The Scientific Connotation and Advancement Path of High-Efficiency Governance

High-efficiency governance is an important component of the modernization of national governance and a crucial guarantee for promoting high-quality economic and social development. In April 2025, when presiding over a symposium on economic and social development during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period [1]1 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. The report referred to is the political report delivered by Xi Jinping on behalf of the 19th Central for some provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must pay greater attention to统筹发展和安全 [coordinating development and security], comprehensively consider internal and external risks and challenges, improve the national security system, enhance the capacity to safeguard security, and promote a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security through high-efficiency governance, thereby ensuring a new development pattern with a new security framework.” [2]2 The “Fengqiao Experience” (枫桥经验) originated in the 1960s in Fengqiao Town, Zhejiang Province, as a model for resolving conflicts at the grassroots level through mass participation and mediation, later promoted nationwide by Mao Zedong and continuously updated in the New Era. In May, during an inspection tour in Henan, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed the need to strengthen confidence in promoting high-quality development and high-efficiency governance. On the new journey, only by solidifying the foundation of development with high-efficiency governance can we achieve a dynamic balance among development quality, governance effectiveness, and security resilience at a higher level, providing a solid guarantee for the steady and sustained advancement of Chinese-path modernization.

高效能治理是国家治理现代化的重要内容，是推动经济社会高质量发展的重要保障。2025年4月，习近平总书记主持召开部分省区市“十五五”时期经济社会发展座谈会时强调，“要更加注重统筹发展和安全，通盘考虑内外部风险挑战，健全国家安全体系，增强维护安全能力，以高效能治理促进高质量发展和高水平安全良性互动，以新安全格局保障新发展格局”。5月，习近平总书记在河南考察时强调，坚定信心推动高质量发展高效能治理。新征程上，唯有以高效能治理夯实发展之基，方能在更高水平上实现发展质量、治理效能与安全韧性的动态平衡，为中国式现代化行稳致远提供坚实保障。

High-efficiency governance is the organic unity of effective governance outcomes and efficient governance processes.

高效能治理是治理结果有效和治理过程高效的有机统一

Governance effectiveness is the unity of governance effect and governance efficiency. Governance effect focuses on goal attainment; it is the degree to which governance activities achieve set objectives, determines the value orientation of goals, and guides the focus of development. Governance efficiency concentrates on process optimization; its core essence is the degree of completion of governance goals within a certain time frame, reflecting the dynamic relationship between inputs and outputs in governance activities. High-efficiency governance is not a simple superposition of governance effect and governance efficiency, but rather their synergistic enhancement, ultimately manifested as a positive, rational, secure, and efficient governance process, along with sustainable, high-quality governance outcomes.

治理效能是治理效果和治理效率的统一。治理效果着眼于目标达成，是治理活动实现既定目标的程度，决定着目标的价值取向，统领治理的发展重心。治理效率聚焦过程优化，核心要义是一定时间内治理目标的完成度，反映治理活动投入与产出的动态关系。高效能治理并非治理效果和治理效率的简单叠加，而是二者的协同提升，最终体现为积极、理性、安全、高效的治理过程和可持续、高质量的治理结果。

The evolution and development of high-efficiency governance have a dual logic: on the one hand, through scientific top-level design, it constructs a systematic strategic framework in terms of ideas and concepts, goals and tasks, and implementation pathways, ensuring the authority, continuity, and scientific nature of governance modernization, and providing institutional guarantees for policy implementation; on the other hand, it maintains a certain degree of flexibility in governance objectives and implementation mechanisms, making timely adjustments in response to new situations and problems arising in governance practice, achieving a dialectical unity of preventing governance risks and improving governance efficiency, and continuously enhancing the flexibility, adaptability, and resilience of the governance system. During the process of modernization, China has formed a national economic and social development planning system, an institutional arrangement whereby the Central Committee of the Party proposes planning recommendations, the State Council compiles the planning outline, and the National People’s Congress reviews and approves it before it is published and implemented nationwide. This system transforms the Party’s propositions into the will of the state and the actions of the entire people through legal procedures, effectively integrating resources from all sides and凝聚社会共识 [building social consensus], achieving an organic combination of long-term strategic stability and short-term policy flexibility. It is an important manifestation of the unity of effective governance outcomes and efficient governance processes, fully demonstrating the significant advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

