Gu Hailiang: Creative Exploration of the Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Economics
Recently, the first volume of the Selected Economic Works of Xi Jinping (hereafter referred to as the Selected Works) was published and distributed, collecting General Secretary Xi Jinping’s most important and fundamental writings on economic construction. Based on the realities of our country in the New Era, and facing a severe and complex international environment alongside the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability, these works represent a rational sublimation of the tireless exploration of practical experiences in building socialism with Chinese characteristics during the process of finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the advancing and expanding of Chinese-path modernization. They provide authoritative teaching material for the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, and particularly Xi Jinping’s economic thought. Xi Jinping’s economic thought has elevated the theoretical realm of the "systematized economic theory" [1] with Chinese characteristics and has innovatively developed the academic content and theoretical norms of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics. To deeply study and implement the Selected Works, one must profoundly understand and grasp Xi Jinping’s economic thought’s creative exploration of this autonomous knowledge system.
Rooting in Chinese soil and taking the economic development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era as the realistic background and object of cognition manifests the epochal significance of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
The Selected Works opens with "The People’s Aspiration for a Better Life Is What We Are Striving For," firmly grasping the greatest national conditions and realities of China’s economic reform and development: "uniting and leading the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to continue liberating the mind, adhering to reform and opening up, continuously liberating and developing the productive forces, striving to solve the production and living difficulties of the masses, and unswervingly following the path of common prosperity."
In 2015, in "Constantly Opening Up New Realms of Contemporary Chinese Marxist Political Economy," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must base ourselves on our national conditions and our development practices, deeply study the new situations and problems facing the world economy and our country’s economy, reveal new characteristics and laws, refine and summarize the law-based achievements of our country’s economic development practice, elevate practical experience into systematized economic theory, and constantly open up new realms of contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy." This was during the critical period of formulating the 13th Five-Year Plan [2]. In this work, General Secretary Xi Jinping adhered to the integration of history, theory, and reality, providing a profound discourse on the basic starting point and fundamental foothold for constructing an autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics. From the heights of the history of ideas, he discussed the original views put forward by Comrade Mao Zedong on developing our economy during the exploration of the path of socialist construction. From the perspective of theoretical innovation, he pointed out that many important theoretical achievements of contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy formed since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee [3] are things that "Marxist classical writers did not discuss, and which we had no practice or cognition of before reform and opening up; it is political economy adapted to contemporary China's national conditions and the characteristics of the times." Regarding the requirements of realistic development, he emphasized that "practice is the source of theory," noting that "the process of our country’s economic development is magnificent and its achievements have attracted worldwide attention, harboring huge impetus, vitality, and potential for theoretical creation." In August 2020, at an important moment in planning the 14th Five-Year Plan, in "Deepening Understanding of Major Issues in Mid-to-Long-Term Economic and Social Development," he pointed out: "Start from national conditions, come from and return to Chinese practice, write papers on the motherland [4], and ensure that theoretical and policy innovations conform to Chinese reality and possess Chinese characteristics."
A thorough reading of the Selected Works reveals that Xi Jinping’s economic thought is rooted in Chinese soil, providing profound answers to major questions such as what kind of development China’s economy should achieve in the New Era and how to achieve it, while deeply exploring the construction of an autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics. From strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work to adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, and then to the change in the principal contradiction in society [5]; from adhering to and improving the basic socialist economic system to the reform direction of the socialist market economy, and then to building a high-level socialist market economy system; from the new normal of economic development to supply-side structural reform, and then to building a modernized economic system; from entering a new stage of development, implementing new development philosophy, constructing a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development, to comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization—the formation and development of these economic theories are all rooted in the reality of China’s economic and social development. Based on the practice of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era, they have advanced the construction of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
Refining signpost concepts and promoting a "revolution in terminology" constitutes the prominent hallmarks of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
Engels proposed: "Every new aspect of a science involves a revolution in the technical terms of that science." A "revolution in terminology" focuses on refining new academic concepts and theories. The series of new visions, new ideas, and new strategies in the Selected Works profoundly reflect the "revolution in terminology" of the original and signpost concepts within Xi Jinping’s economic thought.
