Marxism Research Network
Unofficial English Translation

Cheng Enfu and Chen Jian: Vigorously Develop New Quality Productive Forces and Accelerate Chinese-style Modernization

Notable Scholars

I. Introduction On September 7, 2023, while presiding over a symposium on promoting the full revitalization of Northeast China in the New Era, Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must actively cultivate strategic emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, advanced manufacturing, and electronic information; actively cultivate future industries; accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces; and augment new drivers for development." [1] On September 8, 2023, while hearing a work report from the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and Provincial Government, Xi Jinping once again emphasized the need to accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces. It is evident that vigorously developing new quality productive forces during the new journey of the New Era has become a key strategic measure for ensuring that Chinese-path modernization proceeds with depth and stability, and for promoting the theme of high-quality development.

The reason Xi Jinping attaches such great importance to developing new quality productive forces is twofold. On the one hand, developing these forces allows for a better coordination of the relationship between security and development, elevates China's position in global value chains, fosters new drivers for growth, and establishes a secure and controllable modern industrial system. This will resolve the problem of being "strangled" by others regarding key core technologies and allow China to gain the strategic initiative in international competition. On the other hand, developing new quality productive forces is the solemn mission of a Marxist party. The Communist Party of China represents the development requirements of advanced productive forces; this dictates that the CPC will inevitably develop new quality productive forces with vigor, emphasizing the use of scientific and technological innovation to promote the development of various industries and the national economy as a whole. For instance, as early as 1958, China's first vacuum tube computer was successfully trialed; subsequently, semiconductor triodes, diodes, and the "Two Bombs, One Satellite, One Boat" (nuclear submarine) [2] were developed in succession. In recent years, China has achieved major breakthroughs in technical fields such as high-speed rail, 5G, 6G, aerospace, aviation, and maritime engineering, placing it at the world's forefront. This demonstrates that since the founding of the People's Republic, Chinese Communists have always attached great importance to the role of scientific and technological innovation in driving the development of productive forces. In the new journey of the New Era, facing the increased technical hegemony and blockades from the US and other Western countries, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed even greater emphasis on the role of scientific and technological innovation in promoting the development of productive forces.

At the same time, developing new quality productive forces is an essential measure for achieving the common prosperity of the people in both material and spiritual terms. The Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, when discussing the main characteristics of Chinese-path modernization, emphasized that it is the modernization of common prosperity for all people. This common prosperity includes not only material wealth but also spiritual enrichment. To better achieve this material and spiritual wealth, we cannot do without the vigorous development of new quality productive forces—represented by new technologies and new business models—to produce high-quality products that meet the people's material and spiritual needs. Therefore, it is of great significance to promote the deep and steady progress of Chinese-path modernization through the development of new quality productive forces in the New Era. The academic community must conduct relevant research to provide theoretical support and policy recommendations for better developing these forces and accelerating Chinese-path modernization.

II. The Intellectual Origins of Xi Jinping’s Important Discourse on New Quality Productive Forces Xi Jinping’s important discourse on new quality productive forces possesses rich intellectual origins and constitutes an inheritance and development of the Marxist theory of scientific and technological productive forces. Its intellectual origins are primarily manifested in the following aspects.

