补短板
习近平指出，中国经济社会发展的主要矛盾在新时代发生了变化，需要新的发展方略。当前中国经济社会发展的战略目标是全面建成小康社会，战略重点在于补齐短板，扶贫工作则是其中最薄弱的领域。
“补短板”思维是理解习近平扶贫工作思维方法的一个关键。早在2004年时，时任浙江省委书记的习近平就在省域层面提出“补短板”的思维方法：“全面建成小康社会，强调的不仅是‘小康’，而且更重要也更难做到的是‘全面’。‘小康’讲的是发展水平，‘全面’讲的是发展的平衡性、协调性、可持续性。”
“补短板”的发展战略是对马克思主义基本立场的坚守，同样也是对中国特色社会主义的创新和发展。习近平指出，“小康不小康，关键看老乡”，“在发展中补齐民生短板、促进社会公平正义”，体现了他对于什么是发展，什么是小康社会的深刻思考。
Improving Areas of Weakness
As the principal issues influencing China's economic and social development have changed in the new era, Xi Jinping points out that the country needs a new strategy for development. To fulfill the strategic goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the strategic focus should be on improving areas of weakness, of which poverty alleviation is the weakest link.
Xi made a similar proposal for Zhejiang Province in 2004 when he was secretary of its provincial CPC committee. To build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the focus should be equally on "a moderately prosperous society" and "in all respects" - the latter being more important and more difficult to achieve. "A moderately prosperous society" represents a certain level of development, while "in all respects" extends that level of development to one that is balanced, coordinated and sustainable.
The idea of improving areas of weakness reflects a Marxist stance and contribution to the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping's vision on development and moderate prosperity is like this: Whether China has achieved prosperity will be judged by the conditions of the rural areas, and China will improve the weak links related to people's wellbeing and enhance social fairness and justice through development.