新中國(guó)成立60多年特別是改革開放30多年來(lái)，中國(guó)一直致力于探索符合本國(guó)國(guó)情和時(shí)代要求的社會(huì)主義現(xiàn)代化道路。雖然歷經(jīng)曲折，中國(guó)人民卻孜孜以求、與時(shí)俱進(jìn)，不斷總結(jié)汲取本國(guó)及其他國(guó)家發(fā)展的經(jīng)驗(yàn)教訓(xùn)，不斷深化對(duì)人類社會(huì)發(fā)展規(guī)律的認(rèn)識(shí)，不斷推動(dòng)社會(huì)主義制度自我完善和發(fā)展。通過(guò)艱苦努力，中國(guó)找到了一條符合自身國(guó)情的發(fā)展道路，這就是中國(guó)特色社會(huì)主義道路。

    從更寬廣的世界歷史視野看，和平發(fā)展道路歸結(jié)起來(lái)就是：既通過(guò)維護(hù)世界和平發(fā)展自己，又通過(guò)自身發(fā)展維護(hù)世界和平；在強(qiáng)調(diào)依靠自身力量和改革創(chuàng)新實(shí)現(xiàn)發(fā)展的同時(shí)，堅(jiān)持對(duì)外開放，學(xué)習(xí)借鑒別國(guó)長(zhǎng)處；順應(yīng)經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化發(fā)展潮流，尋求與各國(guó)互利共贏和共同發(fā)展；同國(guó)際社會(huì)一道努力，推動(dòng)建設(shè)持久和平、共同繁榮的和諧世界。這條道路最鮮明的特征是科學(xué)發(fā)展、自主發(fā)展、開放發(fā)展、和平發(fā)展、合作發(fā)展、共同發(fā)展。

In the past six decades and more since the founding of New China, and particularly since the introduction of the reform and opening-up policies in 1978, the Chinese government has worked hard to explore a path of socialist modernization that conforms to China’s conditions and the trend of the times. Overcoming difficulties and setbacks, the Chinese people have advanced with the times, drawn on both experience and lessons from the development of China itself and other countries, deepened understanding of the laws governing the development of human society, and promoted the self-improvement and growth of the socialist system. Through arduous struggle, the Chinese people have succeeded in finding a path of development conforming to China’s reality ― the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Viewed in the broader, global and historical context, the path of peaceful development may be defined as follows: China should develop itself through upholding world peace and contribute to world peace through its own development. It should achieve development with its own efforts and by carrying out reform and innovation; at the same time, it should open itself to the outside and learn from other countries. It should seek mutual benefit and common development with other countries in keeping with the trend of economic globalization, and it should work together with other countries to build a harmonious world of durable peace and common prosperity. This is a path of scientific, independent, open, peaceful, cooperative and common development.

    ——科學(xué)發(fā)展?？茖W(xué)發(fā)展就是尊重并遵循經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)和自然發(fā)展規(guī)律，牢牢扭住經(jīng)濟(jì)建設(shè)這個(gè)中心，堅(jiān)持聚精會(huì)神搞建設(shè)，一心一意謀發(fā)展，不斷解放和發(fā)展社會(huì)生產(chǎn)力。中國(guó)把科學(xué)發(fā)展觀作為經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)發(fā)展的重要指導(dǎo)方針，堅(jiān)持把發(fā)展作為黨執(zhí)政興國(guó)的第一要?jiǎng)?wù)，堅(jiān)持以人為本，堅(jiān)持全面協(xié)調(diào)可持續(xù)發(fā)展，堅(jiān)持統(tǒng)籌兼顧。堅(jiān)持以人為本，始終尊重人權(quán)和人的價(jià)值，不斷滿足人民日益增長(zhǎng)的物質(zhì)文化需要，走共同富裕道路，促進(jìn)人的全面發(fā)展，做到發(fā)展為了人民、發(fā)展依靠人民、發(fā)展成果由人民共享。堅(jiān)持全面協(xié)調(diào)可持續(xù)發(fā)展，全面推進(jìn)經(jīng)濟(jì)建設(shè)、政治建設(shè)、文化建設(shè)、社會(huì)建設(shè)以及生態(tài)文明建設(shè)，促進(jìn)現(xiàn)代化建設(shè)各個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)、各個(gè)方面相協(xié)調(diào)。堅(jiān)持統(tǒng)籌兼顧，正確認(rèn)識(shí)和妥善處理中國(guó)特色社會(huì)主義事業(yè)中的重大關(guān)系，統(tǒng)籌城鄉(xiāng)發(fā)展、區(qū)域發(fā)展、經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)發(fā)展、人與自然和諧發(fā)展、國(guó)內(nèi)發(fā)展和對(duì)外開放。

    ——自主發(fā)展。中國(guó)這樣人口眾多的發(fā)展中大國(guó)歸根結(jié)底要靠自己的力量來(lái)發(fā)展。中國(guó)始終堅(jiān)持獨(dú)立自主，把國(guó)家發(fā)展的基點(diǎn)和重心放在國(guó)內(nèi)，注重從本國(guó)國(guó)情出發(fā)，主要依靠自身力量和改革創(chuàng)新推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)發(fā)展，不把問(wèn)題和矛盾轉(zhuǎn)嫁給別國(guó)。在經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化大背景下，中國(guó)只有堅(jiān)持自主發(fā)展，才能更有效地參與國(guó)際分工，才能更好地同世界各國(guó)開展互利合作。

― Scientific development. Scientific development means respecting and following the laws governing the development of economy, society and nature, focusing on development and freeing and developing the productive forces. China takes the Scientific Outlook on Development as an important principle guiding economic and social development, and gives top priority to development in governing and rejuvenating the country by the Party. It puts people first, promotes comprehensive, balanced, and sustainable development, and takes all factors into consideration when making balanced overall plans. In putting people first, the Chinese government always respects human rights and human values and works to meet the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and promote prosperity for all. It strives to advance the all-round development of man, to ensure that development is for the people, by the people and with the people sharing its fruits. In promoting comprehensive, balanced, and sustainable development, the Chinese government promotes comprehensive economic development as well as political, cultural and social progress and ecological improvement, and coordinated development of all links and aspects of the modernization drive. In making balanced overall plans, the Chinese government seeks to identify and properly handle the major relationships in the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and maintain balance between urban and rural development, development of different regions, economic and social development, man and nature, and domestic development and opening to the outside world.

― Independent development. As a populous developing country, China must rely on itself in pursuing development. China maintains independence, focuses on domestic development, acts in keeping with its national conditions, carries out reform and innovation for economic and social development through its own efforts, and it does not shift problems and difficulties onto other countries. In the era of economic globalization, only by pursuing independent development can China more effectively participate in international division of labor, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries.