Gong Yun and Zhu Ying: Major Economic Provinces Must Take the Lead and "Act as Models" in Promoting Common Prosperity for All People
On the afternoon of March 5, 2025, while attending a deliberation with the Jiangsu delegation during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "To successfully achieve the goals of the '14th Five-Year Plan,' major economic provinces must take the lead." This important instruction is not only a fervent expectation for Jiangsu but also a clear requirement for all major economic provinces across the country. During last year's Two Sessions [1], also with the Jiangsu delegation, General Secretary Xi Jinping similarly emphasized that Jiangsu should "better exert the radiating and driving force of a major economic province for regional and even national development." From July 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping first proposed at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee that "major economic provinces must have the courage to take the lead," to December 2023, when he proposed at the Central Economic Work Conference that "major economic provinces must truly take the lead and make greater contributions to stabilizing the national economy," and further to December 2024, when he again emphasized "supporting major economic provinces in taking the lead" at the Central Economic Work Conference—this series of important expositions demonstrates that major economic provinces occupy a pivotal position in the overall national development framework. We must profoundly grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches, courageously shoulder heavy burdens, and make greater contributions to achieving high-quality development and the broader national development landscape.
The National Strategic Significance of Major Economic Provinces Taking the Lead
"Major economic provinces taking the lead" is an important requirement put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping for economically developed regions within the context of the New Era. This requirement is not only based on the developmental advantages of these provinces themselves but is also a critical mission assigned from the perspective of overall national development strategy, covering national economic development, regional coordination, scientific and technological innovation, and common prosperity.
The stable development of major economic provinces serves as a vital support for national economic growth. Major economic provinces are the "ballast stones" for stabilizing the national economic aggregate and the "pillars" supporting high-quality development. The dialectical relationship between the part and the whole is an important principle of Marxist philosophy; the function of the parts and their changes affect the function of the whole. As the "vanguards" of China's economic development, major economic provinces occupy a critical position in the overall national economic structure. Their level and quality of development directly impact the stability and growth of the national economy. Simultaneously, by virtue of their superior geographical locations, solid economic foundations, complete infrastructure, and strong innovation capabilities, major economic provinces have become the "growth poles" of China's regional economic development. They can effectively drive the development of surrounding areas and the national economy as a whole, promoting regional coordinated development. Therefore, major economic provinces taking the lead is an inevitable requirement for leveraging the positive influence of the part on the whole and promoting national high-quality development. With nearly 20% of the national land area, major economic provinces carry over 50% of the population and create over 60% of the GDP. Currently, as the domestic and international development environments are complex and volatile, and the momentum for world economic growth is insufficient, the foundation for China's economic recovery and improvement is not yet solid. Major economic provinces must all the more take responsibility, courageously shoulder heavy burdens, and demonstrate a greater supporting and driving role in continuously consolidating the trend of economic recovery.
Major economic provinces play a powerful leading role in promoting high-quality development. Major economic provinces are the core regions for China's scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading. These provinces possess numerous universities, research institutions, and innovative enterprises; their R&D investment and innovation achievements occupy a significant national position, and their socio-economic development leads the country. For example, Jiangsu and Zhejiang lead the nation in fields such as intelligent manufacturing and the digital economy, while Guangdong and Shanghai lead in artificial intelligence and biomedicine. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics: Guangdong, as the top economic province, reached a new height with a GDP of 14 trillion yuan in 2024; Jiangsu followed closely, with its GDP also approaching 14 trillion yuan and its incremental growth ranking first in the country. Together, these two provinces account for 20% of the national total, proving themselves as the nation’s "bellwethers." Regarding economic growth rates, seven of the top ten provinces exceeded the national average, with Jiangsu and Hubei tied for first with a growth rate of 5.8%, and Shandong and Sichuan tied for second at 5.7%. Furthermore, major economic provinces are the front lines of China's reform and opening up, possessing rich experience and advantages in institutional innovation, optimizing the business environment, and developing an open economy. By deepening reform and expanding opening up, they can create a favorable environment for promoting high-quality development.
Major economic provinces play a key role in implementing major national regional development strategies. "Strategic issues are fundamental issues for a political party and a country." Promoting regional coordinated development is a fundamental strategy long upheld by the Party and the state. Since the start of reform and opening up, and especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has proposed many strategic measures for regional development based on the stage of China's socio-economic development. In the Yangtze River Delta Integrated Development Strategy, the region has achieved significant results, leading the country in socio-economic development and becoming a major engine for China's economic growth. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui promote regional integration through industrial coordination, transportation interconnectivity, and ecological co-protection. In the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy, major economic provinces like Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui collaborate with central and western provinces to promote coordinated development between the east, center, and west. Major economic provinces have played a pivotal role in narrowing regional development gaps and achieving national regional alignment by leveraging their own advantages to drive the common development of surrounding areas.
