The Systematic Structure of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought: The Internal Unity of Concept, Theory, and Practice

In the perspective of Marx’s political economy, concepts are the “simplest determinations” abstracted from concrete appearances and constitute the starting point of political economy; theory is the comprehensive grasp of the internal connections of things after “fully appropriating the material” and revealing their manifold forms of development, and forms the core of political economy; practice is the essence of social life, embodying Marx’s fundamental stance of basing himself on humanity and pursuing the free and comprehensive development of the individual, and is the ultimate orientation of political economy. “Concept—theory—practice,” as the key links in Marx’s study of political economy, jointly propel the systematic development of his political economy. As the latest achievement of contemporary Marxist political economy in China, Xi Jinping’s economic thought inherits the systematic development path of Marx’s political economy, constructing a complete system from the three mutually generative and progressively unfolding links of concept, theory, and practice. It demonstrates the scientific nature of its theory through its comprehensive systematicity, laying a solid foundation for constructing an independent knowledge system of Chinese economics. “To focus on studying, propagating, and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and to deepen systematic and theoretical research and interpretation,” it is necessary to profoundly grasp the scientific inheritance and systematic development of the links in Marx’s study of political economy by Xi Jinping’s economic thought.

在马克思政治经济学视野中，概念是从表象的具体中抽象出的“最简单规定”，是政治经济学的起点；理论是“充分地占有材料”并揭示事物诸多发展形式之后对其内在联系的综合把握，是政治经济学的核心；实践是社会生活的本质，体现着马克思立足人类、追求人自由而全面发展的基本立场，是政治经济学的最终指向。“概念—理论—实践”作为马克思政治经济学研究的重要环节，共同推动其政治经济学体系化发展。作为当代中国马克思主义政治经济学的最新成果，习近平经济思想承续了马克思政治经济学的体系化发展路径，从概念、理论与实践三个相互生成、层层展开的环节出发构建出完整体系，以完备的体系性展现出其理论的科学性，为构建中国经济学自主知识体系奠定了坚实根基。“聚焦学习宣传贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义思想，着力深化体系化、学理化研究阐释”，必须深刻把握习近平经济思想对马克思政治经济学研究环节的科学继承与体系化发展。

I. Promoting a “Revolution in Terminology” in Contemporary Chinese Economics through Signature Concepts

一、以标识性概念推动当代中国经济学“术语的革命”

In the link of conceptual innovation, Xi Jinping’s economic thought profoundly grasps the direction of the times’ development. Starting from analyzing new phenomena in economic activities, it forms a chain of interlocking and openly developing signature concepts on the basis of discerning causes and identifying cruxes. These concepts centrally embody the new insights and new theses that Chinese Communists have achieved in the science of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, promoting a “revolution in terminology” in contemporary Chinese economics.

在概念创新环节，习近平经济思想深刻把握时代发展方向，从剖析经济活动新的现象入手，在辨析成因、找准症结的基础上形成了环环相扣、开放发展的标识性概念，集中展现了中国共产党人在中国特色社会主义政治经济学这门科学上取得的新见解新论断，推动了当代中国经济学“术语的革命”。

(1) Signature Concepts Are the Central Embodiment of New Insights in Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

（一）标识性概念是新时代中国特色社会主义政治经济学新见解的集中体现

In the science of political economy, the refinement of concepts or terms has always had foundational significance. What political economy studies are the economic relations of a specific social formation and their process of movement. If one grasps this process from the whole, one can only obtain a chaotic representation. Marx pointed out in the “Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy” that “the concrete is concrete because it is the synthesis of many determinations, hence the unity of the manifold. It therefore appears in thought as a process of synthesis, as a result, not as a starting point, although it is the real starting point and hence also the starting point for observation and conception.” Here, Marx emphasizes that for complex economic phenomena, it is necessary to use “the power of abstraction” to extract simple economic concepts and general determinations, so that the development process and internal connections of the things themselves can be concretely reproduced in science. Therefore, concepts, as a kind of “thin abstraction,” have the character of a starting point in the study of the science of political economy.

在政治经济学这门科学中，概念或术语的提炼始终具有基础性意义。政治经济学所研究的是一定社会形态的经济关系及其运动过程。对这一过程的把握，若从整体理解，就只能得到一个混沌的表象。马克思在《〈政治经济学批判〉导言》中指出，“具体之所以具体，因为它是许多规定的综合，因而是多样性的统一。因此它在思维中表现为综合的过程，表现为结果，而不是表现为起点。虽然它是现实的起点，因而也是直观和表象的起点”。在这里，马克思强调，对于复杂的经济现象，必须通过“抽象力”来提炼出简单的经济概念及一般规定，从而使事物本身的发展过程和内部联系在科学上得到具体的再现。因此，概念作为一种“稀薄的抽象”，在政治经济学这门科学的研究上具有起点的性质。

Concepts, as the starting point of the science of political economy, determine that new insights in this science must be marked by a “revolution in terminology.” Marx pointed out that “the ideal is nothing else than the material world reflected by the human mind and translated into forms of thought.” As a product of history, concepts “are directly interwoven with the material activity and the material intercourse of men, the language of real life,” and are therefore primarily conditioned by the productive forces of the era in which one lives and the relations of production corresponding to them, and undergo corresponding revolutions with the changes in the production and intercourse activities of “real individuals.” Therefore, concepts are rooted in real life, rooted in “the place where real, positive science begins, with men’s practical activity and their actual development process.” With the development of the era, concepts undergo corresponding changes in semantics, thereby causing corresponding changes in the sciences based on them. This is the root of why political economy is “a historical science.” Hence, Engels pointed out that “the application of certain terms is not only different from their meaning in everyday life, but also different from their meaning in ordinary political economy. But this is unavoidable. Every new insight that a science puts forward contains a revolution in the terminology of that science.”

概念作为政治经济学这门科学的起点，决定了这门科学上的新见解必然以“术语的革命”为标志。马克思指出，“观念的东西不外是移入人的头脑并在人的头脑中改造过的物质的东西而已”。作为一种历史的产物，概念“直接与人们的物质活动，与人们的物质交往，与现实生活的语言交织在一起”，因而首先受所生活的那个时代的生产力及与之相适应的生产关系制约，并随着“现实的人”的生产与交往活动的变革而发生相应的革命。所以，概念根植于现实的生活，根植于“人们实践活动和实际发展过程的真正的实证科学开始的地方”。随着所处时代的发展，概念在语义上将发生相应的变化，从而使得以之为基础的科学也随之发生相应变革，政治经济学作为“一门历史的科学”的根源就在于此。所以，恩格斯指出，“某些术语的应用，不仅同它们在日常生活中的含义不同，而且和它们在普通政治经济学中的含义也不同。但这是不可避免的。一门科学提出的每一种新见解都包含这门科学的术语的革命”。

Since the New Era, the new insights in the science of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics are centrally embodied in the refinement and innovation of a series of signature concepts in Xi Jinping’s economic thought. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “Whether our philosophy and social sciences have Chinese characteristics ultimately depends on whether they have subjectivity and originality.” Concepts, as the foundation of philosophy and social sciences, determine the core characteristics of the science of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. The key to forming a “systematic economic theory” with Chinese characteristics lies in starting from the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics and forging signature concepts with Chinese characteristics. “Since reform and opening up, we have promptly summarized new practical activities, continuously promoted theoretical innovation, and put forward many important theses on major issues such as development concepts, ownership, distribution systems, government functions, market mechanisms, macroeconomic regulation, industrial structure, corporate governance structures, people’s livelihood guarantees, and social governance.” These signature concepts, as core elements of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, possess both distinct Chinese characteristics and significant temporal qualities, fully demonstrating the theoretical innovation of Chinese Communists in the science of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, and exhibiting powerful truth-force in guiding China’s sustained and stable economic development.

