Building an Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Economics Oriented toward Chinese-Path Modernization

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024. Plenary sessions of the Central Committee are major policy-setting meetings; the “Third Plenary” has historically focused on economic and reform issues. proposed to “innovate the Marxist theory research and development project, implement the philosophy and social science innovation project, and build an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences.” General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important instructions on the Marxist theory research and development project for the New Era, emphasized the need to conduct in-depth research on the major issues in the practice of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, and to accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. Economics is an important component of philosophy and social sciences. On the new journey of advancing Chinese-path modernization, it is imperative to accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.

党的二十届三中全会提出，“创新马克思主义理论研究和建设工程，实施哲学社会科学创新工程，构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系”。习近平总书记对新时代马克思主义理论研究和建设工程作出重要指示强调，要深入研究以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业实践中的重大问题，加快构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系。经济学是哲学社会科学的重要组成部分，在推进中国式现代化新征程上，必须加快构建中国经济学自主知识体系。

I. The Theoretical Foundation of the Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Economics

一、中国经济学自主知识体系的理论基础

Marxist political economy is an important component of Marxism and constitutes the theoretical foundation of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the official launch of the New Era., the Party Central Committee has comprehensively strengthened the Party’s strategic planning and unified leadership over economic work, continuously deepened the understanding of the laws governing economic work, formed Xi Jinping’s economic thought, opened up a new realm of contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy, and provided the fundamental guidance for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.

马克思主义政治经济学是马克思主义的重要组成部分，其构成中国经济学自主知识体系的理论根基。党的十八大以来，党中央全面加强党对经济工作的战略谋划和统一领导，不断深化对经济工作的规律性认识，形成了习近平经济思想，开拓了当代中国马克思主义政治经济学新境界，成为中国经济学自主知识体系构建的根本遵循。

Marxist political economy provides the theoretical foundation for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Nowadays, there are all kinds of economic theories, but the only fundamental political economy for us is Marxist political economy, not any other economic theory.” Marxist political economy takes historical materialism and dialectical materialism as its methodology, reveals the laws of motion, internal contradictions, and development trends of the capitalist economy within the contradictory movement of productive forces and relations of production, and points out the basic characteristics of the socialist and communist movements. Constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics means applying the basic principles and methodology of Marxist political economy to conduct in-depth research on the mode of production of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the relations of production corresponding to it. Based on the development stage, environment, and the principal contradiction facing our society, it means liberating and developing productive forces through reforming relations of production, thereby achieving the free and comprehensive development of human beings and common prosperity for all people. Only by adhering to the application of the basic principles and methodology of Marxist political economy can we enhance our ability to manage the socialist market economy and thus better answer the theoretical and practical questions in the economic reform and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

马克思主义政治经济学为构建中国经济学自主知识体系提供了理论根基。习近平总书记指出：“现在，各种经济学理论五花八门，但我们政治经济学的根本只能是马克思主义政治经济学，而不能是别的什么经济理论。”马克思主义政治经济学以历史唯物主义和辩证唯物主义作为方法论，在生产力与生产关系的矛盾运动中揭示资本主义经济的运动规律、内在矛盾和发展趋势，指出了社会主义和共产主义运动的基本特征。构建中国经济学自主知识体系，就是要运用马克思主义政治经济学的基本原理和方法论，深入研究中国特色社会主义生产方式以及与之相适应的生产关系，根据我国社会所处的发展阶段、环境以及面临的社会主要矛盾，通过改革生产关系来解放和发展生产力，进而实现人的自由全面发展和全体人民共同富裕。只有坚持运用马克思主义政治经济学的基本原理和方法论，才能提高驾驭社会主义市场经济的能力，进而更好地回答中国特色社会主义经济改革及经济发展中的理论和实践问题。