  1. Inheritance and Development of the Theory of Scientific and Technological Productive Forces of Marx and Engels In their works, Marx and Engels repeatedly emphasized the massive role of the development of scientific and technological productive forces in production, daily life, and the enhancement of human well-being, forming a rich Marxist theory on the subject. First, Marx and Engels emphasized that science and technology constitute an important part of the productive forces. Marx pointed out: "Productive force also includes science." [3] Based on the inheritance and development of this statement by the classical Marxist authors, Xi Jinping proposed accelerating the formation of new quality productive forces to achieve high efficiency and high quality in economic development by leveraging the leading role of scientific and technological innovation within the productive forces. Second, Marx and Engels emphasized that the development of scientific industry brought about transformations in modes of production and lifestyles. When Engels investigated the condition of the working class in England, he held an affirmative attitude toward the transformations brought to production and life by advanced technologies such as large-scale machine industry. He pointed out: "The calico-printing industry has experienced a new rise due to a series of most brilliant mechanical inventions; owing to this rise and the expansion of such branches of business caused by the development of the cotton industry, these trades have flourished as never before." [4] Clearly, when new science and technology are integrated into traditional industries, they can not only promote the optimization and upgrading of traditional industries and achieve large-scale development, but also bring about the development of other sectors such as commerce. Thus, in the new journey of the New Era, we must vigorously develop new quality productive forces to promote the realization of a better life and the revival and prosperity of all industries. Third, Marx and Engels emphasized the significance of technological revolutions. They noted: "The industrial revolution has the same meaning for England as the political revolution for France and the philosophical revolution for Germany." [5] Engels wrote: "In Marx's eyes, science was a historically dynamic, revolutionary force." [6] The classical Marxist authors held an affirmative attitude toward the significance of new technologies; the new quality productive forces emphasized by Xi Jinping are precisely the high-quality productive forces that represent the development trend of the new scientific and technological revolution. Therefore, they are of great significance for China's comprehensive buildup into a great modern socialist country. Fourth, Marx and Engels emphasized that the application of science and technology can not only improve production efficiency but also benefit humanity. For example, Engels pointed out in the Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher (German-French Annals): "Science likewise increasingly places the forces of nature at the disposal of mankind. This immeasurable productive capacity, once applied consciously and for the benefit of all, would soon reduce the labor falling to the share of mankind to a minimum." [7] In the Marxist view, science and technology do not possess inherent class character; the key lies in which class dominates them. Xi Jinping emphasizes that all work, including technology, must be "people-centered" and "must take the satisfaction of the people’s growing needs for a better life as the starting point and goal, continuously transforming development achievements into quality of life, and constantly enhancing the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security." [8] This enriches and develops the Marxist idea of science and technology benefiting humanity.

From this, one can also see that if the proletariat, which adheres to a laboring-people-centered approach, is dominant, it will inevitably use science and technology for the benefit of its own people and all of humanity. Conversely, if the bourgeoisie, which adheres to a private-capital-centered approach, is dominant, it will inevitably use technology to implement domestic and foreign exploitation and wealth plunder, carrying out international acts of technological and economic hegemony. This explains why the development of new technologies in the US and other Western countries today has not resulted in the deserved growth of real income and wealth for the broad laboring masses; instead, they use their first-mover advantage in technology to push technological hegemony, obstructing developing countries from growing their economies and improving people's livelihoods. In contrast, China, under the leadership of the CPC, not only insists on technological development to benefit its own people but also insists on sharing the fruits of technology and technological modernization with all countries, upholding the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation to jointly promote technological development.

In short, the thoughts of the classical Marxist authors on scientific and technological productive forces contain the idea of leveraging new technologies and other advanced productive forces to improve efficiency and human welfare. Xi Jinping's important discourse on new quality productive forces is the inheritance and development of this classical theory.

  1. Inheritance and Development of the Sinicized Marxist Theory of Scientific and Technological Productive Forces Since the founding of the People's Republic, Chinese Communists—represented primarily by Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao—have continuously advanced theoretical and practical innovation on the basis of inheriting the classical Marxist theory, forming a rich Sinicized Marxist theory of scientific and technological productive forces.

In the early period of the People's Republic, to escape the poverty and backwardness caused by the oppression of the "Three Great Mountains" [9] since the Opium War of 1840, Comrade Mao Zedong attached high importance to technological productive forces. He repeatedly emphasized the need to value technological innovation and adopt advanced technology, elevating science and technology to a strategic level. He pointed out: "The battle of science and technology must be fought, and it must be fought well." [10] "The capitalist countries and the Soviet Union both relied on adopting the most advanced technology to catch up with the most advanced nations; our country must do the same." [11] Meanwhile, to better promote the modernization of science and technology, facilitate economic and social development, and consolidate the new people’s political power, the Chinese Communists represented by Mao Zedong also proposed the slogan "March toward Science," mobilizing all sectors of society. Due to this high regard for technology, although China faced a comprehensive economic and technological blockade by imperialist countries during this period, major breakthroughs were still achieved in many areas (closely related, of course, to the vigorous economic construction assistance from the Soviet Union in the 1950s). This effectively promoted the development of productive forces and laid a solid foundation and a guarantee of self-reliance for the implementation of reform and opening up.

