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Unofficial English translation by DeepSeek, a Chinese LLM · source marxism.cass.cn

Western Perceptions and Assessments of New Quality Productive Forces

张丽丝:西方关于新质生产力的主要认知与评析

· · Fundamental Principles of Marxism · "Contemporary World and Socialism" 2024, no. 6 · 29 min read

At the 11th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee, Xi Jinping emphasized that "developing new quality productive forces is an intrinsic requirement and an important focal point for promoting high-quality development," and that "new quality productive forces have already taken shape in practice and demonstrated strong impetus and support for high-quality development." This indicates that accelerating the development of new quality productive forces is an inevitable requirement for promoting high-quality economic development on the new journey of the New Era, and can better advance and expand Chinese-path modernization. Since Xi Jinping proposed the concept of "new quality productive forces," the West has devoted considerable attention to it. Systematically sorting out and analyzing Western basic perceptions of and main attitudes toward new quality productive forces is, on the one hand, an objective requirement for better clarifying the basic forms of Western information warfare and building sound interactive relations between China and the rest of the world against the backdrop of changes unseen in a century; on the other hand, it also helps deepen research on new quality productive forces, providing some reference for promoting high-quality economic development and solidly advancing Chinese-path modernization.

习近平在二十届中央政治局第十一次集体学习时强调:“发展新质生产力是推动高质量发展的内在要求和重要着力点”,“新质生产力已经在实践中形成并展示出对高质量发展的强劲推动力、支撑力”。这表明,加快发展新质生产力是新时代新征程推动经济高质量发展的必然要求,能够更好地推进和拓展中国式现代化。自从习近平提出“新质生产力”的概念,西方就对此投入了极大的关注。系统梳理和分析西方对新质生产力的基本认知和主要态度,一方面是在世界百年未有之大变局背景下,更好地廓清西方舆论战的基本形态、建构中国在全球范围内良好互动关系的客观要求;另一方面还有助于深化对新质生产力的研究,为促进经济高质量发展、扎实推进中国式现代化提供一定的借鉴。

I. Understanding the Basic Connotations of New Quality Productive Forces from Multiple Angles

一、多角度认识新质生产力的基本内涵

Many Western media outlets, think tanks, politicians, and scholars have shown high attention to and regard for the core essence and basic characteristics of new quality productive forces. They each understand the basic meaning of new quality productive forces from different angles, clarifying their important attributes. In summary, they have mainly explained them from four aspects: development strategy, development philosophy, production form, and essential attributes.

西方的诸多媒体、智库、政要与学者对新质生产力的核心要义及其蕴含的基本特征表现出高度关注和重视。他们各自从不同的角度出发认识新质生产力的基本含义,明确新质生产力的重要属性。概括来看,他们主要从发展战略、发展理念、生产质态、基本属性四个方面进行了阐释。

First, at the level of development strategy, they hold that new quality productive forces are an important strategy aimed at promoting high-quality development and facilitating China's economic growth. Some views hold that new quality productive forces are an important strategy for promoting China's high-quality development, with the purpose of breaking away from old economic development models and seeking new economic growth points. Song Lin, chief economist for Greater China at ING Bank, told the BBC: "The old growth engines behind China's economic miracle... are all weakening to varying degrees. 'Therefore, new growth drivers must be found... green economy, digital economy, and innovation are the long-term strategic directions.'" France's European Times holds that new quality productive forces are an important strategic focal point for promoting high-quality development, serving as "a key driving force for responding to challenges, promoting growth, and enhancing well-being." Zhang Yuhan, deputy director of the Berkeley APEC Study Center at the University of California, Berkeley, understands new quality productive forces as "an economic strategy to accelerate 'new quality' industries," holding that it "not only accelerates innovation but also fosters an ecosystem for cultivating 'emerging and future' industries."

第一,在发展战略层面,认为新质生产力是一种以推动高质量发展为目标,促进中国经济发展的重要战略。部分观点认为,新质生产力是促进中国高质量发展的重要战略,目的是摆脱旧的经济发展模式,寻找新的经济增长点。荷兰国际银行大中华区首席经济师宋林向英国广播公司表示:“中国经济增长奇迹背后的旧有增长引擎……都在不同程度地减弱。‘因此,必须寻找新的增长动力……绿色经济、数字经济和创新是长期的战略方向。’”法国《欧洲时报》则认为,新质生产力是推动高质量发展的重要战略着力点,是“应对挑战、推动增长、增进福祉的关键动力”。美国加州大学伯克利分校伯克利亚太经合组织研究中心副主任张宇翰将新质生产力理解为一种“加速‘新优质’行业的经济战略”,认为它“不仅要加快创新,还有利于培育‘新兴和未来’产业发展的生态系统”。

Second, at the level of development philosophy, they hold that new quality productive forces are a development philosophy that breaks away from traditional economic growth paths and explores new paths of economic growth. Some views hold that new quality productive forces are a development philosophy emphasizing high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, a development vision combining advanced technological innovation with development philosophy, focusing more on "quality" and "efficiency" rather than traditional growth indicators. Fabio Massimo Parenti, associate professor at the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute for International Relations in Italy, points out that new quality productive forces embody the new development philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, requiring a break from traditional production methods and "promoting scientific and technological self-sufficiency." Bloomberg News in the United States also points out that new quality productive forces are "a development intention and philosophy to continue expanding the economy at a healthy pace, breaking away from the 'high-speed' growth model supported by rapidly expanding debt." Hufangman, director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore and former director of the World Bank's China office, clearly states that new quality productive forces, as an economic philosophy, will become a new driving force for China to achieve its economic growth targets, an important step for China to move up the global industrial chain, and will also become an important engine for promoting global economic recovery.

第二,在发展理念层面,认为新质生产力是一种摆脱传统经济增长路径、探索新的经济增长路径的发展理念。部分观点认为,新质生产力是一种强调高科技、高效能、高质量的发展理念,是将先进技术创新与发展理念相结合的发展愿景,更关注“质”“效”,而非传统的增长指标。意大利佛洛伦佐·梅迪奇国际关系研究所副教授法比奥·马西莫·帕伦蒂指出,新质生产力内含创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的新发展理念,要求摆脱传统生产方式,“促进科学和技术的自给自足”。美国彭博新闻社也指出,新质生产力是一种“摆脱由急速膨胀的债务支撑的‘高速’增长模式,以健康的速度继续扩大经济的发展意图与理念”。新加坡国立大学东亚研究所所长、世界银行中国局前局长郝福满明确指出,新质生产力作为一种经济理念, 将成为中国实现经济增长目标的新式推动力,是中国向全球产业链上游迈进的重要一环,也将成为促进全球经济复苏的重要引擎。

Third, at the level of production form, they hold that new quality productive forces are an advanced form of productive forces reflecting China's promotion of social development through scientific and technological innovation. Some views hold that new quality productive forces are an advanced form of productive forces, whose core is disruptive and original scientific and technological innovation, accompanied by the transformative application of new production factors such as computing power and data, marking a profound transformation of China's economic landscape. Robert Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation in the United States, holds that new quality productive forces are "a completely new way of thinking," achieving "disruptive innovation" in the field of science and technology, "mastering the most advanced technologies," and are "an advanced form of productive forces consistent with the new development philosophy." Bernd Berger, professor at the Free University of Berlin and senior economic advisor to the European Commission, also points out that new quality productive forces are "an innovative form of productive forces consistent with China's new development philosophy, representing the characteristics of 'high technology, high efficiency, and high quality.'"