The innovation of terms such as the new normal of economic development, the modernized economic system, supply-side structural reform, high-quality development, and new quality productive forces—along with the definition of their categories and the aggregation of knowledge elements—serves not only as an indicator of the "revolution in terminology" for Chinese economics in the New Era but also as a hallmark of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics. These have become the most prominent academic innovations of Xi Jinping’s economic thought in constructing this system, achieving a unique academic content and theoretical framework.
Take new quality productive forces as an example. In "What Is New Quality Productive Forces and How to Develop Them," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "New quality productive forces are advanced productive forces in which innovation plays the leading role. They break away from traditional economic growth modes and paths for developing productive forces, featuring high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, and align with the new development philosophy. They are birthed by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading. Their basic connotation is the leap in the optimization of laborers, means of labor, and subjects of labor, with a substantial increase in total factor productivity as the core indicator. Their hallmark is innovation, the key lies in high quality, and their essence is advanced productivity." New quality productive forces are a scientific summary by General Secretary Xi Jinping of the trend where quantitative changes in the development of our social productive forces have led to qualitative changes since the 18th National Congress. Especially in light of China entering a new stage of development, he has theoretically revealed the connotations, characteristics, indicators, core, and essence of new quality productive forces, providing the academic basis and theoretical guidance for us to accurately grasp their theoretical significance and practical value. As a "revolution in terminology" realized through practical and theoretical innovation, the category of "new quality productive forces" has become a prominent hallmark of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Constantly Opening Up New Realms of Contemporary Chinese Marxist Political Economy": "In our economics teaching, we cannot 'swallow Western learning without digesting it' [6]; we must still teach Marxist political economy, and we must speak at great length and with great emphasis on contemporary Chinese socialist political economy." The refinement of original signpost concepts and the advancement of the "revolution in terminology" also highlight the basic principles and methodological essentials of "speaking at great length and with great emphasis." This does not mean staying at the level of simple repetition of Marxist political economic knowledge and terminology, but rather advancing with the times and upholding the fundamentals while breaking new ground.
The Selected Works is based on the practice of economic construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, reflecting the social and historical stipulations of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics during this specific period. Speaking at length about Marxist political economy does not exclude drawing upon and absorbing the reasonable components of foreign economic theories. Knowledge in Western economics regarding finance, markets, exchange rates, growth, and management reflects, in part, the general laws of socialized mass production and the market economy. Regarding this knowledge, we must adhere to the principle of "discarding the dross and selecting the essential, eliminating the false and retaining the true," and "making it serve us based on our own needs." The autonomy and openness of the Chinese economic knowledge system are consistent. Its knowledge elements possess distinct Chinese characteristics as well as prominent epochal features; it contains both China’s autonomous theoretical innovation and the absorption of all valuable and reasonable components from various schools of economics.
Excavating new materials, discovering new problems, putting forward new viewpoints, and constructing new theories fully manifest the epochal requirements and internal logic of constructing the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Our philosophy and social sciences should center on what we are currently doing, excavating new materials, discovering new problems, putting forward new viewpoints, and constructing new theories from the practice of our country's reform and development." In Xi Jinping’s economic thought, the important theoretical achievements of Chinese economics and their systematization are closely linked with the knowledge elements and systems developed during this period.
The most prominent feature of the autonomy of the Chinese economic knowledge system is its adherence to the logic of "rooting in China, learning from abroad, excavating history, grasping the present, caring for humanity, and facing the future." Its most distinct quality is the firming of cultural and academic confidence, manifesting Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese aura, while sublimating the unique intellectual wisdom and cultural essence of the Chinese nation.
