Xiang Jiuyu: The Question of Modernization and the Chinese Answer

The "question of modernization" posed by Chinese Communists contains profound reflections on "where" modernization is heading. Since the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has produced a series of important expositions characterized by the features of the times and in line with China's national conditions, centering on major strategic propositions such as the comprehensive building of a moderately prosperous society and the comprehensive buildup of a socialist modernized country. The exploration of Chinese-path modernization has always been a vital task for Chinese Communists. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out that "the current and future period is a critical period for comprehensively promoting the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization."

In his keynote speech at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "Polarization or common prosperity? Materialism alone or the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations? Draining the pond to catch the fish ^[1] or harmonious coexistence between man and nature? Zero-sum games or win-win cooperation? Blindly copying the models of other countries or independent development based on one’s own national conditions? What kind of modernization do we actually need? How can we achieve modernization? Faced with this series of questions on modernization, political parties, as an important force leading and promoting the modernization process, have a responsibility to provide answers." The "question of modernization" raised by General Secretary Xi Jinping demonstrates profound reflection and deep insight into the development of global modernization, raising developmental issues worthy of deep consideration by political parties worldwide. In answering these questions, we must base ourselves on China’s national conditions, deeply grasp the general trend of world development, profoundly understand the essence of modernization, and unswervingly follow a path of modernization that suits our own conditions, contributing strength to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

I. Polarization or Common Prosperity?

In recent years, while promoting the modernization of economic and social development, China has consistently faced a crucial question: how to move toward common prosperity? Undoubtedly, this is a major issue related to the long-term peace and stability of the country and social harmony. Regarding this, General Secretary Xi Jinping once asked: "If material wealth is abundant, but development is extremely unbalanced, the gap between rich and poor is vast, society is unfair, and polarization occurs—can that win the hearts of the people?" As a socialist country, China possesses a people-centered character ^[2] that prevents polarization and realizes common prosperity. Chinese-path modernization is, in essence, socialist modernization, and this people-centered character reveals the prominent characteristics possessed by socialist modernization.

Looking at the process of Western modernization, capitalism has always adhered to a capital-centered approach in promoting modernization construction. Whether in Europe, North America, Japan, or South Korea, the principle of capital supremacy has been upheld throughout the process of promoting economic, political, and cultural development. In a capitalist society, the power of the entire state and the entire society will not be mobilized to help a portion of the poor escape their suffering. As socialist modernization, Chinese-path modernization always adheres to a people-centered approach, putting the interests of the masses first, thereby demonstrating the distinct attributes of socialism. Therefore, only by properly addressing the proposition of the era—"polarization or common prosperity"—can we promote Chinese-path modernization to a deeper level and comprehensively build a great modern socialist country.

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out: "We must focus on improving the quality of life of the people, refine the income distribution and employment systems, improve the social security system, enhance the balance and accessibility of basic public services, and promote more obvious substantive progress in the well-rounded development of individuals and the common prosperity of all people." This fully demonstrates the determination of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to adhere to the people-centered development philosophy and unswervingly promote common prosperity for all.

The so-called "polarization" is now mostly used to describe a social phenomenon in the process of economic development where the gap between rich and poor is so large that the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. If allowed to develop unchecked, it will inevitably lead to a rapid widening of the wealth gap, the calcification of social strata, and even further social fragmentation and national turmoil. More specifically, polarization takes the inequality of income distribution as its logical starting point, continuous splitting and differentiation as its logical process, and the formation of "two poles" as its logical end point, resulting in a social state with an extreme expansion of the income gap. First, polarization begins with unreasonable wealth production and distribution systems, preventing people from obtaining their own labor remuneration fairly, effectively, and reasonably. Second, in this unequal distribution process, stimulated by the Matthew Effect ^[3], social wealth will inevitably continue to differentiate; money and wealth further concentrate toward the propertied and high-income classes, while those with low or no assets become increasingly impoverished because they cannot obtain a reasonable income. Third, against the backdrop of the continuous superposition and aggregation of the aforementioned unreasonable distribution, the income gap continues to widen, and society develops toward "two poles," thus forming the social phenomenon of polarization. This inevitably leads to class differentiation and social unrest, thereby endangering the harmonious development of society and the long-term peace and stability of the state.