第三,在生产质态层面,认为新质生产力是一种反映中国通过科技创新推动社会发展的先进生产力质态。部分观点认为,新质生产力是一种先进的生产力质态,核心是颠覆性、原创性的科技创新,伴随着算力、数据等新型生产要素的变革性运用,标志着中国经济格局的深刻转型。美国库恩基金会主席罗伯特·库恩认为,新质生产力“是一种全新的思路”,在科学技术领域“实现颠覆性创新”,“掌握最先进的技术”,是“符合新发展理念的先进生产力质态”。德国柏林自由大学教授、欧盟委员会经济高级顾问康保锐也指出,新质生产力是“符合中国的新发展理念,代表着‘具有高科技、高效能、高质量’特征的创新型生产力质态”。

Fourth, at the level of essential attributes, they hold that new quality productive forces are the latest theoretical achievement of adapting Marxist productive forces theory to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Western mainstream media and scholars hold that new quality productive forces are a major original theory of Xi Jinping's economic thought, inheriting the lineage of Marxist productive forces theory. As an economic concept marked by a significant increase in total factor productivity, new quality productive forces achieve innovation and development of Marxist productive forces theory. Quartz Financial News in the United States holds that the concept of new quality productive forces has "great theoretical and practical significance" and can promote "high-quality growth" of the economy. Deutsche Welle, a mainstream German media outlet, holds: "Traditional productive forces theory originates from 19th-century Marxism and is a definition of natural resources, labor, means of production, and economic and technological knowledge. Unlike traditional productive forces theory, new quality productive forces are not based on traditional means of production such as labor and capital, but on technological innovation." Barry Naughton, professor of economics at the University of California, San Diego, explains from the perspective of dialectics that new quality productive forces represent "a breakthrough and leap from quantitative accumulation to qualitative change," and are "a result combining Marxist and neoclassical concepts."

第四,在本质属性层面,认为新质生产力是马克思主义生产力理论中国化时代化的最新理论成果。西方主流媒体与学者认为,新质生产力是习近平经济思想的一大原创性理论,与马克思主义生产力理论一脉相承。新质生产力作为一种以全要素生产率大幅提升为标志的经济概念,实现了对马克思主义生产力理论的创新和发展。美国石英财经网认为,新质生产力概念具有“伟大的理论和现实意义”,能够推动经济“高质量增长”。德国主流媒体“德国之声”认为:“传统生产力理论来源于19世纪马克思主义,是对自然资源、劳动力、生产资料和经济技术知识等的界定。与传统的生产力理论不同,新质生产力不是基于劳动力、资本等传统生产资料,而是技术创新。”美国加州大学圣地亚哥分校经济学教授巴里·诺顿则从辩证法的角度,阐明新质生产力的“量变积累到质变的突破与飞跃”,是将“马克思主义和新古典主义概念相结合的成果”。

II. Actively Explaining the Logic of the Emergence of New Quality Productive Forces

二、积极阐释新质生产力的出场逻辑

In mainstream Western perceptions, the proposal of new quality productive forces is not only related to the revitalization and development of China's economy, but is also an inevitable choice for productive forces reaching a new stage of development, consistent with the new development philosophy, a key to China's comprehensive construction of a great modern socialist country, and an important support for enhancing China's international competitiveness.

在西方主要认知中,提出新质生产力不光事关中国经济的振兴发展,还是生产力发展到新阶段的必然选择,与新发展理念一脉相通,是中国全面建设社会主义现代化强国的关键所在,也是中国提升国际竞争力的重要支撑。

First, they understand the proposal of new quality productive forces as an urgent need for the Chinese government to revitalize the economy, with the purpose of releasing the vitality of economic development. First, some views hold that the proposal of new quality productive forces is an urgent need for China's economic transformation and growth. Developing new quality productive forces requires innovating production technologies, enhancing scientific and technological capabilities, and optimizing industrial layouts, all of which are key factors for China to achieve economic transformation and upgrading. CNN's article "2024 China Two Sessions Focus: Boosting Consumption to Drive Economic Growth" holds that the core of new quality productive forces is scientific and technological innovation, aimed at "boosting the confidence of domestic and foreign consumers, promoting the healthy development of the national economy," and "achieving high-quality development." Second, some views hold that the proposal of new quality productive forces lies in forming new momentum for high-quality economic development, thereby stimulating the economy to radiate new vitality. Parenti holds that the proposal of new quality productive forces is showing the world that China's economy will "export unprecedented vitality." Joan Taylor, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, also holds that the proposal of new quality productive forces, "accompanied by China's independent development of core technologies," will inject sustained competitive advantages into economic development, and China will enter a new stage of "commercializing technology in the name of economic growth." Kuhn holds that new quality productive forces are the driver of high-quality development: "The past 'China collapse theory' certainly will not happen, and the current 'peak China theory' will not happen either." Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also clearly stated that new quality productive forces herald "China's extraordinary economic transformation, and regions cooperating with China will benefit; cooperation with China is in Australia's national interest."

第一,将新质生产力的提出理解为中国政府振兴经济的迫切需要,目的是释放经济发展活力。首先,部分观点认为,新质生产力的提出是中国经济转型和增长的迫切需要。发展新质生产力要求创新生产技术、提升科技能力和优化产业布局等,这些都是中国实现经济转型和升级的关键因素。美国有线电视新闻网发布的《2024中国两会聚焦:促进消费推动经济增长》一文认为,新质生产力的核心是科技创新,旨在“提振国内外消费者的信心,推动国家经济健康发展”,“实现高质量发展”。其次,部分观点认为,新质生产力的提出在于形成经济高质量发展新动力,从而刺激经济焕发出新的活力。帕伦蒂认为,新质生产力的提出,是在向世界展示中国经济将“会输出前所未有的活力”。美国得克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校政治学系主任琼·泰勒教授也认为,新质生产力的提出“伴随着中国在核心技术上的独立自主发展”,将为经济发展注入持续的竞争优势,中国将进入“以经济增长的名义将科技商业化”的新阶段。库恩认为,新质生产力是高质量发展的驱动器,“过去的‘中国崩溃论’当然不会发生,而现在的‘峰值中国论’也不会发生”。澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯也明确表示,新质生产力预示着“中国非同寻常的经济转型,与中国合作的地区将受益,与中国合作符合澳大利亚的国家利益”。

Second, the proposal of new quality productive forces is attributed to the historical inevitability of productive forces reaching a new stage of development. Productive forces are humanity's ability to transform and conquer nature, and they have their own trajectory and laws of development. Some Western scholars characterize the emergence of new quality productive forces as the inevitable choice of China's productive forces reaching a new stage. First, some views hold that new quality productive forces are a summary of productive forces reaching a new stage of development. An article in the British *Economist* argues that the proposal of new quality productive forces represents "a new turn in China's plan from traditional industry to the digital industry," which means "improving traditional industry, breaking foreign monopoly and blockade of existing domestic technology, and opening up a new path for future development." Second, some views hold that the proposal of new quality productive forces signals a qualitative leap in China's productive forces, and that China will enter an advanced stage of development and become a leader in the next industrial revolution. Professor Mark Cohen of the University of Technology Sydney Business School in Australia stated: "China is in the midst of a disruptive transformation and will become an innovative power."

第二,将新质生产力的提出归结为生产力发展到新阶段的历史必然。生产力是人类改造自然和征服自然的能力,有其自身的发展历程与发展规律。西方一些学者将新质生产力的出场归纳为中国生产力发展到新的阶段的必然选择。首先,部分观点认为,新质生产力是对生产力发展到新阶段的概括。英国《经济学人》发表文章认为,新质生产力的提出代表了“中国计划从传统工业走向数字产业的新转向”,这意味着要“改善传统工业,打破外国对本国现有技术的垄断与封锁,开辟一条未来发展新道路”。其次,部分观点认为,新质生产力的提出表明了中国生产力的质态跃升,中国将进入先进发展阶段、将成为下一次工业革命的领导者。澳大利亚悉尼科技大学商学院马科恩教授表示:“中国正处于一种颠覆性的转型中,将成为一个创新大国。”

Third, it is held that the proposal of new quality productive forces is consistent with the new development philosophy. Some Western media and scholars point out that new quality productive forces are the current product of the new development philosophy, emphasizing the coordinated promotion of upgrading traditional industries and leading the strategic development of emerging industries. "Deutsche Welle" believes: "The proposal of new quality productive forces is the result of solving problems that traditional productive forces have not solved under existing conditions, based on traditional productive forces and in response to the new situation." Sherry Ze Yu, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in the United States, believes: "The rise of China as the world's factory has left the West in a backward position," and that China has achieved a "corner overtaking" in emerging industries such as electric vehicles over the past decade, and that the proposal of new quality productive forces has drawn "a new blueprint for industry." U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns recently said in an online lecture at the East-West Center, a U.S. think tank: "New quality productive forces will greatly enhance China's manufacturing capacity, and the focus is not entirely on surpassing the United States in high-end technology, but on thoroughly countering the United States through strong manufacturing capacity and strengthening itself." An article in the *Economist* likens new quality productive forces to "an owl spreading its wings," arguing that they are used "to solve problems plaguing China's industrial development, to clarify that the goals driven by scientific and technological innovation are far grander and more far-reaching than the present," and that they represent "the single largest commitment to industrial policy goals."

