The Three-Step Strategy for Development
As reform and opening up began, the CPC formulated a strategic plan for China's socialist modernization. Unveiled at the 13th CPC National Congress in October 1987, the strategy envisaged three steps for economic development. It drew upon Deng Xiaoping's strategic conclusions. The underlying assumption was that the major challenge in the primary stage of socialism was how to address the inadequate level of development and to satisfy the people's growing material and cultural needs. Aimed at raising the level of development to improve the people's wellbeing, the strategy outlined specific targets for each of the three steps.
First, the years from 1981 to the end of the 1980s would see the doubling of the 1980 GNP, thus meeting the most basic needs of the people; second, GNP would double again between 1991 and the end of the 20th century, bringing the people moderate prosperity; third, with the process of modernization basically completed, per capita GNP was expected to reach the level of a moderately developed country by the mid-21st century, further improving the people's wellbeing.
At its 15th National Congress held in September 1997, the CPC further modified the third step as: first, to double the 2000 GNP by 2010, bring the people greater prosperity, and build a relatively complete socialist market economy; second, to further develop the economy and have a full range of relevant systems in place by the time the CPC celebrates its centenary in 2021; and third, to accomplish basic modernization and build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic and culturally advanced socialist country by the time the People's Republic celebrates its centenary in 2049.
At its 19th National Congress in October 2017, the CPC renewed the development goals for the period between 2020 and 2050. The first step is to realize basic modernization by 2035, and the second step is to further develop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the mid-21st century.
The three-step strategy for development combined a forward-looking vision for building a prosperous China with prudent and careful planning. As a major blueprint guiding the CPC to advance socialism with Chinese characteristics, it combined the courage and ambition of the Party and the Chinese people with a pragmatic approach rooted in a deep understanding of China's existing conditions.
“三步走”發展戰略
改革開放之后，中國共產黨對中國社會主義現代化建設作出戰略安排，提出“三步走”戰略目標。1987年10月，中共十三大根據鄧小平的戰略構想，明確而系統地闡述了經濟發展分“三步走”的戰略部署。它以社會主義初級階段的基本矛盾，即人民日益增長的物質文化需要同落后的社會生產之間的矛盾為線索，以社會生產的發展水平和相應的人民生活水平為標志，來劃分經濟建設的戰略步驟并確定每一步所要達到的目標。
“三步走”發展戰略的具體目標為：第一步，1981年到20世紀80年代末，實現國民生產總值比1980年翻一番，解決人民的溫飽問題。第二步，1991年到20世紀末，使國民生產總值再增長一倍，人民生活達到小康水平。第三步，到21世紀中葉，人均國民生產總值達到中等發達國家水平，人民生活比較富裕，基本實現現代化。
1997年9月，中共十五大在“三步走”戰略的基礎上，對實現第三步戰略目標制定了具體規劃：第一個10年，即到2010年，實現國民生產總值比2000年翻一番，使人民的小康生活更加富裕，形成比較完善的社會主義市場經濟體制；再經過10年的努力，到建黨100年時，使國民經濟更加發展，各項制度更加完善；到21世紀中葉新中國成立100年時，基本實現現代化，建成富強民主文明的社會主義國家。
2017年10月，中共十九大綜合分析國際國內形勢和中國發展條件，將2020年到21世紀中葉的30年分兩個階段作出規劃安排：第一個階段，從2020年到2035年，在全面建成小康社會的基礎上，再奮斗15年，基本實現社會主義現代化。第二個階段，從2035年到21世紀中葉，在基本實現現代化的基礎上，再奮斗15年，建成富強民主文明和諧美麗的社會主義現代化強國。
“三步走”發展戰略，對中華民族百年圖強的宏偉目標作了積極而穩妥的規劃，既體現了中國共產黨和中國人民勇于進取的精神，又反映了從實際出發、遵循客觀規律的科學精神，是中國共產黨探索中國特色社會主義建設規律的重大成果。