Xi Jinping’s economic thought provides the fundamental guidance for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Xi Jinping’s economic thought is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a systematic theoretical summary of the practical experience of China’s economic development in the New Era, a precious intellectual crystallization formed by the CPC’s unremitting exploration of the path of socialist economic development. It has opened up a new realm of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, made important original contributions to enriching and developing Marxist political economy, provided a sharp ideological weapon for promoting high-quality development of China’s economy, scientifically responding to major risks and challenges, and comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and also provided the fundamental guidance for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. To construct the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, the core is to implement the following three points: First, grasp the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and adhere to and apply the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through it; second, adhere to strengthening the Party’s comprehensive leadership over economic work as the fundamental guarantee for China’s economic development; third, adhere to the people-centered development thought as the fundamental stance of China’s economic development. In other words, constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics means always adhering to using the “arrow” of Marxist political economy to shoot at the “target” of China’s economic development in the New Era, thereby profoundly answering major theoretical and practical questions that the classic Marxist writers did not discuss, that our predecessors never encountered, and that Western economic theory has always been unable to solve.

习近平经济思想为构建中国经济学自主知识体系提供了根本遵循。习近平经济思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分，是对新时代我国经济发展实践经验的系统化理论概括，是中国共产党不懈探索社会主义经济发展道路形成的宝贵思想结晶，开拓了中国特色社会主义政治经济学新境界，为丰富发展马克思主义政治经济学作出了重要原创性贡献，为推动我国经济高质量发展、科学应对重大风险挑战、全面建设社会主义现代化国家提供了锐利思想武器，同时也为构建中国经济学自主知识体系提供了根本遵循。以习近平经济思想为指导构建中国经济学自主知识体系，核心是要贯彻落实好以下三点：其一，把握好习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观和方法论，坚持好、运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法；其二，坚持以加强党对经济工作的全面领导作为我国经济发展的根本保证；其三，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想作为我国经济发展的根本立场。换言之，构建中国经济学自主知识体系，就是要始终坚持运用马克思主义政治经济学之“矢”射新时代中国经济发展之“的”，进而深刻回答马克思主义经典作家没有讲过、我们的前人从未遇到过、西方经济理论始终无法解决的重大理论和现实问题。

Chinese-path modernization puts forward the requirements of the times for the construction of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement obtained by our Party leading the people of all ethnic groups in the country through long-term exploration and practice. It follows the inherent logic of the evolution and development of Chinese society, is endogenous to the great social practice of China’s independent exploration, and at the same time draws on and absorbs all outstanding achievements of human civilization, possessing the distinctive characteristics of an independent knowledge system. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [3]3 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022, at which Xi Jinping delivered the report outlining the central tasks for the next concentratedly summarized the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese-path modernization. It not only depicts the grand blueprint of Chinese-path modernization but also puts forward new requirements for the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Taking the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-path modernization as an example: modernization with a huge population scale implies the arduousness and complexity of the development task and a development model different from that of small countries; modernization for common prosperity for all people implies that realizing the people’s aspiration for a better life must be taken as the starting point and落脚点 [4]4 The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is the next national medium-term economic and social development plan following the current 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). of modernization; modernization where material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are in harmony implies that economic development must serve the comprehensive development of human beings; modernization where humans and nature live in harmony implies reflecting the balance and coordination between the economic system and the ecosystem; modernization that takes the path of peaceful development implies promoting win-win cooperation between countries on the basis of achieving one’s own development. As a completely new type of modernization, Chinese-path modernization is fundamentally different from the Western path of modernization. This uniqueness inevitably requires a Chinese independent economic system as theoretical support and guidance. At the same time, the Chinese experience and Chinese wisdom contained in Chinese-path modernization also point out the direction and path for constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.

中国式现代化对中国经济学自主知识体系的构建提出了时代要求。中国式现代化是我们党领导全国各族人民在长期探索和实践中取得的重大成果，遵循中国社会演变发展的自身逻辑，内生于中国自主探索的伟大社会实践，同时借鉴吸收一切人类优秀文明成果，具有自主知识体系的鲜明特征。党的二十大报告集中概括了中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求和重大原则，不仅描绘了中国式现代化的宏伟蓝图，也对中国经济学自主知识体系提出全新要求。以中国式现代化的中国特色为例，人口规模巨大的现代化，意味着发展任务的艰巨性、复杂性以及不同于小国经济的发展模式；全体人民共同富裕的现代化，意味着必须把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点；物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化，意味着经济的发展要服务于人的全面发展；人与自然和谐共生的现代化，意味着要体现经济系统与生态系统的平衡协调；走和平发展道路的现代化，则意味着要在实现自身发展的基础上促进国与国之间的合作共赢。中国式现代化作为一种全新的现代化，与西方现代化道路具有本质区别，这种独特性必然要求有中国自主的经济学体系作为理论支撑和指导。同时，中国式现代化蕴含的中国经验、中国智慧，也为构建中国经济学自主知识体系指明了方向路径。