高效能治理的演进与发展具有双重逻辑：一方面，通过科学的顶层设计，在思想理念、目标任务、实施路径等方面构建系统性战略框架，确保治理现代化的权威性、连续性和科学性，为政策落地提供制度保障；另一方面，在治理目标和实施机制上保持一定弹性，针对治理实践中产生的新情况、新问题作出适时调整，做到防范治理风险和提高治理效率辩证统一，实现治理体系灵活性、适应性和韧性的不断增强。我国在现代化建设进程中形成了国家经济社会发展规划制度，即由党中央全会提出规划建议、国务院编制规划纲要、全国人大审查批准后向全社会公布实施的制度安排。这一制度将党的主张以法定程序转变为国家意志和全民行动，能够有效整合各方资源，凝聚社会共识，实现了长期战略稳定性与短期政策灵活性的有机结合，是治理结果有效和治理过程高效相统一的重要体现，充分彰显了中国特色社会主义制度的显著优势。

High-efficiency governance is the organic combination of a perfected governance system and enhanced governance capacity.

高效能治理是治理体系完善和治理能力提升的有机结合

The national governance system is a systematic integration of institutional arrangements and operational mechanisms, under the leadership of the Party, covering various fields such as the economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and Party building. This complete institutional framework, which is mutually supportive and operates in coordination, focuses on legal systems and institutional mechanisms, providing a strong institutional guarantee for the modernization of national governance. National governance capacity, on the other hand, is the comprehensive capability to transform institutional advantages into governance effectiveness, reflected in coordinating reform, development, and stability; harmonizing internal affairs, foreign affairs, and national defense; and advancing the governance of the Party, the state, and the military across all fields and links, directly affecting the efficiency and effect of institutional implementation. The governance system and governance capacity complement each other; a perfected governance system is the foundation for enhancing comprehensive governance capacity, while strong governance capacity is the key to unleashing the effectiveness of the governance system.

国家治理体系是在党的领导下，涵盖经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明和党的建设等各领域的制度安排与运行机制的系统集成。这一相互支撑、协调运转的完整制度架构，以法律制度和体制机制建设为重点，为国家治理现代化提供了有力制度保障。国家治理能力则是把制度优势转化为治理效能的综合实力，体现在统筹改革发展稳定、协调内政外交国防、推进治党治国治军等各领域各环节，直接关系制度落实的效率和效果。治理体系和治理能力相辅相成，完善的治理体系是提升综合治理能力的基础，而强大的治理能力是发挥治理体系效能的关键。

To advance high-efficiency governance, it is necessary to insist on advancing system perfection and capacity enhancement in tandem, both achieving comprehensive and systematic planning for the construction of the institutional system and committing to a systematic leap in governance capacity. To this end, on the one hand, we should continue to improve the institutional system of governance, promptly amend institutional mechanisms that do not align with the requirements of practical development, and promote the maturation and standardization of various systems. On the other hand, we must comprehensively enhance the capabilities of systematic governance, law-based governance, comprehensive governance, and源头治理 [source governance], continuously strengthen the synergy and execution of the governance system, and persistently improve the literacy and competence of various national governance subjects, including the ruling Party, in promoting institutional implementation in the fields of economy, politics, culture, society, and ecological civilization. Only by adhering to the dual-wheel drive and synchronous improvement of institutional construction and capacity building can we truly achieve the systematic optimization of the governance system and the overall leap in governance effectiveness.

