Understanding the Truth Power and Practical Force of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought through Studying *Capital*

Xi Jinping’s economic thought is the major theoretical achievement formed by General Secretary Xi Jinping in applying the basic principles of Marxist political economy to guide the practice of economic development in the New Era. It is a sharp ideological weapon guiding China’s high-quality development, scientifically responding to major risks and challenges, and comprehensively building a modern socialist country. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Some people believe that Marxist political economy is outdated, that *Capital* is outdated. This judgment is arbitrary and also erroneous.” As the representative work of Marxist political economy, the scientific theory and method of *Capital* still shine with the light of truth despite the changes of the times. After the outbreak of the international financial crisis, many Western scholars have also been re-studying Marxist political economy and *Capital*, using them to reflect on the drawbacks of capitalism. This issue’s “Interview Record” invites Li Yiping, a researcher at the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, to discuss how to deeply understand the truth light of *Capital* and how to deeply comprehend the truth power and practical force of Xi Jinping’s economic thought.

习近平经济思想是习近平总书记运用马克思主义政治经济学基本原理指导新时代经济发展实践形成的重大理论成果，是指引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的锐利思想武器。习近平总书记指出：“有些人认为，马克思主义政治经济学过时了，《资本论》过时了。这个论断是武断的，也是错误的。”作为马克思主义政治经济学的代表作，《资本论》的科学理论和方法历经时代变迁依然闪耀着真理光芒。国际金融危机发生后，不少西方学者也在重新研究马克思主义政治经济学、研究《资本论》，借以反思资本主义的弊端。本期“访谈录”邀请北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员李义平，围绕如何深刻认识《资本论》的真理光芒、如何深刻理解习近平经济思想的真理力量和实践伟力进行交流探讨。

— The Editor

——编 者

*Capital* Still Shines with the Light of Truth Today

《资本论》在今天依然闪耀着真理光芒

Reporter: What economic movement processes and laws of social and economic development does *Capital* reveal?

记者：《资本论》揭示了怎样的经济运动过程和社会经济发展规律？

Li Yiping: *Capital* is Marx’s most substantial and richest work, hailed as the “Bible of the working class.” *Capital* consists of three volumes. Volume I studies the production process of capital, elaborating in detail on the labor theory of value, the theory of surplus value, etc. Volume II studies the circulation process of capital, exploring capital circulation, capital turnover, the reproduction theory of total social capital, etc. Volume III discusses the total process of capitalist production, exploring the equalization of profit, the transformation of surplus value into profit, the transformation of value into production price, bank capital, the joint-stock system, ground rent, etc. Through the study of the capitalist system of relations of production and its development, *Capital* both discusses the historically progressive role of capitalism and reveals the insurmountable internal contradictions of the capitalist economy, especially the inherent basic contradiction between socialized production and capitalist private ownership. It reveals the objective laws of the emergence, development, and decline of capitalist society and its eventual replacement by socialist society.

李义平：《资本论》是马克思最厚重、最丰富的著作，被誉为“工人阶级的圣经”。《资本论》共三卷，第一卷研究资本的生产过程，详细论述了劳动价值理论、剩余价值理论等；第二卷研究资本的流通过程，探讨了资本循环、资本周转、社会总资本的再生产理论等；第三卷讨论资本主义生产的总过程，探讨了利润的平均化、剩余价值向利润转化、价值向生产价格转化、银行资本、股份制、地租等。《资本论》通过对资本主义生产关系体系及其发展的研究，既论述了资本主义的历史进步作用，又揭示了资本主义经济不可克服的内在矛盾，特别是生产社会化与资本主义私有制这种内在的基本矛盾，揭示了资本主义社会产生、发展和走向衰亡并终将被社会主义社会取代的客观规律。

At the same time, it must be noted that Marx analyzed the development process of human society and predicted future society based on the situation in 19th-century Britain. In the more than 200 years since Marx’s death, capitalist countries have made partial adjustments and compromises. Although these have to a certain extent prolonged the lifespan of capitalism, they cannot fundamentally resolve the basic contradictions of capitalist society, let alone save capitalism from its historical destiny of inevitable demise. The era we live in today has undergone enormous and profound changes compared with Marx’s era, but from the broad perspective of 500 years of world socialism, we are still in the historical era indicated by Marxism. For socialist China, under the guidance of the basic principles of Marxist political economy, it is necessary to promote through reform a better alignment between the relations of production and the productive forces, and between the superstructure and the economic base, continuously liberate and develop the social productive forces, improve our economy, and comprehensively build a modern socialist country.

