Adhering to Correct Work Strategies and Methods – Studying the Work Methodology of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought

“All things have their methods, and only then can they be accomplished.” Doing economic work well requires not only scientific theory, reasonable goals, and feasible strategies, but also correct and effective methodological guidance. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, in the face of a severe and complex international environment and arduous and heavy tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability maintenance, General Secretary Xi Jinping has adhered to and applied the Marxist worldview and methodology, deeply grasped the laws of economic work, summarized and elevated practical experience, and creatively put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments concerning the methods of doing economic work, forming a systematic methodology for doing economic work, thereby providing scientific guidance for promoting the practice of economic development in the New Era. Deeply studying and comprehending the work methodology of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought, and continuously enhancing the scientific nature, foresight, initiative, and creativity of work, is of great significance for fully implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee on economic work and for promoting China’s economy to continuously reach new levels on the path of high-quality development.

“事必有法，然后可成。”做好经济工作，不仅需要科学的理论、合理的目标、可行的战略，还需要正确有效的方法论指导。党的十八大以来，面对严峻复杂的国际环境和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，习近平总书记坚持和运用马克思主义世界观和方法论，深入把握经济工作规律，总结升华实践经验，围绕做好经济工作的方法问题创造性地提出一系列新思想新观点新论断，形成了系统的关于做好经济工作的方法论，为推动新时代经济发展实践提供了科学指引。深入学习领会习近平经济思想的工作方法论，不断增强工作的科学性、预见性、主动性、创造性，对于全面落实党中央关于经济工作的决策部署，推动我国经济在高质量发展之路上不断迈上新台阶，具有重大意义。

I

一

Methodology is the theory of methods for understanding and transforming the world, reflecting the way people observe things and handle problems. A scientific worldview and methodology are the “master key” for us to study and solve problems. Economic work is highly specialized, involves a wide range of areas, and is notably complex and systematic. Having only the correct ideological line and strategic direction is insufficient to guarantee the realization of economic development goals; correct work strategies and methods are also necessary to transform theoretical understanding into successful practice and to implement specific policies and measures effectively.

方法论是关于认识世界与改造世界的方法的理论，反映了人们观察事物和处理问题的方式。科学的世界观和方法论是我们研究问题、解决问题的“总钥匙”。经济工作专业性强、牵涉面广、复杂性系统性突出，仅有正确的思想路线与战略方向并不足以保证经济发展目标的实现，还必须有正确的工作策略和方法，才可能将理论认识转化为成功实践，把具体的方针政策落到实处。

Emphasizing work methodology is a fine tradition and distinctive feature of our Party in leading economic construction. As early as 1945, Comrade Mao Zedong put forward the requirement of “must learn to do economic work.” In the process of leading China’s revolution and construction, Comrade Mao Zedong wrote works such as *On Methods of Leadership*, *Methods of Work of Party Committees*, and *Sixty Articles on Working Methods (Draft)*, and proposed important methods such as “no investigation, no right to speak,” “learn to ‘play the piano’,” “universally promote experimental fields,” “dissect a sparrow,” and “overall consideration,” which played an important role in leading and promoting economic construction. In leading the magnificent cause of reform and opening up, our Party put forward important viewpoints such as “boldness in action but steadiness in steps,” “start with pilot projects and summarize experience at any time,” “cross the river by feeling the stones,” “all aspects need comprehensive balance, not a one-sided approach,” “correctly handle the relationship among reform, development, and stability,” “balance urban and rural development, balance regional development, balance economic and social development, balance man and nature, and balance domestic development and opening up to the outside world,” which further enriched our Party’s methodology for doing economic work and propelled the continuous development of China’s reform and opening up and the cause of socialist economic construction with Chinese characteristics.

重视工作方法论是我们党领导经济建设的优良传统和鲜明特征。早在1945年毛泽东同志就提出了“必须学会做经济工作”的要求。在领导我国革命和建设过程中，毛泽东同志所撰写的《关于领导方法的若干问题》、《党委会的工作方法》、《工作方法六十条（草案）》等著作，所提出的“没有调查，没有发言权”、“学会‘弹钢琴’”、“普遍推广试验田”、“解剖麻雀”、“统筹兼顾”等重要方法，在领导推动经济建设中发挥了重要作用。在领导波澜壮阔的改革开放事业中，我们党提出“胆子要大，步子要稳”、“从试点着手，随时总结经验”、“摸着石头过河”、“各个方面需要综合平衡，不能单打一”、“正确处理改革、发展、稳定的关系”、“统筹城乡发展、统筹区域发展、统筹经济社会发展、统筹人与自然和谐发展、统筹国内发展和对外开放”等重要观点，进一步丰富了我们党关于做好经济工作的方法论，推动着我国改革开放和中国特色社会主义经济建设事业不断向前发展。

