Zhang Hongwen: Science and Technology Taking the Lead to Develop New Quality Productive Forces Based on Local Conditions [1]
New quality productive forces are a concept creatively proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping. He has done so from the strategic height of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation, utilizing the expansive vista of the "changes unseen in a century" [1]. By integrating the basic tenets of Marxist political economy with the practice of economic development in the New Era, he has conducted profound reflection on the underlying logic of high-quality development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made systematic deployments for "building systems and mechanisms to support comprehensive innovation." Developing new quality productive forces has already become a crucial lever for shaping new drivers and advantages for development and promoting high-quality development. During his inspection tour in Anhui, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "to advance Chinese-path modernization, science and technology must lead the way [2], and technological innovation is the only way [3]." He required that we "develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions." We must steadfastly follow the "only way" of technological innovation, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and strive to make greater contributions to building a scientific and technological powerhouse and advancing Chinese-path modernization.
Deeply Grasp the Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Logic of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Expositions on New Quality Productive Forces
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on new quality productive forces profoundly elucidate key issues such as their basic connotation, essential characteristics, core hallmarks, core elements, laws of formation, and paths of realization. They systematically answer major theoretical and practical questions such as "what are new quality productive forces, why develop them, and how to develop them," representing a unity of historical, theoretical, and practical logic.
From the perspective of historical logic, this is a strategic choice to seize new opportunities in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. The development of productive forces is a process of advancing in waves and rising in a spiral [4] from quantitative change to qualitative change. Every technological revolution and industrial transformation originates from epoch-making disruptive technologies, bringing about qualitative leaps in productive forces and major transformations in economy and society. For late-developing countries, technological revolutions and industrial transformations represent both a "window of opportunity" to catch up and a risk of widening gaps. Only by accelerating the development of the most frontier, advanced, and disruptive technologies can a country gradually narrow this gap or even "change lanes to overtake" [5]. Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing in depth. Scientific research is expanding toward the "extreme macro," deepening toward the "extreme micro," advancing toward "extreme conditions," and exerting force toward "extreme cross-disciplinary integration." Technological innovation has entered a period of unprecedentedly intensive activity. Simultaneously, the world's changes unseen in a century are accelerating their evolution. The technological revolution and the maneuvering between major powers are intertwined, and high-tech fields have become the forefront and main battlefield of international competition, profoundly reshaping the global order and development landscape. Accelerating the development of new quality productive forces is both a strategic measure to conform to the tide of the new technological revolution and industrial transformation and seize future development opportunities, and an inevitable requirement to break through external suppression and containment while effectively responding to the complexity, severity, and uncertainty of the external environment.
From the perspective of theoretical logic, this constitutes an innovation and development of Marxist theory on productive forces. Productive force theory is a classic Marxist theory, and it is also a theory that advances with the times through continuous innovation. Our Party has always persisted in using the developing Marxist theory of productive forces to guide ever-changing practice. As China enters the stage of high-quality development, General Secretary Xi Jinping has accurately discerned and grasped world trends in technology and economy. By combining the basic tenets of Marxist political economy with the practice of economic development in the New Era, he creatively proposed the major thesis of developing new quality productive forces. This has further deepened our understanding of the laws governing the development of productive forces and represents a major innovation and development of Marxist productive force theory. First, it enriches and develops the Marxist connotation of the elements of productive forces, emphasizing that new quality productive forces are birthed by revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading, with the leap in workers, means of labor, objects of labor, and their optimized combination as the basic connotation. Second, it enriches and develops the Marxist thesis that "science is included in the productive forces," emphasizing that technological innovation can catalyze new industries, new models, and new drivers, and is the core element for developing new quality productive forces. Third, it enriches and develops Marxist theory on the productive forces and relations of production, emphasizing the necessity of further comprehensively deepening reform to form new-type relations of production suited to new quality productive forces.