新时代以来，中国特色社会主义政治经济学这门科学上的新见解，集中体现为习近平经济思想中一系列标识性概念的提炼创新。习近平总书记指出，“我们的哲学社会科学有没有中国特色，归根到底要看有没有主体性、原创性”。概念作为哲学社会科学的基础，决定了中国特色社会主义政治经济学这门科学的核心特征。形成具有中国特色的“系统化的经济学说”，关键在于从中国特色社会主义实践出发，打造具有中国特色的标识性概念。“改革开放以来，我们及时总结新的生动实践，不断推进理论创新，在发展理念、所有制、分配体制、政府职能、市场机制、宏观调控、产业结构、企业治理结构、民生保障、社会治理等重大问题上提出了许多重要论断。”这些标识性概念作为习近平经济思想的核心要素，既具有鲜明的中国特色，也具有显著的时代性质，充分彰显了中国共产党人在中国特色社会主义政治经济学这门科学上的理论创新，在指导我国经济持续稳定发展中展现出强大的真理力量。

(2) The Original Contributions of Signature Concepts in Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought

（二）习近平经济思想标识性概念的原创性贡献

The essence of signature concepts lies in innovation; innovation is the eternal theme of the formation of signature concepts and an inevitable requirement of social development, deepening practice, and historical progress. The fundamental reason why signature concepts can become a distinct marker of a science, a social formation, or even an era is that they condense new intrinsic determinations and understandings of laws formed on the basis of specific historical practice, possessing originality. On the one hand, original contributions can be embodied in the reinterpretation of concepts or terms on the basis of predecessors. For example, in Capital, Marx, through his reinterpretation of then-popular economic terms such as capital, wages, and labor, fundamentally subverted the conceptual connotations of these old terms, thereby providing a new perspective for understanding problems in political economy. In Volume III of Capital, Marx points out that “capital is not a thing, but a definite social relation of production belonging to a definite historical social formation, which is embodied in a thing and gives this thing a specific social character,” and “if capital is understood as a definite sum of value independently expressed in money, then to say that a value is greater than its value is obviously nonsense.” Through his reinterpretation of the term capital, Marx proved that the vulgar economists’ explanations of various economic relations were absurd and completely contradictory: “land—rent, capital—interest, labor—wages or the price of labor, are three parts that obviously cannot be combined together.”

标识性概念的实质在于创新，创新是标识性概念形成的永恒主题，也是社会发展、实践深化、历史前进的必然要求。标识性概念能够成为一门科学、一种社会形态乃至一个时代的鲜明标记，根本原因就在于其中凝结着基于特定历史实践所形成的新的内在规定和规律认识，具有原创性。一方面，原创性贡献可以体现为在前人的基础上对概念或术语的再阐释。例如，马克思在《资本论》中通过对资本、工资、劳动等当时经济学流行的术语的重新解释，使得这类旧术语在概念内涵上发生根本颠覆，进而提供了政治经济学理解问题的新视野。在《资本论》第三卷中，马克思指出，“资本不是物，而是一定的、社会的、属于一定历史社会形态的生产关系，它体现在一个物上，并赋予这个物以特有的社会性质”，“如果资本被理解为一定的、在货币上取得独立表现的价值额，那么，说一个价值是比它的所值更大的价值，显然是无稽之谈”。通过对资本这一术语的重释，马克思证明庸俗经济学对各种经济关系的阐释是荒谬的，完全矛盾的，“土地—地租，资本—利息，劳动—工资或劳动价格，是三个显然不可能组合在一起的部分”。

On the other hand, originality can be directly embodied as “brand-new elements” such as new concepts, new categories, and new expressions, achieving original innovation in the production of knowledge elements. In Capital, Marx points out that “the result of the functioning of labor-power is not only the reproduction of its own value, but also the production of a surplus-value. This surplus-value is the excess of the value of the product over the value of the consumed product-forming elements, i.e., the means of production and labor-power.” The distinction of labor-power and the proposal of new terms such as surplus-value revealed the true source of surplus-value. “The difficulties which the best economists encountered starting from the value of ‘labor’ vanish as soon as we make the value of ‘labor-power’ our starting point,” and “all previous research, whether by bourgeois economists or socialist critics, had been groping in the dark.”

另一方面，原创性可以直接体现为新概念、新范畴、新表述等“崭新的因素”，实现在知识要素生产上的原始创新。在《资本论》中，马克思指出，“劳动力发挥作用的结果，不仅再生产出劳动力自身的价值，而且生产出一个超额价值。这个剩余价值就是产品价值超过消耗掉的产品形成要素即生产资料和劳动力的价值而形成的余额”。劳动力的区分和剩余价值等新术语的提出，揭示了剩余价值的真正源泉，“那些最优秀的经济学家从‘劳动’价值出发而无法解决的困难，一到我们把‘劳动力’价值作为出发点，就消失不见了”，“而先前无论资产阶级经济学家或者社会主义批评家所做的一切研究都只是在黑暗中摸索”。

The original contribution of the iconic concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought is in the same line as the “revolution in terminology”

习近平经济思想标识性概念的原创性贡献与马克思政治经济学“术语的革命”一脉相承。在习近平经济思想中，既存在对原有经济学概念的新理解，赋予旧有概念新内涵的内容，也存在根据新时代经济现实所总结的原创性的部分。其中，对于党在历史上针对某一命题所提出的重大论断，习近平经济思想基于老问题的新变化，总结经验，推陈出新，对这些内容进行了实践上的丰富和发展。如社会主义市场经济、社会主义初级阶段等。对于党在新时代经济发展实践中遇到的新问题，习近平经济思想则从我国改革发展的实践中提出了一系列完全原创性的新观点、新论断，如新发展理念、供给侧结构性改革、高质量发展、人类文明新形态等。这些原创性要素“不仅有力指导了我国经济发展实践，而且开拓了马克思主义政治经济学新境界”。

(III) Signature concepts have laid the academic foundation for the theoretical system of Chinese economics

（三）标识性概念奠定了中国经济学理论体系的学理基础

While achieving a “revolution in terminology,” the signature concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought have, through innovation in Chinese economic discourse, laid the academic foundation for the theoretical system of Chinese economics from different angles, revealing a rich academic significance.

