Yang Ying: Vigorously Promote the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System for Chinese Economics
The Selected Economic Works of Xi Jinping, Volume I (hereafter referred to as the Selected Works), was recently published and distributed. Bloom's publication is a major event in the political and economic life of our country, and even more so a major event for our nation’s ideological and theoretical circles. The Selected Works innovates and develops the academic connotations and theoretical norms of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. It provides landmark concepts for the construction of this system, structures its core content framework, and ensures the practical efficacy of the developing system through its powerful practical guidance. It serves as a scientific guide for advancing the construction of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.
The Selected Works assembles a series of original concepts: the new stage of development [1], the new development philosophy, the new development paradigm [2], new quality productive forces, the modernized economic system, supply-side structural reform, and high-quality development, among others. These landmark concepts are closely attached to the spiritual trunk of the system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They interconnect and resonate with each other, collectively demonstrating the spiritual substance and theoretical essence of the "Economic Volume" of the latest theoretical achievements in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. In effect, they form a logically rigorous and theoretically coherent cluster of landmark concepts. This is not only a sign of the "revolution in terminology" [3] in Chinese economics in the New Era, but also the hallmark of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. It vividly reflects the value pursuits, problem horizons, and evaluative standards of Chinese economics characterized by Chinese features and Chinese style [4]. The series of landmark concepts appearing in the Selected Works resolves the problem of the logical starting point for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. From here, it moves toward a system governed and covered by landmark concepts that encompass basic concepts, categories, and logical innovations, including modules of both fundamental and practical knowledge. This truly realizes the originality and "Chinese independence" of the knowledge system, thereby forming the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.
The Selected Works persists in integrating history, theory, and reality, profoundly answering major questions such as what kind of development China’s economy should achieve in the New Era and how to achieve it. This ranges from strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work to persisting in the people-centered development philosophy, and then to the change in the principal contradiction [5] in society; from persisting in and improving the basic socialist economic system to adhering to the direction of socialist market economy reforms, and then to building a high-level socialist market economy system; from the new normal [6] of economic development to supply-side structural reform, and then to building a modernized economic system; and from entering the new stage of development, implementing the new development philosophy, and building the new development paradigm to promoting high-quality development and comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization. These theoretical achievements constitute a political economy adapted to contemporary China’s national conditions and the characteristics of the times, thereby erecting the core content framework of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. This core framework possesses an intrinsic spiritual continuity with other major theoretical innovations within the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It vividly reflects the spiritual substance and theoretical essence of the latest theoretical achievements in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. As an organic part of a never-ending theoretical life-form, it ultimately makes the completion of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics—one with Chinese style and Chinese features—an inevitable trend following the course of events.
A Chinese independent knowledge system must be grounded in practice, solve practical problems, and in turn guide the development of practice. This means it must focus on the major issues in the developmental process of 21st-century scientific socialism, applying Marxist guidance to the study of major theoretical and practical problems, and to the formulation of correct ideas and effective methods for solving these problems. The Selected Works is grounded in our national conditions and the developmental practice of socialist economic construction, conducting in-depth research into the new situations and problems facing the world economy and our nation’s economy. On one hand, it provides guidance for major national economic development plans, emphasizing that such plans must proceed from national conditions—coming from Chinese practice and returning to Chinese practice [7]—so that theoretical and policy innovations conform to Chinese reality and possess Chinese characteristics. This demonstrates a powerful practical guidance for the economic construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics. On the other hand, the Selected Works responds to the trend of the Chinese economy’s deep integration into the world economy, actively participating in global economic governance and guiding the direction of economic globalization. The Selected Works stands at the forefront of the times, understands the changes from the past to the present, and gives voice to the vanguard of thought [8]. Centered on what we are currently doing in economic development, it maintains high sensitivity and effective responsiveness toward the current reality and future trends of world economic development. By combining problem consciousness, analytical frameworks, and innovative viewpoints, it provides not only the value pursuit but also the strategic framework and practical path for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. The Selected Works closely integrates the new realities of Chinese and world economic development in the 21st century, strengthening the analysis and study of new situations and new problems. Through systematic summary, accurate extraction, in-depth exploration, and scientific generalization, it allows Chinese economics to radiate a power imbued with the spirit of the times, both on Chinese soil and throughout the world.