Entering the New Era, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has changed, and the domestic and international economic situation has become extremely complex, with many situations not encountered since reform and opening up. At the same time, China’s economic development field is continuously broadening, the division of labor is increasingly complex, the forms are more advanced, and the domestic and international linkages are closer, placing higher demands on our Party’s ability and level in leading economic work. Facing the new situation and new tasks of economic work, General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the methodological issues of economic work. The General Secretary emphasizes that correct strategies need correct tactics to be implemented; to promote sustained and healthy economic development, not only correct thinking and policies are needed, but also correct work strategies and methods; facing complex situations, complex contradictions, and heavy tasks, without distinguishing primary and secondary, without differentiation, and grabbing everything at once, work cannot be done well; we should act according to the laws already recognized, and deepen our understanding of the laws in practice, rather than stepping on watermelon rinds and sliding wherever they take us. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, whether it is deepening economic system reform, stabilizing economic operation, promoting economic transformation and upgrading, or building a new development pattern, developing new quality productive forces, and preventing and defusing systemic risks, the General Secretary, in the actual work of promoting economic development, has both deployed the task of “crossing the river” and clarified the correct working methods, guiding the solution of the “bridge or boat” problem, ensuring the implementation and landing of the goals and tasks of high-quality development. It is precisely with the guidance of scientific methodology that over the past decade or more, China has smoothly achieved one development goal after another, its economic aggregate has crossed one threshold after another, the quality and efficiency of economic development have significantly improved, and it has steadily moved towards a development stage of higher quality, higher efficiency, more fairness, more sustainability, and greater security.

进入新时代，我国社会主要矛盾发生变化，国内国际经济形势极其错综复杂，很多情况是改革开放以来没有碰到过的。同时我国经济发展领域不断拓宽、分工日趋复杂、形态更加高级、国际国内联动更加紧密，对我们党领导经济工作的能力和水平提出了更高要求。面对经济工作的新形势新任务，习近平总书记高度重视经济工作的方法问题。总书记强调，正确的战略需要正确的策略来落实；推动经济持续健康发展，不仅要有正确思想和政策，而且要有正确工作策略和方法；面对复杂形势、复杂矛盾、繁重任务，没有主次，不加区别，眉毛胡子一把抓，是做不好工作的；要按照已经认识到的规律来办，在实践中再加深对规律的认识，而不是脚踩西瓜皮，滑到哪里算哪里。党的十八大以来，无论是深化经济体制改革、稳定经济运行、推动经济转型升级，还是构建新发展格局、发展新质生产力、防范化解系统性风险，总书记在推动经济发展实际工作中都既部署“过河”的任务，也阐明正确的工作方法，指导解决“桥或船”的问题，确保高质量发展的目标任务落实落地。正是有科学的方法论作指导，10多年来，我国顺利实现一个又一个发展目标，经济总量跨过一个又一个台阶，经济发展质量和效益明显改善，稳步迈向更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展阶段。

II

二

Looking back at the history of economic theory, for a long time, economists have focused more on understanding the laws of economic movement, thus forming different economic viewpoints, theories, and policies, but there has been little discussion on the methods of economic work. Economics is essentially a practical science. Having only good policies without good methods, and failing to point out effective ways to implement policies, often means policies cannot achieve the expected results or even go in the opposite direction. This has been proven by countless examples throughout history and across the world. The work methodology of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought adheres to the application

回顾经济学说史，长期以来，经济学家探讨更多的是对经济运动规律的认识，由此形成不同的经济学观点、理论和政策，但鲜有对经济工作方法的探讨。经济学本质上是一门实践的科学。光有好的政策，没有好的方法，不能指明政策落地的有效途径，政策也往往难以达到预期效果甚至出现南辕北辙的情况。这是古今中外无数例子所证明了的。习近平经济思想的工作方法论，坚持运用马克思主义唯物辩证法，全面总结我们党领导经济建设的实践经验，深刻回答了经济工作怎么干这一重要问题，创新和发展了我们党关于做好经济工作的方法论的规律性认识，标志着我们党驾驭社会主义市场经济的能力和水平达到了一个新高度，为构建马克思主义政治经济学关于经济工作方法的理论作出了重要原创性贡献。这一科学的方法论集中体现在以下几个方面：

First, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability. Stability is the prerequisite for development. For a super-large economy like ours, the annual economic increment is equivalent to the total annual economic output of a medium-sized country. Only by maintaining overall social and economic stability and avoiding major fluctuations can we create a favorable environment for “progress,” promote economic structural adjustment and deepen reform and opening up, and continuously strengthen the endogenous driving force of economic development. Scientifically grasping the relationship between “stability” and “progress” is key to doing economic work well. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability is an important principle for our governance and also a methodology for doing economic work well; stability is the overall situation and foundation; progress is the direction and driving force; the focus of “stability” should be placed on stabilizing economic operations, ensuring that growth, employment, and prices do not experience major fluctuations, and ensuring that finance does not encounter regional systemic risks; the focus of “progress” should be placed on adjusting the economic structure and deepening reform and opening up, ensuring that new achievements are made in transforming the economic development model and innovation-driven development. Adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability requires grasping “stability” and “progress” as a whole, opposing both inaction and passive response, as well as impulsive recklessness and eagerness for quick success; we must size up the situation, think deeply, and respect the laws. “Breaking” and “establishing” are important methods for achieving “stability” and “progress.” To adhere to pursuing progress while ensuring stability, we must handle the relationship between “breaking” and “establishing.” The General Secretary emphasized that we must adhere to the dialectical unity of breaking and establishing, promoting both breaking and establishing while establishing before breaking; what should be established must be actively and proactively established, and what should be broken must be broken in a timely manner on the basis of establishment. For example, to achieve the “dual carbon” goals,[1]1 The “dual carbon” goals refer to China’s pledge to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. we must base ourselves on our national conditions of being rich in coal, poor in oil, and low in gas, adhere to pursuing progress while ensuring stability and achieving it step by step; we must establish before breaking, rather than breaking before establishing, engaging in a “carbon assault” or “campaign-style carbon reduction.”

第一，坚持稳中求进工作总基调。稳定是发展的前提。像我国这样的超大规模经济体，一年的经济增量相当于一个中等国家全年的经济总量，只有保持经济社会大局稳定，不出现大起大落，才能为“进”创造良好的环境，推动经济结构调整和深化改革开放，不断增强经济发展的内生动力。科学把握“稳”和“进”的关系，是做好经济工作的关键。习近平总书记强调，稳中求进工作总基调是我们治国理政的重要原则，也是做好经济工作的方法论；稳是大局和基础；进是方向和动力；“稳”的重点要放在稳住经济运行上，确保增长、就业、物价不出现大的波动，确保金融不出现区域性系统性风险；“进”的重点要放在调整经济结构和深化改革开放上，确保转变经济发展方式和创新驱动发展取得新成效。坚持稳中求进工作总基调，就要把“稳”和“进”作为一个整体来抓，既反对无所作为、消极应付，又反对冲动蛮干、急于求成，要审时度势、深思熟虑、尊重规律。“破”和“立”是实现“稳”和“进”的重要方法。坚持稳中求进，必须处理好“破”和“立”的关系。总书记强调，要坚持破和立的辩证统一，破立并举、先立后破，该立的积极主动立起来，该破的在立的基础上及时破。比如，实现“双碳”目标，就要立足我国富煤贫油少气的国情，坚持稳中求进、逐步实现，要先立后破，而不能未立先破，搞“碳冲锋”、“运动式减碳”。