习近平经济思想标识性概念在实现“术语的革命”的同时，以中国经济学话语创新从不同角度奠定了中国经济学理论体系的学理基础，展现出丰富的学理意蕴。

First, the signature concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought condense the epochal determinations of the theoretical system of Chinese economics. Different epochal conditions generate specific epochal terms, define the objective conditions for the emergence and development of economic theory, and set forth the historical tasks that the theory of a given stage must accomplish. In Xi Jinping’s economic thought, signature concepts such as “the new normal of the economy,” “the new stage of development,” and “the superimposition of three periods” [13]13 “The superimposition of three periods” (三期叠加) refers to the simultaneous presence of three overlapping phases in the Chinese economy: the period of transition from high-speed to medium-high-speed growth, the period of painful structural adjustment, and the period of digesting earlier stimulus policies. highly condense the new situation and new background of economic work development in the New Era, providing a basic starting point for our Party to guide economic development practice. These terms take the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and its objective laws as their object, reflecting the socio-historical determinations of the construction of Chinese economic theory at this specific stage. Therefore, only by proceeding from the specific economic and social forms and their stages of development revealed by these terms can we construct a knowledge system of political economy that suits the national conditions and epochal characteristics of contemporary China.

一是习近平经济思想的标识性概念凝结了中国经济学理论体系的时代规定。不同的时代条件生成了特定的时代术语，规定了经济学理论产生发展的客观条件，提出了所处阶段的理论所需要完成的历史任务。在习近平经济思想中，“经济新常态”“新发展阶段”“三期叠加”等标识性概念，将新时代经济工作发展的新形势、新背景高度凝练，为我们党指导经济发展实践提供了基本出发点。这些术语是以新时代中国特色社会主义实践及其客观规律为对象的，体现了这一特定阶段中国经济学理论构建的社会历史规定。所以，只有从这些术语所揭示的特定的经济社会形态及其发展阶段出发，才能构建适应当代中国国情和时代特点的政治经济学知识体系。

Second, the signature concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought expound the practical requirements of the theoretical system of Chinese economics. Marx said, “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it.” [14]14 Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach,” Thesis XI. The vitality of theory lies in practice. Specifically applied to the greatest reality of socialism with Chinese characteristics, this means “focusing on new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, problems of urgent concern to the people, major problems in the international landscape, and prominent problems in Party building,” [15]15 Quotation from Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC (2022). responding to the demands of the times, discovering the laws of development, and refining and creating new categories and expressions that the people can understand and accept. On this issue, the relevant signature concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought emphasize acting in accordance with circumstances on the basis of practical changes, advancing steadily, actively grasping the changes of the times, and actively solving problems in development. Taking the “new development philosophy” as an example, this philosophy not only contains the contemporary reality of the continuous advancement of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation facing our country, the change in the principal contradiction in society, and the interweaving of the “two overall situations,” [16]16 “Two overall situations” (两个大局) refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century. but also highlights our Party’s timely adjustments to development concepts and thinking, reflects our Party’s unceasing exploration of finding a way out through reform and turning unfavorable situations into favorable ones through innovation, and underscores the practical significance of the academic connotation of China’s economic knowledge elements.

二是习近平经济思想的标识性概念论述了中国经济学理论体系的实践要求。马克思说，“哲学家们只是用不同的方式解释世界，问题在于改变世界”。理论的生命力在于实践，具体到中国特色社会主义这一最大现实，就是要“聚焦实践遇到的新问题、改革发展稳定存在的深层次问题、人民群众急难愁盼问题、国际变局中的重大问题、党的建设面临的突出问题”，回应时代的要求，找到发展规律，提炼打造人民群众所理解和接受的新范畴新表述。在这一问题上，习近平经济思想的相关标识性概念强调在实践变化基础上顺势而为、扎实推进，主动把握时代变化，积极在发展中解决问题。以“新发展理念”为例，这一理念既内蕴了当前我国面临的新一轮科技革命和产业变革不断推进、社会主要矛盾发生变化、“两个大局”相互交织的时代现实，也突出了我们党对发展理念和思路所作出的及时调整，体现了我们党在改革中寻找出路、在创新中化不利形势为有利局面的不竭探索，凸显中国经济学知识要素在学理内涵上的现实意义。

Third, the signature concepts of Xi Jinping’s economic thought manifest the value orientation of the theoretical system of Chinese economics. Value orientation reflects the autonomy of theory and the distinct historical characteristics and values that theory should possess. The unique cultural traditions and unique historical destinies of each country determine that theory must have unique signatures suited to its national conditions. However, China’s knowledge sphere has long had a path dependence on Western concepts, and the voice for interpreting Chinese practice and constructing Chinese theory lacks influence, being “in a situation where we have the truth but cannot express it, and even when expressed, it cannot be spread.” [17]17 Quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the symposium on philosophy and social sciences (2016). To this end, while achieving terminological innovation, Xi Jinping’s economic thought uses signature concepts such as “the Two Mountains Theory,” [18]18 “Two Mountains Theory” (两山理念) refers to the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” a metaphor for ecological protection and economic development. “green productive forces,” and “a community with a shared future for mankind” to integrate the spirit of the times of Chinese civilization into conceptual innovation, manifesting the cultural values carried by this system and breaking the dependency tendency in our own knowledge discourse. These autonomous concepts embody the precise grasp of the Chinese Communists in “using Chinese principles to summarize Chinese experience,” and thus become the main signatures of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics.

三是习近平经济思想的标识性概念彰显了中国经济学理论体系的价值导向。价值导向，体现的是理论的自主性，是理论所应具有的鲜明历史特质与价值观念。各国独特的文化传统、独特的历史命运，决定了理论必然具有适合本国国情的独特标识性。但我国知识领域长期存在着对西方概念的路径依赖，解读中国实践、构建中国理论的声音影响力不足，“处于有理说不出、说了传不开的境地”。为此，习近平经济思想在实现术语创新的同时，以“两山理念”“绿色生产力”“人类命运共同体”等标识性概念把中华文明的时代精神融入概念创新之中，彰显出这一体系所承载的文化价值，破除了本国知识话语中的依附趋向。这些具有自主性的相关概念体现出中国共产党人对“用中国道理总结好中国经验”的精准把握，进而成为中国特色社会主义政治经济学的主体标识。

Since the New Era, profound changes in fields from material to culture, from technology to institutions, and from production to daily life have driven Xi Jinping’s economic thought to continuously reveal the essence and laws of socialist economic development with Chinese characteristics in the New Era through signature concepts. While refining and summarizing the regular achievements of China’s economic development practice, these signature concepts, with their inherent scientificity and systematicity, have become the academic foundation and necessary starting point for the evolution and development of Chinese economic theory.

