Wang Wenju and Sun Jie: The Philosophical Implications of Xi Jinping's Economic Thought
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has demonstrated great foresight, taken overall control of the general situation, and grasped prevailing trends. By profoundly summarizing and refining the successful experience of China's economic development and proceeding from new realities, the Committee has creatively proposed a series of major theoretical viewpoints regarding China's economic development, forming Xi Jinping Economic Thought. This body of thought is a vital component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a precious intellectual achievement formed through the Communist Party of China’s unremitting exploration of the path of socialist economic development, a major theoretical innovation of Marxist political economy in contemporary China and the 21st century, and the fundamental guide for conducting economic work in the New Era.
Xi Jinping Economic Thought adheres to the principle of integration with China's specific realities, focusing on solving the practical problems of economic development in the New Era. It provides profound answers to the questions of the times, of the people, and of history regarding economic development. It adheres to the integration with fine traditional Chinese culture, focusing on the inheritance and innovation of the nation’s history, culture, and economic thought. It has achieved a new leap in the understanding of the "three laws" (the laws of the Communist Party’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society), further deepening the Party's understanding of the laws governing socialist economic development, the evolution of the primary stage of socialism, economic globalization, and the free and well-rounded development of individuals. Marx noted: "Any true philosophy is the spiritual quintessence of its own time." The system of Xi Jinping Economic Thought is rigorous and rich in connotation, primarily comprising thirteen aspects. Each aspect shines with the light of the philosophical wisdom of Marxist dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Each aspect employs the scientific Marxist worldview and methodology to answer major economic questions raised by the times and practice, embodying profound philosophical implications of Marxist materialism, dialectics, epistemology, and the historical materialist conception of history. Deeply researching the philosophical connotations of Xi Jinping Economic Thought holds significant theoretical and practical importance for advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation at a higher level.
I. The Materialist Implications of Xi Jinping Economic Thought
Xi Jinping Economic Thought is imbued with the philosophical wisdom of materialism. Interpreting this thought from a materialist perspective helps in profoundly understanding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the primary stage of socialism, the changes in the principal contradiction of Chinese society, the new stage of development, and the construction of ecological civilization. It serves as the prerequisite for formulating policies and carrying out work.
(1) Reflecting the materialist implication of proceeding from objective reality in all things and seeking truth from facts
Marxist materialism holds that the origin of the world is matter. Proceeding from reality in all things and ensuring that subjective desires conform to objective reality is the methodological requirement of Marxist materialism. Engels pointed out: "The real unity of the world consists in its materiality, and this is proved... by a long and wearisome development of philosophy and natural science." This assertion requires that our understanding and transformation of the world must proceed from reality and seek truth from facts.
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s expositions on the new stage of development reflect the materialist methodological requirement of proceeding from objective reality. Proceeding from reality and seeking truth from facts is the prerequisite for comprehensively understanding the developmental stage and historical coordinates of the revolution, construction, and reform undertakings engaged in by the Party. It is the cognitive foundation and practical starting point for better recognizing the current situation, coordinating strategic measures, and planning future layouts. It is also the precious experience accumulated by the Party over more than a century. In the process of applying basic Marxist principles to solve the practical problems of Chinese socialism, our Party recognized that socialist development possesses both long-term characteristics and stage-specific features. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee proposed that after completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the First Centenary Goal, we must build on this momentum to embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and march toward the Second Centenary Goal [1]. This marks China’s entry into a new stage of development.
To this end, General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: "The new stage of development we are in today is a stage within the primary stage of socialism, and at the same time, it is a stage that stands at a new starting point after decades of accumulation. From a historical basis, the new stage of development is a new stage where our Party has led the people in welcoming a historic leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong." The New Era and the new stage give rise to new missions and tasks. As the report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out: "From this day forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization." Entering the new stage of development, China’s development remains in an important period of strategic opportunity, but it also faces a series of new challenges. We must persist in proceeding from reality, seeking truth from facts, and maintaining a global vision [2], correctly understanding and grasping world trends and the currents of the times. We must maintain strategic resolve and concentrate our strength on managing our own affairs with the "spirit of driving the nail" [3], becoming adept at nurturing opportunities in crises and opening new prospects amid changes. Materialism holds that the world is unified in matter, but consciousness has a counter-reaction on matter. Our Party emphasizes that ideals and convictions are the "calcium" of the spirit, and a lack of "calcium" leads to "rickets" [4]. It also emphasizes that "revolutionary ideals soar higher than the heavens," firmly establishing the lofty ideal of Communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which affirms the counter-reaction of consciousness.
