Zhu Andong: Adhering to Correct Work Strategies and Methods — Studying the Methodology of Xi Jinping's Economic Thought | Marxism Research Network

"If the task must be done, there must be a method; only then can it be accomplished." Doing economic work well requires not only scientific theory, reasonable goals, and feasible strategies, but also the guidance of a correct and effective methodology. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, in the face of a severe and complex international environment and the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability, General Secretary Xi Jinping has adhered to and applied the Marxist worldview and methodology. He has deeply grasped the laws of economic work, summarized and sublimated practical experience, and creatively proposed a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and assertions centered on the methodical issues of conducting economic work. This has formed a systematic methodology for doing economic work, providing scientific guidance for promoting economic development practices in the New Era. Deeply studying and understanding the methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought and continuously enhancing the scientific, predictive, proactive, and creative nature of our work is of great significance for comprehensively implementing the Party Central Committee’s decisions and arrangements on economic work and pushing China’s economy to new heights on the path of high-quality development.

Methodology is the theory regarding the methods of understanding and transforming the world, reflecting the way people observe things and handle problems. A scientific worldview and methodology constitute our "master key" for researching and solving problems. Economic work is highly professional, involves a wide range of fields, and is characterized by prominent complexity and systematicity. Having the correct ideological line and strategic direction alone is not enough to guarantee the realization of economic development goals; one must also have correct work strategies and methods to transform theoretical understanding into successful practice and to implement specific principles and policies.

Valuing work methodology is a fine tradition and a distinctive feature of our Party’s leadership over economic construction. As early as 1945, Comrade Mao Zedong put forward the requirement that "we must learn how to do economic work." In the process of leading China’s revolution and construction, Comrade Mao Zedong authored works such as Some Questions Concerning Methods of Leadership, Methods of Work of Party Committees, and Sixty Articles on Working Methods (Draft). He proposed important methods such as "no investigation, no right to speak," "learning to 'play the piano'" ^[1], "extending experimental plots universally," "dissecting a sparrow" ^[2], and "making overall plans and taking all factors into consideration." These played an important role in leading and promoting economic construction. In leading the magnificent cause of reform and opening up, our Party put forward important viewpoints such as "be bold, but take steady steps," "start with pilot projects and summarize experience at any time," "crossing the river by feeling the stones," "all aspects need comprehensive balance; one cannot focus on a single stroke," "correctly handle the relationship between reform, development, and stability," and "coordinate urban and rural development, coordinate regional development, coordinate economic and social development, coordinate the harmonious development of man and nature, and coordinate domestic development and opening up to the outside world." These further enriched our Party's methodology for doing economic work and pushed forward the cause of reform and opening up and the construction of a socialist economy with Chinese characteristics.

Entering the New Era, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has changed, and the domestic and international economic situations have become extremely intricate—many of these circumstances have not been encountered since the start of reform and opening up. At the same time, the fields of China's economic development are constantly expanding, the division of labor is becoming increasingly complex, the forms are becoming more advanced, and the link between international and domestic spheres is becoming tighter. This places higher demands on our Party’s ability and level of leading economic work. Facing the new situation and new tasks of economic work, General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the issue of method. The General Secretary has emphasized that correct strategies require correct tactics for implementation; to promote sustained and healthy economic development, we must not only have correct ideas and policies but also correct work strategies and methods. In the face of complex situations, complex contradictions, and heavy tasks, if one does not distinguish between the primary and the secondary and "grabs the eyebrows and the beard all at once" ^[3], the work cannot be done well. We must act according to the laws we have already recognized and further deepen our understanding of these laws in practice, rather than "stepping on a watermelon skin and sliding wherever it takes us." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, whether in deepening economic structural reform, stabilizing economic operations, promoting economic transformation and upgrading, or in constructing the new development pattern, developing new quality productive forces, and preventing and resolving systemic risks, the General Secretary has, in the practical work of promoting economic development, both deployed the tasks for "crossing the river" and clarified the correct work methods, guiding the resolution of the "bridge or boat" problem ^[4] to ensure that the goals and tasks of high-quality development are implemented. It is precisely because of the guidance of scientific methodology that over the past 10-plus years, China has successfully achieved one development goal after another, crossed one economic threshold after another, and significantly improved the quality and efficiency of economic development, steadily moving toward a stage of development that is of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and more secure.

