China, which managed to stand up in the era of Mao Zedong and get rich in the decades after the reform and opening up initiated by Deng Xiaoping, is striding toward becoming a "great modern socialist country" by the mid-21st century under the CPC leadership with Xi at the core.

 

"During the previous two historic transformations, historic theoretical innovations were achieved to enable the theory and practice to supplement each other," said Liu Jingbei, a professor with the China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong, Shanghai.

 

"As China enters a new historic juncture in its development, it entails new strategic ideology," he said.

 

"Xi's thought builds on and further enriches Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. Its inclusion into the CPC Constitution means the application of the new thought in China's development will be further standardized," Liu said.

 

Almost all previous top CPC leaders have had a reference to their ideological contribution included in the CPC Constitution, a fundamental law of the CPC which has supreme binding power for all the Party's 89 million members.

 

Kenneth Jarrett, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said the "new era" in Xi's thought has at least two key meanings.

 

"First, the era when China emphasized economic growth at any cost is now over. China enters an era of smarter and more balanced growth. Second, China will play a bigger role on the world stage," Jarrett said.