同时需要看到，马克思是根据19世纪英国的情况分析人类社会的发展进程、对未来社会进行预测的。在马克思逝世之后的200多年里，资本主义国家进行了局部的调整、调和，虽在一定程度上延长了资本主义的寿命，但无法彻底解决资本主义社会基本矛盾，更无法挽救资本主义必将灭亡的历史宿命。今天我们所处的时代同马克思所处的时代相比发生了巨大而深刻的变化，但从世界社会主义500年的大视野来看，我们依然处在马克思主义所指明的历史时代。对于社会主义中国来讲，要在马克思主义政治经济学基本原理指引下，通过改革推动生产关系和生产力、上层建筑和经济基础更好相适应，持续解放和发展社会生产力，把我们的经济搞上去，全面建设社会主义现代化国家。

Reporter: Do the research methods and thought methods of *Capital* also have important enlightening significance today?

记者：《资本论》的研究方法和思想方法，在今天是否也有重要启示意义？

Li Yiping: Yes. *Capital* not only has a clear problem orientation and fully applies the thought methods of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, but also clearly points out the research method of political economy, emphasizing that “in the analysis of economic forms, neither microscopes nor chemical reagents are of use. The force of abstraction must replace both.” The abstraction here means, from the large amount of collected and observed data, discarding the false and retaining the true, discarding the superficial and retaining the essential, and after repeated thinking and processing, forming basic theoretical elements, and then through induction, deduction, and reasoning, forming a theoretical system. It is through scientific abstraction that Marx clarified the distinctions and connections between value and exchange value, exchange value and use value, etc., proposed the dual character of labor, and made an epoch-making contribution to the labor theory of value. Abstraction provides the prerequisite for judgment and reasoning. Using the capacity for abstraction in work can reflect objective things more deeply, more correctly, and more completely.

李义平：是的。《资本论》不仅有着鲜明的问题导向，充分运用了辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的思想方法，而且明确指出了政治经济学的研究方法，强调“分析经济形式，既不能用显微镜，也不能用化学试剂。二者都必须用抽象力来代替”。这里的抽象，就是对搜集、观察到的大量资料，去伪存真、去表存里，经过反复思考、加工制造，形成基本的理论元素，再经过归纳、演绎、推理，形成理论体系。正是通过科学的抽象，马克思明确了价值和交换价值、交换价值和使用价值等的区别和联系，提出了劳动二重性，对劳动价值论作出了具有划时代意义的贡献。抽象为判断和推理提供前提条件，在工作中借用抽象能力，能够更深刻、更正确、更完全地反映客观事物。

Overall, *Capital* is the main theoretical achievement of Marx’s economic doctrine and an important milestone in the formation of Marxist political economy. Engels said that the proletarian party’s “whole theory is derived from the study of political economy.” In practice, Lenin regarded political economy as the “most profound, most comprehensive, and most detailed proof and application” of Marxist theory. Today, we re-read *Capital* not only to understand the drawbacks of capitalism more deeply and, through sharp contrast, deeply perceive the great superiority of socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also to draw on scientific thought methods and research methods to promote the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese economics.

总的来看，《资本论》是马克思经济学说的主要理论成果，也是马克思主义政治经济学形成的重要标志。恩格斯说，无产阶级政党的“全部理论来自对政治经济学的研究”。在实践方面，列宁则把政治经济学视为马克思主义理论“最深刻、最全面、最详尽的证明和运用”。今天我们重读《资本论》，既是为了更深刻地认识资本主义的弊端，并在鲜明对比中深刻感悟中国特色社会主义的巨大优越性，也是为了借鉴科学的思想方法和研究方法，用以推动中国经济学自主知识体系构建。

Our Party Has Always Valued the Study, Research, and Application of *Capital*

我们党始终重视对《资本论》的学习、研究和运用

Reporter: How has our Party used the research results of *Capital* to guide socialist economic construction?