新时代以来，从物质到文化、从技术到制度、从生产到生活等领域的深刻变革，推动习近平经济思想不断以标识性概念揭示新时代中国特色社会主义经济发展本质及规律。这些标识性概念在提炼和总结我国经济发展实践的规律性成果的同时，也以其内在的科学性和系统性，成为中国经济学理论演进与发展的学理基础与必然起点。

II. Building a theory of productive forces with Chinese characteristics centered on liberating and developing productive forces in the New Era

二、围绕新时代解放和发展生产力构建中国特色生产力理论

In the theoretical construction link, Xi Jinping’s economic thought, centered on the main line of “liberating and developing productive forces” in the New Era, integrates and develops signature concepts, systematically answering questions about the realistic background, institutional systems, conceptual methods, and target forms of productive forces development under the new situation of the New Era. In the process of systematically promoting theoretical innovation, it demonstrates the unique character of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground.

在理论构建环节，习近平经济思想围绕新时代“解放和发展生产力”主线，整合发展标识性概念，系统回答了新时代新形势下生产力发展的现实背景、制度体制、理念方法、目标形态等问题，在以体系化着力推动理论创新的过程中展现出守正创新的独特品格。

(I) The theoretical main line of Xi Jinping’s economic thought

（一）习近平经济思想的理论主线

From the perspective of the formation process of Marx’s political economy theory, establishing the theoretical main line is a prerequisite link in theoretical construction. In the postface to the second edition of Volume I of *Capital*, Marx pointed out that research is “to appropriate the material in detail, to analyze its different forms of development, and to track down their inner connection.” [19]19 Karl Marx, *Capital*, Volume I, postface to the second edition. When writing a review of *Capital*, Engels also pointed out, “Since the world has known capitalists and workers, no book has been as important for the workers as the one before us. The relation of capital and labor is the axis around which our entire modern social system revolves. This relation has here, for the first time, been given a scientific explanation.” [20]20 Friedrich Engels, review of *Capital* for the *Demokratisches Wochenblatt* (1868). Examining the relationship between the two categories of “capital” and “labor” as the “axis” indicates that relations of production occupy a key position in the construction of Marx’s political economy theory. However, when considering the form of future society, Marx deeply analyzed the great significance of highly developed productive forces. Marx pointed out that eliminating the alienation of people by “some alien force existing outside them and beyond their control” brought about by the capitalist mode of production “presupposes a tremendous growth of productive forces and a high degree of their development.” [21]21 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology* (1845-1846). The continuous development of social productive forces and production conditions “can create the real foundation for a higher form of society, a society in which the full and free development of every individual becomes the ruling principle.” [22]22 Karl Marx, *Capital*, Volume I, Chapter 24. Productive forces, as the endogenous driving force of the evolution of social forms and the objective law that productive forces determine the development of relations of production, determine the important direction of future economic and social development in practice and determine the necessary links in the study of future economic and social theory.

从马克思政治经济学理论形成过程来看，确立理论主线是理论构建的前置环节。在《资本论》第一卷第二版跋中，马克思指出，研究就是“充分地占有材料，分析它的各种发展形式，探寻这些形式的内在联系”。恩格斯在为《资本论》撰写书评时也指出，“自从世界上有资本家和工人以来，没有一本书像我们面前这本书那样，对于工人具有如此重要的意义。资本和劳动的关系，是我们全部现代社会体系所围绕旋转的轴心，这种关系在这里第一次得到了科学的说明”。将“资本”和“劳动”两大范畴的关系作为“轴心”来考察，表明生产关系在马克思政治经济学理论构建中占据关键地位。但在思考未来社会形态时，马克思深入分析了生产力高度发达的重要意义。马克思指出，消除资本主义生产方式所带来的“某种异己的、在他们之外的强制力量”对人的异化，是“以生产力的巨大增长和高度发展为前提的”。社会生产力与生产条件的不断发展，“才能为一个更高级的、以每一个个人的全面而自由的发展为基本原则的社会形式建立现实基础”。生产力作为社会形态演变的内生动力以及生产力决定生产关系发展的客观规律，从实践上决定了未来经济社会发展的重要方向，从理论上决定了未来经济社会研究的必要环节。

Taking the liberation and development of social productive forces as the theoretical main line of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics profoundly reflects the scientific inheritance and epochal innovation of Marxist political economy by the Chinese Communists. As early as the period of socialist revolution and construction, Mao Zedong pointed out, “The purpose of the socialist revolution is to liberate the productive forces.” [23]23 Mao Zedong, “Speech at the Supreme State Conference” (1956). After reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping emphasized, “The primary task of socialism is to develop the productive forces and gradually raise the people’s material and cultural living standards,” [24]24 Deng Xiaoping, “Building a Socialism with a Specifically Chinese Character” (1984). further establishing the core position of liberating and developing productive forces in the governance of the Chinese Communist Party.

将解放和发展社会生产力作为中国特色社会主义政治经济学的理论主线，深刻体现了中国共产党人对马克思主义政治经济学的科学继承与时代创新。早在社会主义革命和建设时期，毛泽东就指出，“社会主义革命的目的是为了解放生产力”。改革开放后，邓小平强调，“社会主义的首要任务是发展生产力，逐步提高人民的物质和文化生活水平”，进一步确立了解放和发展生产力在中国共产党治国理政中的核心地位。

At the 2015 Central Economic Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that “the major principles of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics must be upheld,” with “persisting in unleashing and developing the social productive forces” as the primary principle. This exposition profoundly reflects the long-term exploration and focus of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics on the fundamental issue of unleashing and developing the productive forces. Unleashing and developing the productive forces, as the fundamental task of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and the necessary path to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, has always been the focal point of the theoretical construction of Xi Jinping’s economic thought.

在2015年中央经济工作会议上，习近平总书记提出“要坚持中国特色社会主义政治经济学的重大原则”，并以“坚持解放和发展社会生产力”作为首要原则。这一论述深刻体现了中国特色社会主义政治经济学对解放和发展生产力这一基本问题的长期探索与聚焦。解放和发展生产力作为坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的根本任务与实现中华民族伟大复兴的必由之路，始终是习近平经济思想理论构建的着力点。

(II) The Realistic Background of Productive Forces Development in the New Era

（二）新时代生产力发展的现实背景

“The theoretical thinking of each era, and thus of our era, is a historical product, taking completely different forms and having completely different content in different eras.” [25]25 This is a paraphrase of a statement by Friedrich Engels in *Dialectics of Nature*. The stage-specific characteristics of a given socio-economic formation determine that the generality of “unleashing and developing the productive forces” is always embedded in its particularity. On the basis of upholding the important principle of “unleashing and developing the social productive forces,” Xi Jinping’s economic thought provides a detailed explanation of the realistic background for unleashing and developing the productive forces, anchored in the historical positioning of the “New Era,” thereby revealing the theoretical essence guiding the development of productive forces in the New Era.