第三,认为新质生产力的提出与新发展理念一脉相承。一些西方媒体、学者指出,新质生产力是新发展理念的当前产物,强调对传统产业升级的统筹推进,引领发展战略性新兴产业。“德国之声”认为:“新质生产力的提出是根据新形势,以传统生产力为基础,在现有条件下,解决传统生产力未解决难题的结果。”美国哈佛大学肯尼迪政府学院高级研究员雪梨·泽·于认为:“中国作为世界工厂的崛起使西方处于落后地位”,中国在过去十年实现了电动车等新兴行业的“弯道超车”,新质生产力的提出绘制了“一幅工业新蓝图”。美国驻华大使伯恩斯近期在美国智库东西方中心开展线上讲座时谈道:“新质生产力将大幅提升中国的制造能力,重点不完全是在高端技术领域超越美国,而是要通过强大的制造能力彻底反制美国,强大自己。”《经济学人》刊发的文章将新质生产力比喻成“猫头鹰展开翅膀”,认为其是用来“解决困扰中国工业发展的问题,用来阐明科技创新推动的目标远比现在更宏大深远”,是“对产业政策目标最大的单一承诺”。

Fourth, it is held that developing new quality productive forces is the key to China's building of a modernized strong country. Some Western scholars believe that new quality productive forces, driven by disruptive innovative technologies, promote high-quality development, continuously advance and expand Chinese-path modernization, and are an important driving force for building a strong manufacturing country, a strong quality country, a strong aerospace country, a strong transportation country, a strong cyber country, and a digital China. Marco Cardillo, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Trento in Italy, stated: "China's development of new quality productive forces is a strong guarantee for achieving high-quality development, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of new technologies according to local conditions is conducive to advancing Chinese-path modernization from the actual conditions of each locality and effectively meeting different needs." Kuhn believes that new quality productive forces are "the core driver of high-quality development, and China will continue to advance Chinese-path modernization so that the people can live a better life." Jan-Christoph Mittelstaedt, a lecturer in the Department of Modern Chinese Studies at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, wrote in the *Financial Times*: "The focus of the government report is on new quality productive forces. Although the word 'consumption' appears 11 times in total, the three words 'investment,' 'manufacturing,' and 'industry' or 'industrialization' appear as many as 69 times in total," and "the key to new quality productive forces lies in pragmatic investment in manufacturers, with the ultimate goal of building 'a great modern socialist country.'"

第四,认为发展新质生产力是中国建设现代化强国的关键所在。一些西方学者认为,新质生产力以颠覆性创新技术驱动高质量发展,不断推进和拓展中国式现代化,是实现建设制造强国、质量强国、航天强国、交通强国、网络强国、数字中国的重要动力。意大利特伦托大学法学副教授马克·卡尔迪洛表示:“中国发展新质生产力是实现高质量发展的有力保障,因地制宜推进新技术改造升级,有利于促进中国式现代化从各地实际情况出发,有效满足不同需求。”库恩认为,新质生产力是“高质量发展的核心驱动,中国将持续推进中国式现代化,让人民过上美好生活”。牛津大学亚洲与中东研究学院现代中国研究系讲师简-克里斯托弗·米特尔斯泰特在《金融时报》发表的文章认为:“政府报告的重点是新质生产力,虽然‘消费’一词总共出现了11次,但是‘投资’‘制造业’和‘工业’或‘工业化’三个词共出现多达69次”,“新质生产力的关键在于对制造者的务实投资,最终目的是“建设‘一个伟大的社会主义现代化国家’”。

Fifth, it is held that developing new quality productive forces is an important support for China's enhancement of international competitiveness. First, some views hold that China has faced a battle for scientific and technological autonomy in recent years, and that vigorously advancing a new type of industrialization and accelerating the development of artificial intelligence will break through the "bottleneck" problems and further enhance international competitiveness. A commentary on the European website *Modern Diplomacy* argues: "China's emphasis on building new quality productive forces is a countermeasure to the hostile policies of the United States targeting China's vulnerabilities in the global supply chain, and is the foundation for promoting high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening." Second, some Western media believe that strengthening the cultivation of new quality productive forces and promoting the high-quality development of key industrial chains in manufacturing can enhance the resilience and security of China's industrial and supply chains. The American *Wall Street Journal* believes: "Promoting high-quality economic development with new quality productive forces and strengthening the economy's ability to withstand potential conflicts can enhance the resilience of China's economy at the global strategic level." Bloomberg News of the United States published an article arguing: "A mode of production centered on technological innovation can promote economic growth and is conducive to enhancing the scale of China's economy and its position in the world."

第五,认为发展新质生产力是中国提升国际竞争力的重要支撑。首先,部分观点认为,中国近年来面临着科技自主权的争夺战,大力推进新型工业化,加快人工智能发展,将突破“卡脖子”难题,进一步增强国际竞争力。欧洲《现代外交》网站评论认为:“中国对建设新质生产力的重视,是对美国针对中国在全球供应链中脆弱性的敌对政策的反制,是推动实现高水平科技自立自强的基础。”其次,一些西方媒体认为,加强新质生产力的培育,推动制造业重点产业链高质量发展,能够提升中国产业链、供应链的韧性和安全水平。美国《华尔街日报》认为:“以新质生产力推动经济高质量发展,加强经济抵御潜在冲突的能力,可以提升中国经济在全球战略层面的韧性。”美国彭博新闻社发文认为:“以技术创新为核心的生产方式能够促进经济增长,有利于提升中国经济的规模及其在全球的地位。”

III. Basic Affirmation of the Significant Significance of New Quality Productive Forces

三、基本肯定新质生产力的重要意义

The West generally believes that new quality productive forces can not only add new momentum to the high-quality development of China's economy and bring vitality to global economic development, but also shape new advantages for China's international competition, promote profound social changes in China, enrich and develop the Marxist theory of productive forces, and provide theoretical reference for Western communists, with profound significance.

西方普遍认为,新质生产力不仅能为中国经济高质量发展增添新动能,为全球经济发展带来活力,还能塑造中国国际竞争的新优势,推动中国社会深刻变革,丰富和发展马克思主义生产力理论,为西方共产主义者提供理论借鉴,具有深刻意义。

First, it affirms that developing new quality productive forces will bring new momentum to the high-quality development of China's economy and inject vitality into global economic development. More and more European media and authoritative figures have expressed expectations for China's outstanding economic performance, especially expecting the development of new quality productive forces to add new vitality to China's economy. Jean-Yves Berthon, Vice Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China and member of the French Foreign Trade Advisors Committee (China region), believes: "China is a vibrant country, and new quality productive forces are a major policy shift that lays the foundation for China's transition to high-quality growth, the digital economy, consumption-driven growth models, and green growth." Moreover, many Western political figures and scholars have stated that China's accelerated development of new quality productive forces will also create more opportunities for world economic recovery and add more development momentum. Hannes Fellner, Professor of Digital Documentation at the University of Vienna in Austria, believes: "Against the backdrop of rising protectionism, China promotes industrial upgrading through scientific and technological innovation and continuously shapes new drivers and advantages for development. This is beneficial not only to China but also to the world." George Tzogopoulos, head of the Europe-China program at the International Center for European Studies, believes that the core content of new quality productive forces is scientific and technological innovation, and expressed "expectation that China's development in the economy, science and technology, and other fields will inject new vitality into the world economy." David Olsson, Chairman of the Australia-China Business Council, stated: "China is implementing comprehensive economic reforms, committed to transforming economic development into a positive future green 'high-quality' economic growth model, which can promote Australia's own decarbonization efforts and long-term economic and industrial transformation." Former Polish Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechociński also stated: "In recent years, China has actively promoted the development of strategic emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, commercial aerospace, and the low-altitude economy, leading the future development direction of related industries, and contributing to world economic recovery and global development and prosperity. It is a very important and reliable partner." Commercial Counselor Joe Keating of the Irish Embassy in China believes: "New quality productive forces can not only promote China's own economic growth, but also provide new momentum for economic growth in Asia and the world." Tashiro Hidotoshi, Chief Economist of Japan's Wireless Corporation, also believes: "China's high-quality development is beneficial to the world, and we look forward to China's further transition to new industrial models, leading the world economy with innovation and Chinese wisdom."