An example is the long-lasting and far-reaching Enclosure Movement that occurred in Britain from the 15th to the 19th centuries. This famous land transformation movement was influenced by the rapid development of the woolen textile industry and the booming supply and demand of wool production and sales at the time. Some profit-seeking British aristocrats and bourgeoisie seized the land of farmers and herders, even forcibly turning arable land into pastures, which triggered a series of social problems and resulted in a situation where the poor got poorer and the rich got richer. This was essentially the evil consequence of land redistribution caused by property owners wanting to expand production to obtain high profits. It is not difficult to see that polarization is an inevitable result of capitalist development and a historical necessity when social wealth cannot be reasonably distributed. In a capitalist society, if capitalists want to obtain surplus profits, they must exploit laborers and absorb the fruits of others' labor. If allowed to develop without restraint, the owners of capital will inevitably obtain a continuous stream of wealth, while the proletarians can only become appendages of the capitalists in the most basic living conditions, unable even to guarantee their basic livelihoods, becoming the destitute. From this, it is evident that the historical process of capitalism promoting modernization is undoubtedly full of blood and violence, inevitably leading to wealth flowing into the hands of a few capitalists while the ordinary masses lose their basic human rights, ultimately resulting in social polarization.

Conversely, common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism, and China has always adhered to the value principle of common prosperity. The so-called "common prosperity" means solving the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development, and on this basis, continuing to do a good job of both "making the cake bigger" and "dividing the cake well." This involves vigorously promoting high-quality development, generally increasing the income levels of urban and rural residents, gradually narrowing the distribution gap, and resolutely preventing polarization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Under our country's socialist system, we must both continuously liberate and develop the social productive forces, continuously create and accumulate social wealth, and prevent polarization, effectively promoting more obvious substantive progress in the well-rounded development of individuals and the common prosperity of the whole people." That is to say, as a socialist country, China must adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and use the social wealth created by the masses in socialist modernization to guarantee the masses' own production and living needs, giving back to the broad masses of the people.

At the same time, it should be noted that our common prosperity is a common prosperity that still allows for certain differences; it is not a uniform, egalitarian "equal wealth." Our common prosperity is not about "robbing the rich to give to the poor," but rather about those who get rich first leading and helping those who come after. Our common prosperity is characterized by its long-term, arduous, and complex nature, requiring step-by-step progress and persisting over the long term. On the road to common prosperity, we must not only achieve an improvement in the material living standards of the masses but also pay attention to promoting the development of spiritual civilization, achieving "dual prosperity" in both material and spiritual life.

Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all people; it is the inevitable path to preventing polarization and realizing common prosperity. Under the socialist system, liberating and developing productive forces, eliminating exploitation, eliminating polarization, and ultimately achieving common prosperity constitute the essential requirements of socialism. In the process of moving toward modernization, China has abandoned the Western capital-centered model, adhered to a people-centered approach, and promoted common prosperity for all.

First, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, we have established a socialist market economy system, continuously deepened reform and opening up, implemented the rural revitalization strategy, strengthened rural infrastructure construction, promoted rural economic development, and increased farmers' income levels. We "refined the regular mechanism for preventing people from falling back into poverty among the rural population and established a layered and categorized assistance system for the low-income rural population and underdeveloped areas," further strengthening the institutional guarantees for increasing farmers' income levels. Second, China has won the battle against poverty, comprehensively built a moderately prosperous society, and achieved the complete elimination of absolute poverty and an overall improvement in people's living standards. These measures have caused the goal of common prosperity for all people to gradually become a reality.

Examining this through the lens of historical materialism, development is the foundation and key to solving all problems. Realizing common prosperity requires reasonable and effective income regulation and distribution, but it also simultaneously requires the continuous liberation and development of productive forces, using development to solve various problems encountered by the masses in the process of economic and social transformation. Only by promoting the great development of productive forces and making the "cake" of the total economic volume larger can there be a solid material foundation to guarantee the people's beautiful aspiration for common prosperity.

In particular, it should be noted that in China's current stage of development, against the historical background of the country's continuous industrial iteration and upgrading, we need to continuously liberate and develop new quality productive forces—those generated by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, the innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading. These contemporary advanced productive forces are an important engine for achieving China's sustained economic growth in the New Era and the new journey, and an important driving force for guaranteeing common prosperity for the masses. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made strategic plans for developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, emphasizing "improving the systems and mechanisms for developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions," and "improving relevant rules and policies, accelerating the formation of relations of production that are better suited to new quality productive forces, promoting the clustering of various advanced production factors toward the development of new quality productive forces, and significantly improving total factor productivity."

Therefore, in the historical process of promoting the development of Chinese-path modernization, we not only need to liberate and develop productive forces—especially new quality productive forces—but also need to pay attention to preventing polarization while developing, promoting the realization of common prosperity. Only in this way can we promote the development of Chinese-path modernization to a deeper level, promote the comprehensive building of a great modern socialist country, and protect the vital interests of the masses while realizing their beautiful vision.