Reviewing the history of economic doctrines, for a long time, economists have explored more of the understanding of the laws of economic movement, thereby forming different economic viewpoints, theories, and policies, but there has been little discussion of economic work methods. Economics is essentially a science of practice. Having only good policies without good methods—meaning the inability to point out effective ways for policies to land—often makes it difficult for policies to achieve the expected results or even leads to a situation of "pulling the chariot south to go north" ^[5]. This has been proven by countless examples throughout history and across the world. The methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought adheres to the use of Marxist materialist dialectics, comprehensively summarizes our Party’s practical experience in leading economic construction, and profoundly answers the important question of how to do economic work. It innovates and develops our Party’s regular understanding of the methodology for doing economic work, marking a new height in our Party’s ability and level of managing the socialist market economy, and making an important original contribution to the construction of Marxist political economy regarding the theory of economic work methods. This scientific methodology is concentrated in the following aspects:

First, adhering to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability. Stability is the prerequisite for development. For an ultra-large-scale economy like China's, whose annual economic increment is equivalent to the total annual economic volume of a medium-sized country, only by maintaining general economic and social structural stability and avoiding sharp ups and downs can we create a favorable environment for "progress," promote economic structural adjustment and deepen reform and opening up, and continuously enhance the endogenous momentum of economic development. Scientifically grasping the relationship between "stability" (稳 wěn) and "progress" (进 jìn) is the key to doing economic work well. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability is an important principle for our governance of the country and a methodology for doing economic work. Stability is the overall situation and the foundation; progress is the direction and the motive force. The focus of "stability" should be placed on stabilizing economic operations, ensuring that there are no major fluctuations in growth, employment, and prices, and ensuring that no regional or systemic financial risks occur. The focus of "progress" should be placed on adjusting the economic structure and deepening reform and opening up, ensuring that new achievements are made in transforming the mode of economic development and in innovation-driven development. Adhering to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability means grasping "stability" and "progress" as a whole, opposing both inaction and passive response as well as impulsive, reckless action and the rush for success. We must assess the situation, think deeply, and respect the laws. "Breaking" (破 pò) and "establishing" (立 lì) are important methods for achieving "stability" and "progress." To persist in seeking progress while maintaining stability, we must handle the relationship between "breaking" and "establishing" well. The General Secretary has emphasized the need to adhere to the dialectical unity of breaking and establishing, simultaneously breaking and establishing while prioritizing establishing before breaking. What should be established must be actively and proactively established, and what should be broken must be broken in a timely manner on the basis of what has been established. For example, to achieve the "dual carbon" goals ^[6], we must base our actions on China's national conditions of being "rich in coal, poor in oil, and low in gas," persist in seeking progress while maintaining stability and achieving goals gradually; we must establish before breaking, rather than breaking before establishing, and avoid engaging in "carbon charges" or "campaign-style carbon reduction."

Second, adhering to a systems perspective. The economic system is a complex system of universal connections and multi-dimensional diversity. Economic work is affected by various factors such as politics, society, culture, resources, environment, and international exchanges; often, "pulling one hair moves the whole body." To handle the relationships between all parties and coordinate the interests of all stakeholders, it is necessary to establish a systems perspective and use a viewpoint that is universally connected, comprehensive and systematic, and characterized by development and change to observe things and handle problems. The systems perspective is a work method that General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized. He pointed out that the systems perspective is a foundational ideology and work method. Regarding work in many important fields, the General Secretary has emphasized the need to adhere to a systems perspective. For example, regarding the comprehensive deepening of reform, he emphasized that in planning and promoting reform, one must adhere to the systems perspective and the global perspective, strengthen strategic and dialectical thinking, distinguish priorities and urgency, and pay more attention to systematic integration. Regarding the implementation of the New Development Philosophy, he emphasized the need to adhere to a systematic viewpoint and carry out systematic design in accordance with the integrity and interconnectedness of the New Development Philosophy. Regarding "Three Rural" ^[7] work, he emphasized the need to strengthen the systems perspective, coordinate the handling of dilemmas or even multi-front difficulties, and avoid "pressing down the gourd only for the ladle to float up" ^[8], and so on. Currently, China's development environment faces profound and complex changes. The problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent, and contradictions in economic and social development are intricate. We must plan and solve these from a systems perspective, comprehensively considering diverse factors such as politics and economy, the present and the long term, material and culture, development and people's livelihoods, resources and ecology, and domestic and international spheres. We must include economic and non-economic policies in the consistency assessment of macro-policy orientation and seek dynamic balance among multiple goals.

