“四個自信”

2016年7月1日，習近平總書記在慶祝中國共産黨成立95週年大會上的講話中，在“三個自信” （道路自信、理論自信、制度自信）基礎上，增加了“文化自信”，從而形成了“四個自信”的表述。實際上，早在2014年2月，習近平在主持中央政治局集體學習時，就明確提出過“文化自信”的要求。2014年全國兩會期間，他參加貴州代表 團審議時説，“我們要堅持道路自信、理論自信, 制度自信，最根本的還有一個文化自信”。 “四個自信”理念是對中國特色社會主義理論體系的豐富和創新。其中，道路自信 是對中國特色社會主義道路發展方向和未來命運的自信；理論自信是對中國特色社會主義理論體系的科學性、真理性、正確性的自信；制度自信是對中國特色社會主義制度先進性和優越性的自信；文化自信是對中國自身文化價值的充分肯定，是對自身文化生命力的堅定信念，“是更基礎、更廣泛、更深厚的自信”。“四個自信”是一個有機統一體，是中國特色社會主義的完整信念體系，相輔相成、彼此互動。

Matters of Confidence

Addressing a grand meeting to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC on July 1, 2016, Xi Jinping called on the whole Party to have confidence in its chosen path, guiding theories, and political system, and above all to have confidence in China’s culture. This was not the first time that Xi had emphasized the importance of cultural confidence. He had already raised the subject back in February 2014 when chairing a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. He referred to the topic again the following March when joining a discussion among NPC deputies from Guizhou Province. “We should have confidence in our chosen path, guiding theories, and political system, and most importantly, confidence in our culture,” he told the deputies. These “matters of confidence” can be seen to have developed and enriched the theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Confidence in the chosen path, offers a firm assurance about a promising future of Chinese socialism; confidence in the guiding theories affirms a strong belief that the theoretical framework of Chinese socialism is correct, scientific, and sound; confidence in the political system manifests an abiding faith in the strengths and advanced nature of Chinese socialism as a political system; confidence in China’s culture demonstrates a full confirmation of the nation’s own cultural values and a deep trust in their vitality. Such confidence is “more fundamental, more extensive, and more profound.”Complementing each other and operating in harmony, these four matters of confidence constitute important components of Chinese socialism.