记者：我们党如何运用《资本论》的研究成果指导社会主义经济建设？

Li Yiping: Comrade Mao Zedong intensively studied *Capital* on multiple occasions, emphasizing that “studying political economy issues has great theoretical and practical significance.” During the New Democratic period, he creatively proposed the New Democratic economic program, and in the process of exploring the path of socialist construction, he put forward original views on developing China’s economy. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party [1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, held in December 1978, marked the beginning of China’s reform and opening-up era and a shift in focus to economic modernization., our Party combined the basic principles of Marxist political economy with the new practice of reform and opening up, conducted in-depth exploration and practice on a series of major issues in socialist economic construction, and formed many important theoretical achievements, guiding China to achieve a historic breakthrough from a relatively backward state of productive forces to becoming the world’s second-largest economy.

李义平：毛泽东同志多次集中研读《资本论》，强调“研究政治经济学问题，有很大的理论意义和现实意义”，并在新民主主义时期创造性提出新民主主义经济纲领，在探索社会主义建设道路过程中对发展我国经济提出独创性的观点。党的十一届三中全会后，我们党把马克思主义政治经济学基本原理同改革开放新的实践结合起来，就社会主义经济建设中的一系列重大问题展开深入探索和实践，形成了许多重要理论成果，指引我国实现从生产力相对落后的状况到经济总量跃居世界第二的历史性突破。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, marked the start of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the official introduction of the New Era., General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized “learning and applying political economy well” and has mentioned *Capital* on many occasions. For example, at the seminar for principal leading officials at the provincial and ministerial level on studying and implementing the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, he pointed out: “Marx and Engels elaborated in detail on issues such as world trade, the world market, and world history in works like *The German Ideology*, *The Communist Manifesto*, the *Grundrisse*, and *Capital*.” At the symposium on work in philosophy and social sciences, he pointed out: “After the outbreak of the international financial crisis, many Western scholars have also been re-studying Marxist political economy and *Capital*, using them to reflect on the drawbacks of capitalism.” During the fifth collective study session of the 19th Politburo of the CPC Central Committee [3]3 The 19th Politburo of the CPC Central Committee refers to the top leadership body elected at the 19th National Congress in 2017., he pointed out that since the international financial crisis, “research on *The Communist Manifesto*, *Capital*, and other works has once again become a hot topic.” At the conference commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth, he pointed out: “Engels, combining a series of propositions put forward by Marx in works such as *The Communist Manifesto*, *Critique of the Gotha Program*, and *Capital*, elucidated that under socialist conditions, society should ‘provide all people with healthy and useful work, provide all people with ample material life and leisure time, and provide all people with truly adequate freedom’,” and so on. The Politburo of the CPC Central Committee specifically held a collective study session on the basic principles and methodology of Marxist political economy. General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new concepts, ideas, and strategies on economic development, forming Xi Jinping’s economic thought, which contains the basic standpoints, viewpoints, and methods of Marxist political economy represented by *Capital*.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记强调“要学好用好政治经济学”，并多次提到《资本论》。比如，在省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻党的十八届五中全会精神专题研讨班上指出：“马克思、恩格斯在《德意志意识形态》、《共产党宣言》、《1857—1858年经济学手稿》、《资本论》等著作中就详细论述了世界贸易、世界市场、世界历史等问题”；在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上指出：“国际金融危机发生后，不少西方学者也在重新研究马克思主义政治经济学、研究《资本论》，借以反思资本主义的弊端”；在十九届中共中央政治局第五次集体学习时指出，国际金融危机发生以来“对《共产党宣言》、《资本论》等的研究再度成为热门”；在纪念马克思诞辰200周年大会上指出：“恩格斯结合马克思在《共产党宣言》、《哥达纲领批判》、《资本论》等著作中提出的一系列主张，阐明在社会主义条件下，社会应该‘给所有的人提供健康而有益的工作，给所有的人提供充裕的物质生活和闲暇时间，给所有的人提供真正的充分的自由’”；等等。中共中央政治局专门围绕马克思主义政治经济学基本原理和方法论进行集体学习。习近平总书记提出关于经济发展的一系列新理念新思想新战略，形成了习近平经济思想，其中就蕴含着以《资本论》为代表的马克思主义政治经济学的基本立场观点方法。

*Capital*, as a classic work of Marxist political economy, is an important theoretical source of Xi Jinping’s economic thought

《资本论》作为马克思主义政治经济学的经典著作，是习近平经济思想的重要理论源头

Reporter: Which core principles from *Capital* has Xi Jinping’s economic thought inherited, innovated, and developed?

