Expanding Development Advantages through Capability Enhancement

Tempering the skills of governance and improving leadership capacity bear on stability and growth, and determine direction and configuration. For Shanghai to fully play its leading and exemplary role in advancing Chinese-path modernization, it must deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspection of Shanghai, strengthen confidence, temper skills, put action first and take a leap forward, [1]1 A four-character phrase meaning "putting action first and making a leap forward," emphasizing a proactive, resolute approach. and continuously improve the capacities for strategic agility and strategic initiative, for focusing on key bottlenecks and surmounting difficulties, [2]2 "裉节" (kenjie) literally means "buttonhole," used figuratively to denote a key link or bottleneck issue in a process. and for grasping laws and scientifically allocating resources.

锤炼执政本领，提高领导能力，关乎稳定与增长，决定走向与格局。上海要在推进中国式现代化中充分发挥龙头带动和示范引领作用，需深入学习贯彻习近平总书记考察上海重要讲话精神，坚定信心、锤炼本领，干字当头、奋力一跳，不断提高战略敏捷、战略主动的能力，聚焦裉节、攻坚克难的能力，把握规律、科学调度的能力。

Improving the capacity for strategic agility and strategic initiative—

提高战略敏捷、战略主动的能力——

Strategy emphasizes the study of guiding laws that have overall significance. Being adept at using correct strategy to achieve set goals is a distinct practical character and political advantage of a Marxist political party. Properly handling the relationship between strategy and tactics is also one of the major relationships that must be correctly handled in advancing Chinese-path modernization. Since strategy concerns the overall situation, it is necessary to size up the situation and adjust one's posture and tactics agilely and proactively according to the changes of the times.

战略重在研究带有全局性的指导规律。善于运用正确战略实现既定目标，是马克思主义政党鲜明的实践品格和政治优势。正确处理战略与策略的关系，还是推进中国式现代化必须正确处理好的一系列重大关系之一。战略事关全局，就必须审时度势，根据时移世易来敏捷主动地调整应对姿态和策略。

Strategic agility and strategic initiative are key capabilities for adapting to change, seizing opportunities, and leading development in a complex and volatile environment. They are a dialectical unity of flexibility and adaptability on one hand and foresight and initiative on the other. Only by improving strategic agility and strategic initiative can we foster new opportunities amid crises and open up new horizons amid changes. Strategic agility requires the ability to keenly capture changes in the ever-changing environment and flexibly adjust direction and strategy; strategic initiative means proactively grasping strategic opportunities and skillfully guiding the development of the situation when devising and implementing strategies. The two complement and promote each other, together constituting key elements for survival, development, and prosperity in a complex environment.

战略敏捷和战略主动是在复杂多变的环境中适应变化、抢占先机、引领发展的关键能力，是灵活性、变通性与前瞻性、主动性的辩证统一。唯有提升战略敏捷与战略主动，方能在危机中育新机、于变局中开新局。战略敏捷要求在风云变幻的大环境中能够敏锐捕捉形势的变化、灵活调整方向和策略；战略主动意味着在制定和实施战略时能够主动抓住战略机遇、巧妙引导局势发展。二者相互补充、相互促进，共同构成在复杂环境中生存、发展与繁荣的关键要素。

As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, senior cadres must have a strong ability to perceive and foresee risks, that is, the ability to know that a deer has passed when the grass rustles and leaves stir, to know that a tiger is coming when the wind blows through the pines, and to know that autumn has arrived when a single leaf changes color. [3]3 A classical allusion describing the ability to discern major changes from subtle signs; equivalent to "seeing from a straw which way the wind blows." In the book Xi Jinping in Shanghai, [4]4 A book of interview transcripts published by the Central Party School Press, recording Xi Jinping's work during his tenure as Shanghai Party Secretary in 2007. several interviewees talked about Comrade Xi Jinping's forward-looking strategic thinking during his tenure as Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC, when he promoted the shift from the formulation of "developing the tertiary, secondary, and primary industries with differentiated emphasis" to "developing the tertiary, secondary, and primary industries together and in an integrated manner." [5]5 Referring to the three industries (tertiary, secondary, primary). The original formulation prioritized the tertiary sector; Xi's shift promoted balanced and integrated development. How could a large city like Shanghai abandon its manufacturing industry?