II. The Distinctive Characteristics of the Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Economics

二、中国经济学自主知识体系的鲜明特征

In his speech at the ceremony marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Marx, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Marxism is a scientific theory, a theory of the people, a practical theory, and an open theory that is constantly developing. These distinctive characteristics of Marxism determine the essential attributes and inherent requirements of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics.

习近平总书记在纪念马克思诞辰200周年大会上的讲话中指出，马克思主义是科学的理论、人民的理论、实践的理论、不断发展的开放的理论。马克思主义的这些鲜明特点，决定了中国经济学自主知识体系的本质属性和内在要求。

The scientific nature of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Marx created the theory of historical materialism and the theory of surplus value, revealed the special laws governing the operation of capitalism, and pointed the way for humanity to leap from the realm of necessity to the realm of freedom. Socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics is a political economy that, on the basis of inheriting the basic principles of Marxist political economy, is rooted in the contemporary national conditions of China and the development practice since reform and opening up, fully absorbs and promotes the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and at the same time draws on the beneficial achievements of other countries in the world. It is a scientific theory reflecting the laws of socialist economic movement and an important component of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping’s economic thought is the latest achievement of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, and it is the Marxist political economy of contemporary China and the Marxist political economy of the 21st century. The CPC, uniting and leading the Chinese people, has already created the miracle of rapid economic development and the miracle of long-term social stability rarely seen in the world. In the future, it will inevitably be able to create a new form of human civilization through Chinese-path modernization. All these demonstrate to the world the scientific nature of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics with irrefutable facts.

中国经济学自主知识体系的科学性。马克思创建了唯物史观和剩余价值学说，揭示了资本主义运行的特殊规律，为人类指明了从必然王国向自由王国飞跃的途径。中国特色社会主义政治经济学是在继承马克思主义政治经济学基本原理的基础上，立足当代中国国情和改革开放以来发展实践，充分吸收和弘扬中华优秀传统文化，同时借鉴世界其他国家有益成果而产生的政治经济学，是反映社会主义经济运动规律的科学理论，是中国特色社会主义理论体系的重要组成部分。习近平经济思想是中国特色社会主义政治经济学的最新成果，是当代中国的马克思主义政治经济学、21世纪马克思主义政治经济学。中国共产党团结带领中国人民，已经创造出世所罕见的经济快速发展奇迹和社会长期稳定奇迹，未来也必然能够以中国式现代化开创人类文明新形态。这些都以无可辩驳的事实向世界展现出中国经济学自主知识体系的科学性。

The people-centered character of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Historical materialism holds that the masses of the people are the creators of society’s material and spiritual wealth, the living practical subject and the highest value subject of socio-historical development, and the genuine driving force of socio-historical development. Therefore, people-centered character is the stipulation of the political stance and essential attributes of economic theory; its substance is the question of whose interests economic theory represents and whom it serves. Chinese-path modernization is the socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China; the people are the subject of Chinese-path modernization, and seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists. Our country has always adhered to the people-centered principle, regarding the realization of common prosperity and people’s free and comprehensive development as the essential requirements for advancing modernization, and has achieved a transcendence and breakthrough of the Western “logic of capital” through the “logic of the people.” At the same time, our country does not follow the old path of some countries that achieve modernization through war, colonization, plunder, and the like; it holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, seeks its own development while steadfastly safeguarding world peace and development, and in turn better safeguards world peace and development through its own development. Thus it can be seen that the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics consistently upholds the people’s standpoint, benefiting both the country itself and embracing the world.