For example, the profound discourse in the Selected Works on building a modernized economic system reflects General Secretary Xi Jinping’s exploration of the autonomous knowledge system. In "Implementing the New Development Philosophy and Building a Modernized Economic System," he profoundly discussed the urgent requirements and strategic goals, noting: "Our economy has transitioned from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development. We are in a pivotal period for transforming the mode of development, optimizing the economic structure, and shifting growth drivers. Building a modernized economic system is an urgent requirement to cross this threshold and is a strategic goal of our development." On this basis, he discussed the internal logic and practical requirements, clarifying that building such a system requires deepening supply-side structural reform, accelerating the construction of an innovative country, implementing the rural revitalization strategy and the regional coordinated development strategy, accelerating the improvement of the socialist market economy system, and promoting a new pattern of comprehensive opening up. These discourses profoundly reflect the basic trend of the leap in social productive forces and reveal the evolutionary process of achieving qualitative changes within quantitative changes of economic development modes and organizational structures.
Furthermore, the theoretical exploration of Chinese-path modernization in the Selected Works demonstrates the basic logic of our Party in promoting the construction of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics. In "On Constructing a New Development Pattern," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The modernization we are promoting possesses both the common characteristics of modernization in all countries and, more importantly, Chinese characteristics based on our national conditions." In "The Mission and Tasks of the Communist Party of China on the New Journey in the New Era," he noted the central task is to "unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieve the Second Centenary Goal [7], and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization." In the second plenary session of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, he pointed out that the session’s "Decision" "scientifically planned the overall deployment for further comprehensively deepening reform centered around Chinese-path modernization, acting as a programmatic document guiding reform on the new journey." These discourses clarify the rich connotations and basic features of Chinese-path modernization, constituting the core elements of its theoretical system.
Continuing the Chinese cultural lineage and deepening the academic foundation by excavating the rich intellectual resources and profound academic significance of Chinese culture presents the distinct cultural backdrop of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
The Selected Works reflects the theoretical characteristic of Xi Jinping’s economic thought in continuing the Chinese cultural lineage, which holds important guiding significance for deepening the academic foundation of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese economics.
Continuing the Chinese cultural lineage requires inheriting and promoting the precious theoretical and spiritual wealth left by our Party through more than a century of struggle. In "Grasp the New Development Stage, Implement the New Development Philosophy, and Foster a New Development Pattern," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "A correct understanding of the historical coordinates and the stage of development of the cause of the Party and the people is the fundamental basis for our Party to define the central tasks of each stage and to formulate its lines, principles, and policies. It is also an important experience through which our Party has led the revolution, construction, and reform toward continuous victory." Reviewing this process, General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "In the practice of applying the basic principles of Marxism to solve China's practical problems, our Party gradually realized that developing socialism is not only a long historical process, but also a process that needs to be divided into different historical stages." From late 1959 to early 1960, Comrade Mao Zedong proposed: "The stage of socialism may again be divided into two stages: the first is underdeveloped socialism, and the second is relatively developed socialism. The latter stage may require a longer time than the former." In 1987, Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed: "Socialism itself is the primary stage of communism, and China is in the primary stage of socialism—that is, the underdeveloped stage. Everything must proceed from this reality, and plans must be formulated according to this reality." General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: "The New Development Stage we are in today is one stage within the primary stage of socialism, but it is also a stage that stands at a new starting point after decades of accumulation." Continuing the precious theoretical achievements and rich spiritual wealth left by our Party over a century of struggle has become an important intellectual resource for the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics.