正如习近平总书记所指出的，高级干部要有很强的风险洞察力、预见力，也就是要有草摇叶响知鹿过、松风一起知虎来、一叶易色而知天下秋的能力。在《习近平在上海》一书中，有多位受访者谈及习近平同志任职上海市委书记期间推动将“三二一”产业有侧重发展的提法转变为“三二一”产业共同发展、融合发展的前瞻性战略思维。这么大的一个上海，制造业怎么能丢了？

Currently, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, highlighting the urgency of speeding up the improvement of scientific and technological innovation capabilities. Artificial intelligence is one of the three leading industries that Shanghai is focusing on developing, bearing on the improvement of the city's capacity and core competitiveness, as well as the deep transformation and high-quality development of industry. To improve strategic agility and strategic initiative, it is necessary to refocus and invest more effort in Modu Space, [6]6 A large-model AI innovation ecosystem community located in Xuhui District, Shanghai, designed to aggregate AI enterprises and innovation elements. further promote the aggregation of space and factors, and accelerate the construction of a national AI highland.

当前，新一轮科技革命和产业变革加速演变，更加凸显了加快提高科技创新能力的紧迫性。人工智能是上海着力发展的三大先导产业之一，事关城市能级和核心竞争力提升，事关产业深度转型和高质量发展。提高战略敏捷、战略主动，就要对模速空间再聚焦、再发力，进一步推进空间聚合和要素聚合，加快建成全国人工智能高地。

The Central Economic Work Conference [7]7 The annual economic work conference of the CPC Central Committee, held at year-end to analyze the economy and set policy for the following year. proposed supporting major economic provinces to carry the bulk of the load. [8]8 A policy phrase meaning "major economic provinces should carry the heavy load," i.e., take on greater responsibility for national growth. To carry such a load requires not only courage and boldness but also capability and competence. Shanghai and relevant provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Delta must not only provide high-quality products but also provide high-level scientific and technological supply, with a view to building a more mature and competitive industrial ecosystem, thereby supporting national high-quality development. For Shanghai in particular, it is essential to firmly grasp the opportunities for accelerating the construction of the "five centers," [9]9 The five centers Shanghai is building: international economic, financial, trade, shipping, and scientific and technological innovation centers. for promoting trade structure optimization and industrial transformation and upgrading, for scientific and technological innovation and talent agglomeration, and for going global, [10]10 China's "going global" strategy, encouraging outward investment and overseas operations by Chinese enterprises. and to properly handle the relationships between establishing and abolishing, [11]11 The principle of "establishing before abolishing" in reform, ensuring new mechanisms are in place before phasing out old ones. between domestic and international, and between "trees" and "forest." [12]12 A metaphor for the relationship between the part and the whole, stressing the need to balance individual cases with the overall situation. Only then can Shanghai better expand new development advantages through its own capability enhancement, and effectively hedge against external uncertainties with its own initiative and certainty.

中央经济工作会议提出，支持经济大省挑大梁。挑大梁，不仅需要勇气魄力，更需要能力水平。上海和长三角相关省市不仅要提供优质产品，更要提供高水平科技供给，着眼构建更为成熟、更具竞争力的产业生态，进而支撑全国高质量发展。对上海而言，尤其要牢牢把握建设“五个中心”加速机遇、推动贸易结构优化和产业转型升级机遇、科技创新和人才集聚机遇、走出去发展机遇，正确处理立和破、内和外、“树木”和“森林”的关系，更好地以自身的能力提升扩大发展新优势，以自身的主动性、确定性有效对冲外部的不确定性。

Improving the capacity for focusing on key bottlenecks and surmounting difficulties—

提高聚焦裉节、攻坚克难的能力——

Chinese Communists have always possessed a historical initiative consciousness of consciously grasping the historical process. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC [13]13 The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, held in December 1978, which launched China's reform and opening up. was epoch-making, ushering in a new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization; the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee [14]14 The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC, held in November 2013, which set the overall goal of comprehensively deepening reform. was also epoch-making, ushering in a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the New Era and promoting reform with systematic and overall design, creating an entirely new situation for reform and opening up. The two "epoch-making" sessions embody a strong historical initiative consciousness and historical turning consciousness formed on the basis of deep-seated sense of concern.