After the start of reform and opening up, the Chinese Communists represented by Comrade Deng Xiaoping also attached great importance to the development of technological productive forces, enriching and developing the theory. Comrade Deng Xiaoping not only emphasized that "science and technology are the primary productive forces" but also discussed how they should develop, stating: "Modern science opens the way for the progress of production technology and determines its direction of development. Many new production tools and processes are first created in scientific laboratories." [12] He emphasized the need for reform of the scientific and technological system, proposing that the development of science "must have unified planning. In planning, we should not only determine research projects but also consider the adjustment of research institutions—which should be merged and which should be separated." [13] He also emphasized providing talent support through the strategy of prioritizing education, noting: "For a large country with a population of one billion, once education is improved, the huge advantage of human resources will be incomparable to any other country." [14] He stressed strengthening technological exchanges and cooperation, and actively learning from foreign advanced technology: "Science and technology are wealth jointly created by humanity. Any ethnic group or country needs to learn from the strengths of others and learn their advanced science and technology." [15]

The Chinese Communists represented by Comrade Jiang Zemin continuously advanced the Marxist theory of technological productive forces in practice. Comrade Jiang Zemin raised the importance of technology’s role in productive forces to a new height, proposing: "Vigorously promote technological progress and innovation, continuously use advanced technology to transform and improve the national economy, and strive to achieve a leapfrog development in our country's productive forces. This is an important responsibility our Party must fulfill as the representative of the development requirements of China's advanced productive forces." [16] Building on the principle that science and technology are the primary productive forces, he further pointed out: "Science and technology are the concentrated expression and primary hallmark of advanced productive forces." [17] During this period, representing the Party Central Committee at the 15th National Congress, Jiang Zemin elevated the "Strategy of Reinvigorating the Country through Science and Education" to a new height as a major national development strategy. He established the National Leading Group for Science, Technology, and Education, with the Premier of the State Council serving as the head, and focused on promoting the development of technological productive forces through the establishment and improvement of laws and regulations, such as the Law of the People's Republic of China on Progress of Science and Technology.

Entering the new century and new stage, the Chinese Communists represented by Comrade Hu Jintao inherited and developed the theory, providing important ideological guidance. On the basis of Deng Xiaoping's thesis, Hu Jintao raised the status of technology in economic and social development: "Science and technology are the primary productive forces and a revolutionary force promoting the progress of human civilization." [18] During this period, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary attached high importance to independent innovation, the reform of the technological system, the development of a culture of innovation, the training of innovative technological talents, and the development of environmental protection technologies. He pointed out: "Improving independent innovation capabilities and building an innovative country is the core of the national development strategy and the key to improving comprehensive national strength." [19] "We must adhere to the policy of 'doing some things and not others' (yǒu suǒ wéi yǒu suǒ bù wéi [20]), choosing several fields concerning economic and social development, national security, people's lives and health, and the overall ecological environment for key breakthroughs. We should strive to master core technologies in key areas and at the frontiers of several technological developments, and possess a batch of independent intellectual property rights." [21] In the Report to the 17th National Congress of the CPC, Hu Jintao placed the establishment of an innovative country at the top of the major measures for economic construction.

In short, the theories regarding the promotion of the development of the scientific and technological productive forces held by the classical Marxist writers and successive generations of Chinese Communists have enriched and developed Marxism and its Sinicized theory of scientific and technological productive forces, providing an important ideological source for Xi Jinping’s discourses on new quality productive forces.

III. The Connotative Characteristics of Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on New Quality Productive Forces

Xi Jinping’s discourses on new quality productive forces are an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They represent a theoretical innovation that inherits the Marxist theory of scientific and technological productive forces while integrating the new characteristics of the New Era and actively aligning with the theme of promoting high-quality development. The reason why this is considered the key to adapting to the theme of high-quality development on the new journey [22] of the New Era is primarily that new quality productive forces represent a leap-frog development of productive forces. They are productive forces that emphasize the leading role of scientific and technological innovation. Their development is characterized by significant high efficiency and high quality, which aligns with the theme of high-quality development in the New Era and the new journey. This constitutes a transcendence of traditional extensive development paths [23], emphasizing the role of innovation in driving economic and social development, focusing on the cultivation and development of new industries and new business forms, forming a modern industrial system led by these new sectors, actively promoting the optimization and upgrading of various industries, and employing new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to promote high-quality development. Its connotative characteristics are mainly manifested as follows.