第一,肯定发展新质生产力将为中国经济高质量发展带来新动能,为全球经济发展注入活力。越来越多的欧洲媒体与权威人士都表示期待中国经济的出色表现,尤其期待发展新质生产力为中国经济增添新的活力。中国法国工商会副主席、法国对外贸易顾问委员会(中国区)委员柏纪言认为:“中国是一个充满活力的国家,新质生产力是一项重大政策转变,为中国向高质量增长、数字经济、消费驱动增长模式和绿色增长转型奠定基础。”不仅如此,还有许多西方政要和学者表示,中国加快发展新质生产力,还会为世界经济复苏创造更多机遇,增添更多的发展动力。奥地利维也纳大学数字文献部教授汉尼斯·费尔纳认为:“在保护主义日益盛行的背景下,中国以科技创新推动产业升级,不断塑造发展新动能新优势。这不仅有利于中国,也将有利于世界。”欧洲研究国际中心欧洲—中国项目负责人乔治·佐戈普鲁斯认为新质生产力的核心内容是科技创新,表示“期待中国在经济、科技等领域的发展为世界经济注入新活力”。澳中工商业委员会主席大卫·奥尔森表示:“中国正在实施全面的经济改革,致力于将经济发展转变为一种积极的未来绿色‘高质量’经济增长模式,这种模式可以促进澳大利亚自身的脱碳努力和长期的经济产业转型。”波兰前副总理雅努什·皮耶霍钦斯基也表示:“近年来,中国积极促进新能源、新材料、商业航天、低空经济等战略性新兴产业发展,引领相关产业未来发展方向,为世界经济复苏和全球发展繁荣贡献力量,是非常重要、可靠的合作伙伴。”爱尔兰驻华大使馆商务参赞乔柯汀认为:“新质生产力不仅能促进中国自身经济增长,还将为亚洲和全球经济增长提供新的动力。”日本无线合同会社首席经济田代秀敏也认为:“中国的高质量发展对世界是有利的,期待中国进一步向新的产业模式转型,以创新和中国智慧引领世界经济。”

Second, they hold that new quality productive forces will shape new advantages in international competition. Many Western scholars predict that, given China's past performance, China's pace of innovation over the next decade will only accelerate, and the next round of competition in the global industrial supply chain has already begun. This means China will advance into the high-end of the value chain, and the rise of China as the world's green factory will challenge Western dominance. Carl Fey, professor of strategy at the Norwegian Business School, states: "China is no longer just trying to be the world's factory, focused on doing things at low cost, but is trying to add more value, so that it can both pay workers higher wages and transform itself into the world's innovator." Moreover, some Western media outlets, political figures, and scholars point out that as China cultivates new quality productive forces, its products will become more competitive in the global trade market, China will actively participate in the process of reforming global trade system governance, and the global trade system will be restructured. U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns is concerned about the significant boost in China's manufacturing capacity, believing that "China will have more solar panels, electric vehicles, and other products, and if these products are sold to other countries at low prices or even dumping prices," this will "break the existing global trade system." The French online magazine *Le Continent* argues: "In the long run, new quality productive forces can bypass external procurement barriers, including sanctions in related fields and export controls on advanced technology, ensuring international strategic advantages and breaking the existing balance of international trade." Naoki Tsukigaoka, chief economist at Mizuho Research & Technologies in Japan, argues: "The West and Europe regard China's overcapacity as a problem, which is not unrelated to the strong international competitiveness of Chinese products in the global market," and "whether there is overcapacity in emerging industries is statistically very difficult to answer."

第二,认为新质生产力将塑造国际竞争新优势。不少西方学者预测,鉴于中国过去的表现,中国在未来十年的创新速度只会更快,下一轮全球工业供应链的角逐已经拉开,这意味着中国将进军价值链高端地位,中国作为世界绿色工厂的崛起会冲击西方的主导地位。挪威商学院战略学教授卡尔·费称:“中国不再只是试图成为世界工厂,专注于用低廉成本做事,而是试图增加更多的附加值,这样既可以付给员工更高的工资,还能转变为世界的创新者。”不仅如此,一些西方媒体、政要和学者还指出,随着中国对新质生产力的培育,其产品在全球贸易市场中将会更有竞争力,中国将会积极参与到全球贸易体系的治理改革进程中,全球贸易体系将会重组。美国驻华大使尼古拉斯·伯恩斯对中国制造业能力的大力提振感到担忧,认为“中国会有更多太阳能板、电动汽车等产品,如果这些产品以低价甚至以倾销的价格,销往世界其他国家”,这会“打破现有的全球贸易体系”。法国在线杂志《欧洲大陆》认为:“从长远看新质生产力能够绕过外购壁垒,包括相关领域的制裁和先进技术出口管制,确保国际战略优势,打破现有国际贸易的平衡。”日本瑞穗研究与技术主任经济学家月冈直树则认为:“欧美把中国的过剩生产能力当做问题来看待,与中国产品在国际市场上的强大国际竞争力不无关系”,“对于新兴产业是否有过剩的产能,在统计上是很难回答的”。

Third, they hold that new quality productive forces not only change China's mode of production but also drive comprehensive social transformation. Many Western media outlets suggest that new quality productive forces can not only trigger a transformation of productive forces, reshape factors of production and the labor process, and construct a new mode of production, but also bring about profound changes at the level of relations of production and social institutions. Reuters believes that new quality productive forces are "a sweeping reform program," which entails not only changes at the socioeconomic level but also "profound changes in relations of production and social institutions." The Italian media outlet *AntiDiplomatico* argues that the cultivation of new quality productive forces "inevitably gives rise to revolutionary changes in relations of production, requiring continuous reform of relations of production and the establishment of new models, institutions, and management mechanisms, thereby providing important guarantees for the continuous development of new quality productive forces."

第三,认为新质生产力不仅改变了中国的生产方式,还会推动社会全面变革。不少西方媒体提出,新质生产力不光能够引发生产力变革,对生产要素与劳动过程进行改造,构建新的生产方式,还能带来生产关系与社会制度等层面的深刻变革。路透社认为,新质生产力是“一场大幅度的改革方案”,不仅意味着社会经济层面的变迁,还意味着“生产关系和社会制度层面的深刻变革”。意大利媒体“反外交”认为,新质生产力的培育“必然引起生产关系的革命性变化,需要不断改革生产关系,建立新的模式、制度与管理机制,从而为新质生产力的不断发展提供重要保障”。

Fourth, they hold that the theory of new quality productive forces enriches and develops Marxist economic theory and provides theoretical reference for Western communists. *AntiDiplomatico* argues: "New quality productive forces are not merely a partial optimization or simple iteration of traditional productive forces, but a revolutionary discovery originating in technology, including the innovative allocation of factors of production and profound industrial transformation and modernization processes." This new type of productive forces theory "is both innovative and possesses high-quality theoretical characteristics, enriches Marxism, and can also provide Western communists with much food for reflection and reference." Cho Pyeong-gyu, distinguished professor at Dankook University in South Korea, argues: "The theory of new quality productive forces is a new development of the Marxist theory of productive forces," and it "breaks free from the ideological constraints of Western economic theory." *Le Continent* argues: "New quality productive forces are not only an economic stimulus but also a critique of Western welfare culture, promoting the realization of the people's goal of a better life, capable of exerting a lasting influence on socialist theory and practice, and constituting an important contribution to Marxist economic theory."