Promoting economic development must proceed from China's reality and grasp the historical changes in the principal social contradiction. Entering the New Era, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between the people's ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must recognize that the change in the principal contradiction of our society has not changed our judgment on the historical stage of socialism in China. The basic national reality that China is still in, and will long remain in, the primary stage of socialism has not changed, and China’s international status as the world’s largest developing country has not changed." In short, China is a large developing country; we must firmly grasp the "primary stage" as the greatest national reality and the greatest reality. This is the objective basis and fundamental starting point for standing in the present, looking to the future, planning the layout, and achieving steady and sustained progress. Facing this greatest national reality, we must always adhere to development as the Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country and focus on economic construction as the central task. We must fully recognize the historic achievements and transformations in the cause of the Party and the state since reform and opening up, especially in the New Era, while also fully recognizing the many difficulties and problems we currently face. As the report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent; there are still many bottlenecks in promoting high-quality development, and the capacity for scientific and technological innovation is not yet strong. Many major issues must be resolved to ensure the security of food, energy, and industrial and supply chains, and to prevent financial risks. There are still many "hard bones to crack" [5] in reforms in key areas. The gap between urban and rural regional development and income distribution remains large. The masses face many difficulties in employment, education, medical care, childcare, elderly care, and housing. The tasks for ecological and environmental protection remain arduous, and so on. These problems must be faced objectively and addressed through a series of measures.
(2) Reflecting the materialist implication of harmonious coexistence between man and nature
As an important part of Marxist philosophy, the Marxist view of nature insists on proceeding from the basic standpoint of the materialist concept of matter and from the specific, historical practical activities of human beings to grasp the relationship between man and nature. By grasping and adjusting the interpersonal relationships hidden behind the man-nature relationship, it strives to pursue and realize the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" implements Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature. Natural objects constitute the natural conditions for human survival; humans produce, live, and develop through interaction with nature. If humans treat nature well, nature will reward humanity. Man and nature form a community of life; taking from nature endlessly or even destroying it will inevitably lead to nature's retaliation.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has put forward the important judgment that man and nature are a community of life. It has adhered to the principles of sustainable development, prioritizing conservation, protection, and natural restoration. We protect nature and the ecological environment as we protect our own eyes, emphasizing the coordination between economic development and environmental protection. Taking ecological environmental protection as the basic prerequisite for economic development, the Party proposed that protecting the environment is protecting productive forces, and that implementing the concept of green development is to solve the problem of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We want lucid waters and lush mountains, and we also want invaluable assets [gold and silver mountains]. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than invaluable assets, and moreover, lucid waters and lush mountains are themselves invaluable assets." This important assertion is concise, easy to understand, and vivid. It constitutes the scientific connotation of the "Two Mountains" theory, figuratively explaining the relationship between the environment and people's livelihoods, economic development and ecological protection, and environmental protection and productive forces. It reflects the profound thinking and practical significance of Xi Jinping Economic Thought regarding the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.
The report to the 20th CPC National Congress emphasized: "We must firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and plan development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature." In the New Era and the new stage of development, we must accelerate the formation of green development methods, establish concepts of high-quality development and conservation-intensive use, and integrate green and low-carbon elements into all aspects of production and life, transforming ecological advantages into economic advantages. We must persist in the concept of green development, continue to push forward the fight against pollution and the battles to defend blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil, and actively participate in responding to global climate change. We must persist in the construction of ecological civilization, advance the construction of a "Beautiful China" without pause, and unswervingly follow the path of ecological civilization development to help achieve the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
II. The Dialectical Implications of Xi Jinping Economic Thought
Xi Jinping Economic Thought is filled with the philosophical wisdom of materialist dialectics. Interpreting this thought from materialist dialectics helps in profoundly understanding the various dialectical relationships within and between the five fields of economy, politics, culture, society, and ecology. It further clarifies the current goals and tasks of China’s economic development and continuously promotes the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.
(1) Reflecting the dialectical implication of universal connection and a comprehensive, systemic approach
Universally connected things themselves constitute a system; the systemic concept is an inherent meaning of the materialist dialectical view of universal connection. Engels pointed out: "The whole of nature accessible to us forms a system, an interconnected totality of bodies, and by bodies we understand here all material existence." Proceeding from the systemic concept to understand and transform the world is a scientific working method and fine tradition formed by our Party through long-term practice. For example, since reform and opening up, our Party has successively formulated the "three-step" development strategy and the basic line of "one center, two basic points" [6], making an overall layout for the cause of socialist modernization. From emphasizing economic construction as the center to emphasizing "grasping with both hands" [7] (material and spiritual civilization) where "both hands must be firm," to the "three-in-one" construction [8], then to the "four-in-one," and finally expanding to the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" since the 18th CPC National Congress—all these reflect an understanding of the integrity and coordination of the development of things, demonstrating the methodological significance of materialist dialectics in solving China’s development problems.
The concept of systems is a foundational method of thinking and working, as well as an important methodology within Xi Jinping’s economic thought for conducting economic work. Since the start of the New Era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has persisted in systemic planning and systemic problem-solving to advance the various undertakings of the Party and the state in a coordinated manner. It has situating China's economic and social development within the strategic global context of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world’s unseen changes in a century [9]. It has proposed that reform of the economic system cannot be decoupled from coordination with reforms in other fields; rather, it is necessary to comprehensively deepen reform, highlighting the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of reform. At the same time, full consideration has been given to the interest demands of different regions, industries, and groups, accurately grasping the intersection and convergence points of all parties' interests so that the fruits of reform benefit all people more extensively and fairly.