中国经济学自主知识体系的人民性。历史唯物主义认为，人民群众是社会物质财富和精神财富的创造者，是社会历史发展的鲜活实践主体和最高价值主体，是社会历史发展的真正推动者。因此，人民性是关于经济理论的政治立场和本质属性的规定，实质是经济理论代表什么人的利益、为什么人服务的问题。中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，人民是中国式现代化的主体，为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴，是中国共产党人的初心和使命。我国始终坚持人民至上理念，将实现共同富裕和人的自由全面发展视为推进现代化的本质要求，以“人本逻辑”实现了对西方“资本逻辑”的超越和突破。同时，我国不走一些国家通过战争、殖民、掠夺等方式实现现代化的老路，高举和平、发展、合作、共赢旗帜，在坚定维护世界和平与发展中谋求自身发展，又以自身发展更好维护世界和平与发展。由此可见，中国经济学自主知识体系始终坚持人民立场，既造福本国，又胸怀天下。

The practical character of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Any knowledge system of social science ultimately originates from social practice; the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics mainly originates from the practice of our country’s socialist economic construction. After the founding of New China, and especially since reform and opening up, our country found the development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that suits the national conditions, continuously improved the basic socialist economic system, completed in several decades the industrialization process that took Western developed countries several hundred years, achieved the first centenary goal set by the Party of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and provided more complete institutional guarantees, a more solid material foundation, and a more proactive spiritual force for Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics must fully reflect the great historical practice of the Communist Party of China in promoting and leading socialist economic reform and development, strengthen the systematic summary of the path and process of Chinese-path modernization, analyze practical experience with theoretical wisdom, solve practical problems, inspire practical wisdom, and thereby propose and form new economic theories, which are then used to further guide the new practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization.

中国经济学自主知识体系的实践性。任何社会科学的知识体系归根结底都来源于社会实践，中国经济学自主知识体系主要来源于我国社会主义经济建设实践。新中国成立后特别是改革开放以来，我国找到了中国特色社会主义这条符合国情的发展道路，不断完善社会主义基本经济制度，用几十年时间走完了西方发达国家几百年走过的工业化历程，实现了全面建成小康社会这个党确定的第一个百年奋斗目标，为中国式现代化提供了更为完善的制度保证、更为坚实的物质基础、更为主动的精神力量。因此，中国经济学自主知识体系要充分反映中国共产党推动和领导社会主义经济改革与经济发展这一伟大历史实践，加强对中国式现代化建设路径、历程的系统总结，以理论智慧分析实践经验、解决实践问题、启发实践智慧，进而提出和形成新的经济学说，并用以进一步指导推动中国式现代化的新实践。

The developmental character of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. The issues of the times are the driving force of theoretical innovation. Marx, Engels, Lenin, and others all advanced theoretical innovation by thinking about and answering the issues of the times. Faced with constantly emerging new phenomena and new problems, the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics must also keep pace with the times and innovate and develop. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The rich practice of reform and opening up and socialist modernization in the New Era is a ‘rich mine’ for theoretical and policy research… write papers on the motherland’s soil, so that theoretical and policy innovations conform to China’s actual conditions and have Chinese characteristics.” On the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, Chinese-path modernization is a fertile ground that nurtures theoretical innovation and tests theoretical innovation. Constructing an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics is not a simple application of the templates envisioned by classical Marxist writers, nor a reprint of the socialist practice of other countries, nor a copy of existing foreign economic theories; rather, it is to seek economic theories that truly conform to national conditions in the process of promoting better adaptation between relations of production and productive forces, between the superstructure and the economic base, and between national governance and social development.