Continuing the Chinese cultural lineage requires the absorption and innovation of economic management thoughts found within fine traditional Chinese culture. In "Correctly Understand and Grasp Major Theoretical and Practical Issues in China’s Development," General Secretary Xi Jinping cited economic management thoughts from fine traditional Chinese culture. When discussing the correct understanding and grasping of the strategic goals and practical paths for achieving common prosperity, he mentioned: "Those called wealthy in a nation are those who focus on the abundance of the people" [8], using this to explain that the creation and distribution of wealth are major issues faced by all countries. When discussing the correct understanding and grasping of the characteristics and behavioral laws of capital, he mentioned: "It is wealth that brings the masses of the world together, and it is law that manages the world's wealth" [9], requiring an exploration of how to leverage the positive role of capital under the conditions of a socialist market economy while effectively controlling its negative effects. When discussing the correct understanding and grasping of the supply and security of primary products, he mentioned: "Affluence comes from regulated extraction and temperate use; scarcity comes from unregulated extraction and intemperate use" [10], requiring the implementation of a comprehensive conservation strategy and the promotion of conservation actions in all fields. When discussing the correct understanding and grasping of preventing and defusing major risks, he mentioned: "When disaster first stirs, its sprout should be blocked; when the symptoms of disease first take shape, its root should be severed" [11], explaining the principle of seeing the signs of change early, nipping problems in the bud, and striving to avoid the occurrence of major risks or crises. Some of these economic management thoughts from fine traditional Chinese culture involve economic methodologies and concepts, while others discuss statecraft and fiscal management. Examining contemporary economic realities through integration with the economic management thoughts of fine traditional Chinese culture reflects the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional culture by Xi Jinping Thought on Economics. It also presents the intellectual characteristics and theoretical implications of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics.
Continuing the Chinese cultural lineage and deeply planting academic roots is an important theoretical feature of Xi Jinping Thought on Economics within the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics. Combining the valuable intellectual elements and important academic elements of Chinese economic thought with the developmental practice of Chinese economics in the New Era not only endows Chinese economics with deep cultural roots and new temporal vitality but also sublates the theoretical significance of the autonomy of the Chinese economic knowledge system.
Establishing an international perspective, exploring common issues facing humanity through the interaction between China and the world, and endowing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics with a lofty academic realm through a broad global vision and a profound spirit of the times.
Xi Jinping Thought on Economics closely integrates the new realities of Chinese and world economic development in the 21st century, enabling Chinese economics to radiate theoretical power and intellectual wisdom full of timeliness and openness, not only on Chinese soil but also on a global scale. General Secretary Xi Jinping persists in maintaining a global perspective, starting from a world-view and problem-consciousness of "what is wrong with the world, and what should we do?" to profoundly explain the motivations, visions, and implementation paths of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
From many works in the Selected Works [12], it can be seen that a community with a shared future for humanity is linked to a new form of human civilization and the common values of all humanity. It conforms to the trend of China's economy deeply integrating into the world economy, advocates for the development of a higher-level open economy, actively participates in global economic governance, and promotes the development of the international economic order toward equality, justice, and win-win cooperation. This enriches the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics with Chinese wisdom and Chinese style.
In 2017, in "Shouldering Era Responsibilities and Jointly Promoting Global Development," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries, and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks, is simply not possible. Indeed, it goes against the trend of history." "Faced with both opportunities and challenges of economic globalization, the right thing to do is to seize every opportunity, jointly meet every challenge, and chart the right course for economic globalization." "Charting the right course for economic globalization" not only demonstrates the solid ideological resolve of Xi Jinping Thought on Economics but also highlights the academic depth of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.
In 2023, in "Building an Open, Inclusive, Interconnected, and Shared-Development World," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) adheres to the principle of 'extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.' It transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development, opened up a new path for exchanges between countries, established a new framework for international cooperation, and converged the greatest common denominator for the common development of humanity." "The ten-year journey has proven that the joint construction of the BRI stands on the right side of history, conforms to the logic of the progress of the times, and follows the right path for humanity. We must maintain the resolve to remain 'composed despite the turbulent clouds' [13], adopt an attitude of responsibility toward history, the people, and the world, and work together to deal with various global risks and challenges to create a beautiful future of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win for future generations." The practical summaries and rational reflections on the BRI proposal not only constitute important content of Xi Jinping Thought on Economics but also fulfill the global vision and world perspective of the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics.