From the perspective of practical logic, these forces have already formed and demonstrated strong driving and supporting power for high-quality development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has treated high-quality development as the "hard truth" [6] of the New Era. By continuously liberating and developing social productive forces and making a series of major decisions and deployments, the Party has pushed China's level of productive forces to achieve breakthrough development, forming a "new qualitative state" (新质态) of productive force development and providing strong support for high-quality development. In particular, with the in-depth implementation of the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the strategy on developing a quality workforce, and the innovation-driven development strategy, China’s technological innovation capabilities have significantly strengthened. We have achieved a transition from "following" to "running alongside" and "leading." New breakthroughs have been made in basic frontier research, new leaps have been welcomed in strategic high-tech fields, and new achievements have been made in high-quality development led by innovation-driven growth. The reform of the scientific and technological system has opened up new horizons, and new progress has been made in international openness and cooperation. The foundation for driving the iterative upgrade of productive forces through technological innovation has become more solid. Based on the missions and tasks of the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proceeded from new realities to theoretically summarize, abstract, and elevate the new quality productive forces formed in practice, using them to guide new developmental practices. This holds great practical and profound historical significance for promoting high-quality development and advancing Chinese-path modernization on the new journey of the New Era.
Accelerate Technological Innovation and Industrial Transformation and Upgrading, Develop New Quality Productive Forces According to Local Conditions, and Better Support and Serve Chinese-path Modernization
The prominent characteristic of new quality productive forces is innovation; innovation is also the greatest hallmark, the greatest driver, and the greatest potential. During his 2016 inspection of Anhui, General Secretary Xi Jinping praised Hefei, saying, "Hefei is a place that 'nurtures people' (养人); it has cultivated so many excellent talents and is a land of innovation." During this recent inspection of Anhui, he affirmed that "Anhui's technological innovation can be described by the idiom 'having been away for three days, one must look at it with new eyes' [7]; every time I come, I see new leaps and new development." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the cadres and masses of Hefei have kept his entrustment in mind, forged ahead with gratitude, and unswervingly made the "first move" [8] in innovation. They have used technological innovation to drive industrial innovation, promoting effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy. The city's total economic output has crossed eight 100-billion-yuan thresholds, rising from 31st to 20th among cities nationwide. Leading high-quality development through innovation-driven growth is a vivid practice of implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on new quality productive forces. Technological innovation knows no end, and reform and development are always on the road. We must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on new quality productive forces, always uphold the core position of innovation in the overall landscape of modernization, and adhere to the "four orientations" [9]. We must strengthen the system of strategic scientific and technological forces, deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system, and efficiently allocate scientific and technological resources. We must ensure more focused directions, more diverse subjects, smoother mechanisms, and stronger guarantees, promoting the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation to better support and serve Chinese-path modernization.
Exert every effort to serve and safeguard the construction of national strategic scientific and technological forces, and advance organized, strategy-oriented original and basic research. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the competition for world scientific and technological power is a competition of national strategic scientific and technological forces. Within the new-type whole-of-nation system [10], we persist in using local capabilities to serve national needs. We advance organized scientific research and systematic layouts, leveraging the advantage of "concentrating resources to accomplish major undertakings." We develop comprehensive national science centers to a high standard and support the construction of national strategic scientific and technological forces, such as national laboratories, national research institutions, high-level research-oriented universities, and leading technology enterprises. We effectively utilize the role of high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms, focusing on building three major innovation heights: quantum information, fusion energy, and deep space exploration. We strengthen innovation in key generic technologies, frontier leading technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies, expand international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, continuously enhance original innovation capabilities, and build an influential "source" (策源地) for scientific and technological innovation. Build a leading height for quantum information innovation: Give full play to the role of national laboratories, accelerate the construction of the Quantum Information Future Industrial Technology Park, and—focusing on quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum precision measurement—proactively layout major application projects. We strive to break through major scientific problems and key core technologies, continuously broaden the industrial application areas of quantum communication technology, and ensure that the development of quantum technology remains at the global forefront. Build a leading height for fusion energy innovation: Accelerate the construction of compact fusion energy experimental devices, integrally promote "technology + engineering + industry + application," achieve fusion power generation demonstration as soon as possible, and accelerate the construction of a full industrial chain—from upstream technological breakthroughs and midstream equipment manufacturing to downstream power station operation—striving to form a world-class fusion energy industrial cluster. Build a leading height for deep space exploration innovation: Coordinatedly promote the construction of the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the Deep Space Exploration Academy, and Deep Space Science City. Actively participate in major tasks such as the construction of the International Lunar Research Station, and promote the integrated development of deep space exploration technology and the aerospace information industry.