记者：习近平经济思想对《资本论》中的哪些核心原理进行了继承与创新发展？

Li Yiping: *Capital* is a classic work of Marxist political economy. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, grounded in the realities of China in the New Era, inherits, innovates, and develops the core principles of *Capital*. While guiding and promoting economic work, it has opened up a new realm of Marxist political economy.

李义平：《资本论》是马克思主义政治经济学的经典著作。习近平经济思想立足新时代中国实际，对《资本论》的核心原理进行了继承与创新发展，在指导推动经济工作的同时，开拓了马克思主义政治经济学新境界。

First, improving the socialist market economy system. In *Capital*, Marx put forward market theory whose main content includes the law of value and the law of capital’s valorization. His analysis of the laws of the capitalist market economy contains the general laws of a market economy. The socialist market economy system is a unique creation of our Party. In the past, people believed there was only one model of a market economy; now everyone has fully recognized that a socialist country can also practice a market economy. Since the New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has further deepened the understanding of the socialist market economy, requiring acceleration in building a high-level socialist market economy system and forming an economic order that is both “able to be enlivened” and “able to be well managed.” This has powerfully guided the practice of China’s economic development, propelled China’s economic development to achieve historic accomplishments and undergo historic transformations, and continuously strengthened the driving force for high-quality development.

一是完善社会主义市场经济体制。在《资本论》中，马克思提出包括价值规律、资本的价值增殖规律等为主要内容的市场理论，他关于资本主义市场经济规律的分析蕴含着市场经济的一般规律。社会主义市场经济体制是我们党的独特创造。过去人们认为市场经济只有一种模式，现在大家已经充分认识到社会主义国家也可以搞市场经济。新时代以来，习近平经济思想对社会主义市场经济的认识进一步深化，要求加快构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，形成既“放得活”又“管得好”的经济秩序。这有力指导了我国经济发展实践，还推动我国经济发展取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，推动高质量发展动力持续增强。

Second, promoting socioeconomic development through innovation. In *Capital*, Marx described how an economy and society develop under the conditions of a capitalist market economy. First, individual enterprises obtain surplus value through innovation, breaking the existing equilibrium. On this basis, other enterprises break the new equilibrium, obtain surplus value, and thereby push the socioeconomic and technological level to a new stage. This cycle repeats infinitely, with innovation and elimination coexisting, enabling the economy and society to progress and develop. Although this is a study of the capitalist market economy, it also contains certain general laws of market economy operation, which have enlightening significance for us in deeply advancing supply-side structural reform and promoting industrial innovation through scientific and technological innovation. Since the New Era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we have firmly seized the opportunities of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, fully leveraged the main role of enterprises in innovation, promoted industrial innovation through scientific and technological innovation, met effective demand with high-quality and efficient supply, and created and led new demand with new industries, new models, and new forms of business, continuing to write a new chapter in the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. [4]4 Karl Marx, *Capital*, Volume 1, Preface to the First Edition. The original German is “die jetzige Gesellschaft ist kein fester Kristall, sondern ein umwandlungsfähiger und beständig im Prozeß der Umwandlung begriffener Organismus.”

二是以创新推动社会经济发展。在《资本论》中，马克思描述了资本主义市场经济条件下经济社会是如何发展的。首先是个别企业通过创新率先获得超额剩余价值，打破已有的均衡。在此基础上，又有其他企业打破新的均衡，获得超额剩余价值，进而促进社会经济技术达到新的水平。如此无限循环，创新和淘汰并存，社会经济得以向前发展进步。这虽然是对资本主义市场经济的研究，但其中也包含着一些市场经济运行的一般规律，对于我们深入推进供给侧结构性改革、以科技创新推动产业创新，具有启示意义。新时代以来，在习近平经济思想指导下，我们紧紧抓住新一轮科技革命和产业变革的机遇，充分发挥企业的创新主体作用，以科技创新推动产业创新，以优质高效供给满足有效需求，以新产业、新模式、新业态创造引领新需求，续写经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹新篇章。

