Yan Xiaofeng: Systemic Concept is a Fundamental Ideological and Working Method (In-depth Study and Implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)
The "Six Must-Upholds" [1] proposed in the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) constitute a scientific methodology for continuing to advance theoretical innovation. They are also an important manifestation of the standpoint, viewpoints, and methods of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. "Must uphold a systems order of thinking" (strictly, the "systems concept" [2]) is one of these crucial aspects. Upholding a systems concept reflects our Party's profound grasp and scientific application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. It provides a scientific ideological method for forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and the holistic advancement of all undertakings of the Party and the state. It is of great significance for building a modern socialist country in all respects and for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
An Important Category of Marxist Epistemology and Methodology
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: "Only by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional culture, and only by persisting in the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions posed by the times and practice, and consistently maintain the vigorous vitality of Marxism." Upholding a systems concept conforms to the laws of universal connection and the development/change of things; it reflects the internal mechanics of social organic unity and the transformation of contradictions. It embodies the adherence to and application of the worldview and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, providing scientific guidance for accurately identifying and grasping the missions and tasks of the New Era and the new journey, and for effectively responding to risks and challenges on the road ahead.
Dialectical materialism holds that things are universally connected. Things and their various constituent elements influence and constrain one another; the entire world is an interconnected whole and an interacting system. The existence of the world and the connections between things are not a static "collection of ready-made things," but rather a "collection of processes" [3] in motion, development, and change. Observing things and grasping problems developmentally rather than statically, dialectically rather than metaphysically, comprehensively rather than partially, systematically rather than fragmentarily, and through universal connections rather than in isolation is an inherent requirement of materialist dialectics. This inherent requirement is similarly expressed in a distinct, profound, and rich manner within historical materialism. Historical materialism upholds the dialectical unity of historical materialism and historical dialectics. Through the dialectical relationship between the productive forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure, it profoundly elucidates the basic structure of human society and the operational mechanisms of the "social organism." The historical materialist conception of history profoundly examines the deep-seated drivers of social change. It opposes explaining historical development through a single or solitary factor, instead using the "resultant force of history" [4] to emphasize that various conditions and the collective power of countless individuals drive historical progress. In a certain sense, the theory of historical dynamics in historical materialism is a theory of systems dynamics: it recognizes the fundamental and decisive role of the productive forces and the economic base, while simultaneously recognizing the counter-active role (and under certain conditions, the decisive role) of the relations of production and the superstructure.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "All things are interconnected and interdependent. Only by observing things from a perspective of universal connection, comprehensive systems, and developmental change can we grasp the laws of the development of things." To uphold dialectical materialism and historical materialism, we must grasp things from the internal connections of objective reality to understand and handle problems. We must be adept at looking at reality through history and perceiving the essence through phenomena. We must properly grasp the relationships between the whole and the part, the present and the long-term, the macro and the micro, the primary and secondary contradictions, and the particular and the general. We must transform the scientific method of the systems concept into successful practice in our work and entrepreneurship, pushing the various undertakings of the Party and the state continuously forward.
A Foundational Ideological and Working Method for the Party’s Governance in the New Era
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The systems concept is a foundational ideological and working method." The economic and social system is a universally connected, multi-dimensional, and multifaceted complex system. To achieve the unity of development quality, structure, scale, speed, benefit, and security, we must uphold a systems concept, work hard on overall coordination, seek breakthroughs in key areas, and use breakthroughs at specific points to drive the overall work.
China is a large developing country still in the primary stage of socialism, undergoing extensive and profound social changes. Advancing reform and development or adjusting interest relations often "pulls a single hair and moves the whole body" [5]. Since the 18th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has coordinated the overall strategy for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's profound changes unseen in a century. It has coordinated the Great Struggle, Great Project, Great Cause, and Great Dream [6], pushed forward the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan," coordinated the "Four Comprehensives" strategic layout, and balanced the two major issues of development and security. This has led to historical achievements and historical changes in the cause of the Party and the state. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "To persist in innovative development, we must both uphold a comprehensive and systematic perspective and grasp the key points, using breakthroughs in important fields and key links to drive the whole situation." The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2022 emphasized the need to uphold a systems concept and uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, explicitly proposing the "Six Coordinations" [7] to promote the overall improvement of economic operations. Over the decade of the New Era, our Party has used the systems concept and systems methods to comprehensively coordinate and advance work in all fields of socialist modernization. It has proposed a series of original new concepts, ideas, and strategies for governance, providing a scientific basis for responding to complex situations and promoting the development of the Party and state's cause on the New Era's new journey.
To uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and advance socialist modernization, we must persist in and apply the systems concept as a foundational ideological and working method. We must carry out work creatively while taking all factors into consideration, ensuring that we both "add luster to one's own jurisdiction and contribute to the overall glory" [8]. Practice has proven that by consistently upholding systems thinking and overall planning—using the perspective of universal connection, comprehensive systems, and developmental change to grasp the laws of development—and by continuously improving our capacity for strategic thinking, historical thinking, dialectical thinking, systems thinking, innovative thinking, rule-of-law thinking, and bottom-line thinking [9], we can continuously enhance the principled, systematic, preparatory, and creative nature of our work, pushing all undertakings of the Party and state to new heights.