1. Highlighting the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization to achieve high-quality development

The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC identified high-quality development as the primary task for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. This endowed the Party and the state with the important mission of promoting high-quality development in the New Era and on the new journey. The proposal to develop new quality productive forces is an active response to the theme of high-quality development. Specifically: First, new quality productive forces emphasize the important role of new science and technology. Such productive forces inevitably require high-quality scientific and technological talent, high-level R&D and production institutions, and high-quality means of production. This necessarily forces universities, research institutes, and production enterprises to supply high-level scientific and technological talent, research and develop high-tech products, and produce high-quality goods, ensuring that high-quality development is implemented in all links of production and reproduction. Second, new quality productive forces emphasize the leading role of new industries and new business forms, which is the main direction for high-quality economic development. New industries and business forms mainly include sectors with high scientific and technological content, such as world-class chips, artificial intelligence, world-class robotics, and 5G/6G mobile communication technology and equipment. If such industries can play a leading role in the industrial system, they will better promote high-quality development. Therefore, their development has a clear orientation toward high-quality development. Third, new quality productive forces emphasize the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries. To better promote the development of new quality productive forces, we must not only develop new industries but also use new science and technology to accelerate the transformation of traditional industries, thereby forming a synergy for the development of new quality productive forces and promoting the intelligent and high-quality development of traditional sectors.

2. Highlighting the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization to achieve common prosperity for all people

The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC clearly emphasized that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all people. The development of new quality productive forces can highlight this essential requirement and ensure that development fruits are shared by the people. First, the development of new quality productive forces can effectively improve the production efficiency of the entire industrial system for the sake of common prosperity. The rapid development of new industries—represented by big data, artificial intelligence, and high-end chips—can form high-end industrial chains and continuously enhance the leading role and production efficiency of new industries within the overall system. Moreover, new technologies like big data and blockchain play a clear role in transforming traditional industries. Especially with the advent of the fourth technological revolution driven by a new generation of digital technology, digitalization has powerfully promoted other new sciences and technologies, such as big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) [33], thereby forming a synergy to upgrade traditional industries. This will inevitably increase overall production efficiency and help consolidate the material foundation for common prosperity. Second, the development of new quality productive forces can create new platforms and provide new guarantees for shared prosperity. The development of new technologies and industries not only creates more employment and entrepreneurial opportunities but also provides platform guarantees for different regions to fairly share information and commercial resources. The platform economy can also achieve immense development by seizing the opportunity of vigorously developing new quality productive forces. Third, the development of new quality productive forces provides new opportunities for the rational layout and optimization of resources between urban and rural areas and between regions, helping to solve the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development. Rural areas and the central and western regions can use the development of new quality productive forces to make up for their shortcomings in utilizing high-quality resources.

In short, the development of new quality productive forces possesses the connotative characteristic of highlighting the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization to achieve common prosperity for all people, serving as the material and technological foundation for realizing a better life and a "smart society."

IV. Actively Develop New Quality Productive Forces to Accelerate Chinese-path Modernization

On the new journey of the New Era, we must vigorously develop new quality productive forces to accelerate the construction of Chinese-path modernization.

1. Increase top-level layout efforts to provide macro guidance for developing new quality productive forces

A survey of the more than 70-year economic history since the founding of New China shows that the great achievements in the economic field are inseparable from sound top-level design. Therefore, to better advance new quality productive forces, we must accelerate relevant top-level design and provide macro guidance.

First, at the central level, an agency for the promotion of new quality productive forces should be established, headed by national leadership comrades. This agency would be specifically responsible for the top-level design of new quality productive forces and for supervising and implementing their development by local governments. Specifically, on one hand, a leading group for promoting new quality productive forces should be established, comprising heads of relevant functional departments of the State Council and chaired by the relevant supervising leaders of the State Council. It would be responsible for coordinating top-level planning, policy formulation, supervision, and assessment. The responsibilities of relevant departments—such as which are responsible for policy formulation and which for supervision and assessment—should be clearly defined. A detailed supervision and assessment system should be formulated. Furthermore, the assessment of local development should combine official supervision with third-party evaluations to form a coordinated assessment system, ensuring scientific and precise results. On the other hand, the leading group should establish a normalized research mechanism to provide a basis for top-level design, ensuring it is grounded in reality ("grounded in the soil") [24] and improving the precision of policy formulation.

Second, speed up the introduction of encouraging, supportive, and guiding policies to help create an atmosphere conducive to the development of new quality productive forces. For instance, the types of reward policies granted to market entities such as enterprises developing new quality productive forces should be clarified through policy design. Meanwhile, guiding policies should be formulated to promote development through preferential support in taxes, loans, and fiscal funds. These policies should establish a precise classification of enterprises to clarify which types are eligible for support. Additionally, effective policy systems must be designed to prevent the diversion of funds and policies intended for new quality productive forces to other purposes.