Second, adhere to the systems concept. The economic system is a universally interconnected, multi-dimensional and multi-element complex system. Economic work is influenced by various factors such as politics, society, culture, resources and environment, and international exchanges, and often a single move may affect the whole situation. To properly handle relationships in all aspects and coordinate the interests of all parties, it is inevitably necessary to establish a systems concept and observe things and handle problems with a universally interconnected, comprehensive and systematic, and developmental and changing perspective. The systems concept is a working method repeatedly emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping. The General Secretary pointed out that the systems concept is a foundational thought and working method. For work in many important areas, the General Secretary has stressed the need to adhere to the systems concept. For example, regarding comprehensively deepening reform, he emphasized that planning and advancing reform must adhere to the systems concept and the overall situation concept, strengthen strategic thinking and dialectical thinking, prioritize tasks by order of importance and urgency, and pay more attention to systemic integration; regarding implementing the new development philosophy, he emphasized the need to adhere to a systematic perspective and carry out systematic design in accordance with the integrity and relevance of the new development philosophy; regarding work on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, he emphasized the need to strengthen the systems concept, coordinate and handle dilemmas and even multi-difficulty problems, and not “lift the gourd only to let the dipper sink” [2]2 “Lift the gourd only to let the dipper sink” (按下葫芦起了瓢) is a Chinese idiom meaning that solving one problem creates another, like pressing down a floating gourd only to have a dipper pop up.; and so on. At present, China’s development environment is facing profound and complex changes, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent, and contradictions in economic and social development are intricate and complex. These must be planned and resolved from the perspective of the systems concept, comprehensively considering multiple factors such as politics and economy, the present and the long term, material and culture, development and people’s livelihood, resources and ecology, and domestic and international aspects, incorporating economic and non-economic policies into the consistency evaluation of macro-policy orientation, and seeking dynamic balance among multiple objectives.

第二，坚持系统观念。经济体系是一个普遍联系、多维多元的复杂系统。经济工作受政治、社会、文化、资源环境、国际交往等各种因素影响，往往牵一发而动全身。要处理好各方面关系、统筹好各方面利益，必然要求树立系统观念，用普遍联系的、全面系统的、发展变化的观点观察事物、处理问题。系统观念是习近平总书记反复强调的工作方法。总书记指出，系统观念是具有基础性的思想和工作方法。针对许多重要领域工作，总书记都强调要坚持系统观念。比如，对于全面深化改革，强调谋划和推进改革，必须坚持系统观念、全局观念，强化战略思维、辩证思维，分轻重缓急，更加注重系统集成；对于贯彻新发展理念，强调要坚持系统的观点，依照新发展理念的整体性和关联性进行系统设计；对于“三农”工作，强调要强化系统观念，统筹处理好两难甚至多难问题，不能“按下葫芦起了瓢”；等等。当前我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，发展不平衡不充分问题仍然突出，经济社会发展中矛盾错综复杂，必须从系统观念出发加以谋划和解决，综合考虑政治和经济、当前和长远、物质和文化、发展和民生、资源和生态、国内和国际等多方面因素，把经济政策和非经济政策纳入宏观政策取向一致性评估，在多重目标中寻求动态平衡。

Third, adhere to adapting measures to local conditions. China has a vast territory and a large population, with different resource endowments, development stages, and industrial structures in various regions, and the situation is constantly changing. There is no, nor can there be, a one-size-fits-all development model. Only by proceeding from reality and adapting measures to local conditions can economic work be done well and a path of high-quality development suitable for the region be found. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that adapting measures to local conditions is essentially seeking truth from facts. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the General Secretary has repeatedly emphasized the importance of “adapting measures to local conditions,” urging various localities to “use different keys to open different locks, and not to carve a mark on the boat to find a lost sword [3]3 “Carve a mark on the boat to find a lost sword” (刻舟求剑) is a Chinese idiom from the Lüshi Chunqiu, referring to a rigid, unchanging approach that ignores changing circumstances. or apply a single mold”; emphasizing that “poverty alleviation must seek truth from facts and adapt measures to local conditions”; that rural revitalization should “scientifically grasp the differences between villages, adapt measures to village conditions, implement precise policies, and create modern versions of the ‘Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains’ [4]4 “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains” (富春山居图) is a famous Chinese landscape painting by the Yuan Dynasty artist Huang Gongwang, used here as a metaphor for creating diverse and beautiful rural landscapes. with distinctive features”; that ecological governance should “plant forests where suitable, grow grass where suitable, manage sand where suitable, and leave wasteland where suitable”; that coordinated regional development should “use water where suitable, use mountains where suitable, grow grain where suitable, engage in agriculture where suitable, develop industry where suitable, and promote commerce where suitable.” In recent years, regarding the development of new quality productive forces, the General Secretary has repeatedly emphasized the need to adapt measures to local conditions. Only by carefully studying and analyzing the advantages and potential of their own development, combining local economic, political, social, historical, cultural, and geographical conditions, doing their best within their capabilities, can each region find a differentiated and distinctive development path.

