Yan Guohua: Understanding and Promoting the Development of New Quality Productive Forces [1] through Systems Thinking [2]
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the systems concept is a fundamental ideological and working method. Adhering to the systems concept emphasizes the use of perspectives characterized by universal connection, comprehensive systematicity, and developmental change to observe objects and grasp the laws of development; the development of new quality productive forces is no different. New quality productive forces are not a simple combination of advanced productive forces and industrial structures, but rather a complex systems engineering project. They require both the iterative upgrading of new technologies and industries and depend on the holistic leap of relevant factors. Promoting their growth and strengthening requires not only active attention to technological innovation and industrial upgrading, but also the establishment of a macro vision and systems concept, striving to achieve coordinated planning and holistic consideration.
Clarifying the Systematic Qualitative Characteristics of New Quality Productive Forces
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "New quality productive forces are advanced productive forces in which innovation plays the leading role. They break away from traditional economic growth modes and development paths for productive forces, feature high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, and align with the New Development Philosophy [1]." This advanced qualitative state of productive forces is characterized by being innovation-driven, green and low-carbon, open and integrated, and possessing human-centered connotations. It embodies the internal requirements of considering the New Development Philosophy and high-quality development, and relies on the relational coupling, collaborative innovation, and systematic optimization of various elements of the productive forces.
From the perspective of internal factors, the essence of new quality productive forces is advanced productive forces, which contain a systematized structural framework and follow an internal formation logic of "factor—structure—function." General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the fundamental connotation of new quality productive forces is "the leap in the quality of laborers, means of labor, and subjects of labor, as well as their optimized combination," with "a substantial increase in total factor productivity as the core hallmark." This discourse vividly elucidates that the development of new quality productive forces includes not only the improvement of the quality and skills of laborers, but also the active creation and upgrading of the means of production, the expansion of the depth and breadth of the subjects of labor, and the innovation of relevant combination functions. It depends on the optimized combination and proportional balance between substantive and non-substantive factors, between productive forces and relations of production, and between industries and regions.
From the perspective of developmental forms, new quality productive forces are the powerful momentum driving high-quality development and Chinese-path modernization. They are not local optimizations or simple iterations of traditional productive forces, but involve deep-seated transformations such as breakthrough developments in science and technology, the transformation and upgrading of industrial structures, the innovative allocation of factors of production, and the shifting of growth models to higher speeds. At the same time, new quality productive forces are not merely the evolution and deepening of productive forces in the economic dimension, but a systematic coupling of multiple forms—economic, cultural, social, and ecological. They constitute a comprehensive system of the organic unity of time and space, and the dialectical unity of commonality and particularity, representing a new form of productive forces that points toward the developmental direction of human society.
From the perspective of formation conditions, new quality productive forces are inseparable from the continuous drive of scientific and technological development and industrial transformation and upgrading. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that new quality productive forces are "spawned by revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading." The empowering, catalytic, and driving roles of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation for new quality productive forces include both major technological innovations and iterative breakthroughs in tools of production, as well as the continuous integration of composite factors—man-to-man, man-to-object, and object-to-object—into productive activities with new postures and levels. This reflects the structural inter-embedding of numerous resource factors and the systematic transformation of the entire system of productive forces.
Deeply Grasping the Systematic Value Objectives of New Quality Productive Forces
Currently, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing in depth, having already formed new fields and new arenas [2]. Developing new quality productive forces is key to adapting to evolving new trends and forming new drivers and advantages. This requires us to establish a holistic concept of "planning for the part from the perspective of the whole, and promoting the whole through the part," using systematic thinking and structural measures to coordinate key contradictions such as the whole and the part, the primary and the secondary, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, the explicit and the implicit, quantitative and qualitative change, and the present and the long term. We must transform the spirit and efficacy inherent in new quality productive forces into a deep driving force for social development.
Focusing on innovative development and manifesting primordial value. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on new quality productive forces profoundly clarify major theoretical and practical questions such as what new quality productive forces are, why we must develop them, and how to develop them. In their external form, new quality productive forces are mainly manifested in new technologies, new industries, new factors, and new organizations. However, their underlying logic serves as the realistic support for implementing the New Development Philosophy, promoting high-quality development, serving Chinese-path modernization, and meeting the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life. New quality productive forces are the concrete practice of advanced productive force theory, a re-strengthening and re-anchoring of the primordial value of productive force development, and a new qualitative state of productive forces focused on the high-quality life of the masses. Therefore, new quality productive forces reflect profound reflections on why to develop, with what to develop, and for whom to develop; they are a new paradigm of productive forces that comprehensively empowers the development of human civilization in both objectives and pathways.