“每一个时代的理论思维，从而我们时代的理论思维，都是一种历史的产物，它在不同的时代具有完全不同的形式，同时具有完全不同的内容”。特定经济社会形态的阶段性特征决定了“解放和发展生产力”的一般性总是寓于其特殊性之中。习近平经济思想在坚持“解放和发展社会生产力”这一重要原则的基础上，以“新时代”的历史定位对解放和发展生产力的现实背景进行了详细说明，展现出指导新时代生产力发展的理论精髓。

The change in the principal contradiction in society is an objective reflection of the level of productive forces development in the New Era and “a historic change affecting the overall situation.” [26]26 Quotation from the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC (2017). Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has continuously deepened its understanding of the principal contradiction in society, concentrated efforts on advancing various reforms, and continuously met the people’s growing needs for a better life. The effectiveness of economic governance has steadily improved, and the overall social situation has remained stable over the long term, reflecting multiple advantages in the current development of China’s productive forces. At the same time, however, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development of China’s productive forces remains relatively prominent; the gap in the level of productive forces development between urban and rural areas and between regions is still quite evident; there are still some shortcomings in the area of people’s livelihood security; and there is an imbalance between material production and spiritual production. This reflects that the current development of China’s productive forces still faces a series of constraining factors.

社会主要矛盾的变化是新时代生产力发展水平的客观反映，“是关系全局的历史性变化”。党的十八大以来，我们党不断深化对社会主要矛盾的认识，聚力推进各项改革，不断满足人民群众日益增长的美好生活需要，经济治理效能稳步提升，社会大局长期稳定，反映出当前我国生产力发展的多方面优势。但同时，我国生产力发展不平衡不充分的问题仍较为突出，生产力发展水平在城乡、区域之间的差距仍较为明显，民生保障方面还存在部分短板，物质生产与精神生产还存在不平衡，反映出当前我国生产力发展仍面临一系列制约因素。

The new stage of development is the broad background for the development of productive forces in the New Era. Since the beginning of the New Era, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has accurately identified changes, responded scientifically to changes, and actively sought changes, clearly stating that “after building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the First Centenary Goal, we must build on this momentum and embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, marching toward the Second Centenary Goal. This marks China’s entry into a new stage of development.” [27]27 Quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping at a study session of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (2021). The development of productive forces in the new stage of development faces a series of new opportunities and new challenges. On the one hand, after decades of productive forces development, the Chinese nation has achieved a great leap from standing up and growing rich to becoming strong. China’s economic strength has reached a new level, making it the world’s second-largest economy and the largest industrial country. On the other hand, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development in China remains prominent; unilateralism and protectionism have shown a gradual upward trend in recent years; the world economy is sluggish, entering a new period of turbulence and transformation; uncertain and unpredictable factors have further increased; and global industrial and supply chains are facing significant shocks due to various factors. The complex situation of the interweaving of the “two overall situations” [28]28 “Two overall situations” refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century in the world. at home and abroad has placed higher demands on the development of productive forces in the New Era.

新发展阶段是新时代生产力发展的大背景。新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央准确识变、科学应变、主动求变，明确指出，“全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后，我们要乘势而上开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程、向第二个百年奋斗目标进军，这标志着我国进入了一个新发展阶段”。新发展阶段生产力发展面临一系列新机遇、新挑战。一方面，经过几十年的生产力发展，中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，我国经济实力跃上了新台阶，成为世界第二大经济体、第一大工业国。另一方面，我国发展不平衡不充分问题仍然突出，单边主义与保护主义在近年来有逐步上升的趋势，世界经济低迷，进入新的动荡变革期，不确定、难预料的因素进一步增多，全球产业链、供应链因各种因素面临较大冲击。国内国际“两个大局”相互交织的复杂局面，对新时代生产力发展提出了更高要求。

High-quality development is the development task proposed by our Party in response to the change in the current principal contradiction in society and is the core theme of productive forces development in the New Era. In the decades since reform and opening up, China’s modernization drive has achieved outstanding accomplishments, creating a miracle in the development of world productive forces. However, as China’s economy shifts from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development, the mode, structure, and drivers of China’s productive forces development all face new requirements for adjustment. On the one hand, with rising labor costs, profits in low-end manufacturing are continuously shrinking, objectively requiring a transformation of the development mode from traditional reliance on scale expansion to improvement in quality and efficiency. On the other hand, structural contradictions between domestic supply and demand in various fields remain relatively prominent, making the combination of stock adjustment and incremental addition a realistic need for structural optimization. At the same time, competition among countries for commanding heights in science and technology is becoming increasingly fierce, and opportunities to cultivate competitive advantages through low-cost factor inputs have significantly decreased. Innovation has become the primary driving force for development, and accelerating the development of mid-to-high-end industries with innovative advantages has become an inevitable measure for transforming the drivers of economic growth. Therefore, the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC emphasizes that “high-quality development is the primary task in comprehensively building a modern socialist country.” [29]29 Quotation from the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC (2022). High-quality development not only centrally embodies our Party’s people-centered development philosophy but also demonstrates our Party’s profound grasp of the laws governing the development of productive forces, pointing out the realistic path for promoting effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of productive forces in the New Era.

高质量发展是我们党围绕当前社会主要矛盾变化所提出的发展任务，是新时代生产力发展的核心主题。改革开放以来的几十年间，我国现代化建设取得了突出成就，创造了世界生产力发展的奇迹。但是，随着我国经济由高速增长阶段转向高质量发展阶段，我国生产力发展方式、发展结构和发展动力都面临新的调整要求。一方面，随着劳动力成本上升，低端制造业利润不断削减，客观上要求发展方式由传统的依赖规模扩张向质量效益提升转变；另一方面，国内供求在各领域的结构性矛盾仍较为突出，存量调整与增量并举成为结构优化的现实需要。同时，当前各国对科技制高权的竞争日趋激烈，低成本要素投入培育竞争优势的机会明显减少，创新成为发展的第一动力，加快发展具有创新优势的中高端产业成为经济增长动力转换的必然举措。因此，党的二十大报告强调，“高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务”。高质量发展既集中体现了我们党以人民为中心的发展理念，又展现出我们党对生产力发展规律的深刻把握，为新时代推动生产力实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长指明了现实路径。

(III) The Institutional System, Conceptual Methods, and Target Forms of Productive Forces Development in the New Era

（三）新时代生产力发展的制度体制、理念方法与目标形态

Based on the realistic background of productive forces development in the New Era, Xi Jinping’s economic thought deeply understands and grasps the trend-based changes and stage-specific characteristics of contemporary China’s productive forces development. It puts forward a series of interconnected and mutually reinforcing new viewpoints, creatively answers questions concerning the institutional system, conceptual methods, and target forms for unleashing and developing the productive forces, and constructs a theoretical system with the development of productive forces as its main thread.