Major economic provinces provide a model for achieving common prosperity for all. Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism. At the beginning of reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping proposed the vision of the "first-to-prosper leading the later-to-prosper" to eventually reach common prosperity: "Some regions with the right conditions should be allowed to develop first... and then lead the later-developing regions to ultimately achieve common prosperity" [2]. With rapid socio-economic development, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development in China has become prominent, manifesting between regions, urban and rural areas, industries, and in income distribution. Enhancing the balance of regional development has become a daunting and heavy task. As major economic provinces develop faster and possess the foundation to take the lead in realizing common prosperity, they should actively explore this path, play a modeling and driving role, increase support for underdeveloped areas, and promote rural revitalization, urban-rural integration, and income distribution reform. They must enhance the equitability and accessibility of public services, providing a model and leadership for national common prosperity.
The Practical Path for Major Economic Provinces to Take the Lead
When participating in the Jiangsu delegation's deliberation, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions on how major economic provinces should take the lead: "Jiangsu must grasp the focal points of taking the lead, act as a vanguard in promoting the integration of technological and industrial innovation, be a pioneer in advancing deep-seated reform and high-level opening up, stay at the forefront in implementing major national development strategies, and provide a model in promoting common prosperity for all." This points the way and provides a practical path for major economic provinces to further promote high-quality development and make greater contributions to the overall national development.
In taking the lead, major economic provinces must "act as a vanguard" in promoting the integrated development of technological and industrial innovation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the integrated development of technological and industrial innovation is the basic path for developing new quality productive forces. Innovation is an important force driving the progress of a country and a nation. High-quality development is inseparable from innovation-driven growth and industrial support; technological innovation depends on talent, and talent cultivation depends on education. The integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent is a strategic requirement proposed in the report of the 20th CPC National Congress and an important deployment made at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Major economic provinces should further increase R&D investment, support enterprises in conducting research on core technologies in key fields, cultivate new industries, and promote the transformation of traditional industries toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. They must strengthen the principal position of enterprises in innovation. Enterprises are a vital force combining technology with the economy; only when technological achievements are transformed into actual productive forces can they promote substantial socio-economic development. Efforts should be made to build a technical innovation system that is enterprise-led, market-oriented, and integrates production, academy, and research. Support for entities in the real economy should be increased, promoting the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy. Integration mechanisms should be perfected, innovation platforms established, and the innovation ecosystem optimized to form a collaborative innovation system that enhances the effectiveness of transforming scientific and technological achievements.
In taking the lead, major economic provinces must "be a pioneer" in advancing deep-seated reform and high-level opening up. The achievements of over 40 years of reform and opening up prove that reform and opening up is a "magic weapon" [3] for China’s economic development. Major economic provinces should take the lead in breaking through key areas of market-based allocation of production factors, dismantling local protectionism and market fragmentation, optimizing the layout of productive forces, and promoting regional coordination. They must fully implement the spirit of the Symposium on Private Enterprises, treating enterprises of all ownership types equally, continuously optimizing the business environment, and stimulating the vitality of market entities. They should build a new system for a higher-level open economy, expand the space for open economic development, improve the layout of Free Trade Zones, firmly grasp international prevailing rules, and create new highlands of openness with higher levels of business environments and stronger radiating effects.
In taking the lead, major economic provinces must "stay at the forefront" in implementing major national development strategies. This is both a responsibility and a developmental opportunity. China is vast and populous; due to differences in local conditions, regional economic development is characterized by imbalance. Imbalance is universal, and one must promote relative balance through development. Therefore, major economic provinces must firmly grasp their mission and fully serve the implementation of major national development strategies. They should actively align with national strategies such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, Yangtze River Delta integration, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area construction, and the Yangtze River Economic Belt development, finding their own positioning and exerting a radiating driving effect. For instance, Hubei should strive to be a pioneer in the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, promoting the rapid rise of the central region through its role as a strategic pivot. Hunan should continue efforts to build the "Three Highlands" [4] and demonstrate new achievements in the rise of the central region and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Chongqing should show its prowess in supporting private enterprises, promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle and regional coordination. Shanghai should play a leading and exemplary role in the high-quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, driving the common development of cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt to achieve a higher level of coordinated progress. Consequently, major economic provinces must firmly establish the idea of "the whole country as a single chessboard" [5], basing themselves on their own advantages to contribute to the overall national development.
In taking the lead, major economic provinces must "provide a model" in promoting common prosperity for all. In the new stage of development, major economic provinces must continue to exert effort in promoting comprehensive rural revitalization and urban-rural integrated development, consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation to ensure that rural areas do not slide back into poverty. To promote regional coordinated development and narrow regional gaps, major economic provinces should drive the development of central, western, and economically underdeveloped regions through industrial transfer, paired assistance, and regional cooperation. They can also establish vocational education and skills training bases with central and western regions to cultivate talent tailored to local industrial development, facilitating the realization of common prosperity goals. Major economic provinces should give full play to their advantages and actively explore experiences to provide replicable and scalable demonstration models for the whole country. For example, Zhejiang, in its construction of a Demonstration Zone for Common Prosperity, has actively explored new models of urban-rural integration, providing valuable experience for the nation. In short, solidifying the promotion of common prosperity requires the first-to-prosper to lead the later-to-prosper, and major economic provinces should rightly provide the model.
(About the Authors: Gong Yun is the Party Branch Secretary of the Institute of Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Zhu Ying is a lecturer at the School of Marxism, Jianghan University) Web Editor: Tongxin Source: "Xin Xiang Review" (新湘评论), Issue 6, 2025