第四,认为新质生产力理论丰富和发展了马克思主义经济理论,为西方共产主义者提供了理论借鉴。“反外交”认为:“新质生产力不仅是对传统生产力的局部优化或简单迭代,还是一种源于技术的革命性发现,包括生产要素的创新配置与深刻的工业转型、现代化过程。”这种新型的生产力理论“既有创新性,又具有高质量的理论特质,丰富了马克思主义,也能为西方共产主义者提供诸多反思借鉴”。韩国檀国大学特聘教授赵平奎认为:“新质生产力理论是马克思主义生产力理论的新发展”,“摆脱了西方经济理论的意识形态限制”。《欧洲大陆》认为:“新质生产力不仅是一种经济刺激,还是对西方福利文化的批判,促进人民美好生活目标的实现,能够对社会主义的理论和实践产生持久影响,是对马克思主义经济理论的重要贡献。”

While the West generally affirms the important significance of new quality productive forces, individual media outlets and scholars have also analyzed the problems China needs to overcome in cultivating them. First, developing new quality productive forces is a systematic project that requires long-term advancement and cannot neglect immediate problems. *The Economist* believes that the goals of new quality productive forces are ambitious and "inevitably lead to some neglect of the urgent economic problems that need to be solved at present." Second, Western society is particularly concerned about the implementation of new quality productive forces. An editorial in the French *European Times* raises the questions: "How can productivity led by innovation be renewed in 'newness,' how can high-quality sustainable development be enhanced in 'quality,' and how can momentum be stimulated to move from top-level design to implementation on the ground?" Reuters believes that the "key to the success" of new quality productive forces "lies in the pathways and institutional mechanisms relied upon to drive technological innovation." Third, the process of advancing new quality productive forces in China will bring numerous risks and challenges. On the domestic front, some views hold that new quality productive forces will bring crises and challenges to Chinese society. For example, Zhang Yuhan argues that "R&D is the lifeblood of technological innovation in new quality productive forces and requires enormous economic and human resources," requiring long-term effort, which "carries uncertainty and the risk of failure." On the external front, individual Western media outlets believe that developing new quality productive forces will trigger unbalanced development in global trade. For example, *The New York Times* believes that the development of China's emerging industries will "lead to an increase in Chinese exports" and "deindustrialization in Europe."

西方在普遍肯定新质生产力具有重要意义的同时,个别媒体与学者也分析了中国培育新质生产力需要克服的问题。第一,发展新质生产力是一项系统工程,需要长期推进,不能忽视眼前问题。《经济学人》认为,新质生产力目标宏大,“难免对当前迫切需要解决的经济问题有所忽视”。第二,西方社会尤其关心新质生产力的落地问题。法国《欧洲时报》社论提出了“以创新为主导的生产力如何焕‘新’,优质可持续发展如何提‘质’,如何激发动能从顶层设计走向落地实施”的问题。路透社认为,新质生产力成功的“关键是依靠什么途径和体制机制来推动技术创新”。第三,中国推进新质生产力的过程,会带来诸多风险挑战。对内方面,一些观点认为新质生产力会给中国社会带来危机和挑战。比如,张宇翰认为,“研发是新质生产力科技创新的命脉,需要大量的经济和人力资源”,需要长期努力,而这“具有不确定性和失败风险”。对外方面,个别西方媒体认为,发展新质生产力将引发全球贸易的不平衡发展。比如,《纽约时报》认为,中国新兴产业的发展会“带来中国出口增加”和“欧洲去工业化”。

IV. An Assessment of American and Western Perceptions of New Quality Productive Forces

四、对美西方关于新质生产力认知的评析

Systematically summarizing the main reasons for Western attention to and research on new quality productive forces, as well as the important characteristics they exhibit, helps to further grasp the West's basic perceptions of new quality productive forces. This provides ideas for China to better write the great essay on developing new quality productive forces, advance high-quality economic development, treat relevant Western public opinion appropriately, and secure ideological leadership.

系统总结西方关注与研究新质生产力的主要原因及其呈现出的重要特征,有助于进一步把握西方对新质生产力的基本认知,为中国更好做好发展新质生产力这篇大文章,推进经济高质量发展,合理对待西方相关舆论,掌握意识形态领导权提供了思路。

(1) The Reasons for Western Attention to New Quality Productive Forces

(一)西方关注新质生产力的缘故

There are currently two main types of reasons why the West is so attentive to new quality productive forces.

当前西方之所以如此关注新质生产力,主要有两类原因。

First, China has achieved remarkable accomplishments that attract worldwide attention, and its influence in many frontier fields is expanding, so all sectors of the international community, including the West, cannot ignore China's acceleration of the development of new quality productive forces. The West has conducted extensive reporting and in-depth interpretation of new quality productive forces, on the one hand to grasp the dynamics of China's development and facilitate timely responses to relevant policies formulated by China; on the other hand, to draw lessons from development experience and seek new development momentum for advancing its own development.

其一,中国取得了举世瞩目的成就,在许多前沿领域影响力在扩大,包括西方在内的国际社会各界都无法忽视中国加快发展新质生产力。西方对新质生产力进行了广泛报道和深度解读,一方面是为了把握中国发展的动态,便于及时应对中国制定的相关政策;另一方面也是为从中吸取发展的经验,为推动自身发展寻求新的发展动能。

Second, some Western countries have in recent years displayed anxiety about China's growth and strengthening, and therefore show particular attention to new quality productive forces. In recent years, some American and Western countries have expanded the scope of "technological strikes," extending from the upstream of technological R&D gradually to the downstream of technological productive capacity. They fear that the continuous cultivation and strengthening of China's new quality productive forces will seize their own technological livelihood. At present, the cluster-style rise of China's new energy vehicles, chips, photovoltaic industry, and other industries has already driven regional capital to shift toward China, and the "high interest rates" of American and Western countries are hard-pressed to block large-scale capital outflows. As China continues to promote the development of new quality productive forces, using technological innovation to drive the cluster-style rise of industries, the competitiveness of new energy vehicles, intelligent technology products, and others will continue to strengthen. In the future, the industrial chain will undergo qualitative changes, and the autonomous science and technology industry will attract more investment, driving some Western technology industries to flow to China, which in turn will trigger dollar flows and ultimately impact the West's technological hegemony. Therefore, position-first and interest-driven approaches are the reasons for some misreadings and one-sided views of new quality productive forces in the West.

其二,一些西方国家近年来对于中国的发展壮大展露出焦虑,所以对新质生产力表现出特别的关注。近年来,一些美西方国家加大“科技打击”的范围,从科技研发的上游,逐渐向下游的科技产能拓展。它们担心中国新质生产力的不断培育壮大,会抢了自身的科技饭碗。当前,中国的新能源汽车、芯片、光伏产业等产业的集群式崛起,已经带动区域性的资本向中国转移,美西方国家“高息”拦堵难以阻挡资本的大规模流出。随着中国继续推动新质生产力的发展,以科技创新推动集群式产业崛起,新能源汽车、智能技术产品等竞争力将不断增强,产业链在未来将会发生质的变化,自主科技产业还将吸引更多投资,推动西方部分科技产业流向中国,进而引发美元流动,最终会冲击西方的科技霸权。因此,立场先行、利益主导是西方对于新质生产力的一些误读和片面观点产生的原因。

(2) Overall Characteristics of Relevant Western Perceptions

(二)西方相关认知的总体特征

Through extensive collection and long-term tracking, it can be seen that Western interpretations and analyses of new quality productive forces exhibit distinct characteristics, involving multiple aspects such as the subjects of attention, angles of interpretation, dimensions of content, and attitudes and viewpoints.