Third, adhering to adapting measures to local conditions. China is vast in territory and large in population; different regions have different resource endowments, development stages, and industrial structures, and the development of the situation is also ever-changing. There is not, and cannot be, a single development model to be applied mechanically. Only by proceeding from reality and adapting measures to local conditions is it possible to do economic work well and find a path of high-quality development suitable for the local region. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the essence of adapting measures to local conditions is seeking truth from facts. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the General Secretary has repeatedly emphasized the importance of "adapting measures to local conditions," instructing all localities that "'one key opens one lock,' and one cannot 'carve the boat to find the sword' ^[9] or use a single mold for everything." He emphasized that "poverty alleviation must seek truth from facts and adapt measures to local conditions"; that rural revitalization must "scientifically grasp the differences between villages, adapt measures to the village, implement precise policies, and create modern versions of the 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' ^[10] with their own characteristics"; that ecological governance must "plant trees where appropriate, grass where appropriate, manage sand where appropriate, and leave wilderness where appropriate"; and that coordinated regional development must "focus on water where appropriate, mountains where appropriate, grain where appropriate, agriculture where appropriate, industry where appropriate, or commerce where appropriate." In the past two years, regarding the development of new quality productive forces, the General Secretary has repeatedly emphasized the need to adapt measures to local conditions. Only by seriously studying and analyzing the advantages and potential of their own development, and combining them with the realistic conditions of local economy, politics, society, history, culture, and geography—doing their best while acting within their means—can each region find a path of differentiated and characteristic development.

Fourth, adhering to the combination of goal-orientation and problem-orientation. Goals are the direction of struggle; problems are the voice of the times. Adhering to the combination of goal-orientation and problem-orientation, taking goals as the guide, concentrating forces to solve specific problems, and driving overall development through breakthroughs in key areas is an important method for the continuous realization of China's economic development strategic goals in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must adhere to the combination of goal-orientation and problem-orientation; we must take goals as the focal point, working hard on overall planning and top-level design to enhance the sense of direction and planning; and we must take problems as the focus of effort, continuously exerting force in patching up shortcomings and strengthening weak links to enhance precision and effectiveness. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has adhered to the unity of goal-orientation and problem-orientation. We have both worked backward from the goal of comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to clarify the tasks that must be completed by the time nodes, and worked forward from the problems that urgently need to be solved to clarify the ways and means of overcoming difficulties. In this way, we have achieved one goal after another, accumulating small victories into a large victory, successfully completing the First Centenary Goal, and placing the construction of Chinese-path modernization on a higher starting point. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee scientifically set the main goals for economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. We must anchor our forward direction, reasonably formulate short-term goals, connect medium- and long-term goals with short-term goals, and turn the magnificent blue-print drawn by the Plenary Session into a beautiful reality through the resolution of specific problems and the completion of short-term goals one by one.

Fifth, adhering to bottom-line thinking. Bottom-line thinking means being prepared for danger in times of peace and making precautions, preparing for the worst-case scenario in everything, responding proactively, ensuring one is prepared for any contingency and remains calm when things happen, firmly grasping the initiative, and striving for the best results. Economic activities are inherently accompanied by uncertainty; the situation is complex and ever-changing, and risks are everywhere. Food security, energy and resource security, the security of important industrial and supply chains, financial security, and data security—any of these can "move the whole body." In a certain sense, modern economic management is a systematic activity of risk identification, assessment, and response amidst uncertainty; risk management has become one of the core capabilities of economic governance. Therefore, for economic work, adhering to bottom-line thinking, strengthening risk awareness, and improving risk control capabilities is particularly important. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to enhance the sense of potential danger, adhere to bottom-line thinking, and be good at using...