Third, unswervingly focusing on the real economy. At the very beginning of Volume I of *Capital*, Marx wrote: “Whatever the social form of wealth, use-values always constitute the material content of wealth.” [5]5 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024, focusing on comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. The Second Plenary Session of that plenum refers to the second full meeting of that session. The use-value Marx refers to here is actual products, actual wealth. Starting from this, Marx believed that only labor that produces material wealth is productive labor, such as agriculture and manufacturing; other labor is unproductive labor. Agriculture mainly concerns the question of who feeds us; manufacturing concerns the question of who equips us. In Marx’s writing, commercial capital and financial capital are both subordinate to industrial capital. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has always insisted on focusing the efforts of economic development on the real economy, placing the development of new quality productive forces in a more prominent strategic position, and accelerating the development of advanced manufacturing and building a modern industrial system through further comprehensively deepening reform and opening up. At the same time, it insists on storing grain in the land and storing grain in technology, requiring that the Chinese people’s rice bowl be firmly held in their own hands.

三是毫不动摇抓住实体经济。马克思在《资本论》第一卷开宗明义地写道：“不论财富的社会的形式如何，使用价值总是构成财富的物质的内容。”马克思这里所讲的使用价值，就是实际的产品、实际的财富。由此出发，马克思认为，只有生产物质财富的劳动才是生产性劳动，比如农业和制造业，其他劳动是非生产性劳动。农业主要涉及谁来养活我们的问题，制造业涉及谁来装备我们的问题。在马克思的笔下，商业资本、金融资本都是服从于产业资本的。习近平经济思想始终坚持把发展经济的着力点放在实体经济上，把发展新质生产力摆在更加突出的战略位置，通过进一步全面深化改革，加快发展先进制造业、建设现代化产业体系；同时，坚持藏粮于地、藏粮于技，要求把中国人的饭碗牢牢端在自己手中。

Fourth, solidly promoting common prosperity. In *Capital*, Marx believed that the future communist society is a society of common prosperity. An important reason why capitalist society is inevitably doomed is that, due to the objective existence of the basic contradiction of capitalist society, capitalism is fundamentally unable to thoroughly resolve many social problems such as the polarization brought about by the capitalist mode of production. Common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Strive to promote common prosperity for all people, and resolutely prevent polarization.” Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, when deploying economic work, formulating economic policies, and promoting economic development, we firmly adhere to the people-centered fundamental stance, and solidly promote common prosperity for all people.

四是扎实推动共同富裕。在《资本论》里，马克思认为，未来的共产主义是一个共同富裕的社会。资本主义社会之所以必然灭亡，一个重要原因在于由于资本主义社会基本矛盾的客观存在，导致了资本主义无法从根本上彻底解决资本主义生产方式带来的两极分化等诸多社会问题。共同富裕是中国特色社会主义的本质要求。习近平总书记指出：“着力促进全体人民共同富裕，坚决防止两极分化。”在习近平经济思想指导下，我们部署经济工作、制定经济政策、推动经济发展都牢牢坚持以人民为中心的根本立场，扎实推动全体人民共同富裕。

Reporter: What creative applications has Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era made to the methodology of Marxist political economy?

记者：习近平经济思想对马克思主义政治经济学的方法论进行了哪些创造性运用？

Li Yiping: In the process of writing *Capital*, Marx advanced theoretical innovation by thinking about and answering the questions of the era. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Facing the complex and intricate domestic and international economic situation, and facing various economic phenomena, studying and grasping the basic principles and methodology of Marxist political economy helps us master scientific economic analysis methods, understand the process of economic movement, grasp the laws of economic development, improve our ability to manage the socialist market economy, and accurately answer the theoretical and practical questions of China’s economic development.” General Secretary Xi Jinping applies the basic principles of Marxist political economy, inherits the methodology of Marxist political economy, and in the practice of socialist economic construction in the New Era, discovers problems, analyzes problems, and solves problems, providing a scientific guide to action for doing a good job in China’s economic work in the New Era.