通过广泛收集和长期跟踪可以看出,西方对新质生产力的解读与分析呈现出鲜明的特点,涉及关注主体、解读角度、内容维度、态度观点等多个方面。

First, the range of actors paying attention is relatively broad. Since new quality productive forces were proposed, media outlets, think tanks, political figures, experts, entrepreneurs, and commentators across Western countries have all taken notice. For example, over the past year, numerous media platforms—including Reuters in Britain, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, the Associated Press in the United States, Deutsche Welle, the Modern Diplomacy website in Europe, Le Journal de l'Europe in France, the Italian outlet AntiDiplomatico, and Tokyo Broadcasting System Television in Japan—have produced extensive reporting and discussion on new quality productive forces, covering, in terms of country and region, nearly all major media in Western countries. Moreover, government officials and prominent scholars from multiple countries have voiced their views, analyzing the basic connotations and development paths of new quality productive forces. The concentrated and sustained attention of diverse actors to new quality productive forces also indirectly reflects the rise in China's international standing and influence; the broad and focused Western attention to new quality productive forces will bring new opportunities for China's development and for global development alike.

第一,关注主体较为广泛。在新质生产力提出之后,西方各国媒体、智库、政要、专家、企业家、评论家等都给予了关注。例如,近一年来,包括英国路透社、美国有线电视新闻网、《纽约时报》、《华尔街日报》、彭博新闻社、美国联合通讯社、“德国之声”、欧洲“现代外交”网站、法国《欧洲时报》杂志、意大利媒体“反外交”、日本东京广播电视台等在内的众多媒体平台均对新质生产力进行了大量的报道和讨论,从国别和区域上看几乎包含了所有西方国家的重要媒体。不仅如此,多国政府要员、知名学者等纷纷发表观点,对新质生产力的基本内涵和发展路径进行分析。多元主体对新质生产力的集中持续关注也从侧面反映出中国国际地位和影响力的提升,西方集中广泛关注新质生产力将为中国乃至全球发展带来新的机遇。

Second, the angles of interpretation are relatively diverse. As new quality productive forces continue to develop in China, Western interpretations have grown increasingly pluralistic, including various refined, specialized analyses from different fields and professional perspectives. From an academic standpoint, numerous Western scholars from different countries, research backgrounds, and academic viewpoints have closely tracked the theoretical and practical development of new quality productive forces, conducting research on top-level design and major issues in key areas. The disciplinary backgrounds informing interpretations of new quality productive forces are mainly economics, but also include political science, international relations, law, and other professional perspectives. These scholars, with differing economic and cultural backgrounds and political stances, have provided diverse research directions and multi-angle theoretical frameworks for the study of new quality productive forces, producing a number of interpretive results and constructive suggestions of reference value. This helps to grasp the developmental requirements of new quality productive forces, to continuously optimize and deepen related research, and to advance the international dissemination of the story of China's economic development in the New Era.

第二,解读角度相对多元。随着新质生产力在中国的不断发展,西方对其解读也日趋多元化,包括从不同领域不同专业进行的各种精细化、专业化的分析。从学术角度看,众多来自不同国家、不同研究背景、不同学术观点的西方学者密切跟踪新质生产力理论和实践发展,围绕新质生产力的顶层设计以及重要领域问题开展研究。解读新质生产力的学科背景主要以经济学为主,也包含了政治学、国际关系学、法学等多种专业视角。这些经济文化背景不同、政治立场各异的学者,为新质生产力的研究提供了多元的研究方向和多角度的理论分析框架,产生了不少具有参考价值的解读成果和建设性意见,有助于深入把握新质生产力的发展要求,不断持续优化深化相关研究,并推进新时代中国经济发展故事的国际传播。

Third, the content dimensions are relatively comprehensive. Western attention to new quality productive forces exhibits the basic feature of covering a relatively full range of dimensions. First, the West has conducted fairly detailed analyses of new quality productive forces at the macro, meso, and micro levels. Some scholars have analyzed the theoretical connotations, basic attributes, and world significance of new quality productive forces from the macro level; some media have clarified, from the meso level, the referential significance of new quality productive forces for Western countries' development concepts and development path choices; and some think tanks have explored, from the concrete level, the implementation of new quality productive forces. Second, the West has not only studied and analyzed new quality productive forces from the economic dimension but has also discussed the issue from political, cultural, and other angles. It has not only analyzed, from the dimension of productive forces, the internal transformations within the productive forces system involved in developing new quality productive forces, but has also addressed the social changes driven by transformations in relations of production, as well as discussing technological innovation, green development, and the construction of ecological civilization. Third, the West has offered a comprehensive interpretation of new quality productive forces from the dimensions of theory, value, and practice. It has analyzed the theoretical connotations of new quality productive forces, examined their significance from the value dimension, and explored, from the practical dimension, the long-term nature of their concrete advancement. The comprehensive dimensional analysis and broad coverage of fields in Western content analysis of new quality productive forces, to a certain extent, helps to avoid the biases and misunderstandings that can arise from a single perspective in discussions of new quality productive forces, and helps China to project a more integrated, three-dimensional, and positive international image in Western societies.

第三,内容维度比较全面。西方对新质生产力的关注内容,呈现出涵盖维度相对全面的基本特征。其一,西方从宏观、中观和微观三个层面对新质生产力进行了较为详尽的分析。一些学者从宏观方面分析了新质生产力的理论内涵、基本属性与世界意义,一些媒体从中观角度阐明了新质生产力对西方国家发展理念与发展路径选择上的借鉴意义,也有智库从具体层面探讨了新质生产力的落实问题。其二,西方不仅从经济维度研究分析新质生产力,还从政治与文化等多方面讨论该问题。不仅从生产力维度分析了发展新质生产力涉及的生产力系统内部变革,还论及生产力关系变革所推动的社会变革,也探讨了技术创新、绿色发展和生态文明建设等方面的内容。其三,西方从理论、价值与实践的维度,对新质生产力进行了全面的解读。既分析了新质生产力的理论内涵,也从价值层面分析了新质生产力的重要意义,还从实践层面探讨了新质生产力具体推进的长期性。西方对新质生产力的内容分析维度全面、涉及领域覆盖面广,一定程度上有助于避免在关于新质生产力的相关讨论中因单一视角导致的偏见与误解,有助于中国在西方社会树立一个更为综合、立体和正面的国际形象。

Fourth, affirmative and positive views predominate. Overall, within the basic Western perceptions of new quality productive forces, a positive and affirming attitude is the mainstream, and this camp is still growing. In Western interpretations of new quality productive forces, the bonds between the United States and its allies no longer appear as firm as before, and internal divisions are widening. Canada, Australia, the European Union, and other traditional U.S. allies are no longer leaning one-sidedly toward the United States and are instead showing increasing appreciation for China. Although at the outset of the proposal of new quality productive forces some countries expressed doubts about their stated purpose and development prospects, and some views misread their essential attributes, after tracking China's economic and social development achievements and conducting objective academic research, most Western institutions and individuals have come to adopt a positive attitude toward new quality productive forces. They focus on interpreting the development philosophy and major policy significance of new quality productive forces, affirming not only their strategic significance for China's economic development but also recognizing their positive implications for the global economy. They have not only clarified, from the standpoint of strategic positioning, the new economic momentum and new advantages in international competition that new quality productive forces will bring, but have also, from the standpoint of theoretical development, pointed out the original contributions of the theory of new quality productive forces to the Marxist theory of productive forces and its referential value for contemporary Western socialist theory. The positive perception of new quality productive forces is built on the foundation of China's historic achievements and breakthrough progress in economic development, reflecting the further recognition by most Western media and scholars of China's development concepts, goals, and approaches.