Third, designate several demonstration zones for new quality productive forces to play a leading role for the rest of the country. For areas with prominent scientific and technological foundations and broad prospects, the central level should establish them as national demonstration zones or national-level innovation parks for new quality productive forces, providing them with preferential policies.

Fourth, establish several world-class international scientific and technological innovation centers for new technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and high-end chips at the central level. This will provide sustainable technological support for the transformation and upgrading of new and traditional industries. Specifically, on one hand, local governments should be encouraged to apply for the task of building these centers, using methods such as the "Open Competition Mechanism" [25] to advance this work, with clear target responsibility agreements to ensure breakthroughs in "bottleneck" [26] core technologies. On the other hand, the central level should assign the task of building these centers to provinces and regions with strong technological foundations; however, these must also be strictly assessed to ensure breakthroughs in core technologies within a set period.

Fifth, layout strategic emerging industries and future industries from the central level to prevent a "headlong rush" [27] that results in resource waste and redundant construction. The central level should currently handle top-level planning, playing the role of a "promising government" [28]. The approval of projects should undergo scientific and rational evaluation, and guidance should be provided to local governments. Meanwhile, the dual roles of the market and the government in resource allocation and economic regulation should be exercised to reduce waste and redundancy.

Through the above top-level design, we can promote the formation of a modern industrial system with new industries as the mainstay and the transformation of traditional industries as the direction, providing macro guidance for accelerating Chinese-path modernization.

2. Vigorously develop new industries to form a modern industrial system led by new industries

New industries are the main support for new quality productive forces and an important manifestation of high-quality development. Based on this, practical measures must be taken to accelerate the development of new industries and form a modern industrial system led by them, fostering the great development and prosperity of new quality productive forces.

First, fully leverage the role of scientific and technological innovation as the support and engine for new industrial development. To form a modern industrial system led by new industries, we must innovate in new technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and the IoT to form an industrial system that advances in depth, achieving the industrialization and full coverage of new technologies. In particular, we must step up the layout of new industries in the central and western regions and rural areas. This will not only help establish the dominant position of new industries in the national industrial system but also leverage their role in urban-rural integration and coordinated regional development, thereby helping to achieve the goal of common prosperity, highlighting the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization, and promoting "technology for good."

Second, organically combine the development of new industries with the implementation of major national strategies to ensure steady progress. The state has invested significant human, material, and financial resources and issued supportive policies to ensure the steady implementation of major strategies. If new quality productive forces can be integrated with these strategies, it will surely accelerate their development. For example, new quality productive forces can take advantage of the policies, funds, and talent brought by major strategic deployments such as the New Pattern of Western Development, the Rise of Central China, the Coordinated Regional Development Strategy, the Rural Revitalization Strategy, the Yangtze River Delta Integration, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development, and New Infrastructure.

Third, deeply implement the strategy of strengthening the nation through human resources [29] by utilizing platforms such as universities and research institutes to accelerate the cultivation of talent required for new industries and establish a robust talent supply system. On the new journey of the New Era, if we are to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, we must take pragmatic measures to implement the strategy of strengthening the nation through human resources. We must accelerate the cultivation of talent necessary for the development of new quality productive forces to bolster the construction of Chinese-path modernization.

First, universities and research institutes should accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive cultivation system for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral talent in disciplines related to the development of new quality productive forces, maintaining high standards and levels to provide a sustainable human resource guarantee for their development—for example, by establishing degree programs in new energy. Second, universities and research institutes should align with the goals and tasks of achieving high-level seaf-reliance and strength in science and technology [30]. They should emphasize the cultivation of innovative consciousness in relevant disciplines and form a degree-granting system conducive to innovation. This means breaking away from traditional evaluation systems based solely on grades or papers to form a multi-dimensional cultivation system that fosters students' innovative consciousness and accurately produces the talent required for new quality productive forces. Third, universities and research institutes should actively engage in collaborative talent cultivation with enterprises. This includes not only undergraduate "sponsored classes" (guànmíng bān) [31] but also joint master's and doctoral programs and the co-construction of post-doctoral research stations. Fourth, we must fully utilize China’s robust systems for continuing education, secondary vocational education, and higher vocational education, leveraging these resources to train the senior technical workers required for new quality productive forces. Through these measures, we can provide a sustainable talent guarantee for the development of new quality productive forces.