李义平：马克思在撰写《资本论》过程中是通过思考和回答时代课题来推进理论创新的。习近平总书记指出：“面对错综复杂的国内外经济形势，面对形形色色的经济现象，学习领会马克思主义政治经济学基本原理和方法论，有利于我们掌握科学的经济分析方法，认识经济运动过程，把握经济发展规律，提高驾驭社会主义市场经济能力，准确回答我国经济发展的理论和实践问题。”习近平总书记运用马克思主义政治经济学基本原理，继承马克思主义政治经济学的方法论，在新时代社会主义经济建设的实践中发现问题、分析问题、解决问题，为做好新时代我国经济工作提供了科学的行动指南。

First, adhering to the application of materialist dialectics to analyze the practice of economic construction. For example, at the macro level, it both understands the present and plans for the future based on the objective foundation that China is still in and will long remain in the primary stage of socialism, and also adapts to changes in the international and domestic environment, dialectically analyzes the stage-specific characteristics of China’s economic development, and decides work policies according to actual conditions. At the meso level, it proposes the dialectics of promoting coordinated regional development in China, emphasizing that it cannot simply require all regions to reach the same level of economic development; rather, according to the conditions of each region, it should take a path of rational division of labor and optimized development, promoting relative balance in the process of development. Only by applying materialist dialectics to enhance dialectical thinking and strategic thinking capabilities, and by grasping in practical work the relationships between phenomenon and essence, form and content, cause and effect, contingency and necessity, possibility and reality, internal and external causes, and commonality and individuality, can economic work be done better.

一是坚持运用唯物辩证法分析经济建设实践。例如，在宏观层面，既立足我国仍处于并将长期处于社会主义初级阶段这个客观基点认识当下、规划未来，也适应国际国内环境变化、辩证分析我国经济发展阶段性特征，按照实际情况决定工作方针；在中观层面，提出促进我国区域协调发展的辩证法，强调不能简单要求各地区在经济发展上达到同一水平，而是要根据各地区的条件，走合理分工、优化发展的路子，在发展中促进相对平衡。运用唯物辩证法增强辩证思维、战略思维能力，在实际工作中把握现象和本质、形式和内容、原因和结果、偶然和必然、可能和现实、内因和外因、共性和个性的关系，才能把经济工作做得更好。

Second, adhering to the combination of goal orientation and problem orientation. The goal is the direction of struggle; the problem is the voice of the times

二是坚持目标导向和问题导向相结合。目标是奋斗方向，问题是时代声音。习近平经济思想既要求以目标为着眼点，在统筹谋划、顶层设计上下功夫，又要求以问题为着力点，在补短板、强弱项上持续用力。比如，注重宏观政策的逆周期和跨周期调节，既在经济出现短期波动时迅速介入，稳定经济局势，又通过制定长期发展规划和政策体系，提高政策的稳定性、前瞻性和持久性。二者相互配合，确保短期内的政策调整能够与长期的发展目标相协调，形成科学有效的宏观调控体系。

Third, adhere to the systems concept. Marx pointed out in *Capital*: “The present society is no solid crystal, but an organism capable of change and constantly in the process of change.” [4]4 Karl Marx, *Capital*, Volume 1, Preface to the First Edition. The original German is “die jetzige Gesellschaft ist kein fester Kristall, sondern ein umwandlungsfähiger und beständig im Prozeß der Umwandlung begriffener Organismus.” General Secretary Xi Jinping regards the systems concept as a foundational thought and working method, and applies it to all fields and the entire process of governing the country. For example, at the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party, [5]5 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024, focusing on comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. The Second Plenary Session of that plenum refers to the second full meeting of that session. he demanded that “all regions and departments must adhere to the systems concept, consciously act within the overall situation, and play the game of chess across the country as a whole.” [6]6 “Playing the game of chess across the country as a whole” (全国一盘棋) is a standard Chinese political metaphor for coordinating all parts of the country under a unified central plan. Adhering to the systems concept requires keeping the overall situation in mind, firmly establishing the idea of the whole country as one chessboard, while at the same time, based on one’s own stage of development, exploring differentiated and distinctive development paths.

三是坚持系统观念。马克思在《资本论》中指出：“现在的社会不是坚实的结晶体，而是一个能够变化并且经常处于变化过程中的有机体。”习近平总书记把系统观念作为具有基础性的思想和工作方法，并将其运用到治国理政的各领域全过程。比如，在党的二十届四中全会第二次全体会议上要求“各地区各部门要坚持系统观念，自觉在大局下行动，下好全国一盘棋”等。坚持系统观念，就要胸怀全局，牢固树立全国一盘棋思想，同时立足自身发展阶段，探索差异化特色化发展路径。

Xi Jinping’s economic thought is the Marxist political economy of contemporary China and the Marxist political economy of the 21st century.