In this context, the New Development Philosophy—comprising innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, as proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee—clarified the guiding principles for China's modernization drive. It provided a brand-new summary and generalization of the laws governing socialist economic development, further offering a scientific answer to the questions of what kind of development to achieve and how to achieve it, and profoundly revealing the laws of socialist economic development. The New Development Philosophy is a dialectical, systemic, and unified whole; it is the creative application of materialist dialectics in China's economic sphere. Implementing the New Development Philosophy at the New Development Stage is the only path for China's development and growth in the New Era. To implement the New Development Philosophy completely, accurately, and comprehensively, one must grasp it from the perspectives of its fundamental purpose, problem-orientation, and awareness of potential risks [10]. One must follow materialist dialectics, employ methods of universal connection and systemic holism, grasp the laws of development, weigh pros and cons to seek benefits while avoiding harm, and make forceful choices amid the "ten fingers playing the piano" [11].
At the second plenary meeting of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important discourse of "paying more attention to systemic integration, more attention to highlighting key priorities, and more attention to the actual effectiveness of reform." Among these, paying more attention to systemic integration is an inherent requirement of adhering to the viewpoint of universal connection in materialist dialectics. To persist in the viewpoint of universal connection and the concept of systems means focusing more on systemic integration and holistic planning while further comprehensively deepening reform, ensuring that various measures for reform and development complement and promote each other. In the New Era and on the new journey, to persist in the concept of systems, we must advance by adhering to the principles of foresight, overall perspective, and holism; we must coordinately advance the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, the Four Comprehensives strategic layout, and coordinate the two domestic and international interests [12], comprehensively and coordinately promoting work in all fields and socialist modernization; we must coordinate development and security, continuously realizing a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.
(2) Reflecting the Dialectical Implication of the Unity of the "Two-Point Theory" and the "Key-Point Theory"
Materialist dialectics holds that when studying the dialectical relationship between principal and non-principal contradictions, and between the principal and non-principal aspects of a contradiction, one must adhere to the unity of the "two-point theory" [13] and the "key-point theory" [14]. The "two points" are two points with a focus, and the "key point" is the key point among the two points. China’s persistence in taking economic construction as the center and its series of "two-handed approach" [15] policies are all concrete manifestations of adhering to this unity. Since the 18th National Congress proposed the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core—proceeding from the overall situation of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics—proposed and formed the Four Comprehensives strategic layout, reflecting a dialectical grasp of both the holistic and key issues of China's economic and social development. Important discourses regarding the deployment and implementation of major national development strategies, the promotion of high-quality development, and the persistence in and improvement of the basic socialist economic system also adhere to this unity.
Currently, China has shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development. A series of social contradictions are continuously emerging, and the prominence of many short boards [16] and weak links is inevitable. Unbalanced and inadequate development is a long-standing problem; effort must be applied to reinforcing these short boards, striving to enhance the holism and coordination of development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, in terms of strategic measures for economic development, the Party and the state have persisted in concentrating energy on managing our own affairs, focusing on promoting coordinated urban-rural and regional development, fully implementing the rural revitalization strategy, advancing the people-centered new-type urbanization strategy, improving the systems and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, and promoting major regional development strategies such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Regarding the focus of economic development, we have vigorously developed manufacturing and the real economy, promoting the integrated development of the digital and real economies. Regarding the primary task of economic development, high-quality development is the Party's scientific judgment on the current stage of China’s socialist economic development; we must firmly grasp high-quality development as the primary task. These are all practical applications of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, reflecting the unity of the "two-point theory" and the "key-point theory," and concentrating the methodological significance of materialist dialectics in solving China's development problems.
In understanding and grasping the contradictory movement of things, attention must be paid to the relationship between the principal and secondary contradictions, and between the principal and secondary aspects of a contradiction. To promote high-quality economic development in the New Era, we must further comprehensively deepen reform. The important issues affecting high-quality economic development include both cyclical and aggregate problems, as well as structural problems. The principal aspect of the contradiction lies on the supply side, and advancing supply-side structural reform is a major innovation that uses the principal contradiction as a lever to better adapt to the new situation and respond to new problems in economic development. Within supply-side structural reform, it is necessary to firmly grasp the liberation and development of the social productive forces as the principal contradiction and take it as the main task of reform. Of course, grasping the principal contradiction does not mean secondary contradictions can be ignored or abandoned; while grasping the main line of supply-side structural reform, aggregate regulation must also be carried out on the demand side. Supply and demand share a dialectical relationship of the unity of opposites in a market economy. Demand-side management mainly expands the aggregate "plate," while supply-side management mainly adjusts and optimizes the structure. Dialectically handling the relationship between the two is about achieving a high-level dynamic balance where demand pulls supply and supply creates demand. Furthermore, the 18th CPC Central Committee’s elaboration on the roles of the government and the market also represents the unity of the "two-point theory" and "key-point theory." The government and the market are a unity of opposites; one cannot use the market's role to replace or negate the government's role, nor can one use the government's role to replace or negate the market's role. Instead, we must make good use of both the "visible hand" and the "invisible hand," promoting the organic combination of an effective market and a capable government.