推进高效能治理，需坚持体系完善与能力提升齐头并进，既实现对制度体系建设的全面系统谋划，也致力于推动治理能力的系统性跃升。为此，一方面应继续完善治理的制度体系，及时改进与实践发展要求不符的体制机制，推动各项制度更加成熟规范。另一方面要全面增强系统治理、依法治理、综合治理和源头治理能力，不断强化治理体系的协同性和执行力，持续提升包括执政党在内的各类国家治理主体在经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明等领域推进制度执行的素养与本领。只有坚持制度构建与能力建设双轮驱动、同步提升，才能真正实现治理体系的系统优化与治理效能的整体跃升。

High-efficiency governance can lead to a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.

高效能治理能够引领高质量发展和高水平安全良性互动

Development and security are mutually prerequisite and interdependent. Development is the foundation of security; high-quality development provides solid support for national security. Security is the prerequisite for development; high-level security is an important cornerstone of Chinese-path modernization. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to统筹做好发展和安全两件大事 [coord

发展和安全互为前提、相互依存。发展是安全的基础，高质量发展为国家安全提供坚实支撑；安全是发展的前提，高水平安全是中国式现代化的重要基石。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对统筹做好发展和安全两件大事高度重视，强调“坚持统筹发展和安全，坚持发展和安全并重，实现高质量发展和高水平安全的良性互动”。新征程上，必须把握好发展和安全的关系，坚持在发展中筑牢安全根基，于安全环境中激发发展活力，通过提升治理效能，有力推动高质量发展与高水平安全动态平衡、相互促进。

Promoting a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security hinges on building a high-efficiency governance system. High-efficiency governance can provide both an order guarantee and a source of vitality for high-quality development. Currently, China's development has entered a period in which strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. The risk challenges to be addressed and the contradictions and problems to be prevented and resolved are more severe and complex than ever before. It is necessary to rely on high-efficiency governance to resolve contradictions and problems in development and maintain a favorable development environment. High-efficiency governance also provides an institutional framework and specific measures for high-level security. By establishing comprehensive mechanisms for risk prevention, process control, and emergency response, high-efficiency governance constructs an all-round, multi-level security guarantee system. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. The report referred to is the political report delivered by Xi Jinping on behalf of the 19th Central for the first time dedicated a separate chapter to discussing national security, placing "public security" and "social governance" as parallel headings within the national security section for systematic deployment, and put forward the specific task requirement of "improving the level of public security governance," clarifying the logical relationship among national security, public security, and social governance. Facing the complex and volatile domestic and international situation, we should enhance risk prevention and control capabilities, improve the emergency management system, and strengthen the national security system, using high-efficiency governance to ensure that development, the "top priority," and security, the "paramount concern," promote and complement each other.

推动高质量发展和高水平安全良性互动，关键在于构建高效能治理体系。高效能治理能为高质量发展提供秩序保障与活力源泉。当前，我国发展进入战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多的时期，需要应对的风险挑战、防范化解的矛盾问题比以往更加严峻复杂，需要靠高效能治理化解发展中的矛盾问题，维护良好发展环境。高效能治理也为高水平安全提供制度框架和具体抓手。高效能治理通过建立完备的风险预防、过程控制和应急处置机制，构建起全方位、多层次的安全保障体系。党的二十大报告首次专章论述国家安全，把“公共安全”与“社会治理”作为并列标题纳入国家安全部分进行系统部署，提出了“提高公共安全治理水平”的具体任务要求，理清了国家安全、公共安全、社会治理三者间的逻辑关系。面对复杂多变的国内外形势，应提升风险防控能力、完善应急管理体系、健全国家安全制度，以高效能治理确保发展这个“第一要务”与安全这个“头等大事”相互促进、相得益彰。

Activating New Momentum for National Governance through High-Efficiency Governance

