The reason why the first “thirty years,” represented by Mao Zedong era, and the second “thirty years,” characterized by “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” can be combined is that during the sixty years after the founding of New China, national rejuvenation, modern development and socialism successively formed in nineteenth century and twentieth century has been embraced as an integrated whole, and have developed a historically determined epochal theme. The two “thirty years” have historical connotations which have come down in one continuous line in essence, but as two different historical stages, with a marked difference between them. The foundation of the theory, system and route of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the formulation of the line, principles and policies of reform and opening up have provided a way to solve the age-old difficulty of the modern transformation of Chinese society at a broader and deeper level.

Editor: zhang Jiangang