriculture” and outlined new requirements for the work concerning agriculture, rural areas, and farmers in the new stage of development.In the new era, the development of agriculture and rural areas presents the most significant challenge for China to achieve modernization on all fronts.Thus, promoting rural revitalization becomes an essential choice for effectively advancing the Chinese path to modernization in all aspects.

Existing theoretical research on a strong agriculture primarily revolves around two topics: building up China’s strength in agriculture and the relationship between a strong agriculture and rural revitalization.Regarding building up China’s strength in agriculture, the core objective is to “build a robust agricultural sector, cultivate a beautiful countryside, and support farmers' prosperity.” A country with a strong agriculture should exhibit competitiveness in the global agricultural arena, possess a robust capacity for sci-tech innovation in agriculture, ensure a stable supply of agricultural products, foster sustainable agricultural development, and facilitate the expansion of the agricultural industry.In practice, it is crucial to consider China’s unique national context, such as its large population and limited farmland, regional disparities in agricultural resources,and collective land ownership.Furthermore, the approach should shift from a materialcentered focus to one centered on human welfare, striking a balance between production and social welfare.The core of building up China’s strength in agriculture lies in pioneering the Chinese path to agricultural modernization while coordinating material advancement, cultural-ethical advancement, and ecological progress.Ensuring that the Chinese people’s food supply remains firmly in their own hands constitutes a central component of a Chinese-style modern country with a strong agriculture.Additionally,it involves promoting urban-rural integration, enhancing independent innovation in agricultural science and technology, establishing a modern agricultural system, and ensuring sustained resource allocation for rural areas and their optimization.A strong agriculture and rural revitalization are two intertwined factors that are both necessary for achieving Chinese modernization.They are also strategic choices to fundamentally resolve issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.To summarize, “moving faster to build up China’s strength in agriculture” is the guiding principle, and the revitalization of businesses, talent, culture, ecosystems, and organizations in the countryside delineate the specific domains that require focused efforts.A strong agriculture can be achieved only by thoroughly implementing rural revitalization.

Developing the Digital Economy

Accelerating the development of the digital economy and promoting its deep integration with the real economy were identified at the 20th National Congress as two important directions to further promote China’s economic transition to highquality development, reshape China’s economic growth drivers, and combine expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reform.Facing changes unseen in a century and the huge impact of a new round of technological revolution, seizing the historical opportunities presented by digital technology, and empowering the high-quality development of the social economy through digital technology have become essential ways to build a modern and stronger China.

Currently, theoretical research on the digital economy primarily centers around three key topics related to its role in leading the Chinese path to modernization:internal logic, integration mechanisms, and practical paths.In terms of internal logic,the timing, technical characteristics, and socio-economic consequences of the digital economy are highly in line with China’s current pursuit of high-quality development and strategic goals in the new development stage.Consequently, it has naturally emerged as an important approach to achieving the Chinese path to modernization, characterized by common prosperity for all.To ensure the digital economy effectively contributes to the Chinese path to modernization and fosters new advantages and momentum, it is imperative to integrate it seamlessly into the Chinese path to modernization and solidify the deep integration between the digital economy and the real economy by advancing the creation of a digital China.In terms of the practical paths, expediting the establishment of a digital economy innovation system has become a strategic focal point for expanding domestic and international economic flows and building a modern economic system.Therefore, coordinated efforts are needed across various dimensions,including talent support, technical support, industrial policy support, coordinated financial and fiscal support, and institutional development.Only through these efforts can the Chinese path to modernization and the high-quality development of a digital economy be effectively bolstered.Furthermore, the in-depth development of a digital economy has the potential to comprehensively enhance the effectiveness of Chinese agricultural and rural modernization.A digital economy can not only spur the emergence of new industries and business types but also be advanced in a coordinated manner with Chinese agricultural and rural modernization.Through the joint development of digital villages and digital agriculture, a breakthrough can be realized in Chinese agricultural and rural modernization.In the future development of digital villages, the modernization of the rural population should serve as the core, the modernization of rural life as the foundation, the modernization of agricultural production as the support, and the modernization of rural governance as the focus.Efforts should be made to establish and improve mechanisms and institutions relevant to the digital transformation of rural areas.Considering a digital economy's unique and irreplaceable role in promoting highquality economic development, it is expected that future research on the Chinese path to modernization will attach more importance to the significance of a digital economy.