中国共产党人历来具有自觉把握历史进程的历史主动意识。党的十一届三中全会是划时代的，开启了改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期；党的十八届三中全会也是划时代的，开启了新时代全面深化改革、系统整体设计推进改革新征程，开创了改革开放全新局面。两个“划时代”，体现了基于深沉忧患意识而形成的强大历史主动意识、历史转折意识。

The so-called key bottlenecks refer to those critical moments and turning points that must be firmly grasped and where significant achievements must be made. Opportunity may not knock twice. [15]15 A set phrase meaning "opportunity knocks but once; time lost cannot be regained." Broadly speaking, they are important strategic opportunities for a country or nation; narrowly speaking, they are rare favorable currents and tides for urban development. When the seas are in turmoil, heroes show their mettle; [16]16 A set phrase meaning "in times of great turmoil, true heroes reveal themselves." to focus on key bottlenecks, we must surmount difficulties. Focusing on key bottlenecks and surmounting difficulties is a process of "gnawing hard bones" [17]17 A metaphorical phrase meaning "gnawing on hard bones," i.e., tackling the most difficult problems. and "attacking blockages at the neck." [18]18 A metaphorical phrase meaning "attacking blockages at the neck," i.e., breaking through critical technological bottlenecks that leave a country dependent on others. In essence, it is about using indomitable perseverance and the spirit of innovation to directly face and solve the fundamental problems that restrict high-quality development. Among them, focusing on key bottlenecks emphasizes precisely targeting key links and bottleneck issues, and concentrating main resources and superior forces to achieve breakthroughs. Only by daring to touch deep-seated pain points and blockages can development potential be truly released. Surmounting difficulties means, after focusing on key bottlenecks, facing difficulties head-on, being willing to take responsibility, and persisting until breakthroughs are achieved. It reflects an indomitable and persevering spirit as well as the determination and courage to face challenges and overcome difficulties.

所谓裉节，指的就是那些值得牢牢把握并且必须大有作为的关键时刻、转折时点。机不可失，时不再来。大而言之，是一个国家、民族重要的战略机遇期；小而言之，是城市发展难得的风口潮头。沧海横流，方显英雄本色；聚焦裉节，务须攻坚克难。聚焦裉节、攻坚克难是一个“啃硬骨头”“攻卡脖子”的过程，本质上是以坚韧不拔的毅力、创新突破的精神直面并破解制约高质量发展的根本性难题。其中，聚焦裉节强调精准锁定关键环节和瓶颈问题，集中主要资源和优势力量进行突破。只有敢于触及深层次的痛点、堵点，才能真正释放发展潜力。攻坚克难是在聚焦裉节后的迎难而上、勇于担当，直至实现突破。它体现了不屈不挠、坚韧不拔的精神状态以及敢于面对挑战、勇于战胜困难的决心和勇气。

Focusing on key bottlenecks and surmounting difficulties means showing extraordinary perseverance in the face of "hard bones," sparking innovation before "choking-point" bottlenecks, and thus turning difficulties into advantages, pain points into motivation, and blockages into smooth paths. For example, developing high-end manufacturing to provide solid support for enhancing the city's capacity and core competitiveness; focusing on cost reduction and efficiency improvement, analyzing difficult problems around key enterprises, and finding effective breakthroughs and points of effort; promoting each district to deeply cultivate its own distinctive track, grasping key links that lead the development of the industrial chain, and continuously improving the density, intensity, and concentration of innovation and industrial factors.

聚焦裉节与攻坚克难，就是要在“硬骨头”面前展现出非凡的毅力，在“卡脖子”难关前激发出创新的火花，进而化难点为优势、化痛点为动力、化堵点为通途。比如，发展高端制造业，为提升城市能级和核心竞争力提供坚实支撑；着眼降本增效，围绕重点企业分析难点问题，找到有效突破口和发力点；推动各区深耕细作各自特色赛道，抓牢牵引产业链发展的关键环节，不断提升创新和产业要素的密度、强度和浓度。

Improving the capacity for grasping laws and scientifically allocating resources—

提高把握规律、科学调度的能力——

Marxist philosophy has always attached importance to the study of laws. This study includes not only universal laws but also inherently contains value ideals based on universal laws. Laws are the inherent connections in the process of material movement; their objective existence and effect are independent of human will. Only by understanding essence, grasping laws, guiding practice, and transforming the world, and by deepening the understanding of the laws of the Communist Party's governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society, can we better grasp regularity, enhance initiative, reduce blindness, and overcome one-sidedness.

马克思主义哲学历来重视对规律的研究。这种研究不仅包括普遍规律，也内在包含以普遍规律为依据的价值理想。规律是物质运动过程本身所固有的联系，规律的客观存在和发生作用不以人的意志为转移。认识本质、把握规律、指导实践、改造世界，深化对共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律的认识，才能更好地把握规律性、增强主动性、减少盲目性、克服片面性。

Scientifically grasping the laws of urban development and efficiently allocating resources are the keys to ensuring the smooth progress of all urban work. Grasping laws requires in-depth insight into the intrinsic laws and long-term trends of economic and social development, and making decisions and taking actions accordingly; scientific allocation means arranging resources and tasks precisely and reasonably according to actual conditions and development laws in resource allocation, project implementation, and work promotion, maximizing efficiency and effectiveness.