第三，坚持因地制宜。我国幅员辽阔、人口众多，各地资源禀赋、发展阶段、产业结构各不相同，形势发展也千变万化，没有也不可能套用一样的发展模式。唯有从实际出发，因地制宜，才可能做好经济工作，走出一条适合本地区的高质量发展之路。习近平总书记指出，因地制宜，本质是实事求是。党的十八大以来，总书记多次强调“因地制宜”的重要性，叮嘱各地“‘一把钥匙开一把锁’，不能刻舟求剑、拿一个模子去套”；强调“扶贫要实事求是，因地制宜”；乡村振兴要“科学把握乡村的差异性，因村制宜，精准施策，打造各具特色的现代版‘富春山居图’”；生态治理要“宜林则林、宜草则草、宜沙则沙、宜荒则荒”；区域协调发展要“宜水则水、宜山则山，宜粮则粮、宜农则农，宜工则工、宜商则商”。近两年在发展新质生产力上，总书记更是反复强调要因地制宜。各地区只有认真研究分析本地区发展的优势和潜能，结合本地的经济、政治、社会、历史、人文、地理等现实条件，尽力而为、量力而行，才可能走出一条差异化、特色化发展道路。

Fourth, adhere to the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation. Goals are the direction of struggle, and problems are the voice of the times. Adhering to the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation, taking goals as the guide, concentrating efforts to solve specific problems, and driving overall development with breakthroughs in key areas, is an important method for successively achieving the strategic goals of China’s economic development in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must adhere to the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation; we must both take goals as the focus, work hard on overall planning and top-level design to enhance direction and planning, and take problems as the entry point, continuously exert efforts to shore up weaknesses and strengthen areas of weakness to enhance precision and effectiveness. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has adhered to the unity of goal orientation and problem orientation, both working backward from the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to clarify the tasks that must be completed by the time node, and working forward from the urgently needed problems to clarify the ways and means to solve the difficulties, thereby achieving one goal after another, accumulating small victories into big ones, successfully completing the First Centenary Goal [5]5 The First Centenary Goal refers to the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC’s founding in 2021., and placing Chinese-path modernization on a higher starting point. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [6]6 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024, focusing on further deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization. scientifically set the main goals for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period [7]7 The 15th Five-Year Plan period covers the years 2026–2030.. We must anchor the direction forward, reasonably formulate short-term goals, connect medium- and long-term goals with short-term goals, and through the resolution of one specific problem after another and the completion of one short-term goal after another, turn the grand blueprint drawn up by the Plenary Session into a beautiful reality.

第四，坚持目标导向和问题导向相结合。目标是奋斗方向，问题是时代声音。坚持目标导向和问题导向相结合，以目标为统领，集中力量解决具体问题，以重点突破带动全局发展，是新时代推动我国经济发展战略目标接续实现的重要方法。习近平总书记指出，要坚持目标导向和问题导向相结合；既要以目标为着眼点，在统筹谋划、顶层设计上下功夫，以增强方向感、计划性；又要以问题为着力点，在补短板、强弱项上持续用力，以增强精准性、实效性。党的十八大以来，我们党坚持目标导向和问题导向相统一，既从实现全面建成小康社会目标倒推，厘清到时间节点必须完成的任务，又从迫切需要解决的问题顺推，明确破解难题的途径和办法，从而达成一个个目标，积小胜为大胜，顺利完成第一个百年奋斗目标，使中国式现代化建设站在更高起点上。党的二十届四中全会科学设定了“十五五”时期经济社会发展的主要目标。要锚定前进方向，合理制定短期目标，把中长期目标和短期目标贯通起来，通过一个一个具体问题的解决、一个一个短期目标的完成，把全会擘画的宏伟蓝图化为美好现实。

Fifth, adhere to bottom-line thinking. Bottom-line thinking means being vigilant in peace time, preparing for a rainy day, preparing for the worst in everything, proactively and actively responding, so as to be prepared and not panicked when things happen, firmly grasp the initiative, and strive for the best results. Economic activities are naturally accompanied by uncertainty, the situation is complex and changeable, risks are everywhere, and issues such as food security, energy and resource security, security of important industrial and supply chains, financial security, and data security affect the whole situation. In a certain sense, modern economic management is a systematic activity of risk identification, assessment, and response under uncertainty, and risk management has become one of the core capabilities of economic governance. Therefore, for economic work, adhering to bottom-line thinking, strengthening risk awareness, and improving risk control capabilities are particularly important. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to enhance vigilance, adhere to bottom-line thinking, and be good at using the method of “bottom-line thinking.” At present, China is in a critical period of laying a solid foundation and making comprehensive efforts to basically achieve socialist modernization. Structural, cyclical, and institutional problems are intertwined, coupled with an increasingly complex and severe external environment, and economic development faces many risks and challenges. To deal with these new situations, new problems, and new challenges, we must keep a clear head, adhere to bottom-line thinking, fully estimate difficulties and challenges, make thorough contingency plans, and further improve risk prevention and control capabilities, so as to ensure the stable and sustained development of the economy.

