The photograph exhibition on poverty alleviation and well-off society building kicks off at the National Museum of China, on April 9, 2021.

In the 1990s, chief architect of China’s reform and opening-up Deng Xiaoping indicated, “When the economy is developed enough it will be the time for the country to seek common prosperity.”

Decades later, when the country declared its completion of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and started its march towards socialist modernization, the topic of common prosperity came to the forefront of its leadership’s agenda. “Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism and a key feature of Chinese-style modernization,” President Xi Jinping stressed at the 10th meeting of the CPC Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on August 17. The meeting laid focus on expanding the proportion of middle-income groups, increasing the income of low-income groups, reasonably adjusting high incomes, and forming an olive-shaped distribution structure with a large middle and small ends. A tertiary distribution system is also emphasized as an important way to redistribute social resources and wealth through charity donations and assistance by the high-income group. Many business giants committed to making their contributions after the meeting.

Common prosperity was also emphasized at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in November, with its communique stated, “We should deepen reform and opening-up across the board, promote common prosperity for all, and build up our country’s strength in science and technology.”

The common prosperity drive has definitely created international repercussions, with qualms, suspicions and even misunderstanding arising. The following special reports aim to help readers get a glimpse of China’s path to common prosperity, the specific practices at the local level, and the real purpose of the drive.