II. Materialism Alone or Coordinated Material and Spiritual Development?

In the current era, China has made world-renowned achievements in scientific and technological innovation, infrastructure construction, and the improvement of people's livelihoods. This has not only improved the living standards of the masses and strengthened the country's comprehensive national strength but has also created conditions for the prosperity and development of spiritual culture. At the same time, a question that people have always focused on is: should we pursue "materialism alone," or advocate for the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations? This question involves the development direction of individuals, families, society, and even the state; it involves the historical choices and practical principles of our country's modernization.

In this regard, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Material abundance and spiritual enrichment are the fundamental requirements of socialist modernization." This means that in the process of socialist modernization construction, we must maintain material abundance while also insisting on spiritual enrichment. Only by doing so can we build a high-quality, great modern socialist country on the basis of fully guaranteeing the fundamental interests of the masses. Under the premise that the goal is the free and well-rounded development of the individual, we must realize material abundance and prosperity, guarantee people's rights to survival, development, and education, pay attention to people's real concerns at the spiritual level, and achieve spiritual pleasure and satisfaction.

In this sense, whether to choose materialism alone or the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations in the modernization process is undoubtedly a major proposition related to ideological security, national construction, and ethnic development. Viewed in this light, it is necessary for us to conduct in-depth analysis, research, and exploration of this issue, clarifying the deep-seated relationship between material and spiritual civilization construction, and making clear the internal requirements for coordinated material and spiritual development, thereby promoting the construction of Chinese-path modernization to a deeper level.

Material supremacy is a form of ideological outlook; it implies an unmasked pursuit of material goods and defines success primarily through wealth and status. This concept holds that the importance of the material can even transcend morality, humanity, and the spiritual realm. From a micro-individual perspective, material supremacy manifests as an individual regarding money, status, and power as the highest goals, sometimes neglecting interpersonal relationships and social responsibility. From a macro-national and social perspective, material supremacy refers to emphasizing only the development of productive forces during the process of national economic and social development, paying excessive attention to the material accomplishments of GDP construction while neglecting the construction of spiritual civilization.

To be more detailed, the formation and development of material supremacy within the society of a given country or region contains three logical levels. The first logical level occurs at the initial stage of social development: because the productive forces are at a low level, all forces are exhausted to liberate and develop the productive forces, vigorously promoting the construction of material civilization to provide the most fundamental guarantee for the state and society. The second logical level occurs when, while material civilization has achieved partial development, the construction of spiritual civilization is forgotten, or spiritual civilization is not elevated to the corresponding level in a timely manner. This leads to the formation of a trend that over-emphasizes material construction while ignoring the spiritual. The third logical level is allowing the second level to develop unchecked, causing the construction of spiritual and material civilizations to part ways. In such a society, people generally use the material to judge, define, and explain everything; commodity fetishism takes deep root in people’s ideological outlook, forming a generalized mindset of material supremacy in the process of national economic development. Due to the sequential evolution of these three logical levels, the ideology of material supremacy becomes fully developed and rooted in the developmental trajectory of both the individual and society. Undoubtedly, while this intellectual inertia is conducive to liberating productive forces and meeting basic material needs in the early stages of development, it moves toward an extreme in subsequent development—namely, falling into a "material-only" theory that measures all things by material utility and material value.

For example, during the development of the commodity economy, consumerism once clamored loudly ^[4]; tied to materialism, it acted upon people’s interactions and lives. In reality, consumerism is a variant and extension of material supremacy in the sphere of consumption. The consumption it advocates is not for the satisfaction of actual needs, but for the continuous pursuit of satisfying desires that have been manufactured and stimulated. This social trend deeply affects daily interactions as well as national economic and cultural development. It is an excessive pursuit of material and consumption, an erroneous mindset that ignores the utility of actual products and the construction of spiritual-cultural thought. Indisputably, material supremacy is the greedy pursuit of material wealth and the abandonment or collapse of spiritual belief. As a social phenomenon, it causes people to regard material wealth and enjoyment as the highest goal and yardstick of life, while neglecting the persistence and inheritance of spiritual faith, interpersonal relationships, and history and culture. This not only destroys the construction of spiritual culture but also leads material construction into a state of alienation, turning it into an alien force that fetters economic and social development. Therefore, whether it is consumerism or material supremacy, we should explicitly resist them and conduct deep critiques, thereby guiding people to establish correct views on consumption and matter, and satisfying the people's needs for a better life with correct concepts.

The coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations is a core requirement of socialist modernization and an important guarantee for the common prosperity of all people. At the same time, this coordinated development is an essential component of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. On one hand, comprehensively building a great modern socialist country includes not only modernization at the material level but also at the spiritual level. As reform and opening up continue to advance, the basic material needs of the masses have been greatly satisfied, and they are moving toward higher-level spiritual and cultural needs. China's economic development has also provided the fundamental guarantee for the rich and diverse spiritual and cultural needs of the masses. On the other hand, the coordinated development of the material and spiritual is an important guarantee for achieving common prosperity for all Chinese people and is conducive to promoting the free and well-rounded development of individuals. China has always maintained that the masses are the creators of history and has insisted that the people are the masters of the country. Therefore, in promoting national construction and social development, China always takes the common prosperity of all people as its value pursuit, effectively protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the masses, and safeguarding their rights to subsistence, education, and development. Marxism holds that in a communist society, everyone can achieve free and well-rounded development. The "well-roundedness" expressed here is not limited to development at the material level but includes the spiritual and other levels. Therefore, the coordinated development of the material and spiritual helps guarantee the basic right of every individual to free and well-rounded development and helps China continuously move toward a society where such development is realized for all.

Chinese-path modernization is the practical route for opposing material supremacy and promoting coordinated material and spiritual development. Material development alone is not modernization; the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations is the inherent meaning of Chinese-path modernization. Regarding this, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in a speech at UNESCO headquarters: "The realization of the Chinese Dream is the result of the balanced development and mutual promotion of material and spiritual civilizations. Without the inheritance and development of civilization, and without the promotion and prosperity of culture, there will be no realization of the Chinese Dream. The ancestors of the Chinese nation long ago yearned for a 'Great Unity' ^[5] world where people's material lives were abundant and worry-free, and their moral realm was fully sublimated. Chinese civilization has always incorporated the spiritual life of man into the ideals of life and society. Therefore, the realization of the Chinese Dream is a developmental process in which material and spiritual civilizations fly wing-to-wing." Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material and spiritual civilizations are coordinated; this is a unique advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In past decades, China has made great strides in economy, technology, and culture, becoming one of the world's largest economies. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China has consistently insisted on high-quality development at the material level, taking science and technology as the primary productive force to promote the production of social material goods and the enrichment of people's material lives. Meanwhile, China has also achieved significant success in the construction of spiritual civilization, promoting ideological and ethical progress as well as scientific and cultural development, strengthening social awareness of the law and the concept of the rule of law, facilitating the continuous improvement of public cultural services, and promoting the construction of a new type of civilization.

In his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We have established and adhered to the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological field. The Party’s innovative theories in the New Era have struck deep roots in the hearts of the people, the core socialist values are widely practiced, and fine traditional Chinese culture is undergoing creative transformation and innovative development. Cultural undertakings are increasingly prosperous, the online ecosystem continues to improve, and a comprehensive and fundamental change has taken place in the ideological landscape." From this, it is evident that in the process of achieving modernization, China has always adhered to the policy of "grasping with both hands, and both hands must be firm" ^[6]—simultaneously focusing on the construction of material civilization and spiritual civilization. This coordinated development has injected strong momentum and vitality into Chinese-path modernization, enabling China to achieve major progress and long-term development in various fields such as economy, technology, and culture.

III. Draining the Pond to Catch the Fish, or Harmonious Coexistence Between Man and Nature?

China is currently in an important historical stage of further comprehensively deepening reform and promoting Chinese-path modernization. In this process, the choices made by Chinese-path modernization regarding the ecological environment have become a topic of widespread concern both at home and abroad. On this issue, there are two starkly different views: one is the "draining the pond to catch the fish" style of rapid development, and the other is sustainable development characterized by the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. Which one, then, is the correct choice for Chinese-path modernization? Regarding this, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition: "The developmental mode of killing the hen to get the eggs or draining the pond to catch the fish has reached its end; green development that conforms to nature and protects the ecology heralds the future." That is to say, in the historical process of promoting modernization, if a developmental mode at the cost of environmental destruction is adopted, it will inevitably lead to the destruction of the natural ecology and the non-sustainability of economic development, thereby falling into an embarrassing situation without a future. Only by respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature can one maintain vigorous vitality in the process of history, inject vitality into economic development, and provide impetus for ecological protection, thus leading the whole society onto a path of green and sustainable development. Therefore, in the process of promoting modernization, the choice between draining the pond to catch the fish or harmonious coexistence between man and nature is not only a question of ecological protection and sustainable development, but also a major issue concerning the future destiny of humanity. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out: "Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature." This is a developmental path that both conforms to China's national conditions and possesses global significance. Only in this way can we achieve sustainable development and leave a beautiful home with blue skies, green land, and clear water for future generations.