Based in the economic sphere, serving the overall horizontal of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Productive forces are the fundamental driving force of human society's development and the ultimate cause of all social change and political transformation." New quality productive forces require support from all aspects and will, in turn, promote development in all aspects. They are a strategic issue affecting China's mode of production, development model, industrial patterns, and even high-quality development in various fields. The concept of "productive forces" is therefore often used as the "theoretical key" to understanding historical materialism. New quality productive forces are the vivid practice of China's current accurate understanding of productive forces, particularly in grasping their new changes, requirements, and qualitative states. Consequently, new quality productive forces relate not only to the expansion of the boundaries of the structural elements of productive forces, but also reflect our grasp of the laws of evolution and developmental trends of productive forces. They are a vital factor concerning the model, level, and efficacy of China’s economic and social development.
Constructing a Systematic Pathway for Advancing New Quality Productive Forces
The development of new quality productive forces requires the constant upholding of systems thinking. We must persist in using developmental, comprehensive, and relational perspectives to scientifically grasp the coupling relationship between internal factors and the overall structure. It must be clear that all social subjects and factors are relevant to the development of new quality productive forces, presenting a systematic state where "a slight move in one part affects the whole" [3]. Therefore, systematically developing new quality productive forces requires not only keeping a close eye on technological chains and the economic sphere, but also mobilizing the entire society to take action, forming a holistic pattern of collective attention from multiple subjects and shared effort from across society. By attending to the underlying ecosystem and deepening scientific practice, we can promote the continuous and healthy development of new quality productive forces.
First, deeply advancing innovation in ideas and concepts. New quality productive forces are not merely innovations in technological forms, but are also manifested as innovations in conceptual forms. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The distinctive feature of new quality productive forces is innovation, which includes innovation at the levels of technology and business models, as well as innovation at the levels of management and institutions." This requires us to further emancipate our minds [4], promoting deeper understanding and practice of new quality productive forces through conceptual innovation. We must coordinate the relationships between the part and the whole, the present and the long term, and the implicit and the explicit. At the same time, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Developing new quality productive forces does not mean ignoring or abandoning traditional industries; we must prevent a 'rush to action' [5] and the formation of bubbles." Therefore, we must dialectically understand and scientifically handle the internal relationships between new quality productive forces and traditional productive forces, between process and result, and between "having the will" and "having the skill," maintaining a sense of composure and focus, avoiding impatient and utilitarian thinking, and promoting the development of new quality productive forces with scientific concepts.
Second, continuously advancing reform of systems and mechanisms. Developing new quality productive forces is not only a proposition of innovation, but also one of reform. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must deepen reforms of the economic system and the science and technology system, focusing on clearing the bottlenecks and obstacles [6] that bind the development of new quality productive forces." This requires us to continuously release the vitality of reform and the momentum for innovation through institutional reform, forming a policy environment and institutional system compatible with these forces. We must start by actively improving the supporting systems and mechanisms—improving mechanisms for the development of the service industry, modern infrastructure construction, the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, and the security of industrial and supply chains—to resolve the pain points in the development of new quality productive forces and form a positive cycle where productive forces and relations of production promote each other.
Third, actively promoting the application of digital-intelligent (数智) technologies. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must focus on national strategies and the realistic needs of economic and social development, taking breakthroughs in key generic technologies, frontier leading technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technological innovations as the point of entry. We must give full play to the advantages of the New Whole-of-Nation System [7], win the battle for key core technologies, and ensure that original and disruptive scientific and technological innovations emerge in succession, fostering new drivers for the development of new quality productive forces." Currently, the development and progress of digital-intelligent technologies have become the underlying support, key variable, and largest incremental factor for the development of new quality productive forces. Therefore, through the leadership of key digital-intelligent technologies, we must continuously optimize the supply-demand ratio, combination methods, and coupling relationships of key factors, ensuring that the connotation, quality, structure, momentum, and model of new quality productive forces develop continuously alongside the iterative upgrading of digital-intelligent technology.
Fourth, vigorously promoting the leap of talent resources. Talent is the bridge and core element connecting industrial development needs with educational cultivation and supply; it is the primary force for developing new quality productive forces. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In accordance with the requirements for developing new quality productive forces, we must smooth the virtuous cycle of education, science and technology, and talent, and improve the working mechanisms for talent cultivation, introduction, use, and rational flow." Therefore, through the deep integration of education, technology, and the industrial ecosystem, the adjustment of talent cultivation goals and evaluation systems, and the collaborative promotion of the supply and demand sides, we must strengthen talent's understanding, grasp, and application of the basic principles and iterative trends of technology on the basis of profoundly aligning with new technological factors and their holistic impact.
Fifth, continuously optimizing the overall social atmosphere. In his 2025 New Year Address, General Secretary Xi Jinping said: "We have nurtured new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and new industries, new formats, and new models are emerging in succession." Developing new quality productive forces is a glorious and arduous undertaking. While solidly improving various "hardware" conditions, it is also essential to actively create a favorable social atmosphere conducive to their development. In an upbeat environment that encourages innovation, openness, and inclusiveness, tolerates failure, and utilizes scientific evaluation, we can promote the cultivation of innovative talent, the emergence of new technologies, and the transformation of new industries, continuously activating new momentum and creating new models for the development of new quality productive forces.
(The author is the Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism at the China University of Mining and Technology)
Source: Guangming Daily
January 24, 2025
Web Editor: Huihui