Upholding the Systems Concept to Advance Chinese-path Modernization
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Advancing Chinese-path modernization is a systemic project that requires taking all factors into account, systematic planning, and holistic advancement. We must correctly handle a series of major relationships, such as those 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." The Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC clarified the mission and tasks of the CPC on the New Era's new journey, proposing to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. To complete the Party’s mission and tasks on this new journey, we must uphold a systems concept and handle several major relationships to ensure that Chinese-path modernization progresses steadily and reaches far.
Properly handle the relationship between top-level design and practical exploration. The Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC profoundly expounded on the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese-path modernization, making a series of scientific top-level designs for its advancement. To handle this relationship, we must uphold a systems concept: we must gain deep insight into the general trends of world development, accurately grasp the common aspirations of the people, and deeply explore the laws of economic and social development. This ensures that the plans and policy systems we formulate reflect the times, grasp the laws, and are full of creativity, achieving a combination of the near and far, a connection between the upper and lower levels, and coordination in content. Simultaneously, we must explore boldly in practice, using reform and innovation to drive the cause forward, seeking ideas and methods to effectively solve new contradictions and problems. We must strive to create fresh experiences that can be replicated and promoted, using scientific top-level design to guide solid practical exploration, and further refining top-level design with the rich experience gained from practice.
Properly handle the relationship between strategy and tactics. Strategy and tactics exist in a relationship of dialectical unity. Strategy involves making judgments and decisions from an overall, long-term, and broad-trend perspective; tactics serve the strategy under its guidance. A correct strategy requires correct tactics for implementation. On the New Era's new journey, China's development faces new strategic opportunities, tasks, stages, requirements, and environments. The risks, challenges, contradictions, and problems to be resolved are more complex than ever before. To advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, we must uphold a systems concept, handle the relationship between strategy and tactics, and enhance the forward-looking, holistic, and stable nature of strategy. We must organically combine the principled nature of strategy with the flexibility of tactics, being nimble, adaptable, and decisive—grasping the strategic initiative by acting according to local conditions and following the trends of the times.
Properly handle the relationship between upholding fundamentals and breaking new ground (shouzheng chuangxin). Advancing Chinese-path modernization is a historical process of developing through inheritance and breaking new ground while upholding fundamentals. We must uphold a systems concept and handle this relationship well. On one hand, we must safeguard the origin and source, the root and soul of Chinese-path modernization, unswervingly upholding its Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles to ensure its correct direction. On the other hand, we must place innovation at the heart of the national development situation, adapt to the requirements of the times, focus on solving major theoretical and practical problems, actively identify and respond to changes, and vigorously promote reform and innovation. We must continuously shape new drivers and advantages for development, making innovation a common practice throughout society. This ensures that we hold the rudder steady and maintain our course while upholding fundamentals, while seeking breakthroughs and setting sail through innovation.
Properly handle the relationship between efficiency and equity. How to handle the relationship between efficiency and equity during development is a major issue in the global modernization process. Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all people; it must both create higher efficiency than capitalism and more effectively maintain social equity. Under the conditions of a socialist market economy, efficiency and equity are not mutually exclusive like "having one's cake and eating it too," but are rather inclusive relations that provide conditions for and promote each other. To uphold a systems concept and handle this relationship, we must achieve overall coordination and organic integration: we must both make the "cake" bigger and better, supporting equity with efficiency, and cut and distribute the "cake" well, promoting efficiency with equity. This better realizes the balance, promotion, and unity of efficiency and equity.
Properly handle the relationship between vitality and order. A modernized society should be both full of vitality and possess good order, presenting a state of organic unity between the two. In advancing Chinese-path modernization, we must uphold a systems concept, maintaining order within vitality and stimulating vitality through order, achieving a dynamic balance of "vitality without chaos" and "active order." By embedding vitality within order and building order upon vitality, we realize the unity and coordination of orderly social operation and the bursting forth of social vitality. This ensures that people live and work in peace, society is stable and orderly, and the country enjoys long-term peace and stability, guaranteeing and promoting the steady progress of Chinese-path modernization.
Properly handle the relationship between self-reliance/self-improvement and opening up to the outside world. No country or nation in the world can achieve its own development and revitalization by merely following in the footsteps of others, nor can any country achieve modernization through isolationism or "working behind closed doors" [10]. To advance Chinese-path modernization, we must uphold a systems concept and handle the relationship between self-reliance and opening up. We must persist in independence, self-reliance, and self-improvement, basing the development of the country and nation on the foundation of our own strength and keeping the fate of China's development and progress firmly in our own hands. Simultaneously, we must persist in continuously expanding high-level opening up to the outside world, properly grasping the internal tension between China and the West, and between the internal and the external. we must seek development through autonomy and maintain autonomy within openness, advancing Chinese-path modernization through positive interaction and mutual benefit between China and the countries of the world.