中国经济学自主知识体系的发展性。时代课题是理论创新的驱动力。马克思、恩格斯、列宁等都是通过思考和回答时代课题来推进理论创新的。面对不断出现的新现象新问题，中国经济学自主知识体系也必须与时俱进、创新发展。习近平总书记指出，“新时代改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的丰富实践是理论和政策研究的‘富矿’，……把论文写在祖国大地上，使理论和政策创新符合中国实际、具有中国特色”。在全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程上，中国式现代化就是一块孕育理论创新、检验理论创新的沃土。构建中国经济学自主知识体系，不是简单套用马克思主义经典作家设想的模板，不是其他国家社会主义实践的再版，也不是国外现有经济理论的翻版，而是要在推动生产关系和生产力、上层建筑和经济基础、国家治理和社会发展更好相适应的过程中去探寻真正符合国情的经济理论。

The open character of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. Chinese-path modernization is the socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, and it possesses the common features of modernization in various countries. Correspondingly, emphasizing the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics does not mean rejecting the reasonable components of foreign economic theories; on the contrary, concepts and principles that reflect the general laws of large-scale socialized production and the market economy, as well as effective research methods such as model deduction, data mining, and econometric analysis, should be critically referenced and utilized in light of national conditions. Furthermore, constructing the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics also requires attention to interdisciplinary integration, combining research perspectives and methods from philosophy, history, politics, law, culture, and other fields of philosophy and social sciences, paying close attention to development trends in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and other fields, and promoting interdisciplinary integration and cross-disciplinary research. Only by continuously enhancing the inclusiveness and interdisciplinarity of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system can an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics encompassing concepts, categories, principles, and laws be constructed.

中国经济学自主知识体系的开放性。中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，具有各国现代化的共同特征。与之相适应，强调构建中国经济学自主知识体系，并不意味着排斥国外经济理论的合理成分，相反，对其反映社会化大生产和市场经济一般规律的概念、原理，以及模型推演、数据挖掘、计量分析等有效研究手段，应结合国情予以批判性借鉴和利用。此外，构建中国经济学自主知识体系还要注重学科交叉，结合哲学、历史、政治、法律、文化等哲学社会科学领域研究角度和方法，高度关注数学、物理、化学、生物、计算机等领域发展趋势，推动学科交叉融合和跨学科研究。只有不断增强学科体系、学术体系、话语体系的包容性与交叉性，才能构建起涵盖概念、范畴、原理、规律的中国经济学自主知识体系。

III. The Construction Path of the Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Economics

三、中国经济学自主知识体系的构建路径

Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that “modernization equals Westernization.” Constructing an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics must be based on Chinese-path modernization, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, continuously strengthen the systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories, and build an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics with disciplinary hallmark concepts and original theories as its backbone.

中国式现代化，打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思。构建中国经济学自主知识体系，必须立足中国式现代化，坚持以习近平经济思想为指导，不断加强党的创新理论体系化学理化研究阐释，构建以各学科标识性概念、原创性理论为主干的中国经济学自主知识体系。

Based on Chinese-path modernization, promote the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics to complete a terminological revolution. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must be adept at refining hallmark concepts and creating new concepts, categories, and expressions that are easy for the international academic community to understand and accept, guiding international academia to carry out research and discussion.” Concepts have the characteristics of generality, abstraction, and summarization, and play a foundational role in the process of constructing a knowledge system. Among them, hallmark concepts constitute the key signposts for people to grasp the intellectual lineage, internal logic, and main viewpoints of a science. Marx, by proposing and discussing hallmark concepts such as “labor power as a commodity,” “constant capital,” “variable capital,” and “surplus value,” constructed a discourse system based on the theory of surplus value, becoming a typical representative of the “terminological revolution” in political economy. In the process of deeply researching and advancing Chinese-path modernization, our Party, starting from the overall strategic situation and specific issues, has innovatively proposed a series of hallmark concepts and original theories in the field of economics. For example: in the theory of productive forces, it proposed new quality productive forces; in the theory of relations of production, it proposed a high-level socialist market economy system; in the theory of economic development, it proposed the new stage of development, the new development philosophy, and the new pattern of development; in the theory of opening up, it proposed unswervingly promoting high-level opening up, etc. These important concepts point out the development laws and correct path of Chinese-path modernization, effectively promote the enrichment and improvement of the independent knowledge system, and constitute the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in political economy. The terminological revolution of Chinese economics comes from the theoretical summary of Chinese practice and in turn guides practical development. For example, to solve the shortcomings and weaknesses in our country’s development dynamics, development coordination, development sustainability, internal and external linkage of development, and attribution of development results, it is necessary to take the new development philosophy as the baton and traffic light, making advocating innovation, emphasizing coordination, promoting green development, deepening openness, and advancing sharing a highly coupled and inseparable systematic project. Another example: to coordinate the relationship between cultivating new drivers and renewing old drivers, and to plan economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period [4]4 The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is the next national medium-term economic and social development plan following the current 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025)., it is required to place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position, adhere to comprehensively promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, actively developing emerging industries, and laying out future industries in advance simultaneously. This requires us, based on Chinese-path modernization, to continuously promote the interpretation and sublimation of major hallmark concepts with scientific research methods, consolidate the theoretical foundation for the construction of the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics, and provide theoretical guidance for China’s economic and social development.