第五，坚持底线思维。底线思维，就是居安思危、未雨绸缪，凡事从最坏处准备，积极主动应对，做到有备无患、遇事不慌，牢牢把握主动权，努力争取最好的结果。经济活动天然伴随不确定性，形势复杂多变，风险无处不在，粮食安全、能源资源安全、重要产业链供应链安全、金融安全、数据安全等牵一发动全身。从一定意义上说，现代经济管理就是一种在不确定性中进行风险识别、评估与应对的系统性活动，风险管理已成为经济治理的核心能力之一。因此，对于经济工作而言，坚持底线思维，强化风险意识，提高风控能力，尤为重要。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记多次强调要增强忧患意识，坚持底线思维，善于运用“底线思维”的方法。当前，我国正处于基本实现社会主义现代化夯实基础、全面发力的关键时期，结构性、周期性、体制性问题交织，加上外部环境日趋复杂严峻，经济发展面临的风险挑战较多。应对这些新情况新问题新挑战，必须保持清醒头脑，坚持底线思维，把困难和挑战估计得充分一些，把预案做得周密一些，把风险防控能力再提高一些，才能确保经济行稳致远。

III

三

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China’s development environment will face profound and complex changes, and various uncertain and unpredictable risk factors will increase significantly. Old problems and new challenges in economic development remain numerous, such as the prominent contradiction between strong supply and weak demand domestically, insufficient scientific and technological innovation capacity, the still low quality of the supply system, high consumption of resource factors and inputs, the incomplete formation of green production and lifestyles, and many risks and hidden dangers in key areas. There are still many bottlenecks and obstacles to promoting high-quality development. The more complex the situation and the more arduous the tasks, the more guidance from scientific methodology is needed. We must deeply study, profoundly understand, and deeply apply the work methodology of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought, continuously deepen the understanding of the laws of doing economic work well under the new situation, effectively improve the ability and level of doing economic work well, implement the various decisions and deployments made by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, and ensure decisive progress in basically achieving socialist modernization.

“十五五”时期我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，各种不确定难预料的风险因素将明显增多。经济发展中的老问题、新挑战仍然不少，比如国内供强需弱矛盾突出、科技创新能力还不强、供给体系质量还不高、资源要素投入消耗较大、绿色生产生活方式还未完全形成、重点领域风险隐患较多等等，推动高质量发展还有许多卡点瓶颈。越是形势复杂、任务艰巨，越需要科学方法论作指引。要深入学习、深刻领会、深度运用习近平经济思想的工作方法论，不断深化新形势下做好经济工作的规律性认识，切实提高做好经济工作的能力和水平，把党的二十届四中全会作出的各项决策部署落到实处，确保基本实现社会主义现代化取得决定性进展。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “With the right method, half the effort yields twice the result; without the right method, twice the effort yields half the result, or even negative effects.” Leading cadres must first get their thinking methods right to do economic work well. In reality, some leading cadres have a sincere desire to do a good job and have drive, but because they do not understand the laws, do not know the ropes, and lack skills, although they have done a lot of work, sometimes very hard, the results are contrary to their wishes. Some leading cadres treat methodology as a general call, learning it, talking about it, and doing it separately, failing to truly internalize it as a way of thinking or transform it into work skills. As a result, they still habitually use old routines and old methods in their work, acting recklessly and blindly. Only with scientific methods can practice be powerful. Facing the increasingly complex domestic and international situation and the arduous and heavy tasks of reform and development, leading cadres at all levels must take the study of the work methodology of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought as a compulsory course, study it thoroughly, connect it with practice, and achieve a comprehensive understanding, accurately grasp its core essence and practical requirements, be good at thinking about problems and doing work under the overall situation, good at calculating long-term accounts, overall accounts, and comprehensive accounts, good at creatively implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee in light of the actual conditions of their own regions and departments, and improve the scientific nature of their work and decision-making.