以高效能治理激活国家治理新动能

High-efficiency governance is a systematic project that requires comprehensive efforts in key links such as the governance environment, governance objectives, governance structure, governance methods, governance tools, and governance evaluation. To advance high-efficiency governance on the new journey [2]2 The “Fengqiao Experience” (枫桥经验) originated in the 1960s in Fengqiao Town, Zhejiang Province, as a model for resolving conflicts at the grassroots level through mass participation and mediation, later promoted nationwide by Mao Zedong and continuously updated in the New Era., we should build a system that is complete, scientifically standardized, and efficiently operational, with a focus on improving the mechanisms of synergy, coordination, consultation, and joint effort in the governance process. We should uphold a scientific spirit, employ professional methods, and adhere to refined standards to comprehensively raise the level of governance modernization.

高效能治理是需要在治理环境、治理目标、治理格局、治理方式、治理工具、治理评价等关键环节综合发力的一项系统性工程。新征程上推动高效能治理，应构建系统完备、科学规范、运行高效的制度体系，重点完善治理过程中的协同机制、协作机制、协商机制和协力机制，秉承科学精神、运用专业方法、坚持精细标准，全面提升治理现代化水平。

Promoting empowerment through science and technology. Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is deepening. We must actively conform to the trends of the times, uphold a systems perspective, strengthen scientific and technological support, and promote the organic unity of technological logic and governance logic. Taking the construction of a Digital China as an opportunity, we should build a smart governance central system and a complete data governance system, promote the deep integration of cutting-edge technologies with governance, and establish cross-regional and cross-departmental collaborative governance platforms at different levels to achieve scientific decision-making, precise services, and efficient supervision. We should explore the establishment of an authorized operation mechanism for public data, and, on the premise of ensuring security, orderly promote the flow and value release of data elements. We should strengthen the risk assessment and prevention of technological governance, pay attention to issues such as algorithm fairness, privacy protection, and the digital divide, and ensure that the process of technological empowerment is inclusive, equitable, and safe.

推动科技赋能。当前，新一轮科技革命和产业变革深入发展，必须主动顺应时代潮流，坚持系统观念，强化科技支撑，推动技术逻辑与治理逻辑有机统一。以建设数字中国为契机，打造智慧治理中枢系统和完善的数据治理体系，推动前沿技术与治理的深度融合，在不同层级建立跨区域、跨部门的协同治理平台，实现科学决策、精准服务、高效监管。探索建立公共数据授权运营机制，在保证安全的前提下，有序推动数据要素流动与价值释放。加强技术治理的风险评估与防范，关注算法公平、隐私保护、数字鸿沟等问题，确保科技赋能过程普惠、包容、安全。

Improve governance mechanisms. Adhere to the people-centered development thinking, deeply grasp the laws of social governance, organically integrate Party leadership, law-based governance, and mass participation, and promote the better transformation of institutional advantages into governance effectiveness. This is not only a practical need for maintaining social harmony and stability, but also a far-reaching strategy for consolidating the Party’s governing foundation and advancing the long-term stability of the state. To this end, we should uphold and develop the “Fengqiao Experience”[2]2 The “Fengqiao Experience” (枫桥经验) originated in the 1960s in Fengqiao Town, Zhejiang Province, as a model for resolving conflicts at the grassroots level through mass participation and mediation, later promoted nationwide by Mao Zedong and continuously updated in the New Era. in the New Era, build a convenient and efficient mechanism for resolving conflicts and disputes, and shift the focus and resources of governance downward to the grassroots. Promote the new grassroots governance model of “grid management + digitalization + points system”[3]3 The “grid management + digitalization + points system” model refers to a grassroots governance approach combining territorial grid-based management, digital platforms for data processing, and a points-based incentive system to encourage resident participation in community affairs. to achieve “one-click reporting, intelligent assignment, and real-time feedback” for people’s livelihood demands. Establish incentive and constraint mechanisms for residents to participate in governance, attracting diverse entities to engage in the cause of rural revitalization.