立足中国式现代化推动中国经济学自主知识体系完成术语革命。习近平总书记指出：“要善于提炼标识性概念，打造易于为国际社会所理解和接受的新概念、新范畴、新表述，引导国际学术界展开研究和讨论。”概念具有一般性、抽象性和概括性的特点，在知识体系构建过程中具有基础性作用。其中，标识性概念构成人们把握一门科学的思想脉络、内在逻辑与主要观点的关键路标。马克思通过提出并论述“劳动力商品”“不变资本”“可变资本”“剩余价值”等标识性概念，构建了以剩余价值理论为基础的话语体系，成为政治经济学“术语的革命”的典型代表。在深入研究和推进中国式现代化的进程中，我们党从战略全局和具体问题出发，创新性地提出了一系列经济学领域的标识性概念、原创性理论，比如：在生产力理论方面，提出新质生产力；在生产关系理论方面，提出高水平社会主义市场经济体制；在经济发展理论方面，提出新发展阶段、新发展理念、新发展格局；在对外开放理论方面，提出坚定不移推进高水平对外开放等。这些重要概念指明了中国式现代化的发展规律和正确道路，有力推动了自主知识体系的丰富与完善，并构成马克思主义政治经济学中国化时代化的最新成果。中国经济学的术语革命既来自对中国实践的理论总结，又反过来指导实践发展。例如，解决我国在发展动力、发展协调性、发展可持续性、发展内外联动、发展成果归属等方面的短板弱项，就必须把新发展理念作为指挥棒、红绿灯，使崇尚创新、注重协调、倡导绿色、厚植开放、推进共享成为一个高度耦合、不可分割的系统工程；又如，统筹好培育新动能和更新旧动能的关系，谋划“十五五”时期的经济社会发展，就要求把因地制宜发展新质生产力摆在更加突出的战略位置，坚持全面推进传统产业转型升级、积极发展新兴产业、超前布局未来产业并举。这要求我们立足中国式现代化，以科学研究方法持续推动重大标识性概念的阐释和升华，为中国经济学自主知识体系的构建夯实学理基础，为中国经济社会发展提供理论指导。

Grounded in Chinese-path modernization, we promote the systematic integration of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. An economic knowledge system is the concentrated embodiment of economic ideas, concepts, and theoretical results formed through long-term development and evolution. One fundamental orientation for building an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics is to sort through and refine the typical economic facts that have emerged in the great practical process of Chinese-path modernization, and to systematically integrate the important ideas, thoughts, viewpoints, and experiences contained therein. In summary, Chinese-path modernization requires the construction of a modernized economic system, and the modernized economic system in turn promotes the systematic integration of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics, enabling socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics to form a systemic framework encompassing economic institutions, economic operation, economic development, and opening up to the outside world. Specifically, the basic socialist economic system mainly involves ownership, the distribution system, and the socialist market economy system; therefore, in practice, it is necessary to take economic system reform as the driving force, with the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system as the guarantee, to provide strong impetus and institutional safeguards for Chinese-path modernization. Economic operation includes three levels—micro, meso, and macro—mainly involving households, enterprises, industries, regions, macro governance, and fiscal and monetary policy; therefore, in practice, it is necessary to promote the optimization and structural adjustment of the state-owned economy, promote the development of the non-public sector, implement the law on promoting the private economy, improve the basic institutions of the market economy, and build a unified national market; promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy, accelerate the construction of a modernized industrial system, and strive to promote coordinated urban-rural and regional development; improve the macro-economic governance system, coordinate and advance reforms in key areas such as fiscal, taxation, and finance, and enhance the consistency of macro-policy orientations. Economic development mainly involves innovation, coordination, green development, openness, sharing, and security; therefore, in practice, it is necessary to build institutional mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation, improve the institutional mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, improve the institutional mechanisms for green and low-carbon development, improve the institutional mechanisms for high-level opening up, improve the institutional system for safeguarding and improving people’s livelihoods, and advance the modernization of the national security system and capacity. Opening up to the outside world mainly involves a new system for an open economy, global governance, and a community with a shared future for mankind; therefore, in practice, it is necessary to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality, and actively participate in the reform of global governance systems in areas such as trade, currency, and carbon emission reduction. Thus it can be seen that the exploration and formation of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics is driven both by theoretical and academic questions and by applied and practical problems. This paradigm framework, which integrates theoretical orientation with practical orientation, is more conducive to achieving the systematic integration of an independent knowledge system.