第四,肯定态度观点居多。总的来看,在西方看待新质生产力的基本认知中,积极肯定的态度是主流,这个队伍还在进一步发展壮大。在西方对新质生产力的解读中,美国及其盟友的纽带不似之前那样牢固,内部分歧不断加大。加拿大、澳大利亚、欧盟等美国传统盟友,不再一边倒向美国,反而对中国不断表现出赞赏态度。虽然在新质生产力提出之初,一些国家对其提出的目的与发展前景表示过疑惑,也有一些观点对新质生产力的本质属性存在误读,但经过跟踪关注中国经济社会发展成效和进行客观学术研究,多数西方机构与个人在对待新质生产力上表现出积极态度。他们重点解读新质生产力的发展理念与重大政策意义,不仅肯定了新质生产力对中国经济发展的战略意义,还看到了新质生产力对全球经济的积极意义。他们不仅从战略定位上阐明了新质生产力将带来的经济新动能与国际竞争新优势,还从理论发展方面提出了新质生产力理论对马克思主义生产力理论的原创性贡献及其对当代西方社会主义理论的借鉴价值。对新质生产力的正面认知建立在中国经济发展的历史性成就与突破性进展的基础之上,体现了多数西方媒体与学者对中国发展理念、目标与思路的进一步认同。

(3) Basic Characteristics of Certain Distorted Western Views

(三)西方部分曲解观点的基本特点

It should be noted that a few views still indicate that some Western countries, institutions, or individuals have failed to view new quality productive forces objectively, interpreting their basic connotations and stated purpose one-sidedly and taking a negative attitude toward their development prospects. In summary, these views share the following distinctive features. First, in terms of strategy, they fabricate theoretical traps. After China proposed new quality productive forces, a few countries concocted issues such as the "overcapacity theory." In fact, whether judged by the market economy principles the West itself invokes or by the Marxist law of value, the "overcapacity theory" is a false proposition. The International Energy Agency has pointed out that "many countries around the world, after the Paris Agreement, made significant commitments to reducing emissions that affect climate change," but "so far, many countries have not taken actual economic action to truly achieve emission reductions." Therefore, there remains a large gap in the global market, and hyping the "overcapacity theory" is in fact a theoretical trap fabricated by the United States to restrict the export of Chinese new energy products. Switzerland's Neue Zürcher Zeitung website published "China's 'Overcapacity': Western Hypocrisy and Shortsightedness," pointing out that the U.S. accusation of Chinese overcapacity "harms others to benefit oneself" and is "a pretext for its own protectionist policies." The various theoretical traps fabricated by certain countries and individuals are merely variants of the West's use of its discursive advantages to construct a "China threat narrative."

应当注意,仍有个别观点表明一些西方国家、机构或个人未能客观看待新质生产力,片面解读其基本内涵与提出目的,对其发展前景持消极态度。总结起来,这些观点有以下鲜明特征。第一,从策略上炮制理论陷阱。中国提出新质生产力后,个别国家捏造“产能过剩论”等议题。事实上,无论从西方所言的市场经济原则,还是从马克思主义的价值规律来看,“产能过剩论”都是个伪命题。国际能源署指出:“全球很多国家在《巴黎协议》后,对影响气候变化的减排,作出了很大的承诺”,但“就目前来看,许多国家还没有采取实际的经济行动,来真正地实现减排”。因此,全球市场还有很大缺口,炒作“产能过剩论”事实上是美国炮制的理论陷阱,为的是限制中国新能源产品的出口。瑞士《新苏黎世报》网站发表《中国“产能过剩”:西方虚伪抱怨与短视》,指出美国对中国产能过剩的指责,“是损人利己的”,是“自身保护主义政策的托词”。某些国家与个人所炮制的种种理论陷阱,不过是西方发挥自身的话语优势,构筑“中国威胁叙事”的变体。

Second, in terms of narrative, they tie new quality productive forces to national security issues. In recent years, reporting by a few Western media outlets on China's new energy, high-tech, and other fields has exhibited the habitual patterns of double standards, selective blindness, and malicious distortion of objective facts used to smear China's economy, involving false narratives that maliciously mislead expectations. This not only reflects their loss of the ability to observe China's development objectively but also exposes their anti-intellectualist nature. A brief summary of these reports reveals that their habitual narrative method is to tie new quality productive forces to national security issues. For example, the United States justifies its sanctions against China on the grounds that China's strong innovative capacity, advanced productive forces, cutting-edge technology, and efficient economy would threaten its national security—especially the claim that Huawei's 5G technology and China's high-speed rail would "threaten" global economic and technological security—and on this basis imposes investment regulation on China in specific technological fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, microelectronics, and quantum computing. Some interpretations of the concept of new quality productive forces in The Wall Street Journal also link it to national security, political stability, and other issues. The purpose this approach seeks to achieve is to exploit the sensitivity of the national security topic to defame China's high-quality development, build momentum for a media siege against China, and thereby achieve the goal of restricting China's development.

第二,从叙事上将新质生产力与国家安全问题捆绑。近年来,个别西方媒体对中国新能源、高科技等领域的报道,呈现出双重标准、选择性失明、恶意篡改客观事实等抹黑中国经济的惯常套路,存在恶意误导预期的虚假叙事问题,既体现出其丧失客观观察中国发展的能力,更暴露了其反智主义本质。对这些报道稍加总结,便可发现其采取的惯常叙事方法就是将新质生产力与国家安全问题捆绑。比如,美国制裁中国的理由是中国强大的创新能力、先进生产力、前沿的科技与高效的经济会威胁到其国家安全,尤其是华为5G技术和中国高铁将“威胁”全球经济和科技安全,并据此对中国人工智能、半导体、微电子、量子计算等特定技术领域进行投资监管。《华尔街日报》对新质生产力概念的一些解读,也将之与国家安全、政治稳定等问题挂钩。这一做法想要达到的目的,就是利用国家安全话题的敏感性,诋毁中国的高质量发展,为舆论围剿中国造势,以达到限制中国发展的目的。

Third, at the level of values, they affix ideological labels. Driven by anxiety over the trend of "the East rising and the West declining" in the international landscape, certain Western countries are eager to repair alliances and build a consensus-based community of values. In recent years, while the U.S. government has played the economic and technological cards in containing China's development, it has also exaggerated Sino-Western value differences, combining ideological infiltration with strategic encirclement. The Biden administration has leveraged economic, technological, and healthcare issues to construct a "technology alliance" oriented toward Western values, seeking to coordinate with allies in a "combined punch" by exaggerating value differences between China and the West to win over allies, expand the Western anti-China encirclement, and build a "small yard, high fence." [14]14 "Small yard, high fence" (小院高墙) is a U.S. policy metaphor for restricting Chinese access to advanced technologies, especially semiconductors, by limiting exports and investment while maintaining a narrow, targeted scope rather than broad decoupling. As soon as new quality productive forces were proposed, this so-called alliance rushed to seize agenda-setting power, quickly interpreting the concept in an attempt to control the power of definition and adjudication, with some Western institutions or individuals eager to affix ideological labels to it. Targeting China's economic policies, some U.S. and Western political figures have taken the initiative to strike out, attempting to monopolize the standard of value judgment. These actions reflect not only the deeply entrenched Western prejudice in matters of doctrine and path that "those not of our kind must have different intentions," but also the intention of some Western countries that fear their own irreversible decline and seek to maintain their hegemonic position.