习近平经济思想是当代中国马克思主义政治经济学、21世纪马克思主义政治经济学

Reporter: Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, what original contributions has General Secretary Xi Jinping made to Marxist political economy?

记者：党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对马克思主义政治经济学作出了哪些原创性贡献？

Li Yiping: General Secretary Xi Jinping adheres to and applies the basic principles and methods of Marxist political economy, analyzes and grasps the basic characteristics and laws of China’s economic development in the new era and new stage, and has formed a series of theoretical achievements with distinct contemporary and creative features in adapting to new situations, solving new problems, and responding to new challenges. These achievements centrally embody our Party’s profound insights into the laws of economic development, especially the laws of socialist economic construction.

李义平：习近平总书记坚持和运用马克思主义政治经济学基本原理和方法，分析和把握新时代新阶段我国经济发展基本特征和规律，在适应新形势、解决新问题、应对新挑战中形成了一系列具有鲜明时代性和创造性的理论成果，集中体现了我们党对经济发展规律特别是社会主义经济建设规律的深刻洞见。

For example, it creatively puts forward the major theoretical viewpoint of strengthening the Party’s comprehensive leadership over economic work, profoundly elucidating the dialectical relationship of the high unity of economy and politics under socialist conditions, and enriching and developing the theory of the relationship between economy and politics in Marxist political economy; it creatively puts forward establishing and adhering to the new development concept of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness, and sharing, profoundly elucidating major political issues such as the political stance, value orientation, development model, and development path concerning development, and enriching and developing the theory of economic development principles in Marxist political economy; it creatively puts forward constructing a new development pattern, making a completely new interpretation around achieving smooth circulation of China’s economy, profoundly elucidating the dialectical relationship between autonomy and openness, development and security, and domestic economic circulation and international economic circulation, and enriching and developing the theory of social reproduction in Marxist political economy; it creatively puts forward developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, emphasizing promoting industrial innovation through scientific and technological innovation, insisting on both promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and opening up new tracks in strategic emerging industries and future industries, and enriching and developing the Marxist theory of productive forces; it creatively puts forward organically combining the implementation of the strategy of expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reform, enhancing the adaptability and balance between supply and demand, using new demand to lead new supply, and using new supply to create new demand, and enriching and developing the Marxist theory of economic structure; and so on.

比如，创造性提出加强党对经济工作的全面领导的重大理论观点，深刻阐明了社会主义条件下经济和政治高度统一的辩证关系，丰富发展了马克思主义政治经济学关于经济和政治关系的理论；创造性提出树立和坚持创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的新发展理念，深刻阐明了关于发展的政治立场、价值导向、发展模式、发展道路等重大政治问题，丰富发展了马克思主义政治经济学关于经济发展原则的理论；创造性提出构建新发展格局，围绕实现我国经济循环畅通作出全新阐释，深刻阐明了自主和开放、发展和安全、国内经济循环和国际经济循环的辩证关系，丰富发展了马克思主义政治经济学关于社会再生产的理论；创造性提出因地制宜发展新质生产力，强调以科技创新推动产业创新，坚持推动传统产业改造升级和开辟战略性新兴产业、未来产业新赛道并重，丰富发展了马克思主义生产力理论；创造性提出把实施扩大内需战略同深化供给侧结构性改革有机结合起来，增强供给与需求的适配性、平衡性，以新需求引领新供给，以新供给创造新需求，丰富发展了马克思主义经济结构理论；等等。

Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought insists on using the “arrow” of Marxist political economy to shoot the “target” of China’s economic development in the New Era, profoundly answering many major theoretical and practical problems that the classical Marxist writers did not discuss, that our predecessors never encountered, and that Western economic theory has always been unable to solve, opening up a new realm of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics.

习近平经济思想坚持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”，深刻回答了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许多重大理论和现实问题，开拓了中国特色社会主义政治经济学新境界。

Reporter: Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought, what achievements have been made in China’s economic development in the New Era?