立足中国式现代化推动中国经济学自主知识体系实现系统集成。经济学知识体系是经过长期发展演变形成的经济思想观念与理论成果的集中体现。构建中国经济学自主知识体系的一个根本指向，就是对中国式现代化伟大实践进程中涌现的典型经济事实进行梳理、提炼，对其中的重要理念、思想、观点、经验等进行体系化整合。概括来讲，中国式现代化要求建设现代化经济体系，而现代化经济体系又推动中国经济学自主知识体系实现系统集成，使得中国特色社会主义政治经济学形成了包括经济制度、经济运行、经济发展、对外开放等在内的体系架构。具体而言，社会主义基本经济制度主要涉及所有制、分配制度、社会主义市场经济体制等，因此在实践中必须以经济体制改革为牵引，以构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制为保障，为中国式现代化提供强大动力和制度保障。经济运行包括微观、中观、宏观三个层面，主要涉及居民、企业、产业、区域、宏观治理、财政与货币政策等，因此在实践中必须推进国有经济布局优化和结构调整，推动非公有制经济发展，落实民营经济促进法，完善市场经济基础制度，构建全国统一大市场；促进数字经济和实体经济深度融合，加快建设现代化产业体系，着力推进城乡和区域协调发展；健全宏观经济治理体系，统筹推进财税、金融等重点领域改革，增强宏观政策取向一致性。经济发展主要涉及创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享、安全等，因此在实践中必须构建支持全面创新体制机制，完善城乡融合发展体制机制，健全绿色低碳发展体制机制，完善高水平对外开放体制机制，健全保障和改善民生制度体系，推进国家安全体系和能力现代化。对外开放主要涉及开放型经济新体制、全球治理、人类命运共同体等，因此在实践中必须落实好全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议，高质量共建“一带一路”，积极参与全球经贸、货币、碳减排等治理体系改革。由此可见，中国经济学自主知识体系的探索与形成，既由学理性与学术性问题所推动，又由应用性和实践性问题所牵引。这种把理论取向和实践取相结合一体的范式框架，更有利于实现自主知识体系的系统集成。