Fourth, take the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road" [32] as an opportunity to actively broaden the overseas layout of China's new industries. This involves forming a coordinated linkage between domestic and international layouts to promote the growth and strengthening of China's new industries by expanding their developmental space. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" Initiative. Over the past decade, its construction has effectively promoted global economic development and improved the well-being of people in participating countries, providing a new opportunity to expand the space for new quality productive forces. As Xi Jinping pointed out in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation: "Over the past 10 years, we have been committed to building a global connectivity network led by economic corridors, with major arteries and information highways as the backbone, relying on railways, highways, airports, ports, and pipeline networks, covering land, sea, air, and the internet. This has effectively promoted the great circulation of goods, capital, technology, and personnel among various countries, allowing the millennia-old ancient Silk Road to glow with new vitality in the New Era." [33] On the new journey of the New Era, to better promote the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road," we must seize the opportunity to build the "Silk Road of Innovation." We should actively layout China's new industries along the "Belt and Road." This will not only provide high-quality products and services to participating countries but also enhance the international competitiveness of Chinese industries. Simultaneously, to better advance investment in China's new industries along the "Belt and Road," we should innovate investment methods—such as joint ventures or cooperation with local entities—to form a "community of interests" with local governments and enterprises, ensuring smooth progress in investment and operation and providing spatial security for China's new industries to grow larger and stronger.

Fifth, align with the goals and tasks of constructing the dual circulation development pattern to accelerate the development of new industries. On one hand, the essential characteristic of the dual circulation development pattern is the realization of high-level self-reliance and strength, which clearly includes high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. Therefore, we should focus on this essential characteristic, accelerating breakthroughs in key core technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, high-end chips, aerospace, 5G, and 6G technologies. We must establish a major breakthrough mechanism to address world-class technical weaknesses, promote scientific and technological self-reliance, and solve the "chokehold" (kǎ bózǐ) [34] problems imposed by Western powers. On the other hand, we should leverage the role of new industries, represented by new technologies, in smoothing the domestic mega-market and connecting domestic and international markets. For instance, we should fully utilize new infrastructure like 5G and 6G in connectivity construction. Current new infrastructure has enormous room for growth, as there remain certain gaps between urban and rural areas and between regions—such as between the rural/central-western regions and the eastern coastal areas. This provides vast developmental space for the layout of new infrastructure in rural and central-western regions. Through these measures, a modernized industrial system dominated by new industries will be formed.

3. Increasing the Transformation and Upgrading of Traditional Industries to Broaden the Developmental Space for New Quality Productive Forces

After more than 70 years of development since the founding of the People's Republic of China, our country has established an industrial system with a complete range of categories. Traditional industries still account for a large proportion of this system and play a vital supporting role for new industries, providing the high-quality supply of raw materials and components they require. Therefore, we must accelerate innovation in pathways and measures to promote the development of these traditional industries toward high efficiency and high quality, highlighting the characteristics of new quality productive forces and making them an integral component thereof.

First, accelerate the deep integrated development of new technologies and science with traditional manufacturing. Most of China's traditional manufacturing enterprises are State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), such as FAW Group (Zhōngguó Yīqì) [35]. Their development is a primary force for solving employment, consolidating the leading role of the state-owned economy, and serves as the fundamental force for achieving common prosperity. Their success is of great significance. Therefore, practical measures must be taken to help them better adapt to the theme of high-quality development and enhance their global competitiveness. This requires them to pro-actively embrace the new opportunities brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and accelerate the integration of new technologies to improve development efficiency. For traditional manufacturing, we should accelerate the construction of "smart" and "intelligent" manufacturing—incorporating new technologies not only in production but also in management and circulation—to achieve intelligence and efficiency across all links, thereby enabling a systemic and comprehensive transformation toward high-quality development.

Second, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of energy-intensive and low-efficiency traditional industries. Improving these industries is of great significance for economic development and the protection of people's livelihoods. We must use new technologies and equipment to upgrade them; strictly control the quality of new investments at the source to ensure they utilize new equipment from the start; and for those highly polluting, low-efficiency industries with no value in renovation, implement closures or total transformations. However, this process should not be a simple "one-size-fits-all" closure. We should use new technologies to develop new industries like innovation and creative sectors on the basis of original factories and equipment. For example, some small, polluting steel or chemical plants can be transformed into new industry hubs. This reduces resource waste and injects new innovative elements into high-quality economic development, opening new spaces for new quality productive forces.