习近平经济思想立足新时代生产力发展的现实背景，深刻理解和把握当代中国生产力发展的趋势性变化和阶段性特征，提出了一系列相互联系、相互贯通的新观点，创造性地回答了解放和发展生产力的制度体制、理念方法、目标形态等问题，构建出一个以生产力发展为主线的理论体系。

The socialist basic economic system, including the socialist market economy system, constitutes the institutional foundation and systemic guarantee for the development of productive forces in the New Era. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC pointed out: “The socialist basic economic system, which features public ownership as the mainstay with diverse forms of ownership developing side by side, distribution according to work as the mainstay with multiple forms of distribution coexisting, and the socialist market economy system, not only reflects the superiority of the socialist system but also corresponds to the level of development of the social productive forces in the primary stage of socialism in our country. It is a great creation of the Party and the people.” [30]30 Quotation from the *Decision* of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC (2019). The combination of the market economy with socialism is the most innovative theoretical viewpoint of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, based on China’s actual reality in exploring the unity of the general and specific laws of productive forces development. On the new journey of the New Era, to further develop the productive forces, it is necessary to actively promote the sustained and healthy development of the private economy on the basis of strengthening and expanding the state-owned economy, fully leverage the decisive role of the market in resource allocation while better playing the role of the government, and “work hard on the integration of the basic socialist system with the market economy, give full play to the advantages of both sides, and strive to solve this worldwide economic problem in practice.” [31]31 Quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping at the 28th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee (2014).

社会主义市场经济体制等社会主义基本经济制度是新时代生产力发展的制度根基和体制保障。党的十九届四中全会指出：“公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展，按劳分配为主体、多种分配方式并存，社会主义市场经济体制等社会主义基本经济制度，既体现了社会主义制度优越性，又同我国社会主义初级阶段社会生产力发展水平相适应，是党和人民的伟大创造”。市场经济与社会主义相结合，是中国特色社会主义政治经济学最具创新性的理论观点，是基于我国现实实际探索生产力发展的一般性和特殊性规律的统一。新时代新征程上进一步发展生产力，要在做大做强国有经济的基础上积极推动民营经济持续健康发展，充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用的同时更好发挥政府作用，“在社会主义基本制度与市场经济的结合上下功夫，把两方面优势都发挥好，努力在实践中破解这道经济学上的世界性难题”。

The new development philosophy, as the guide for development action, determines the direction of action for the development of productive forces in the New Era. The new development philosophy is the theoretical soul of Xi Jinping’s economic thought, “centrally embodying China’s development ideas, development direction, and development focus for the 13th Five-Year Plan period and beyond, serving as a guide that governs the overall situation, the fundamentals, and the long term.” [32]32 Quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping at the 30th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee (2016). Within the new development philosophy, innovation is the primary driving force leading development, addressing the issue of driver switching. Innovation-driven development means comprehensively advancing the integrated reform of the education, science and technology, and talent systems to create an innovative development model with competitive advantages in science and technology. Coordination is an inherent requirement for healthy development, addressing the issue of structural optimization. Coordinated development means properly handling the relationships between government and market, urban and rural areas, eastern and western regions, central and local authorities, and domestic and international contexts, achieving coordinated, balanced, and compatible development of productive forces across various fields. Green development is a necessary condition for sustainable development, addressing the issue of symbiosis between humans and nature. Green development means establishing the understanding that “protecting the ecological environment is protecting the productive forces, and improving the ecological environment is developing the productive forces,” [33]33 Quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping in Hainan (2013). promoting the green transformation of traditional manufacturing enterprises, and forming a green development mode. Openness is the necessary path to prosperous development. Open development requires firmly implementing the basic state policy of opening up, promoting the establishment of high-level systems and mechanisms for opening up, and building a deeply integrated pattern of mutual benefit and reciprocity. Sharing is the essential requirement for the development of productive forces under socialism with Chinese characteristics, addressing the issue of fairness and justice in economic development. Adhering to shared development requires upholding the fundamental purpose of socialist productive forces development serving the people, and promoting sharing by all the people, comprehensive sharing, co-construction and sharing, and gradual sharing.

新发展理念作为发展行动的先导，决定了新时代生产力发展的行动方向。新发展理念是习近平经济思想的理论灵魂，“集中体现了‘十三五’乃至更长时期我国的发展思路、发展方向、发展着力点，是管全局、管根本、管长远的导向”。在新发展理念中，创新是引领发展的第一动力，解决的是动力切换的问题。创新发展，就是要统筹推进教育科技人才体制机制一体改革，打造具备科技竞争力优势的创新性发展模式。协调是健康发展的内在要求，解决的是结构优化的问题。协调发展，就是要处理好政府与市场、城市与农村、东部与西部、中央和地方、国内和国际的关系，实现生产力在各领域协调、平衡、兼容发展。绿色是永续发展的必要条件，解决的是人与自然共生的问题。绿色发展，就是要树立“保护生态环境就是保护生产力，改善生态环境就是发展生产力”的认知，推动传统制造业企业绿色化转型，形成绿色发展方式。开放是繁荣发展的必由之路。开放发展，必须坚定实施对外开放基本国策，推动建设高水平对外开放体制机制，构建深度融合的互利互惠格局。共享是中国特色社会主义生产力发展的本质要求，解决的是经济发展的公平正义问题。坚持共享发展，要坚持社会主义生产力发展服务于人民的根本宗旨，推动全民共享、全面共享、共建共享、渐进共享。

The proposal of new quality productive forces defines the target pattern for developing productive forces in the New Era. As early as July 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping had already set forth the goal of developing productive forces as “striving to raise the capacity for innovation-driven development, enhance industrial competitiveness, improve the quality and efficiency of economic growth, and achieve an overall leap in the level of our country’s social productive forces.” The proposal of new quality productive forces further defines, at the theoretical level, the target pattern of an “overall leap” in productive forces, thereby achieving a new interpretation of the “overall leap” in the development of productive forces in the New Era. In terms of its characteristics, this new quality productive forces is “an advanced state of productive forces that is driven by innovation, breaks away from traditional modes of economic growth and paths of productive forces development, features high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, and conforms to the new development philosophy”; in terms of its function, it is “the intrinsic requirement and key focal point for promoting high-quality development”; in terms of its pathway, the key lies in implementing the new development philosophy, fully leveraging the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources, “strengthening scientific and technological innovation, especially original and disruptive scientific and technological innovation, accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening,” and cultivating new drivers for the development of productive forces.