The method of "bottom-line thinking" ^[11]. Currently, our country is in a critical period for consolidating the foundation and launching comprehensive efforts to basically achieve socialist modernization. Structural, cyclical, and institutional problems are intertwined; added to this is an increasingly complex and severe external environment, meaning economic development faces numerous risks and challenges. To respond to these new situations, problems, and challenges, we must maintain a clear head, persist in bottom-line thinking, estimate difficulties and challenges more fully, make contingency plans more thorough, and further improve our capacity for risk prevention and control. Only then can we ensure the economy moves forward steadily and reaches far.

III

During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period (2026–2030), China's development environment will face profound and complex changes, and various uncertain and unpredictable risk factors will increase significantly. Many old problems and new challenges in economic development remain: for example, the contradiction of strong supply versus weak demand is prominent; scientific and technological innovation capacity is not yet strong; the quality of the supply system is not yet high; the input and consumption of resources and factors remain relatively large; green production and lifestyles have not yet fully formed; and there are many hidden risks in key areas. There are still many sticking points and bottlenecks ^[12] in promoting high-quality development. The more complex the situation and the more arduous the tasks, the more we need scientific methodology as a guide. We must deeply study, comprehend, and apply the methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, continuously deepen our regular understanding ^[13] of doing economic work under new circumstances, and effectively improve our capacity and level of economic governance. We must implement the various decisions and arrangements made by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee to ensure that decisive progress is made in basically achieving socialist modernization.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "If one obtains the proper method, one achieves twice the result with half the effort; if one fails to obtain the method, one gets half the result with twice the effort, or even produces negative effects." For leading officials to do economic work well, they must first get their ideological methods right. In reality, some leading officials have a sincere desire to do good work and possess drive, yet because they do not understand the laws [of economics], do not know the "knack" ^[14] of the trade, and lack necessary skills, their results are contrary to their wishes despite their hard work—and sometimes because of it. Other leading officials treat methodology as a general slogan: they study it in theory and speak of it in words, but act differently in practice. They fail to truly internalize it into their way of thinking or transform it into professional competence. Consequently, in their work, they remain accustomed to old routines and old methods, acting recklessly and blindly. Only when methods are scientific can practice be effective. Facing the increasingly complex domestic and international situation and the arduous tasks of reform and development, leading officials at all levels must take the study of the methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought as a compulsory course. They should study the original texts, connect theory with practice, and achieve a comprehensive mastery ^[15]. They must accurately grasp its core essence and practical requirements, becoming adept at considering problems and performing work within the context of the overall situation. They must be skilled at calculating the "long-term account," the "overall account," and the "comprehensive account." They must also be adept at creatively implementing the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee in integration with the realities of their own regions and departments, thereby improving the scientific nature of their work and decision-making.

The fundamental purpose of learning and mastering the methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought lies in its application—in the implementation of the Party Central Committee’s ideas, tasks, and policies regarding economic work. Currently, many situations encountered in economic work have not been seen before, and there are no precedents to follow for resolving many contradictions and problems. This requires a more conscious application of scientific methods to analyze the economic situation and plan economic work. For example, in expanding internal demand, one cannot discuss demand in isolation; rather, one must use a systems concept to coordinate both the supply and demand sides so they exert force in tandem. Regarding innovative development, everyone must pursue it; however, when it comes to specific key core technologies, one must look at conditions and possibilities while considering the national layout for scientific and technological innovation. One cannot blindly follow trends or chase "hot topics" by launching projects for which conditions are not ripe. To resolve hidden risks in the real estate sector, one must persist in bottom-line thinking, coordinating and taking into account the interests of all parties—government, enterprises, and residents—to promote synergy among departments such as finance, banking, natural resources, and housing construction. We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee, keep the "big picture" in mind, and firmly establish the idea of the "whole country as a single chessboard" ^[16]. We must find our proper positioning within the overall situation and prevent selective execution, discounting, or unauthorized variations during implementation; we must resist departmentalism and everyone going their own way. We must strengthen investigation and research, base ourselves on the positioning of major functional zones, and accurately grasp resource endowments, locational advantages, historical culture, and industrial foundations to play to our strengths and avoid weaknesses, exploring differentiated and characteristic development paths. We should establish and practice a correct outlook on political achievements ^[17], respect objective reality and the needs of the masses, act consciously according to economic laws, resolutely discard and resist the Four Winds, and pursue solid economic growth without "water" ^[18].