Grounded in Chinese-path modernization, we promote the accelerated application and transformation of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. An independent knowledge system of Chinese economics possesses both the capacity to theoretically explain China’s historical practice and the capacity to guide China’s theoretical innovation in practice. Looking back through history, Western countries such as Britain and the United States took the lead in becoming developed countries through industrialization and profoundly influenced the modernization processes of other countries. However, as the international environment and global challenges become increasingly complex, characteristics such as capital-centeredness, severe polarization, the expansion of materialism, excessive extraction of nature, and external expansion and plunder have become the real predicaments of Western-path modernization. There is neither a single modernization model that is universally applicable, nor a one-size-fits-all standard for modernization. Compared with Western-path modernization, Chinese-path modernization has blazed a new path suited to its own national conditions, possesses the distinctive features of an independent knowledge system, and has greatly enriched the path choices for developing countries to achieve modernization. At the same time, in the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, new problems and challenges that differ from those of the West will inevitably arise. This requires us to guide practical innovation and the exploration of new paths with theoretical innovation. At the Central Economic Work Conference in 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the regular understanding of the five “must-coordinate” principles [5]5 The five “must-coordinate” principles (五个“必须统筹”) were proposed by Xi Jinping at the Central Economic Work Conference in December 2024, covering the relationships between effective market and competent government, aggregate supply and aggregate demand, cultivating new and renewing old drivers, optimizing stock and expanding increment, and improving quality and increasing total quantity.. These not only constitute theoretical innovation but also have a practical orientation, manifesting the requirement to accelerate the construction and application transformation of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics grounded in Chinese-path modernization. For example, coordinating the relationship between an effective market and a competent government naturally requires the independent knowledge system of economics to study how to transform the institutional advantages of the socialist market economy into governance effectiveness. For another example, coordinating the relationship between aggregate supply and aggregate demand naturally requires the independent knowledge system of economics to study how to promote coordinated efforts on both the supply and demand sides to smooth the circulation of the national economy. For yet another example, coordinating the relationship between cultivating new drivers and renewing old drivers naturally requires the independent knowledge system of economics to study how to develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, promote the common development of traditional and emerging industries, and achieve deep transformation toward high-end, intelligent, and green directions. Therefore, we must adhere to taking the practice of Chinese-path modernization as the starting point and the ultimate goal, promote the innovation, optimization, and upgrading of economic theories and methods, and in the process of “solving real problems and truly solving problems,” promote the healthy and sustainable development of an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. On this basis, we should explore methods and pathways for using the independent knowledge system of Chinese economics to address common issues facing all of humanity, continuously enhance international influence, appeal, and shaping power, and enable philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics to truly stand tall in the world’s academic forest.

立足中国式现代化推动中国经济学自主知识体系加速应用转化。中国经济学自主知识体系既具备从理论上解释中国历史实践的能力，又具备在实践中指引中国理论创新的能力。纵观历史，英、美等西方国家率先通过工业化成为发达国家，并深刻影响了其他国家的现代化进程。但随着国际环境与全球性挑战日趋复杂，以资本为中心、两极分化严重、物质主义膨胀、过度攫取自然、对外扩张掠夺等特征已成为西方式现代化的现实困境。世界上既不存在定于一尊的现代化模式，也不存在放之四海而皆准的现代化标准，与西方式现代化相比，中国式现代化走出了一条符合自身国情的新道路，具有自主知识体系的鲜明特征，极大丰富了发展中国家走向现代化的路径选择。同时，在中国式现代化推进过程中，必然会面临不同于西方的新问题、新挑战，这就要求我们必须以理论创新指导实践创新与新路探索。习近平总书记在2024年中央经济工作会议上提出了五个“必须统筹”的规律性认识，其不仅构成理论创新，更具有实践指向，彰显出立足中国式现代化推动中国经济学自主知识体系加速构建并应用转化的要求。例如，统筹好有效市场和有为政府的关系，自然要求经济学自主知识体系研究如何把社会主义市场经济的制度优势转化为治理效能。又如，统筹好总供给和总需求的关系，自然要求经济学自主知识体系研究如何促进供需两侧协同发力进而畅通国民经济循环。再如，统筹好培育新动能和更新旧动能的关系，自然要求经济学自主知识体系研究如何因地制宜发展新质生产力，促进传统产业与新兴产业共同发展，向高端化、智能化、绿色化方向深度转型。因此，必须坚持以中国式现代化的实践为出发点和落脚点，推动经济学理论与方法的创新、优化和升级，在“解决真问题、真解决问题”的过程中推动中国经济学自主知识体系健康可持续发展。在此基础上，探索以中国经济学自主知识体系解决全人类共同议题的方法路径，不断提升国际影响力、感召力、塑造力，使中国特色哲学社会科学真正屹立于世界学术之林。

(The author is Vice Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, and President and Deputy Party Secretary of Nankai University.)

（作者系第十四届全国人大财政经济委员会副主任委员，南开大学校长、党委副书记）

Online editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