新质生产力的提出规定了新时代发展生产力的目标样式。早在2014年7月，习近平总书记就曾提出“努力提高创新驱动发展能力、提高产业竞争力、提高经济增长质量和效益，实现我国社会生产力水平总体跃升”的生产力发展目标。新质生产力的提出，则进一步从理论层面规定了生产力“总体跃升”的目标形态，实现了对新时代生产力发展“总体跃升”的新诠释。这种新质生产力从特征上看，是一种“创新起主导作用，摆脱传统经济增长方式、生产力发展路径，具有高科技、高效能、高质量特征，符合新发展理念的先进生产力质态”；从作用上看，“是推动高质量发展的内在要求和重要着力点”；从路径上看，关键是贯彻新发展理念，充分发挥新型举国体制优势，“加强科技创新特别是原创性、颠覆性科技创新，加快实现高水平科技自立自强”，培育生产力发展新动能。

Xi Jinping’s economic thought adheres to the main line of liberating and developing productive forces, elucidating from multiple dimensions the institutional mechanisms, conceptual methods, and target patterns for “liberating and developing productive forces” in the New Era. It enriches the system of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, expands Marxist theories concerning the development of productive forces, and opens up a new realm for contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy.

习近平经济思想坚持解放和发展生产力主线，从多维度阐释了新时代“解放和发展生产力”的体制机制、理念方法与目标形态，丰富了新时代中国特色社会主义政治经济学体系，拓展了马克思主义关于生产力发展的相关学说，开辟了当代中国马克思主义政治经济学新境界。

III. Guiding Economic and Social Development with the Goal of Doing a Good Job in Economic Work in the New Era

三、以做好新时代经济工作为目标引领经济社会发展

In the practical dimension, Xi Jinping’s economic thought adheres to a people-centered development philosophy. Under the Party’s overall leadership over economic work, it makes unified arrangements for the overall and key issues of economic work in the New Era, promotes the transformation of iconic concepts and the theory of productive forces into reality, systematically answers the core questions, key measures, and important guarantees for doing a good job in economic work in the New Era, and achieves a practical leap in economic and social development in the New Era.

在实践环节，习近平经济思想坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，在党对经济工作的全面领导下对新时代经济工作的全局性、关键性问题进行了统一部署，推动标识性概念与生产力理论向现实转化，系统回答了新时代做好经济工作的核心问题、关键举措与重要保障，实现了新时代经济社会发展实践跃升。

(1) Party Leadership Occupies a Fundamental Position in Economic Work in the New Era

（一）党的领导在新时代经济工作中处于根本地位

Economic work is the central work of the Party and the state. The centralized, unified leadership of the Party over economic work is the fundamental guarantee for the long-term positive performance of our country’s economy. The 2024 Central Economic Work Conference pointed out that “the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the fundamental guarantee for doing a good job in economic work. At critical moments and important junctures, the Party Central Committee promptly assesses the situation and makes decisions and deployments, ensuring that our country’s economic ship sails through wind and waves steadily and far.” This assertion profoundly reflects our Party’s understanding of the laws governing economic work, clearly expounds the significant meaning of the Party’s leadership over economic work, and provides the fundamental guidance for doing a good job in economic work in the New Era.

经济工作是党和国家的中心工作，党对经济工作的集中统一领导是我国经济长期向好的根本保证。2024年中央经济工作会议指出，“党中央集中统一领导是做好经济工作的根本保证，在关键时刻、重要节点，党中央及时研判形势、作出决策部署，确保我国经济航船乘风破浪、行稳致远”。上述论断深刻体现了我们党对经济工作的规律性认识，清晰阐述了党领导经济工作的重要意义，为做好新时代经济工作提供了根本遵循。

From a theoretical logic perspective, upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party over economic work is a manifestation of the dialectical relationship between the economic base and the superstructure. The law of the dialectical movement between productive forces and relations of production determines that only by adhering to the leadership of the Communist Party of China can we adapt to the requirements of the development of productive forces and promote their sustained and stable development. Only by taking the Communist Party of China, which always represents the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people, as the leading core can we further consolidate our country’s ownership structure, which takes public ownership as the mainstay and allows diverse forms of ownership to develop together.

从理论逻辑看，坚持党对经济工作的集中统一领导，是经济基础与上层建筑辩证关系的体现。生产力与生产关系的辩证运动规律，决定了只有坚持中国共产党的领导，才能适应生产力发展要求，促进生产力持续稳定发展，只有以始终代表最广大人民根本利益的中国共产党为领导核心，才能进一步巩固我国公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展的所有制结构。

From a historical logic perspective, the centralized, unified leadership of the Party over economic work is the fundamental guarantee for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the New Era, the Party has comprehensively advanced the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization, proposed and fully implemented the new development philosophy, adhered to high-quality development, promoted a significant improvement in the quality and efficiency of economic development, and continued to write the “two major miracles” of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. [34]34 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Economic Work Conference" (December 15, 2022), *Selections from Xi Jinping*, Vol. 2, p. 606. Historical experience shows that the precise judgment and strong execution capabilities demonstrated by the Party over its century-long history are the fundamental support for promoting the Chinese nation’s journey from standing up and growing rich to becoming strong.

从历史逻辑看，党对经济工作的集中统一领导是实现中华民族伟大复兴的根本保证。新时代以来，党以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业，提出并全面贯彻新发展理念，坚持高质量发展，推动经济发展质量效益显著提升，续写了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定“两大奇迹”。历史经验表明，党在百年历程中所展现的精准判断力和强大执行力，是推动中华民族从站起来、富起来到强起来的根本支撑。

From a practical logic perspective, the centralized, unified leadership of the Party over economic work is the key to our ability to withstand major risks and challenges. Currently, the domestic and international situation is complex and intertwined. On the one hand, the instability of global industrial and supply chains has intensified, and the complexity, severity, and uncertainty of the external environment have increased. On the other hand, our country’s principal social contradiction has undergone significant changes, and economic development faces the triple pressures of shrinking demand, supply shocks, and weakening expectations. [35]35 Xi Jinping Facing the complex situation where the two overall situations at home and abroad are intertwined, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has

从现实逻辑看，党对经济工作的集中统一领导是我们抵御重大风险挑战的关键所在。当前，国内国际形势错综复杂。一方面，全球产业链供应链不稳定性加剧，外部环境的复杂性、严峻性、不确定性上升；另一方面，我国社会主要矛盾发生明显变化，经济发展面临需求收缩、供给冲击、预期转弱的三重压力。面对国内国际两个大局相互交织的复杂局面，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高瞻远瞩，审时度势，带领全体人民攻坚克难，砥砺前行，在全球风云变幻中稳住经济社会发展大局，实现经济的持续健康发展，展现出强大韧性和活力。实践证明，党对经济工作的集中统一领导是合理应对重大风险挑战、克服艰难险阻的关键，是我国经济行稳致远的根本保证。