The so-called "draining the pond to catch the fish" ^[7] refers to emptying a lake or pond to catch all the fish; it is now generally used as a metaphor for doing things by seeking only immediate interests without making long-term plans. If one only focuses on economic growth while ignoring the protection of the ecological environment, it is undoubtedly a short-sighted and unsustainable developmental model that will ultimately backfire on humanity itself. Therefore, draining the pond to catch the fish can only obtain short-term economic returns, but in the long run, it is a destruction of human sustainable development. Specifically, this practical mode encompasses three levels. The first level is that in the process of promoting social and economic development, in order to obtain significant benefits relatively simply and quickly, the economy is developed at all costs. In this process, the felling of forests, geological changes, and hydrological impacts are considered "short-term and non-obvious" destructions; thus, efforts are intensified to exploit nature, taking from it at will without any restraint. The second level is that the continuous accumulation of this unscrupulous plundering of natural resources will inevitably lead to great damage to the ecological environment. The environment changes from non-obvious, difficult-to-perceive shifts to sharp deterioration; nature suffers ruthless and even irreparable damage during socio-economic exploitation. The third level is that the deterioration of the ecological environment not only destroys the metabolism of nature itself but also has a profound impact on human social and economic activities, breaking the sustainable development of human society. To unscrupulously "drain the pond to catch the fish" for the sake of grabbing interests is an irresponsible attitude toward nature and oneself. Once this mindset is put into practice, it will inevitably affect humanity in turn, impacting normal economic and social activities.

Conversely, the harmonious coexistence of man and nature is an inherent requirement and basic principle for the continuous development of human society. In today's world, with the over-exploitation of natural resources by humans, the relationship between man and nature is increasingly tense, and problems such as ecological deterioration and resource depletion have become prominent. Therefore, emphasizing the harmonious coexistence of man and nature is both an inherent requirement for the sustainable development of human society and an important component of the construction of a global ecological civilization. First, the harmonious coexistence of man and nature helps to guarantee the natural resources needed for human survival and development. According to the general laws of human social development, to obtain liberation and develop productive forces, it is necessary to enhance the ability of people to utilize, transform, and obtain material resources from nature. From the dimension of human utilization of nature, harmonious coexistence allows humanity to calmly obtain the resources necessary to maintain its own survival and development. Second, harmonious coexistence between man and nature is conducive to promoting the sustainable development of the economy and society. This requires the use of nature and the acquisition of various resources from the natural world. Harmonious coexistence undoubtedly makes this acquisition method more civilized, harmonious, and sustainable. Third, the harmonious coexistence of man and nature helps utilize the modern achievements created by human civilization to protect the natural ecology in turn. In the process of continuous development, human society has created a series of new objects, methods, and mindsets. Applying these to the protection of nature and the restoration of natural ecology will undoubtedly have huge effects. It can be said that the construction of ecological civilization is a fundamental plan concerning human survival and development, and the harmonious coexistence of man and nature is an inevitable choice for the continuous development of human society.

Chinese-path modernization is the necessary logic for transitioning from "draining the pond to catch the fish" ^[8] toward a harmony between humanity and nature. In terms of conceptual frameworks, throughout the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, we have consistently adhered to the philosophy of green development, emphasizing the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Humanity and nature form a community of life; human beings must respect, adapt to, and protect nature. Regarding lifestyles, as Chinese-path modernization advances, it actively advocates for green and low-carbon living, encouraging people to focus more on resource conservation and environmental protection. It strengthens the construction of ecological civilization, increases investment in environmental protection, and builds a comprehensive institutional system for ecological civilization, allowing a more beautiful ecological vista to emerge across the Chinese land. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized that "we must improve the institutional system for ecological civilization, synergistically promote carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and growth, actively respond to climate change, and accelerate the improvement of systems and mechanisms to implement the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." From the perspective of industrial development, we should intensify the structural adjustment of industries, develop green sectors, innovate green technologies, strengthen environmental governance, and improve the quality of the eco-environment. Regarding ecological consumption, we should advocate for green consumption and guide residents toward low-carbon lives. On the international level, we should strengthen international cooperation to jointly address global environmental issues. Beyond this, it must be pointed out that sustainable development is not achieved overnight, and the construction of ecological civilization requires long-term effort. When facing resource constraints and environmental pollution, we must not harbor any sense of leaving things to chance; we must persist in the basic national policy of conserving resources and protecting the environment, and unswervingly follow the path of green, circular, and low-carbon development. In summary, Chinese-path modernization focuses not only on economic growth but even more on sustainable development. We persist in a path of civilized development characterized by productive development, prosperous lives, and sound ecology, achieving the organic unity of economic, social, and ecological benefits. We actively develop clean energy, promote energy-saving and environmental protection technologies, and strive to make "green" the vibrant backdrop of building a socialist modernized country in all respects.