In 2024, at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Realizing modernization is an inalienable right of all countries in the world. The process of Western modernization once brought profound suffering to the broad range of developing countries." "The joint pursuit of the modernization dream by China and Africa will surely set off a wave of modernization in the Global South and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for humanity." He proposed working together to promote modernization that is: just and equitable; open and win-win; centered on the people; diverse and inclusive; eco-friendly; and underpinned by peace and security. These important expositions clarify that in modernizing, all countries must follow the general laws of modernization while ensuring it conforms to their own national realities. They highlight that mutually beneficial cooperation is the broad avenue that conforms to the long-term and fundamental interests of all countries; emphasize that "people first" is the value orientation of modernization; demonstrate that the coordinated development of material and cultural-ethical civilizations is the lofty pursuit of modernization; present green development as the distinct hallmark of modernization; and highlight that a peaceful and stable developmental environment is an important requirement for realizing modernization. "Global South modernization" is an integrated exploration by General Secretary Xi Jinping of the principles, theories, and philosophy of a new form of human civilization, expanding the horizons and realm of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.
The exploration of the internal logic of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics reflects an innovative exploration of the integration of two types of economic knowledge systems.
In "Continuously Opening New Realms of Contemporary Chinese Marxist Political Economy," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Studying Marxist political economy is for the purpose of better guiding the practice of our country's economic development. We must both adhere to its basic principles and methodology, and especially combine them with the reality of our country's economic development to continuously form new theoretical achievements." In "Deepen the Understanding of Major Issues in Mid-to-Long Term Economic and Social Development," he pointed out: "Adhere to the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, see through phenomena to grasp the essence, explore long-term trends from short-term fluctuations, and ensure that theoretical and policy innovations fully reflect advancement and scientific rigor."
Continuously sublimating the great achievements of economic development practice into new theoretical results through the process of rational thinking is the fundamental requirement for the development of Chinese economics. "Ensuring that theoretical and policy innovations fully reflect advancement and scientific rigor" poses an important task for constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics. Knowledge itself does not naturally present a systematic academic or theoretical structure. The convergence of knowledge into a knowledge system is formed through the strengthening of problem-consciousness and driven by a problem-oriented approach. Following a problem-oriented approach, two basic types are formed in the process of transforming knowledge into a knowledge system: one is academic or theoretical, while the other is applied or practical.
The innovation of Xi Jinping Thought on Economics regarding the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics adheres to a problem-oriented approach and is a process of discovering, filtering, researching, and solving problems. Among these, some are directed toward theoretical or academic knowledge systems, while others are directed toward applied or practical knowledge systems. Constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics requires achieving both systematization in theoretical guidance and systematization in policy application, while simultaneously performing a systematic integration of these two types of knowledge systems.
Xi Jinping Thought on Economics is the systematic integration of these two types of knowledge systems, achieving synergy between theoretical guidance and policy application. In the process of systematically integrating these two types of knowledge systems, General Secretary Xi Jinping requires "conducting in-depth research to understand the real situation and propose practical measures, fully reflecting the actual conditions so that theoretical and policy innovations are well-founded and reasonable." This requires that the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics must not only be formed and developed through "in-depth research, understanding the real situation, and proposing practical measures," but also "fully reflect the actual conditions," ultimately realizing theoretical and policy innovations that are well-founded in academic or theoretical terms and reasonable in applied or practical terms.
For example, in "Advancing the Great Cause of Building a Strong Country and Rejuvenating the Nation through Chinese-Path Modernization," General Secretary Xi Jinping not only clarified from a theoretical level that the unique worldviews, values, and outlooks on history, civilization, democracy, and ecology contained in Chinese-path modernization—and its great practice—are major innovations in world modernization theory and practice; he also clarified from a practical level that promoting Chinese-path modernization requires balancing various factors, systematic planning, and holistic advancement. It requires correctly handling the relationships between top-level design and practical exploration, strategy and tactics, upholding fundamentals and breaking new ground, efficiency and equity, vitality and order, and self-reliance and opening up to the outside world. This achieves the systematic integration of the two types of knowledge systems.
Currently, we are facing extremely complex domestic and international economic situations and diverse economic phenomena. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important requirement to "study the basic principles and methodology of Marxist political economy to help us master scientific methods of economic analysis, recognize the process of economic movement, grasp the laws of social and economic development, improve our ability to manage the socialist market economy, and better answer the theoretical and practical questions of our country's economic development" provides the scientific method and fundamental guidance for us to promote the systematic integration of the two types of knowledge systems in the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.