Modernizing China’s System and Capacity for Governance

Modernizing the system and capacity for governance is an integral part of the Chinese path to modernization, as suggested by the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which has stressed its importance and incorporated it into the framework of the Chinese path to modernization.Therefore, it is imperative to conduct research on this subject.

Research on modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance is something new in the academic community.The latest studies predominantly revolve around three key topics, namely Chinese modernization of law, Chinese modernization of social governance, and the development of a security system with Chinese characteristics.On the first topic, the prevailing view asserts that Chinese modernization of law is the corollary of the Chinese people’s extensive practical exploration under the leadership of the CPC.It is a combination of Marxist legal theory, refined traditional Chinese legal culture, and the developments of the rule of law within China.This path, based on China’s national conditions and aligned with the principles of the rule of law, aspires to establish law-based governance and is an exemplary embodiment of Chinese modernization in the field of law.Its chief merit lies in breaking away from the Western-centric model of modernization of law, creating a new model of modernization of law in terms of its subject, object,content, and path.On the second topic, existing research concludes that China’s model of social governance exhibits exceptional characteristics on a macro level.It represents an interactive integration of a “people-centered” philosophy of social governance, a social governance system based on “collaboration, participation, and common gains,”and a social governance mechanism featuring the “combination of self-governance, rule of law, and rule of virtue.” During its course of modernization, this new model of social governance can actively change to adapt to the demands of digital technology.On one hand, it propels the government’s digital transformation and enhances the digital capacity of society.On the other hand, it fosters a novel model of social governance characterized by targeted policy implementation with diverse participation, facilitates the establishment of a comprehensive digital ecosystem, and ultimately elevates the level of modernization in social governance.On the third topic, a predominant consensus among scholars holds that the development of a social security system with Chinese characteristics is a historical choice made in accordance with China’s national conditions.It is as unique as it is inclusive, targeted, fair, sustainable, and economically friendly.It allows for reforms to integrate this social security into the socialist institutional framework with Chinese characteristics.In the future, it is necessary to make a comprehensive assessment of the existing system, clearly define the purpose, goal, and function of the social security system with Chinese characteristics by learning lessons from foreign countries and continue to improve existing institutional arrangements.Only by doing so can China create a new model of social security to promote human development.

Building Discourse System of the Chinese Path to Modernization

To understand the distinction between the Chinese path to modernization and Western modernization, it is essential to build a discourse system with Chinese characteristics.Therefore, it becomes imperative for the Chinese academic community to develop a discourse system that aligns with Chinese perspectives, enabling a more accurate and comprehensive representation of China’s stories.

At present, theoretical research on building the Chinese path to modernization discourse system is limited.The literature available predominantly concentrates on the logic, elements, and paths of building such a system.From a logical perspective, the notion of the Chinese path to modernization signifies the latest achievement of the CPC’s century-long endeavors in developing modernization and is a theoretical manifestation of the new Chinese path to modernization.The purpose of building the Chinese path to modernization discourse is to convey stories of human advancement that are of global significance.In terms of the elements involved, the development of the Chinese path to modernization discourse must highlight Chinese characteristics and contain the fundamental elements of theoretical themes, the basic scope, the logical thread, and the core values.Such a system should serve as a tool for discourse interpretation, integration,orientation, and marking, committed to providing a comprehensive depiction of China’s modernization journey and gathering the force of various entities to jointly promote the building of a modern socialist country.In terms of path, building a Chinese path to modernization discourse system must be based on China’s practical experiences in pursuing modernization, adhere to the guidance of mainstream ideology, and effectively communicate China’s voice through diverse channels.This system should highlight the superiority of the Chinese modernization theory, enhancing the target audience’s understanding and recognition of the system.Specifically, the narrative should be grounded, justified, meaningful, tactful, and relevant to successfully and comprehensively enhance the global influence and theoretical persuasiveness of such a system.