Strengthen the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation, and advance collaborative breakthroughs in key core technologies. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to strengthen the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation, optimize the allocation of innovation resources, strive to break through key core technologies, and work toward achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. Enterprises are the most active force for innovation and play a pivotal role in the national innovation system. We need to focus on "both ends": on one end, focus on influential leading technology enterprises and support them in taking the lead in forming innovation consortiums; on the other end, focus on "specialized, refined, differential, and innovative" [11] technology SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), helping them grow and expand to form an innovation ecosystem where "tall trees" (leading firms) reach the sky, "shrubs" (SMEs) are robust, and "seedlings" (startups) are lush. Improve the gradient cultivation system for technology enterprises: Vigorously implement "multiplication actions" for high-quality enterprises such as technology SMEs, high-tech enterprises, and "specialized, refined, differential, and innovative" firms. Refine the cultivation system and support policies for high-growth enterprises like "gazelles" and "unicorns," creating a matrix of technology enterprises of all sizes characterized by a "strong head, robust waist, and active tail." Build a collaborative innovation system led by enterprises: Establish a "large formation" (大兵团) collaborative breakthrough model led by leading enterprises with the participation of upstream and downstream firms, universities, and institutes. Encourage various business entities to build maker spaces, technology business incubators, and accelerators to comprehensively improve the efficiency of industry-university-research collaborative innovation. Refine a new-type demand-oriented R&D system: Improve mechanisms such as "open competition to select the best candidates" (揭榜挂帅) [12] and "horse racing" (赛马) [13]. Focusing on major strategic tasks concerning national security, industrial core competitiveness, and improvement of people’s livelihoods, implement a batch of major technological breakthrough projects and strive to achieve new breakthroughs.
Defend the foundation of the real economy and improve the modernized industrial system. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that technological innovation is by no means limited to research in the laboratory; rather, technological innovation achievements must be transformed into realistic forces driving economic and social development. Facing the new round of technological revolution and fierce global industrial competition, we must improve the work system for precisely promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, strengthen the "special task force" (专班) promotion mechanism for the entire chain and process, and promptly apply technological innovation achievements to specific industries and industrial chains. This will open the passage from "strong science and technology" to "strong enterprises, strong industries, and a strong economy." Transform and upgrade traditional industries: Traditional industries are not backward industries and cannot be simply phased out as "low-end industries." Focusing on traditional advantageous industries such as home appliances and equipment manufacturing, we will deeply implement major technological transformation and upgrading in manufacturing and large-scale equipment renewal projects. We will promote the digital transformation of enterprises and the innovative development of the Industrial Internet, driving traditional industries toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. We will create more smart factories, zero-carbon factories, and "Lighthouse Factories" [14], allowing "old trees to sprout new shoots." Cultivate and expand emerging industries: Solidly advance the national strategic emerging industry cluster development project, build a graded development system for industrial clusters, and accelerate the construction of influential emerging industry clusters such as new energy vehicles, advanced photovoltaics and new energy storage, integrated circuits, new displays, biomedicine, and high-end equipment manufacturing. We will continuously strengthen the extension, replenishment, reinforcement, and upgrading of industrial chains, constantly increasing their depth and resilience, and forming a batch of emerging pillar industries. Layout and construct future industries: Oriented toward major national needs and strategic frontier areas, and relying on accumulated technology and competitive advantages, we aim at the three major fields of intelligence, energy, and biotechnology. We will proactively and leadingly layout the development of future industries such as quantum information, fusion energy, aerospace information, the low-altitude economy, biomanufacturing, life sciences, next-generation AI, and humanoid robots. We will coordinate technical innovation, demonstration and promotion, and large-scale application, accelerating the transition from technology to products, products to industry, and industry to scale, so as to seize the "dual commanding heights" of technology and industry.
Innovate the modes of allocating factors of production to significantly boost total factor productivity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to establish a high-standard market system and innovate the modes of allocating factors of production, allowing all types of advanced and high-quality productive factors to flow smoothly toward the development of new quality productive forces. Major scientific and technological innovation requires a vast amount of innovative resources; we must establish a resource allocation model that conforms to the laws of S&T innovation, unblock the circulation of factors between the government, the market, and innovation subjects, and continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation. We must improve the tech-finance system. This involves building high-standard pilot zones for scientific and technological financial reform and perfecting diversified "relay-style" financial services [15] adapted to the characteristics of each stage in the full life cycle of S&T innovation and industrial development. We will deepen the reform of diversified financing for major S&T infrastructure, implement the "Common Growth Plan" for financial support of S&T enterprises, and comprehensively utilize credit, guarantees, insurance, equity investment, and bond financing. This will guide more long-term capital and "patience capital" [16] to "invest early, invest small, invest long-term, and invest in hard tech," making every effort to promote a virtuous cycle of "S&T–industry–finance." We must improve the scenario innovation system. We should leverage the role of the nation’s first Urban Scenario Innovation Promotion Center, vigorously implement application scenario demonstration actions, and fully open up corporate production, government application, and urban construction/management scenarios. By creating a unified large market for application scenarios, we will construct a scenario innovation ecosystem covering all industries, regions, and fields, providing broad space for technological application and industrial development. We must improve the digital empowerment system. We will coordinately promote digital industrialization and industrial digitalization, accelerate the all-round, whole-chain popularization and application of new-generation information technology, and build and operate national data infrastructure. We will promote innovative breakthroughs in key factors such as computing power, algorithms, and data, accelerate the deployment of large models in the industrial field, and better empower "the thousand industries and ten thousand trades" [17] to benefit every household.