(3) Reflecting the Dialectical Implication of the Two-Way Interaction Between Internal and External Factors
Materialist dialectics holds that internal factors are the internal contradictions of a thing, while external factors are its external contradictions; internal factors are the basis of change and development, while external factors are the indispensable conditions for change and development. No matter how great the role of external factors, they must operate through internal factors to take effect. The theoretical foundation of China's strategic principles of maintaining independence, self-reliance, and the policy of opening up is precisely this principle of the relationship between internal and external factors. This principle has important practical significance for guiding the construction of the new development pattern and correctly handling the relationship between China and the outside world. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s proposal to build the "dual circulation" new development pattern is a strategic layout for seizing the initiative in future development. it centrally reflects the mutual influence and penetration of the "two markets" [17], deepens the understanding of the unity of opposites between the socialist economy and the world economic system, and reflects the two-way interaction between internal and external factors.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must promote the formation of a new development pattern in which domestic circulation is the mainstay and domestic and international dual circulation promote each other. This new development pattern is proposed based on changes in China's development stage, environment, and conditions, and is a strategic choice to reshape China's new advantages in international cooperation and competition." From the perspective of domestic circulation, before the reform and opening up, China's economy was dominated by domestic circulation, with imports and exports accounting for a tiny proportion of the national economy. Reform and opening up, especially joining the WTO, played an important role in rapidly enhancing China's economic strength and improving people's lives. In recent years, with the intensification of anti-globalization trends, individual countries have engaged in unilateralism and protectionism, causing the momentum of international circulation to weaken significantly. However, the vitality of domestic circulation is increasingly strong. China possesses the world’s most complete and largest industrial system, over 100 million market entities, and the world’s largest market with the greatest potential. In the current context of building the new development pattern, China's development has become an important growth pole and source of power for world development.
From the perspective of international circulation, taking domestic circulation as the mainstay by no means implies closed-door operation; rather, it means better connecting domestic and international markets by unleashing the potential of internal demand. General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out several misunderstandings that need to be guarded against: for example, only emphasizing the first half of the sentence, unilaterally stressing "domestic circulation as the mainstay" and advocating a drastic contraction of opening up; or only emphasizing the second half, unilaterally stressing "domestic and international dual circulation" while ignoring changes in the international landscape and situation, clinging to the old mindset of "both ends out, large-scale import and export" [18]. These erroneous understandings all stem from a failure to properly apply the dialectics of the two-way interaction between internal and external factors. Therefore, to build the new development pattern, we must build a new system for a higher-level open economy and implement opening up across a wider scope, in broader fields, and at a deeper level; we must actively participate in international market competition, enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of foreign trade, and increase radiation and influence within global industrial, supply, and innovation chains. We must use the mutual promotion of domestic and international dual circulation to inject new momentum and expand new space for China's economic development.
(4) Reflecting the Dialectical Implication of the Mutual Transformation Between Quantity and Quality
Materialist dialectics holds that the contradictory movement of things manifests as quantitative and qualitative changes and their mutual transformation. Quantitative change and qualitative change are dialectically unified: the growth of quantity provides the necessary foundation for the elevation of quality, while the elevation of quality provides continuous drive for the growth of quantity. Entering the New Era, facing a series of profound changes in economic development, our Party has firmly grasped the general keynote of seeking progress while maintaining stability, upheld the fundamentals and broke new ground, moved forward with courage, achieved historic accomplishments, and contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to all countries. Adhering to the general keynote of seeking progress while maintaining stability is an important principle of our Party’s governance and an important methodology in Xi Jinping’s economic thought for conducting economic work.
"Stability" and "progress" in economic work embody the dialectical unity of motion and stillness, and of quantitative and qualitative change. "Stability" refers to maintaining the relative stability of existing economic quantities to achieve the steady development of economy and society. However, "stability" is by no means complacency or treading water; imperceptible quantitative changes make the necessary preparations for the development of things. "Progress" refers to the stage-like changes achieved in the process of development, representing a leap to a higher stage. In the New Development Stage, there must be both the "stability" of maintaining strategic resolve and focusing on the long term, and the "progress" of seizing opportunities and taking proactive action. We must stabilize the basic economic deck [19], actively introduce policies conducive to economic stability, hold the bottom line for resources and the environment, and secure the bottom line for people's livelihoods. On the basis of "stability," we must be enterprising, firmly grasp the initiative of development, and ensure that new results are achieved in transforming the mode of economic development and in innovation-driven development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on promoting high-quality development and entering a new development stage also vividly embody the dialectical relationship between quantitative and qualitative change. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out the need to "promote the economy to achieve effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity." Since the beginning of the New Era, the extensive expansion and crude development models of the past—which relied primarily on factor inputs and scale expansion while neglecting quality and efficiency—have become unsustainable. Centered on continuously meeting the people's aspirations for a better life, there is a need to shift from solving problems of "whether it exists," "how big it is," and "whether it is sufficient" to solving problems of "how good it is," "how excellent it is," and "how beautiful it is."