第三,在价值理念上贴上意识形态标签。出于对国际格局“东升西降”趋势的焦虑,个别西方国家急需修复盟友关系,构建价值共识联盟。近几年,美国政府在遏制中国发展中大打经济牌和科技牌的同时,还夸大中西价值分歧,将意识形态渗透与战略围堵相结合。拜登政府借助经济、科技和医疗等议题,构建以西方价值观为导向的“技术联盟”,力图与盟友步调一致打出一套“组合拳”,通过夸大中西方价值分歧拉拢盟友,拓展西方反华包围圈,打造“小院高墙”。新质生产力一经提出,这个所谓联盟就争相抢占议题设置权,快速解读,意图掌握定性权与裁决权,一些西方机构或人员急于给新质生产力贴上意识形态标签。针对中国的经济政策,部分美西方政要主动出击,企图垄断价值评判标准。这些行为折射出的不仅是西方在主义与道路问题上根深蒂固的“非我族类、其心必异”的成见,还体现了一些西方国家恐惧自身不可逆转的衰弱趋势、企图继续把持霸权地位的意图。

Fourth, at the level of thinking, they are underpinned by zero-sum thinking. Since 2023, in response to China's proposal of new quality productive forces, some Western countries and their media outlets have created an atmosphere of public opinion suggesting that China intends to establish technological hegemony. This is in essence an imposition of their own habitual logic of "a strong country is bound to seek hegemony" onto China, and is a psychological projection of their zero-sum thinking. International relations are not a matter of your loss being my gain or the law of the jungle; win-win cooperation, mutual benefit, mutual trust, and common development are the inevitable trend. Xi Jinping has pointed out that today, "world multipolarity and economic globalization are deepening, social informatization and cultural diversification are advancing, a new round of technological and industrial revolution is gestating, countries are increasingly interconnected and interdependent, the destinies of all nations are shared and intertwined, the forces of peace are rising far faster than the factors of war are growing, and the trend of the times toward peace, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes is growing stronger." Some Western policymakers have long been wary of the development of China's emerging industries and the strengthening of its competitiveness, and now worry even more that China, with innovation playing a leading role in promoting the development of new quality productive forces, will achieve "overtaking on the curve." [15]15 "Overtaking on the curve" (弯道超车) is a Chinese idiom meaning to surpass competitors by seizing an opportunity during a turning point, here referring to China's attempt to leapfrog Western technological dominance through innovation-driven development. They therefore advocate striking at China's strategic deployment to integrate technology into economic production and boost economic growth. In fact, the continuous formation and development of new quality productive forces can not only help build China's modern industrial system, but will also benefit the development of China's trading partners. The East Asia Forum, a well-known international policy research platform, has explicitly stated: "Effective industrial policy, focused on cultivating new quality productive forces, has the potential to boost China's domestic economic growth, benefit the Chinese people broadly, and contribute to global economic stability."

第四,在思维上以零和思维为底色。2023年以来,针对中国提出的新质生产力,一些西方国家及其传媒机构营造出中国意图建立科技霸权的舆论氛围。这实质上是将其自身“国强必霸”的惯性逻辑强加于中国,是其零和思维的心理映射。全球关系不是你输我赢、弱肉强食的关系,合作共赢、互利互惠、相互信任、共同发展是必然趋势。习近平指出,当今“世界多极化、经济全球化深入发展,社会信息化、文化多样化持续推进,新一轮科技革命和产业革命正在孕育成长,各国相互联系、相互依存,全球命运与共、休戚相关,和平力量的上升远远超过战争因素的增长,和平、发展、合作、共赢的时代潮流更加强劲”。一些西方政策制定者长期警惕中国新兴产业的发展和竞争力的强化,当前更担心中国以创新起主导作用推动新质生产力发展实现“弯道超车”,故而主张打击中国当前推动科技融入经济生产、助力经济增长的战略部署。事实上,新质生产力的不断形成和发展,不仅可以助力中国现代化产业体系建设,也将惠及中国贸易伙伴的发展。国际知名政策研究平台东亚论坛就明确指出:“有效的产业政策,以培育新的优质生产力为重点,有可能促进中国国内经济增长,使中国人民广泛受益,并为全球经济稳定作出贡献。”

Any concept, from its proposal and practice to its eventual wide recognition and continuous improvement, is a dynamic process of development. Although some views on new quality productive forces are biased, on the whole, most Western media, think tanks, political figures, and scholars have made relatively objective analyses, affirming that new quality productive forces will bring more development opportunities to China and the world. On the new journey of the New Era, telling China's development story well requires an objective, historical, and comprehensive study and analysis of the cutting-edge trends in U.S. and Western attitudes toward new quality productive forces, further strengthening external publicity effectively and proactively, telling the Chinese story of developing new quality productive forces, achieving high-quality development, and advancing Chinese-path modernization, explaining China's development philosophy clearly to the world, and presenting an amiable, respectable, and admirable image of China. At the same time, in response to the few biases and misinterpretations, one must act only after careful deliberation, calmly clarifying the deep-rooted sources behind these views and attitudes, both daring to speak out in response to smears and slanders and actively seeking points of shared interest and intersection, positively presenting the important global significance of China's development of new quality productive forces in promoting the common development of all countries, and, with a spirit of harmony and coexistence, building consensus on development across the broadest possible scope to create an international environment conducive to one's own development.

任何一种理念从提出、践行到最终获得广泛认可并不断完善,都是一个动态发展的过程。尽管有些观点对于新质生产力的解读存在偏颇,但从总体上看,当前大多数西方媒体、智库、政要和学者等都对新质生产力作出了相对客观的分析,肯定了新质生产力将会为中国和世界带来更多的发展机遇。在新时代新征程上讲好中国发展故事,需要客观地、历史地、全面地研究分析美西方对于新质生产力相关态度的前沿动向,进一步积极有效加强对外宣传,讲好发展新质生产力、实现高质量发展、推进中国式现代化的中国故事,向世界阐释清楚中国的发展理念,展现可亲可敬可爱的中国形象。同时,针对少数偏见和误读,要谋定而后动,冷静厘清这些观点态度背后的深层次根源,既敢于发声回击抹黑污蔑,又主动寻找利益共生点、交叉点,积极呈现中国发展新质生产力对促进各国共同发展的重要世界意义,以和合共生的胸怀在最广大范围内凝聚发展共识,营造有利于自身发展的国际环境。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑:保罗

Notes

  1. The 20th Central Committee refers to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China elected at the Party's 20th National Congress in October 2022.
  2. The Political Bureau collective study session is a regular mechanism in which members of the Party's top leadership study major theoretical and policy issues.
  3. The "new development philosophy" refers to the five concepts of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, first articulated by Xi Jinping in 2015.
  4. "Two Sessions" refers to the annual joint meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, where major national policies are reviewed.
  5. "China collapse theory" and "peak China theory" are Western discourses predicting China's economic decline or stagnation; Kuhn is dismissing both.
  6. "Corner overtaking" (弯道超车) is a Chinese idiom referring to overtaking competitors on a curve, used metaphorically to describe seizing an opportunity to leapfrog ahead of rivals, often in technological or economic development.
  7. "Bottleneck" (卡脖子) problems refers to key technologies or components in which foreign countries restrict or block China's access, choking its development like a hand gripping the throat.
  8. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is an American corporate strategist and author known for his writings on China, including works on the Chinese Communist Party and its leadership.
  9. "New type of industrialization" (新型工业化) refers to China's strategy of industrial development that integrates informatization and industrialization, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and integration into global value chains.
  10. "Low-altitude economy" (低空经济) refers to economic activities involving manned and unmanned aircraft operations in low-altitude airspace, such as drones and air taxis, which China has designated as a strategic emerging industry.
  11. "Writing the great essay" (做好…这篇大文章) is a common Chinese political idiom meaning to carry out a major task thoroughly and successfully, often used by Party leaders to frame strategic work as a comprehensive undertaking.
  12. The Paris Agreement is the 2015 international treaty within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in which signatory states committed to limiting global warming and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  13. Huawei is a Chinese multinational technology company whose 5G telecommunications equipment has been subject to U.S. sanctions and export restrictions on national security grounds since 2019.
  14. "Small yard, high fence" (小院高墙) is a U.S. policy metaphor for restricting Chinese access to advanced technologies, especially semiconductors, by limiting exports and investment while maintaining a narrow, targeted scope rather than broad decoupling. ↩
  15. "Overtaking on the curve" (弯道超车) is a Chinese idiom meaning to surpass competitors by seizing an opportunity during a turning point, here referring to China's attempt to leapfrog Western technological dominance through innovation-driven development. ↩