The new era is the key word to understand the current historical position. The most striking feature of contemporary China is reform and opening up. Entering a new era is a scientific judgment based on the overall development of the cause of the party and the state and the historical achievements and changes made in the past 40 years of reform and opening up and the five years since the 18 th National Congress.

The new era is an era of connecting the past with the future, and it is an era of continuing to win great victories in Socialism with Chinese characteristics under new historical conditions. Based on the new practice and achievements since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the report has planned the goal for the middle of this century. Socialism with Chinese characteristics's entry into a new era is the result of taking care of reality by applying the Marxist time division standard in the new era.