On one hand, efforts must be made toward the reasonable growth of quantity. The characteristics of China's ultra-large-scale market require an industrial system whose total volume matches it. China possesses the clear advantages of a complete range of industrial sectors and a finished industrial system; it ranks first in the world in terms of manufacturing scale and foreign exchange reserves, and these advantages should be further leveraged. As a major populated and agricultural nation, China requires a certain increment in its newborn population. While economic development cannot follow "GDP-ism" [20], it must maintain stable GDP growth at a certain speed. On the other hand, efforts must be focused on improving quality and increasing efficiency. Greater emphasis must be placed on efficacy, benefit, and results, making development more green, circular, low-carbon, secure, equitable, efficient, and sustainable. The development model must achieve simultaneous progress in technology, ecology, humanism, and output, realizing the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
At present, the new development stage entered by our country is a stage of quantitative accumulation characterized by step-by-step progression; it is also a stage of developmental change that is increasingly approaching a qualitative leap. This is both an inevitability of the development of the primary stage of socialism [21] and an internal requirement for advancing toward a higher stage. Because the development and refinement of the primary stage of socialism is a long-term historical process—a dynamic developmental process unifying long-term duration with sectional stages—it must necessarily undergo several specific stages of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s expositions on the new development stage are a vivid manifestation of the philosophical principle of the interconversion of quantity and quality in reality.
III. The Epistemological Significance of Xi Jinping Economic Thought
Xi Jinping Economic Thought is permeated with the philosophical wisdom of epistemology. Interpreting Xi Jinping Economic Thought from an epistemological perspective allows us to more deeply understand the laws of socialist economic construction with Chinese characteristics, thereby strengthening our confidence in arming our minds, guiding practice, and promoting work with Xi Jinping Economic Thought.
(1) Reflecting the epistemological significance of the dialectical unity of practice and knowledge
From the perspective of Marxist epistemology, the viewpoint of practice is the core viewpoint of Marxist philosophy. Practice determines knowledge; it is the source and motive force of knowledge, as well as its purpose and ultimate destination. Marx pointed out: "The question whether objective truth can be attributed to human thinking is not a question of theory but is a practical question. Man must prove the truth, i.e., the reality and power, the this-sidedness of his thinking in practice." Xi Jinping Economic Thought adheres to a methodology combining a problem-oriented approach with a goal-oriented approach, deepening the dialectical relationship between practice and knowledge. It carries out strategic thinking, planning, and arrangements targeting the many realistic problems faced by China's economy in the New Era.
Based on the practical logic of finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, General Secretary Xi Jinping—grounded in the situation and tasks of economic development within the practice of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics—emphasized the shift from "comprehensively building" to "comprehensively finishing the building" of a moderately prosperous society, enriching the basic connotation and target requirements of a moderately prosperous society. Based on the practical logic of implementing the innovation-driven development strategy amid a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, General Secretary Xi Jinping firmly grasped the grand trend of technological and industrial change, putting forward the major thesis that innovation is the primary motive force leading development, and emphasizing the need to strive for high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology while accelerating the construction of important global talent centers and innovation highlands.
Based on the practical logic of promoting common prosperity through high-quality development, and according to the trend-like changes and stage-specific characteristics of economic development since the New Era, the Central Economic Work Conference [22] of December 2019 proposed adhering to supply-side structural reform, adhering to reform and opening up, and promoting high-quality development. High-quality development is the vital path for both making the "cake" bigger and dividing the "cake" well in the process of promoting common prosperity. Common prosperity must be promoted through high-quality development, taking the promotion of common prosperity for all people as the focal point for seeking happiness for the people.
Based on the practical logic of continuously refining the socialist market economy system, General Secretary Xi Jinping scientifically defined and explained the roles of the government and the market under the socialist market economy system. He further emphasized that the relationship between letting the market play the decisive role in resource allocation and better playing the role of the government is an organic unity, not one of fragmentation or opposition. Based on the practical logic of socialist financial work with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically expounded the basic essentials of the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics and the main connotations of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics. Through the "Eight Adherences," [23] he clarified how to view and conduct financial work, responded to the risks and challenges encountered in financial practice, and cleared up the theoretical confusion needing resolution in financial development. The Central Committee's centralized and unified leadership over financial work has become more robust, the people-centered character of financial work more distinct, the requirement for finance to serve the real economy and prevent "shifting from the real to the virtual" [24] more firm, the eternal theme of preventing and controlling financial risks more prominent, and the innovative development of finance has proceeded more solidly on the track of marketization and the rule of law. The path of socialist financial development with Chinese characteristics is growing ever broader.
Based on the practical logic of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and in the face of the current lack of momentum in global economic growth, the profound adjustment of the international strategic landscape, and the intensifying competition brought about by the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Belt and Road" Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. These aim to achieve win-win cooperation and shared benefits, working through the unremitting efforts of the international community to jointly build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness, and beauty.
(2) Reflecting the epistemological significance of the infinite recursiveness and spiral advancement of knowledge
Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "Practice, knowledge, again practice, and again knowledge. This form repeats itself in endless cycles, and with each cycle the content of practice and knowledge rises to a higher level. Such is the whole of the epistemological theory of dialectical materialism, and such is the dialectical-materialist theory of the unity of knowing and doing." Since the start of reform and opening up, our Party's understanding of major issues such as ownership, distribution relations, and the relationship between planning and the market has continuously deepened. One of the important components of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the adherence to and refinement of the basic socialist economic system, which profoundly embodies the dialectical movement of practice and knowledge. The Party's process of understanding the basic socialist economic system has been a process of moving from the shallow to the deep, from the surface to the interior, and from perceptual to rational knowledge alongside the deepening of understanding and the development of practice.
