Song Gelong: Understanding Scientific Theories from Three Dimensions
Xi Jinping Economic Thought has formed and continuously developed through a process where practical innovation nurtures theoretical innovation, and theoretical innovation in turn guides practical innovation. To deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Economic Thought, one can begin from three dimensions: landmark concepts, understandings of regularities, and original theories. By profoundly grasping the internal logic between these three, we can continuously push for greater effectiveness in systematized and academic research and interpretation.
What are termed "landmark concepts" are the important intellectual nodes and logical starting points of a scientific theory; they originate from profound insight into and precise distillation of economic development practices in the New Era. Xi Jinping Economic Thought has proposed a series of landmark concepts such as the New Development Philosophy, high-quality development, the New Development Paradigm [1], and new quality productive forces. These concepts did not emerge out of thin air; rather, they are rooted in China’s realities and proposed in the process of answering and resolving practical problems, possessing distinct characteristics of the times and of praxis. For example, "new quality productive forces" scientifically reveals the profound connotation of leading a leap in the state of productive forces through scientific and technological innovation; "the New Development Paradigm" scientifically proposes the key path for a major power’s economy to achieve smooth circulation and upgrading at a higher level. These belong, respectively, to the internal category of productive forces and the externalized category of economic circulation. These landmark concepts constitute the basic elements of scientific theory, crystallizing profound reflections on practical problems and providing the basic material and terminological support for the distillation of understandings of regularities.
Side-called "understandings of regularities" serve as the bridge connecting landmark concepts with original theories; they are the key link in moving from concrete sensory perception toward abstract rational cognition. Xi Jinping Economic Thought emphasizes the deep exploration of the internal, essential, and inevitable connections of economic development, forming a series of understandings of regularities. For example, regarding the understanding of the relationship between the government and the market, it scientifically proposes adhering to the combination of an "effective market" and a "capable government" [2] and continuously promotes theoretical innovation. This provides theoretical guidance for scientifically grasping the laws governing the operation of a socialist market economy and fully leveraging the institutional advantages of the socialist market economy system. Regarding the understanding of the regularities of the path to modernization, it has formed the theory of Chinese-path modernization, articulating its essential requirements and Chinese characteristics. These understandings of regularities derive from a vast amount of practical experience. Through the dialectical grasping of major relationships such as "stability and progress" [3], "crisis and opportunity," and "breaking and establishing" [4], they demonstrate a scientific methodology. This enriches the connotations of landmark concepts, makes their connections clearer, and lays a solid foundation for the systematic construction of original theories.
So-called "original theories" are the theoretical crystallization of landmark concepts and understandings of regularities within a systematic construction. As a "systematized economic doctrine," Xi Jinping Economic Thought has proposed a series of original theories. For example, the New Development Philosophy—comprising innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing—acts as a systematic theoretical framework. It answers a series of theoretical and practical questions regarding the purpose, drivers, methods, and paths of development, clarifying the value orientation, development model, and developmental road. The theory regarding high-quality development defines its status as the "primary task" [5] in the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country, clarifying the value connotations of development from the perspectives of higher quality, greater efficiency, increased fairness, enhanced sustainability, and improved security. These original theories integrate a series of landmark concepts and understandings of regularities according to their internal connections into an organically unified whole, forming a scientific theoretical system that is logically rigorous and rich in connotation.