Further comprehensively deepen reform to form new-type relations of production. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that to develop new quality productive forces, we must further comprehensively deepen reform and form new-type relations of production [18] compatible with them. S&T innovation is a systemic project that requires the construction of systems and mechanisms to support comprehensive innovation. This involves the integrated promotion of reforms in the systems for education, technology, and talent, fully leveraging the breakthrough and pioneering role of reform to continuously enhance the overall efficacy of the innovation system. We must deepen the comprehensive reform of education. We will vigorously promote the "connotative development" [19] of higher education, offer full support for the construction of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines (such as the University of Science and Technology of China [USTC]), and promote the improvement of discipline adjustment mechanisms and talent cultivation models driven by technological development and national strategic needs. We will make extraordinary arrangements for urgently needed disciplines and majors, and strengthen the construction of basic, emerging, and interdisciplinary subjects as well as the cultivation of top-tier talent. We will persist in the integration of vocational and general education, the fusion of industry and education, promote the "dual system" [20] school-running model, and continue to expand the demonstration effect of Sino-foreign cooperation in applied higher education to accelerate the training of high-quality applied talents. We must deepen the reform of the S&T system. We will push further and deeper into reforms regarding the granting of proprietary rights for job-related S&T achievements and the "lump-sum system" (bāo gàn zhì) for research project funding. We will speed up the promotion of the USTC model of "granting rights + transfer + agreed income" for job-related S&T achievements, achieving full empowerment of achievement ownership and long-term sharing of income rights. Focusing on creating a "testing ground" (shì yàn tián) for S&T system reform and a "high-yield field" (gāo chǎn tián) for high-tech industrial development, we will build "USTC Silicon Valley" to high standards, run the USTC School of S&T Business well, and create a first-class innovation ecosystem. Persisting in "industry orientation, clear responsibilities, and classified management," we will co-build a batch of high-level new-type R&D institutions with flexible operating mechanisms in partnership with renowned universities and institutes, top-tier talent teams, and leading enterprises. This will foster high-level talent teams, implement high-level technological breakthroughs, and promote high-efficiency transformation of achievements. We will improve the comprehensive coordination mechanism of the Municipal Party Committee’s Science and Technology Commission and perfect a work system comprising "functional departments + public institutions + S&T innovation groups + tech-finance + park carriers," realizing "one game of chess across the whole city" [21] to promote S&T innovation. We must deepen the reform of the system and mechanisms for talent development. We will implement more proactive, open, and effective talent policies, speed up the formation of effective mechanisms for talent cultivation, utilization, evaluation, service, support, and incentivization, and extensively attract and cultivate strategic, industrial, and youthful talent. We will persist in delegating authority to employers and "untying the hands" of talent, establishing a talent evaluation system oriented toward innovation capacity, quality, effectiveness, and contribution, ensuring that the "city that nurtures people" becomes even more nurturing, and the "happiness of innovation" becomes even more joyful.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has affirmed the achievements made in various aspects of Anhui's work and put forward clear requirements for the next steps. We will deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech during his inspection of Anhui, earnestly transforming his earnest entrustments into the momentum for progress. We will consciously act as practitioners, doers, and men of action, bringing forth the spirit of "how many times in a lifetime can one strike?" [22], firmly walk the inevitable path of S&T innovation, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and assist the nation in achieving high-level S&T self-reliance and strength, striving to make new and greater contributions to the cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
(The author is a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Hefei Municipal Committee) Source: Study Times (Xué xí shí bào) Web Editor: Huì Huì