IV. Zero-sum Game or Win-win Cooperation?

The modernization process of human society has once again arrived at a historical crossroads. In the process of advancing modernization, countries worldwide face the "modernization question" of whether to engage in a zero-sum game or win-win cooperation, which leads to a historical choice between the two. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "Today, human society once again faces a historical turning point of where to go. Is it hostility and confrontation, or mutual respect? Is it closure and decoupling, or openness and cooperation? Is it a zero-sum game, or mutual benefit and win-win results? The choice is in our hands, and the responsibility is on our shoulders." The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and all nations face unprecedented challenges and crises. The recovery of the world economy is difficult; extremism and Cold War mentality rear their heads from time to time; and the shadow of war has appeared in some regions, casting a shroud over the future and destiny of the world. In response, some countries and regions directly adopt the method of the zero-sum game, attempting to slow the rise of emerging powers by interfering with or sabotaging the development of others. Other countries adopt a policy of win-win cooperation, developing their own politics, economy, and culture by continuously expanding external exchanges and cooperation. Viewed thus, the choice between a zero-sum game and win-win cooperation in the process of development has undoubtedly become a matter of extreme importance. In the process of advancing modernization, China utilizes the advantages of various countries to continuously improve itself, promoting reforms and development in political, economic, cultural, educational, and ecological fields. It continuously drives industrial upgrading and technological innovation, endowing Chinese-path modernization with endogenous momentum.

The so-called "zero-sum game" refers to a situation where, under rigorous competition among participants, the gain of one party necessarily implies the loss of another; the sum of the gains and losses of all parties always equals "zero," and thus no possibility for cooperation exists. It is a concept from game theory, also known as a zero-sum play, which stands in contrast to non-zero-sum games and belongs to the category of non-coordinated games. Nowadays, the zero-sum game has evolved into a mindset held by Western conservative forces, asserting that different civilizations, countries, and nations are naturally and inevitably hostile. Consequently, it emphasizes that "the winner takes all," "the law of the jungle," and "a strong power must seek hegemony." More specifically, two logics exist within this game theory. First, in the process of exchange and interaction between the world’s countries and regions, there exists unresolvable and rigorous competition, with no possibility for cooperation. The world today faces fierce competition: it is a struggle between containment and anti-containment between established powers and newly rising powers, a systemic competition between capitalism and socialism, and a struggle between the development models of Chinese-path modernization and Western-style modernization. Therefore, the principle of peaceful coexistence is dismissed as impossible; countries and regions can only protect and develop themselves through competition. Second, in this environment of rigorous competition, the gain of one party is necessarily predicated on the loss of another; thus, one must sabotage the development of other nations. The zero-sum game presupposes a world in an environment of constant competition and holds that the sum of all interests and losses must be zero; therefore, to increase one's own country's gains, one must adopt strategies of interfering in other countries' development and suppressing competitors, thereby containing and blocking the development of others. This zero-sum mindset is the inevitable result of the Western world falling into stagnation or even regression in certain regions. Because they are unable to achieve anything through their own efforts, they can only turn their guns outward, vainly attempting to divert domestic contradictions and shift their own crises by containing the rise of other nations, thereby obtaining a relative "progress" for themselves.

In contrast, win-win cooperation is the value pursuit and national character of the Chinese nation. Win-win cooperation means that in the process of completing a transaction or a shared task, two or more parties achieve mutual benefit and complement each other, enabling the realization of common gains for all. In the era of economic globalization where global exchanges are increasingly frequent, only through cooperation can there be development, and only through cooperation can there be win-win results. Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has prized harmonious coexistence, emphasized unity and coordination, upheld fairness and justice, and pursued common development. Win-win cooperation is not only China's value pursuit but also an expression of the Chinese national character. Against the backdrop of current global economic integration, the concept of win-win cooperation appears increasingly important. Since antiquity, China has proposed the idea of "harmony without uniformity" ^[9]. "Harmony and integration" (和合, he-he) means the Chinese nation emphasizes peaceful coexistence, open cooperation, and communicative integration, advocating for the search for points of converging interests and the "greatest common denominator" through negotiation, cooperation, and fair competition. From the dimension of the Chinese nation's value pursuits, if all ethnic groups "think in one place and exert effort in one place," they will surely promote the country's development and prosperity; if they exclude and struggle against one another, it will lead to chaos and decline. Therefore, win-win cooperation is an inherent value pursuit of the Chinese nation. From the dimension of the Chinese nation’s own character, China is a unified multi-ethnic country where different ethnic groups live in the big family of the motherland. China has always persisted in ethnic equality, ethnic unity, and the common prosperity of all ethnic groups. In the interactions among various ethnic groups, they integrate with each other and develop together; the concept of win-win cooperation is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of all ethnic groups. Examined through dialectical materialism, win-win cooperation does not mean smooth sailing. In the process of establishing cooperation with others and pushing things forward, the path is often not a straight and easy one, but rather faces various twists and turns and heavy challenges, such as a lack of trust, unequal distribution of interests, and cultural differences. This requires both parties to the cooperation to consult each other, communicate candidly, and be inclusive of one another, thereby promoting the continuous development and even the qualitative change of the situation. Therefore, in cooperation, we need to seek the greatest common denominator and "establish compliance mechanisms that interface with international common rules, and optimize the environment for open cooperation," thereby realizing common development.