The report to the 15th CPC National Congress pointed out that keeping public ownership as the mainstay while allowing diverse forms of ownership to develop together is a basic economic system of our country in the primary stage of socialism. The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening the Reform" adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee further pointed out that a mixed-ownership economy—in which state-owned capital, collective capital, and non-public capital hold shares in each other and integrate—is an important realization form of the basic economic system. Looking toward new practice and development, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee innovatively proposed that the basic socialist economic system includes: keeping public ownership as the mainstay while allowing diverse forms of ownership to develop together; keeping distribution according to work as the mainstay while allowing multiple modes of distribution to coexist; and the socialist market economy system. From this, it can be seen that the Party’s process of understanding the basic socialist economic system fully reflects the materialist dialectical principles of the infinite recursiveness and spiral advancement of knowledge.
The relationship between socialism and the market economy is a major issue in the development of socialist economic theory and practice. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, our country formed a highly centralized planned economy system. Since the reform and opening up, from the Third Plenary Session of the 12th CPC Central Committee to the 13th and 14th National Congresses, our Party successively proposed the "planned commodity economy system," the "planned commodity economy system characterized by the internal unity of planning and the market," and the "socialist market economy system." Accompanying the practical development and continuous exploration of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the 15th National Congress proposed the "basic role of the market in resource allocation," which was subsequently continuously refined. This reflects the CPC's continuous adaptation to new developments in the practice of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics, achieving a continuous deepening of the understanding of the relationship between the government and the market.
Economic development is a process of spiral advancement. From the first proposal of "letting the market play the decisive role in resource allocation and better playing the role of the government" at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, to the 20th National Congress again emphasizing "giving full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and better playing the role of the government," this reflects the Party’s continuous breakthroughs and innovations in understanding the laws of socialist economic construction with Chinese characteristics.
(3) Reflecting the epistemological significance of the immense guiding role of scientific theory for practice
Marxist epistemology holds that correct knowledge, especially scientific theory, has a promoting effect on practice. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the recovery of the world economy has been weak, global problems have intensified, and traditional and non-traditional security events have intertwined, accelerating the adjustment of the global landscape. Profound and complex changes in world conditions, national conditions, Party conditions, and social conditions objectively require us to transform our development concepts and models. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to using Marxist philosophical thought to guide the practice of economic work and explore the laws of economic construction. With the theoretical courage and truth-seeking spirit of a Marxist statesman, thinker, and strategist, he has profoundly summarized and fully utilized the successful experience of China's economic development. Proceeding from new realities, he has put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies, forming Xi Jinping Economic Thought.
Its basic content mainly includes: strengthening the Party's overall leadership over economic work; adhering to the people-centered development philosophy; the new development stage, the new development philosophy, and the new development paradigm; high-quality development; adhering to and refining the basic socialist economic system; deploying and implementing major national development strategies; adhering to innovation-driven development; vigorously developing manufacturing and the real economy; unswervingly and comprehensively expanding opening up; coordinating development and security; and adhering to correct work strategies and methods, and so on. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Economic Thought, China's economic construction has achieved major accomplishments, and the country's economic strength, technological strength, and comprehensive national power have reached new heights.
For example, strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work is the fundamental guarantee for the continuous and healthy development of the socialist economy. The Party exercises overall leadership and coordinates all sides, and since economic work is the central task, the Party’s leadership must naturally be fully reflected in this central task. It is necessary to effectively transform the institutional advantages of the Party's leadership over economic work into governance efficacy, improving the Party's ability and level in leading economic work. Since entering the New Era, under the Party’s leadership, economic work has not only achieved historic developmental accomplishments and undergone historic, great transformations but has also resolved obstacles and problems accumulated over many years as well as newly encountered ones. This has striven to write a new chapter of the "Two Miracles": the miracle of rapid economic development and the miracle of long-term social stability.
As another example, by unswervingly and comprehensively expanding opening up and properly responding to difficulties and challenges, the economy has continued to develop by continuously improving the level of the open economy. Practice has proven that once the door of China's opening up is opened, the degree of openness will become larger and larger, and the level of openness will become higher and higher. We must follow the grand trend of world economic development, adhere to opening up and mutual benefit, develop a higher-level open economy, and use expanded opening up to drive innovation, promote reform, and foster development. Furthermore, under the Party’s leadership, we have successfully advanced Chinese-path modernization and expanded its connotation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The successful practice of the Chinese people shows the world that there is more than one road leading to modernization; as long as the correct direction is found and pursued unremittingly, all roads lead to Rome." Chinese-path modernization has been formed on the basis of the long-term exploration and practice of the CPC since the founding of the People’s Republic, through continuous exploration, innovation, and breakthroughs. It possesses the common characteristics of the modernization of all countries but even more so possesses its own Chinese features and style. China's path to modernization provides new practical evidence for the laws of human social development and is the latest theoretical fruit of the application of Marxist epistemology and methodology.
IV. The Significance of the Materialist Conception of History in Xi Jinping Economic Thought
Xi Jinping Economic Thought is permeated with the philosophical wisdom of the materialist conception of history. An interpretation of Xi Jinping Economic Thought from this perspective allows us to better understand and grasp theories and practices such as building a modern economic system, developing new quality productive forces, the people-centered development philosophy, and the social organism.