Third, accelerate the use of new technologies to promote the development of traditional industries toward high-end, high-efficiency, and high-quality clustering, creating world-class modernized industrial clusters with global competitiveness and influence. To provide sustainable industrial support for Chinese-path modernization, we must create a synergy for modern industrial development. Specifically, we should strengthen the support of new science and technology for the high-quality development of traditional industrial clusters, forming a modernized industrial system of the "Internet of Everything" and an industrial development community characterized by interconnected interests and joint breakthroughs in major technological innovations. We should also align with world-frontier scientific levels and accelerate R&D to form a modernized technological innovation system that supports the high-end, intelligent development of traditional industries.

Fourth, earnestly leverage the supporting and leading role of scientific and technological innovation for traditional industries in the real economy. The real economy is the foundation of the national economy, which is why our Party has always attached great importance to it, repeatedly emphasizing its promotion and the prevention of the financial system "shifting from the real to the virtual" (tuō shí xiàng xū) [36]. The lessons from the development of the United States and other Western countries show that an overactive virtual economy easily leads to economic crises and other social problems. Therefore, we must enhance the technological innovation capabilities of the real economy to increase its added value and influence and implement holistic technical transformations to empower its high-quality development.

Fifth, establish a development system conducive to nurturing new industries while utilizing new technologies to transform traditional ones. New industries do not only emerge from new investments; they also arise from the upgrading of traditional sectors. Adopting brand-new scientific results in traditional industries will catalyze new industries such as new energy vehicles, new medicine, and new materials. We should fully exploit this opportunity to ensure that the transformation of traditional industries gives birth to new industries and new business models (xīn yè態) [37], thereby broadening the space for new quality productive forces.

4. Fully Leveraging Intellectual Property Advantages to Consolidate the Foundation of New Quality Productive Forces

To win strategic initiative in international development, we must leverage intellectual property (IP) advantages. The so-called IP advantage is a "third type" of economic advantage that transcends traditional competitive and comparative advantages. It emphasizes the importance of independent intellectual property rights (IIPR). This advantage should be reflected not only in high-tech and strategic sectors but also in traditional and low-to-medium-end industrial sectors. Its essence lies in mastering core technologies with independent R&D and IIPR, achieving high-level scientific self-reliance, and nurturing internationally renowned brands. This is of great significance for the development of new quality productive forces. Based on this, we propose the following measures to consolidate the foundation of new quality productive forces by fully leveraging IP advantages.

First, firmly establish a society-wide awareness of intellectual property (IP) protection, and coordinate development with security to safeguard the growth of new quality productive forces. In today’s world, competition between nations is becoming increasingly complex, and competition over intellectual property has become a critical dimension of national rivalry. With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, this competition has become even more intense. Western developed countries, leveraging their advantages in the field of intellectual products, extract greater benefits from international exchange and even practice "technological hegemonism" [38], leading to a widening development gap between the North and South. Therefore, to elevate the status of the vast number of developing countries and regions and to promote globalization in an inclusive and universally beneficial direction, these nations must establish an awareness of IP protection. For a long time, however, many developing countries and regions have suffered from weak awareness and insufficient emphasis on IP protection. The existence of this problem has caused them to remain stuck at the low-to-middle end of global industrial value chains for a long period. As the world’s largest developing country, China should set an example through practical measures and play a leading, demonstrative role for other developing nations in IP protection.

To achieve this: first, through publicity and education, various enterprises, universities, and research institutes should be encouraged to establish IP protection awareness and proactively apply for patents for their inventions and creations. Second, they should proactively register various types of trademarks. Multinational corporations like Sony hold tens of thousands of registered trademarks—a quantity exceeding the total trademark registrations of some individual Chinese cities. This is a key reason why Sony has grown rapidly from an obscure small firm at its founding in 1946 into an internationally renowned multinational. Chinese enterprises should actively learn from the experience of famous international multinationals, accelerate their layout in the field of trademark registration, seize the initiative, and establish a sense of trademark strategy. Third, relevant state departments should refine laws and regulations in the field of IP protection to provide an institutional basis for patent applications by Chinese enterprises, universities, research institutes, and individuals. Meanwhile, law enforcement departments should perform inspections and supervision to ensure IP protection is implemented effectively, creating a robust atmosphere for protection. Fourth, we should develop an international standards system for products with independent IP rights to help Chinese standards "go global." This is significant not only for enhancing China’s discourse power [39] and influence but also for safeguarding the interests of the developing world and promoting globalization in a direction that represents the collective interests of humanity. For instance, through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) [40], Chinese standards can be piloted in countries along the route. Once they gain recognition and provide tangible benefits to those developing countries, they can then be promoted globally. Through these measures, we can foster a society-wide awareness of IP protection, coordinate development and security, and assist the development of new quality productive forces.