习近平总书记指出，“得其法则事半功倍，不得法则事倍功半甚至产生负作用”。领导干部要做好经济工作，首先就要把思想方法搞对头。现实中，有的领导干部有做好工作的真诚愿望，也有干劲，却由于不懂规律、不懂门道、缺乏本领，虽然做了不少工作，有时还做得很辛苦，但结果却是事与愿违。有的领导干部则将方法论当作一般性号召，学归学、说归说、做归做，未能真正内化为思维方式、转化为工作本领，结果在工作中还是习惯于老套路、老办法，蛮干盲干。方法科学才能实践有力。面对日趋复杂的国内国际形势和艰巨繁重的改革发展任务，各级领导干部要把学习习近平经济思想的工作方法论作为必修课，原原本本学、联系实际学、融会贯通学，准确把握其中的核心要义和实践要求，做到善于在大局下想问题、做工作，善于算长远账、整体账、综合账，善于结合本地区本部门实际创造性贯彻党中央决策部署，提高工作和决策的科学性。

The fundamental purpose of studying and mastering the work methodology of Xi Jinping’s economic thought lies in its application, in implementing the ideas, tasks, and policies of the Party Central Committee regarding economic work. Currently, many situations encountered in economic work have never been faced before, and there are no precedents to follow for resolving many contradictions and problems. This requires a more conscious application of scientific methods to analyze the economic situation and plan economic work. For example, expanding domestic demand cannot be approached solely from the perspective of demand; instead, a systematic concept must be used to coordinate both supply and demand sides for synergistic efforts. Innovation-driven development requires everyone to engage, but when it comes to various key core technologies, conditions and possibilities must be considered, along with the national layout for scientific and technological innovation development. Blindly following trends and chasing hot topics, launching projects without the necessary conditions, must be avoided. To resolve risks and hidden dangers in the real estate sector, it is necessary to adhere to bottom-line thinking, coordinate and balance the interests of the government, enterprises, residents, and other parties, and promote synergy among departments such as finance, taxation, natural resources, and housing construction. It is essential to fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, bear the overall situation in mind, firmly establish the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard [8]8 “The whole country as a single chessboard” (全国一盘棋) is a Chinese political idiom emphasizing unified planning and coordination under central leadership, often used to discourage localism or fragmented implementation., find the correct positioning within the overall situation, and prevent selective implementation, discounting, making compromises, departmentalism, and acting each on one’s own in the implementation process. Strengthen investigation and research, base work on the main functional orientation, accurately grasp resource endowments, locational advantages, historical culture, and industrial foundations, foster strengths and avoid weaknesses, and explore differentiated and characteristic development paths. Establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance, respect objective reality and the needs of the masses, consciously act in accordance with economic laws, resolutely discard and resist formalism and bureaucracy, and pursue solid economic growth without any water content.

学习掌握习近平经济思想的工作方法论，根本目的在于运用，在于把党中央关于经济工作的思路、任务、政策落到实处。当前，经济工作中面对的许多情况此前没有碰到过，许多矛盾问题的破解没有先例可循，需要更加自觉运用科学方法分析经济形势、谋划经济工作。比如，扩大内需，不能就需求论需求，而是要以系统观念统筹供需两端协同发力；创新发展，大家都要抓，但具体到各种关键核心技术，就要看条件和可能，同时要看全国科技创新发展布局，不能盲目跟风追热，上马不具备条件的项目；化解房地产领域风险隐患，就要坚持底线思维，统筹兼顾好政府、企业、居民等方方面面利益关系，推动财政、金融、自然资源、住房建设等部门形成合力。要完整、准确、全面贯彻落实党中央决策部署，胸怀全局，牢固树立全国一盘棋思想，在大局中找准定位，防止在落实中选择性执行、打折扣、搞变通，搞本位主义、各行其是。加强调查研究，立足主体功能定位，精准把握资源禀赋、区位优势、历史文化、产业基础，扬长避短，探索差异化特色化发展路径。树立和践行正确政绩观，尊重客观实际和群众需求，自觉按经济规律办事，坚决摒弃和抵制形式主义、官僚主义，追求实实在在、没有水分的经济增长。

Author: Professor, School of Marxism, Tsinghua University

作者：清华大学马克思主义学院教授