(1) Reflecting the significance of the materialist conception of history in the dialectical unity of productive forces and relations of production, and the economic base and the superstructure
Historical materialism holds that the contradictions between the productive forces and the relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure, constitute the basic contradictions of human society. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has applied the theory of the interrelationship between productive forces and relations of production to examine the improvement of the superstructure. Applying the principle of historical materialism that the superstructure is built upon the economic base, and with a view toward long-term institutional development, the Central Committee has correctly distinguished between China’s fundamental economic system, basic economic system, and important economic systems [25]. It has deepened reform of deep-seated institutional and mechanistic issues, further perfected the new-type whole-of-nation system [26], and earnestly strengthened the Party’s overall leadership over economic work. General Secretary Xi Jinping has utilized the dialectical principles of historical materialism regarding productive forces and relations of production to propose that for a nation to be strong, its economic system must be strong, and that building a modern economic system is an inevitable requirement for promoting high-quality development and comprehensively enhancing overall economic competitiveness. The modern economic system under construction must both draw on the beneficial practices of developed countries and conform to China’s national conditions. It must advance the construction of the industrial system, market system, income distribution system, urban-rural and regional development system, green development system, system of comprehensive opening-up, and the economic structure through a unified perspective and integrated thinking, thereby providing a solid material foundation for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has applied the principles of historical materialism concerning the relationship between the economic base and the superstructure to propose that strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work is the fundamental guarantee for China’s economic development. Historical materialism holds that the economic base and the superstructure exist in a dialectical unity, manifested as the organic unity and interaction of economics and politics—economics is the foundation of politics, and politics is the concentrated expression of economics. As part of the superstructure, the system of Party leadership has provided a strong political and organizational guarantee for China’s revolution, construction, and reform. Strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work is determined by the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission, its nature, and its purpose; its fundamental goal is to better satisfy the people’s aspirations for a better life. Entering the New Era, under the leadership of the Party, we have coordinated development and security, continuously strengthened the "Four Confidences" [27] in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and actively responded to various risks and challenges. This has ensured stable economic development, guaranteed the fundamental interests of the people and the overall interests of social development, formed an effective basic socialist economic system, and transformed institutional advantages into governance efficacy. As Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "In a large country like China, to unify the thinking and strength of several hundred million people to build socialism, it would be inconceivable without a Party composed of members with high levels of consciousness, discipline, and a spirit of self-sacrifice who can truly represent and unite the masses, and without the unified leadership of such a Party." Based on the practice of developing productive forces, General Secretary Xi Jinping has innovatively proposed the new theory of new quality productive forces, reaching a deeper grasp of the dialectical relationship between productive forces and relations of production. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "To develop new quality productive forces, we must further deepen reform across the board to form a new type of relations of production compatible with them." This assertion vividly reflects that relations of production must be adjusted in a timely manner to adapt to the actual development of productive forces. New quality productive forces are birthed by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading. Among these, revolutionary technological breakthroughs require reforming the science and technology innovation system and strengthening the Party’s centralized and unified leadership over scientific and technological work to promote the formation of more powerful innovative momentum and release the vitality of innovative talent. This was the strategic consideration behind the establishment of the Central Science and Technology Commission in the latest round of reform of Party and state institutions. The innovative allocation of production factors points toward deepening economic structural reform to achieve a better combination of an efficient market and a promising government [28]. This emphasizes both the decisive role of the market in improving efficiency and allocating resources, and the government's macro-regulatory role in promoting fairness and guaranteeing the rule of law, allowing various types of advanced and high-quality production factors to flow smoothly toward the sectors of new quality productive forces. This is a profound application of the theoretical idea that the relations of production exert a counter-reaction upon the productive forces.
(2) Reflecting the historical materialist implication that the masses are the creators of history
Historical materialism holds that the masses are the creators of history, the creators of social material and spiritual wealth, and the decisive force behind social change. Marx and Engels pointed out: "The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority." Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history." Therefore, we must adhere to the mass viewpoint and actively practice the Party’s mass line. At the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the people-centered development philosophy, taking the enhancement of people's wellbeing and the promotion of well-rounded human development as the starting point and ultimate goal of development. The people-centered development philosophy is the lifeline and fundamental working line of our Party, as well as the value position consistently maintained in China's economic development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The people-centered development philosophy is not an abstract, arcane concept; it cannot remain merely as a slogan or stop at the ideological level; rather, it must be reflected in every link of economic and social development." Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, our Party has continuously deepened its exploration of the laws of socialist construction, taking "for the people" as the logical starting point and value foundation of reform, and continuously liberating and developing social productive forces through reform and opening-up, so that relations of production continuously adapt to and promote the development of productive forces. With the shift in the principal contradiction in society [29], the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the value pursuit of putting the people first. The starting point of development is to uphold the interests of the people; the fundamental purpose of development is to increase the people's wellbeing; and the sought-after goal is to realize the people's aspirations for a better life. We must focus closely on the most immediate and practical issues that concern the people most, guaranteeing and improving people's livelihoods during the course of development, and unswervingly following the path toward common prosperity while promoting high-quality development. Adhering to the people-centered position, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed a series of theoretical viewpoints on development concepts, the principal social contradiction, income distribution, rural revitalization, and common prosperity. These viewpoints respond to the expectations of the masses at every turn, demonstrating a value orientation of putting the people first. The historical materialist view that the masses create history profoundly reveals the inevitable requirement in economic work to always persist in development for the people, development relying on the people, and development fruits shared by the people. Socialist modernization in the New Era must persist in taking the people's growing needs for a better life as its goal and measure, utilizing a higher-quality supply structure to adapt to a higher-level demand structure. Xi Jinping’s economic thought always adheres to the principle of "from the masses, to the masses," emphasizing that the fundamental criterion for measuring the success or failure of all work is whether the people "support it, agree with it, are happy with it, and approve of it." The test of the effectiveness of economic work ultimately depends on the people’s "three trulies"—that is, whether they have truly received benefits, whether their lives have truly improved, and whether their rights and interests have truly been protected. This is a profound interpretation and modern extension of historical materialism.