健全治理机制。坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，深刻把握社会治理规律，将党的领导、依法治理与群众参与有机结合，推动制度优势更好转化为治理效能，不仅是维护社会和谐稳定的现实需要，更是夯实党的执政根基、推进国家长治久安的深远之策。为此，应坚持和发展新时代“枫桥经验”，构建便民高效的矛盾纠纷化解机制，推动治理重心和资源向基层下沉。推广“网格化+数字化+积分制”的基层治理新模式，实现民生诉求“一键上报、智能分办、实时反馈”。建立居民参与治理的激励约束机制，吸引多元主体参与到乡村振兴事业之中。

Strengthen the rule of law guarantee. The rule of law plays a fundamental, stabilizing, and long-term role. Comprehensive law-based governance is a broad and profound revolution in the field of national governance. Facing the deep-seated needs of reform and development and the continuous emergence of new business forms and models, we should continuously strengthen the rule of law guarantee, using a system of laws and regulations that is systematic, scientific, standardized, and effective to safeguard the modernization of national governance. Accelerate legislative work in key areas and emerging fields, and optimize the connection mechanism between administrative law enforcement and criminal justice. In the field of administrative law enforcement, implement “embedded” supervision and “risk-oriented” regulation, and establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for administrative discretion benchmarks. Improve the public interest litigation system and expand channels for public participation in legal supervision.

强化法治保障。法治具有固根本、稳预期、利长远的保障作用，全面依法治国是国家治理领域一场广泛而深刻的革命。面对改革发展的深层次需求与新业态新模式不断涌现，应持续强化法治保障，以系统完备、科学规范、运行有效的制度体系，护航国家治理现代化。加速推进重点领域和新兴领域立法工作，优化行政执法与刑事司法之间的衔接机制。在行政执法领域，推行“嵌入式”监督和“风险导向型”监管，建立行政裁量基准动态调整机制。完善公益诉讼制度，拓展公众参与法治监督的渠道。

Promote coordination and synergy. Social governance needs to break through the traditional model of a single subject and one-way management, shifting toward collaborative governance with diverse participation and positive interaction. This is both an inevitable requirement of adhering to the people-centered development thinking and a practical path to enhancing the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of governance. Through effective institutional design and mechanism innovation, we can integrate resources and forces from all sides to build a modern governance network that is organically connected, coordinated, and functionally complementary. Continuously improve the social governance system featuring Party committee leadership, government responsibility, democratic consultation, social coordination, public participation, rule of law guarantee, and technological support. Effectively mobilize the participation enthusiasm of social organizations, market entities, and the general public, and build a social governance community where everyone has responsibility, everyone fulfills their duty, and everyone enjoys the benefits. Establish a comprehensive evaluation system for governance effectiveness based mainly on mutual supervision and mutual evaluation among governance subjects, introduce third-party evaluation and social appraisal mechanisms, and achieve quantifiable, evaluable, and improvable governance outcomes.

促进协同联动。社会治理需突破单一主体、单向管理的传统模式，转向多元参与、良性互动的协同治理，这既是坚持以人民为中心发展思想的必然要求，也是提升治理系统性、整体性、协同性的实践路径。可以通过有效的制度设计与机制创新，整合各方资源和力量，构建起有机衔接、协调联动、功能互补的现代化治理网络。不断完善党委领导、政府负责、民主协商、社会协同、公众参与、法治保障、科技支撑的社会治理体系，有效调动社会组织、市场主体和广大公民的参与热情，构建人人有责、人人尽责、人人享有的社会治理共同体。建立以治理主体互督互评为主的治理效能综合评价体系，引入第三方评估和社会评议机制，实现治理成效可量化、可评价、可提升。

(Author: Mao Peijin, Researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Ecological Civilization Teaching and Research, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance])

（作者：毛佩瑾，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员、社会和生态文明教研部副教授）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