"Openness is a distinct hallmark of Chinese-path modernization." Chinese-path modernization transcends the old Western zero-sum mindset and is a modernization path of win-win cooperation. The wisdom of "harmony and integration" fully embodies the goals of humanity's pursuit of historical progress; it is the historical norm for human engagement in modern competition and interaction, representing the general trend, the aspiration of the people, and historical necessity. Abandoning the inertia of zero-sum thinking is a historical necessity for moving toward win-win cooperation and a principled requirement for humanity to achieve peaceful coexistence. It is not only conducive to one's own economic and social development and the promotion of domestic social vitality but also conducive to maintaining world fairness and justice, prompting the world to construct a better life through win-win cooperation. In the historical process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, the Western zero-sum mindset inevitably leads to mutual harm among the multiple parties involved in exchange, hindering development in world politics, the global economy, diverse cultures, green ecology, and higher education. Persisting in win-win cooperation is the necessary measure for creating beautiful concepts, a beautiful life, a beautiful society, a beautiful China, a beautiful world, and a beautiful future. Facing the New Era and the new journey, we need to answer the modernization question with win-win cooperation, find our appropriate entry points, leverage our respective advantages, and compensate for our respective deficiencies, thereby realizing common growth. It must be noted that in this process, all parties should trust and respect each other, give full play to their respective subjective initiative, face challenges together, and share the fruits of development.

V. Blindly Copying the Models of Other Countries or Developing Autonomously Based on One's Own National Conditions?

Against the backdrop of economic globalization, the exchange of development models and experiences among countries has become increasingly frequent. However, facing successful development cases from various countries, we cannot help but ponder a question: should we blindly copy the successful models of other countries into China, or should we carry out independent innovation based on our own national conditions? This question concerns not only the choice of China's development path but also the long-term peace and stability of the country. In his speech at the meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Copying the political systems of other countries will not work; it will not fit the local conditions, it will be a poor imitation that results in failure ^[10], and it may even ruin the future and destiny of the country. Only a system rooted in the country's own soil and drawing abundant nutrients is the most reliable and effective." That is to say, blindly copying the models of other countries will only make China's development model inconsistent with the country's reality, leading to stagnation or regression. Developing autonomously based on one's own national conditions is the inherent meaning of promoting China's high-quality development and is the most useful and reliable method, principle, and norm. In the historical process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, whether to choose to blindly copy other countries' models or to develop autonomously based on national conditions is a major theoretical and practical proposition of far-reaching significance. How to answer this proposition in the New Era and how to choose China's development model concerns the success or failure of the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the success or failure of building a socialist modernized country in all respects. Therefore, it is necessary for us to conduct in-depth exploration and research on these two models. By analyzing the specific connotations, realistic representations, and actual cases of both copying other countries' models and autonomous development based on national conditions, we can explore which model should be chosen in the process of China's reform, development, and construction.

The so-called "blindly copying the models of other countries" refers to disregarding one's own national conditions and stage of development and blindly imitating the political, economic, cultural, and social systems of other countries, believing that this will quickly achieve national development and prosperity. However, this approach often ignores the differences between countries, leading to various problems in practice. Because different countries have different social systems, ethnic compositions, and religious beliefs, blindly imitating the social governance models of other nations may not only fail to solve the social problems faced by one's own country but may instead lead to the intensification of social contradictions, affecting national harmony and stability. Generally speaking, in the process of late-developing countries learning how to develop from mature developed countries, they go through three logical levels. The first logical level we call the "imitation stage." In this stage, a country simply imitates and borrows the successful experiences of other countries, retracing the paths of industrialization and urbanization that others have already traveled. The second logical level we call the "differentiation stage." Based on the first logical level, some countries conduct in-depth research on the development models of developed countries, understand the underlying principles and methods, and integrate them into their own developmental characteristics; other countries fail to enter effective innovation and remain at the superficial level of echoing others, thus falling into the trap of blindly copying other countries' models. The third logical level we call the "solidification stage." At this stage, some countries achieve leadership through integrated innovation, becoming a bellwether for world development; other countries, because they still persist in blindly copying other countries' models, see their domestic development fall into stagnation or regression, losing the momentum for further development. From this, it is evident that blindly copying the models of other countries is a harmful developmental concept; although it may appear to promote economic and social development in the short term, it will inevitably bring disaster to the nation's social development in the end.