(3) Reflecting the historical materialist implication of the Marxist theory of the social organism
The Marxist theory of the social organism is an important component of historical materialism. It is a theory of social development concerning the organic operation of society, based on the mode of production of material goods, and taking the free and well-rounded development of individuals as its value goal. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core persists in viewing socialist modernization as an organic whole, grasping the laws of construction through a systems theory perspective, which vividly embodies the core tenets of the Marxist theory of the social organism. At present, we must base our work on the new stage of the New Era, accurately identify systemic bottlenecks, give full play to the advantages of the new-type whole-of-nation system, handle new contradictions and problems, take into account different regions and development stages, and coordinate development across all links and aspects, such as man and nature, and development and security. The Marxist theory of the social organism always maintains human development as its theme, emphasizing that social development takes human development as its motive power and purpose. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that to grasp the worldview and methodology of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we must persist in putting the people first. The "people" here are real individuals, not abstract concepts; they are the broadest masses of people who create history. Persisting in putting the people first in the new stage of the New Era means promoting the free and well-rounded development of individuals on the basis of advancing all-around economic and social progress. On one hand, we must always trust and rely on the people, transforming the immense vitality and talent advantages of the masses into the momentum for progress and development advantages. On the other hand, we must always act for the people and serve the people, keeping in mind that the starting point and goal of all work of the Party and the state is to realize, protect, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest possible majority of the people. This is both a vivid manifestation of unswervingly following the path of common prosperity and the best interpretation of the people-oriented governance philosophy. The Marxist theory of the social organism holds that development among nations is closely linked and interdependent; all countries exist within a community with a shared future for humanity. To achieve national development, one must always maintain a global perspective to truly grasp the laws governing the historical evolution of the social organism. Unswervingly expanding opening-up across the board is an important magic weapon [30] for China's economic development; opening-up has become a distinctive hallmark of contemporary China. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "China's opening to the outside world is not a one-man show, but a welcome for all parties to participate; it is not about seeking a sphere of influence, but about supporting the common development of all countries; it is not about building our own backyard, but about building a garden shared by all nations." Unswervingly promoting high-level opening-up, promoting the high-quality coordination of the Belt and Road Initiative, and taking pragmatic and effective actions to promote high-quality development to inject more Chinese strength into the recovery and stable development of the world economy are vivid manifestations of implementing the Marxist theory of the social organism.
The vitality of a theory lies in its continuous innovation. In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Six Musts" [31]: persist in putting the people first, persist in self-confidence and self-reliance, persist in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, persist in a problem-oriented approach, persist in systems thinking, and persist in maintaining a global perspective. These elements are the essential meanings that permeate the stance, viewpoints, and methods of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, and they fully embody the Marxist theory of the social organism. We must stand firmly on the people's side, practice the Party's purpose, implement the Party's mass line, and consciously integrate the people-centered development philosophy into all work in the economic field. The successful path of the Party's century-long struggle was explored and opened up by the Party leading the people through independence and self-reliance. Entering the New Era, the historic achievements and historic changes attained by the Party and the state were also practiced by the Party leading the people by relying on their own strength. We must strengthen the "Four Confidences," base ourselves on the current stage, and promote high-quality economic development. We must persist in the dialectical unity of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground; in the process of promoting Chinese-path modernization, we must remain unshakable in our adherence to the Party's ideals, beliefs, and original aspiration and founding mission. We must grasp the general trend of world development, follow the domestic trend of the times, and deepen reform in step with the times, using new concepts, new ideas, and new measures to resolve various contradictions and problems in the economic field. We must persist in a problem-oriented approach, focusing on new contradictions and problems encountered in economic practice, and continuously propose new concepts, ideas, and methods that can truly solve economic problems, thereby continuously enhancing our ability and effectiveness in resolving contradictions. China has embarked on a new journey to comprehensively build a modern socialist country. We must persist in systems thinking, base our work on the overall strategy of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the global changes unseen in a century, coordinate the domestic and international situations, and promote all work in the economic field in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. An important experience of the Communist Party of China's century-long struggle is maintaining a global perspective and always showing concern for the future and destiny of humanity. We must persist in mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, and collaborative development, contributing wisdom and strength to the progress of human civilization and economic-social development. In short, we must grasp and apply the "Six Musts" effectively to better understand the scientific connotation, spiritual essence, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, and to better transform this thought into a powerful driving force for economic construction.