记者：在习近平经济思想指导下，新时代中国经济发展取得了哪些成就？

Li Yiping: Focusing on the problems of China’s unbalanced and inadequate development, and on the profound and complex changes in the international and domestic environment and the risks and challenges facing China’s economic operation, Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought profoundly answers a series of major practical problems concerning China’s economic development in the New Era, providing an action guide for solving development difficulties, enhancing development momentum, strengthening development advantages, and promoting high-quality economic development. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period [7]7 The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) is the national economic and social development plan of the People’s Republic of China., China’s economic construction achieved major accomplishments, the balance, coordination, and sustainability of development were significantly enhanced, and it embarked on a development path of higher quality, greater efficiency, more fairness, more sustainability, and greater security, fully demonstrating the truth force and practical power of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought.

李义平：习近平经济思想聚焦我国发展不平衡不充分问题，聚焦国际国内环境深刻复杂变化和我国经济运行面临的风险挑战，深刻回答了事关新时代我国经济发展的一系列重大现实问题，为破解发展难题、增强发展动力、厚植发展优势、推动经济高质量发展提供了行动指南。在习近平经济思想的科学指引下，“十四五”时期我国经济建设取得重大成就，发展平衡性、协调性、可持续性明显增强，迈上更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展之路，充分彰显了习近平经济思想的真理力量和实践伟力。

For example, economic strength has significantly increased. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s total economic output achieved “four consecutive leaps,” exceeding 140 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 5.4%, far exceeding the world average, making it the main driving force for world economic growth. People’s livelihood guarantees are solid and stable. The per capita disposable income of national residents grew at an average annual real rate of 5.4%, in sync with economic growth, and the income growth rate of rural residents has consistently been higher than that of urban residents. This fully reflects the people’s standpoint in *Capital* and is also a vivid practice of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought adhering to the people-centered development thinking. Another example is that scientific and technological strength has significantly increased. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, total social R&D expenditure grew at an average annual rate of 10%, and the R&D expenditure intensity reached 2.8% in 2025, exceeding the average level of OECD countries for the first time. Scientific and technological innovation drives the continuous transformation and upgrading of industries towards the mid-to-high end. Many fields are accelerating the transformation from quantitative change to qualitative change, from the mid-to-low end to the mid-to-high end, and from a follower to a leader. This is a vivid practice of implementing Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought’s important exposition that “Chinese-path modernization relies on scientific and technological modernization as support,” and also confirms, from a realistic dimension, the profound insights of *Capital* regarding the laws of economic development.

比如，经济实力显著增强，“十四五”时期我国经济总量实现“四连跳”，突破140万亿元，年均增长5.4%，远超世界平均水平，是世界经济增长的主要动力源；民生保障扎实稳固，全国居民人均可支配收入年均实际增长5.4%，与经济增长同步，农村居民收入增速持续高于城镇居民。这充分体现了《资本论》中的人民立场，也是习近平经济思想坚持以人民为中心的发展思想的生动实践。又如，科技实力显著增强，“十四五”时期全社会研发经费投入年均增长10%，2025年研发经费投入强度达2.8%，首次超过经济合作与发展组织国家平均水平；科技创新带动产业不断向中高端转型升级，很多领域正加快从量变到质变、从中低端到中高端、从追赶者到领跑者转变。这正是贯彻落实习近平经济思想关于“中国式现代化要靠科技现代化作支撑”重要论述的生动实践，也从现实维度印证了《资本论》关于经济发展规律的深刻洞见。

On the path of science, there is no smooth road; only those who are not afraid of hardship and climb the steep mountain path have the hope of reaching the glorious summit. Rereading the classics is both to review the old and to understand the new. Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought is a model of mastering the basic principles of Marxist political economy and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through them, and continuously innovating and developing by combining specific practices and the issues of the times. We must study and apply this contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy and 21st-century Marxist political economy well, and promote the achievement of significant results in high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period [8]8 The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is the upcoming national economic and social development plan of the People’s Republic of China..

在科学上没有平坦的大道，只有不畏劳苦沿着陡峭山路攀登的人，才有希望达到光辉的顶点。重读经典，既是为了温故，更是为了知新。习近平经济思想是掌握马克思主义政治经济学基本原理和贯穿其中的立场、观点、方法，并结合具体实践和时代问题不断创新和发展的典范。我们要把这一当代中国马克思主义政治经济学、21世纪马克思主义政治经济学学习好、运用好，推动“十五五”时期高质量发展取得显著成效。

(People’s Daily reporters Zheng Yanbing, Chen Bingxu, Yin Peng)

（《人民日报》记者 郑延冰 陈炳旭 殷 鹏）