For example, the Self-Strengthening Movement ^[11] conducted in China from the 1860s to the 1890s used the slogans "self-strengthening" and "seeking wealth" to utilize Western military equipment, machine production, and science and technology in an attempt to save Qing Dynasty rule, but it ultimately ended in failure. Why did it end in failure despite clearly learning from advanced Western productive forces and advanced scientific and technical culture? It was because the fundamental goal of the Self-Strengthening Movement was to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty; it was merely the learning and imitation of advanced Western vessels and implements ^[12] without touching the foundation of the feudal system. Consequently, it fell into a state of simply copying technology without considering its applicability to the fundamental system or the ideology of the citizenry. Thus, although the Self-Strengthening Movement advanced the historical process of China's modernization to a certain extent, it still failed to alter the historical destiny of the Qing Dynasty or successfully rescue the Chinese people from their dire suffering. In this sense, copying the models of other countries is a form of simple imitation and repetition, a rigid application of another country's development model to one’s own, the results of which often have a counterproductive effect on national development.

In contrast, independent development based on one's own national conditions is a theoretical and practical innovation built upon the foundation of learning from the beneficial experiences of other countries' development. Basing oneself on national conditions means making development conform to the country's actual circumstances and the objective laws of economic and social development. Independent development emphasizes the exertion of subjectivity, insisting that a country's development be decided by its own people and that they possess the autonomy and decision-making power over that development. Independent development based on one's own national conditions is a dialectical negation of the development experiences of other countries; it is another theoretical innovation based on practice and another practical innovation under the guidance of theory. In a speech at the College of Europe in Bruges, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The world develops in multiple dimensions, and world history is even less a linear progression. China cannot indiscriminately copy the political systems and development models of other countries; otherwise, it would not only fail to adapt to the local environment ^[13] but would also lead to disastrous consequences." That is to say, development is not a unidirectional linear advance, but must continuously explore and move forward within multi-dimensional and multi-directional spatio-temporal conditions. Looking at the world, every country's path of development is unique. Every country's level of productive forces, level of education, economic status, socio-historical traditions, and state forms are different; therefore, identical development models cannot exist, and copying the development models of other countries is destined to fail. Returning to the domestic context, our country possesses a long historical inheritance and a profound cultural accumulation, providing ideological resources and practical guidance for independent development based on our own national conditions. Since ancient times, China has emphasized that "harmony generates all things, whereas sameness stunts growth" ^[14]. Only development based on national conditions can allow all things to flourish, while copying the models of others will inevitably lead to a situation where "sameness stunts growth," rendering one’s own development unable to continue.

Basing work on national conditions and following a path of independent modernization is a consistent core requirement of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization is a broad avenue ^[15] that rejects the copying of other countries' models and insists on independent development based on one's own national conditions. In the historical process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, China has always persisted in independently exploring its own path of economic and social development, formulating rational and effective policies according to China's own national conditions and realities, and promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We need to learn from the beneficial achievements of foreign political civilizations, but we must never abandon the foundation of China's political system. China has more than 9.6 million square kilometers of land and 56 ethnic groups. Whose model can we follow? And who is qualified to lecture us ^[16] on what we should do? Toward a colorful and diverse world, we should maintain an inclusive attitude, modestly learn the good things of others, and digest and absorb them from an independent standpoint to make them our own. But we must never swallow things whole or engage in the 'Handan walk' ^[17]." This means that in the process of promoting Chinese-path modernization, we must always adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and cannot forget the systemic and populist attributes of China. In the process of external exchange, we must maintain independence and persist in the "four matters of confidence" ^[18] regarding the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, always advancing China's economic and social development with a high-spirited mental outlook. It should also be noted that independent development based on national conditions does not mean closed development, nor does it mean that we cannot learn from the successful experiences of other countries. Rather, while developing all aspects of Chinese economy and society, we must persist in reform and opening up, and persist in drawing upon and absorbing all positive factors from other civilizations that are beneficial to China's development, making them serve the cause of China's modernization.

In summary, Chinese-path modernization is a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable form of development, aimed at achieving common prosperity for all people, the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations, the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, win-win cooperation, and independent development. In the context of the New Era, we must strengthen our confidence, forge ahead with determination, continuously advance Chinese-path modernization, and steadily contribute to the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.

(The author is the Dean of the Institute of Mainstream Ideology at Wuhan University and a Professor at the School of Marxism) Web Editor: Ma Jingren Source: World Socialism Studies, Issue 1, 2025