科学把握城市发展规律并高效调度资源，是确保城市各项工作顺利推进的关键所在。把握规律，就要深入洞察经济社会发展的内在规律和长远趋势，并以此进行决策和行动；科学调度，就是在资源配置、项目实施、工作推进中根据实际情况和发展规律，精准合理地安排资源和任务，最大化提升效率和效益。

As early as 2007, Comrade Xi Jinping, during his inspection tour of Baoshan District, urged local cadres to deeply grasp the trends and laws of industrial structure optimization and upgrading, vigorously develop advanced manufacturing, and achieve integrated industrial development by focusing on producer services. Currently, the vast number of cadres in Shanghai must similarly learn to improve their ability to grasp laws and scientifically allocate resources in the process of deeply understanding market laws, industrial laws, and technological laws, gain insight into industrial trends and laws, accurately grasp the mechanism and internal logic of enterprise agglomeration, find work handles that can lead and leverage efforts, and specifically fill gaps and strengthen weaknesses.

早在2007年，习近平同志到宝山区调研，就叮嘱当地干部要深入把握产业结构优化升级的趋势和规律，大力发展先进制造业，通过重点推进生产性服务业，实现产业融合发展。当前，上海广大干部同样要学会在深入理解市场规律、产业规律、技术规律中提高把握规律、科学调度的能力，洞察产业趋势规律，准确把握企业集聚的作用机制和内在机理，找到具有引领撬动作用的工作抓手，有针对性地补短板、强弱项。

For example, according to the characteristics of each service field, we should implement classified and targeted policies for producer services, knowledge-intensive services, and consumer services. Producer services should seize the opportunities of digitalization, intelligence, and green development, explore cross-industry integrated development mechanisms, support the development of new service-oriented manufacturing models, accelerate the cultivation of influential unicorn enterprises and public service platforms, and achieve large-scale development. Knowledge-intensive services, especially science and technology services, should improve policy and institutional supply, accelerate the expansion of functions such as concept verification centers, pilot-scale maturation platforms, and industry-investment funds, improve the scientific and technological innovation service system, and better support the development of technology start-ups. Consumer services should optimize the structure of service supply entities, explore the cultivation of employee-based social service enterprises, strengthen high-skilled talent training, accelerate the construction of service standard systems, and support digitalized and intelligent transformation and upgrading.

比如，根据各服务领域特点，做到对生产性服务业、知识密集型服务业、生活性服务业的分类施策、精准施策。生产性服务业应抢抓数字化、智能化、绿色化机遇，探索建立跨行业融合发展机制，支持发展服务型制造新模式，加快培育具有影响力的独角兽企业和公共服务平台，实现规模化发展；知识密集型服务业特别是科技服务业应完善政策和制度供给，加快拓展概念验证中心、中试熟化平台、产投基金等功能，健全科技创新服务体系，更好地支持推动科技初创企业发展；生活性服务业应优化服务供给主体结构，探索培育员工制的社会服务企业，加强高技能人才培养，加快服务标准体系建设，支持数字化智能化转型升级。

It should be recognized that continuously improving the capacity for strategic agility and strategic initiative, for focusing on key bottlenecks and surmounting difficulties, and for grasping laws and scientifically allocating resources are not only core elements of urban development but also the cornerstone for achieving high-quality development. On this basis, we must strengthen the style of persistence and follow-through, hammering one blow after another with the spirit of driving nails, [19]19 A metaphor for perseverance and steady, continuous effort—like driving a nail with repeated hammer strikes—ensuring that work is carried through to completion. strengthen the drive to go deeper and advance step by step, and constantly make new discoveries, inventions, creations, and progress, [20]20 A phrase from Mao Zedong's speech at the Spring Festival Forum (1956), encouraging continuous innovation and progress. continuously displaying new achievements and creating new accomplishments.

应当看到，不断提高战略敏捷、战略主动的能力，聚焦裉节、攻坚克难的能力，把握规律、科学调度的能力，不仅是城市发展的核心要素，也是实现高质量发展的基石。在此基础上，要强化一以贯之、一抓到底的作风，以钉钉子精神一锤接着一锤敲，强化抓深入、抓递进的劲头，不断有所发现、有所发明、有所创造、有所前进，不断展现新作为、创造新业绩。

(The author is a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Minister of the Propaganda Department, and Professor.)

（作者为上海财经大学党委常委、宣传部部长、教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