Second, profoundly implement high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, master key core technologies with independent intellectual property rights, and provide basic support for creating internationally renowned brands that enjoy prestige at home and abroad, thereby assisting the development of new quality productive forces. IP protection is the foundation; innovation is the goal. A survey of the economic modernization of developed countries shows that mastering key core technologies and possessing internationally renowned brands—two core competencies—are of great significance not only for enterprises to gain strategic initiative and master world markets but also for a nation’s modernization. Furthermore, they serve as an important guarantee for safeguarding national security and promoting world peace. For example, the powerful technological support the Soviet Union possessed was an important guarantee for its victory in the World Anti-Fascist War [41]. Based on this, to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we must accelerate the pace of technological innovation across various industries, achieve self-reliance and strength in key core technologies, and possess independent IP in these areas. This will allow us to break free from the problem of being "strangled" [42] by others in key technologies and provide the foundational support for building internationally renowned brands.

Specifically: first, we should profoundly implement the innovation-driven development strategy and leverage the advantages of the new-type whole-nation system [43] to tackle key core technologies. This will provide the necessary technological support for the development of new quality productive forces, ensure the security of their development, and enhance the resilience of China’s industrial chains. This requires mobilizing the forces of the Party, the government, universities, research institutes, and enterprises to form a synergy and an atmosphere of proactive innovation. Second, we should encourage universities and research institutes to establish a scientific innovation system that reflects the value of researchers. For example, measures such as profit-sharing based on contribution can be adopted for the income generated by the inventions of scientific personnel. This encourages innovation and facilitates the realization of the goal of common prosperity. Third, we should accelerate the creation of platforms for cooperation between enterprises and research institutes. Many enterprises currently lack research platforms; due to constraints in strength or time, relying solely on their own power for innovation leads to certain shortcomings. We must leverage the role of universities and research institutes to ensure enterprises have platforms for product innovation. Without such platforms, enterprises are forced to import foreign technologies at high prices, creating a structural dependence that hinders high-level technological self-reliance.

Third, create the most valuable international brands with independent intellectual property rights. Currently, as the living standards of the Chinese people have risen significantly, their need for a better life has become increasingly intense, and their brand awareness has gradually strengthened. People tend to buy brands with high visibility, believing that well-known brands guarantee quality. Consequently, products with high brand recognition often command higher market shares. Furthermore, with the development of China’s internet and the advancement of new-type infrastructure in rural areas, Brand awareness among the peasant population—who make up the majority of the citizenry—has also strengthened. This indicates that the brand awareness of the masses has significantly improved overall. At the same time, the modernization experience of developed countries shows that the number of brands a nation possesses is a manifestation of its comprehensive national strength. Brands are of great significance to a country’s sustainable economic development. The United States, Japan, Germany, and South Korea all have a considerable number of internationally famous brands—such as GM in the US, Panasonic in Japan, Mercedes-Benz in Germany, and Samsung in South Korea—which maintain long-term sustainable market shares and effectively support their national economies.

Based on this, China must take practical steps to build a group of internationally renowned brands with independent IP. First, we should align with the goals of high-level opening up and increase efforts to "build brands for export" (出口创牌). Many of China's products, such as Huawei, BYD vehicles, and high-speed rail, have become world-renowned because of a long-term commitment to this strategy. Chinese enterprises should shift away from focusing solely on immediate interests like earning foreign exchange and instead invest heavily in brand visibility to form a stable, long-term customer base. As "modern market economy is, in a sense, a 'brand economy,'" [52] high-quality development must be guided by brand enhancement. Second, we should align with the goal of constructing a new development pattern with the domestic macro-circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international dual circulation promoting each other. Given our massive market of 1.4 billion people, we must build brand reputation among the Chinese public through quality and credibility. Third, we should implement a strategy to enhance brand visibility. Whether for new or traditional industries, we must have forward-looking planning to cultivate brands against world-class standards. For instance, Chinese enterprises should utilize the opportunities provided by the Belt and Road Initiative to demonstrate good credit and quality, thereby elevating their international brand prestige.