(2) Doing a good job of economic work in the New Era with a people-centered approach

（二）以人民为中心做好新时代经济工作

Marx's ultimate goal of "the free and comprehensive development of the individual" determines that "people-centered" is the fundamental stance of economic work in the New Era. Although the primary stage of socialism "still bears in every respect, economically, morally and intellectually, the birthmarks of the old society from whose womb it emerges," it nonetheless possesses the basic conditions for advancing toward the "free and comprehensive development of the individual" as depicted by Marx. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, "The people are the creators of history

马克思“人的自由而全面的发展”的最终目标，决定了“以人民为中心”这一新时代经济工作的根本立场。社会主义初级阶段尽管“在经济、道德和精神方面都还带着它脱胎出来的那个旧社会的痕迹”，却也具备了向马克思所描绘的“人的自由而全面的发展”迈进的基本条件。习近平总书记指出，“人民是历史的创造者，是推进现代化最坚实的根基、最深厚的力量。现代化的最终目标是实现人自由而全面的发展”。将“人自由而全面的发展”作为中国式现代化的最终目标，既说明我们具备实现这一目标的基础，走在了实现这一目标的正确道路上，又指出实现这一目标必然需要经历一个渐进、动态的长期过程。在这个长期过程中，必须始终将“以人民为中心”的新时代治国理政理念作为对“人自由而全面的发展”的中国化时代化阐释，深刻把握党在新时代“抓改革、促发展，归根到底就是为了让人民过上更好的日子”的改革发展理念。维护最广大人民根本利益始终是党做好经济工作的出发点和落脚点，是习近平经济思想实践体系构建的根本要义。

Promoting common prosperity for all the people is the concrete embodiment of doing a good job in economic work in the New Era with a people-centered approach. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC emphasizes that "common prosperity for all" is a major feature of Chinese-path modernization, and achieving common prosperity for all is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization, clearly articulating the prominent status of common prosperity. At the current critical stage of comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, doing a good job in economic work in the New Era with a people-centered approach must uphold the core concept of common prosperity for all the people, adhere to the principle that "development is for the people, development relies on the people, and the fruits of development are shared by the people," make more effective institutional arrangements, continuously promote social fairness and justice, and enable all the people to have a greater sense of gain in co-building and sharing development. Taking common prosperity as the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization reflects an important characteristic that distinguishes a socialist party from a capitalist party, and manifests the fundamental people-centered stance.

推进全体人民共同富裕是当前以人民为中心做好新时代经济工作的具体体现。党的二十大报告强调“全体人民共同富裕的现代化”是中国式现代化的主要特征，实现全体人民共同富裕是中国式现代化的本质要求，鲜明论述了共同富裕的突出地位。在当前以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的关键阶段，以人民为中心做好新时代经济工作，必须秉持全体人民共同富裕的核心理念，坚持“发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享”，作出更有效的制度安排，不断推进社会公平正义，使全体人民在共建共享发展中有更多获得感。以共同富裕作为中国式现代化的本质要求，体现了社会主义政党区别于资本主义政党的重要特征，彰显以人民为中心的根本立场。

(III) Correctly handling the relationship between the government and the market is the core issue in doing a good job in economic work in the New Era.

（三）正确处理政府与市场的关系是做好新时代经济工作的核心问题

The relationship between government and market is the core issue of economic system reform and an inevitable requirement for adhering to a people-centered approach. Western mainstream economics usually simplifies government to a remedy for market failure or merely examines the functional position of government in the process of circulation. However, Marxist political economy shows that production, distribution, exchange, and consumption form a unified totality; examining the role of government in a single process in isolation makes it difficult to scientifically understand the objective laws of the market economy. The spontaneity, blindness, and lag of the market economy cause Western economic societies to experience periodic fluctuations. Accordingly, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC clearly stated that it is necessary to “uphold and improve the basic socialist economic system, give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, better play the role of government, and promote a better combination of an effective market and a well-functioning government.” [34]34 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Economic Work Conference" (December 15, 2022), *Selections from Xi Jinping*, Vol. 2, p. 606. The 2024 Central Economic Work Conference further proposed that “it is necessary to properly balance the relationship between an effective market and a well-functioning government, forming an economic order that is both ‘vibrant’ and ‘well-regulated.’” [35]35 Xi Jinping “The better combination of an effective market and a well-functioning government,” as a profound distillation of the relationship between government and market in Xi Jinping’s economic thought, provides strong support for promoting the construction of an effective market mechanism and cultivating and strengthening market entities.

政府与市场的关系是经济体制改革的核心问题，是坚持以人民为中心的必然要求。西方主流经济学通常将政府简化为市场失灵的补救者，或是简单考察政府在流通过程中的职能地位。但马克思主义政治经济学表明，生产、分配、交换、消费是一个统一的总体，孤立地考察政府在某一过程中的作用难以科学认识市场经济的客观规律；市场经济的自发性、盲目性与滞后性导致西方经济社会始终存在着周期性波动。据此，党的十九届五中全会明确指出，要“坚持和完善社会主义基本经济制度，充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用，推动有效市场和有为政府更好结合”。2024年中央经济工作会议进一步提出，“必须统筹好有效市场和有为政府的关系，形成既‘放得活’又‘管得住’的经济秩序”。“有效市场与有为政府更好结合”作为习近平经济思想对政府与市场关系的深刻提炼，为推动构建有效的市场机制、培育壮大市场主体提供了有力支撑。

“The better combination of an effective market and a well-functioning government” is a direct manifestation of the Party’s leadership over economic work. The socialist market economy is a market economy under the leadership of the CPC; Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the stable operation of the socialist market economy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “As the ruling party, we must effectively strengthen the Party’s leadership over economic work and do a solid and thorough job in economic work.” [36]36 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. Government participation in economic operations is a direct lever for implementing the Party’s line, principles, and policies in the economic field. Overall planning of economic development strategies for a future period and implementing differentiated impacts on the business activities of different market entities are important foundations for the Party to take overall command of the overall economic work situation, coordinate reform, development, and stability, and ensure the long-term stable operation of the economy.

“有效市场与有为政府更好结合”是党领导经济工作的直接体现。社会主义市场经济是中国共产党领导下的市场经济，党的领导是社会主义市场经济平稳运行的根本保障。习近平总书记指出，“作为执政党，我们必须切实加强党对经济工作的领导，扎扎实实做好经济工作”。政府参与经济运行是贯彻落实党在经济工作领域路线方针政策的直接抓手。总体规划未来一段时期的经济发展战略，对不同市场主体的经营活动实施差异化影响，是党总揽经济工作全局、统筹改革发展稳定、确保经济长期平稳运行的重要基础。

To promote a better combination of an effective market and a well-functioning government, it is necessary, under the premise of adhering to the Party’s overall leadership over economic work, to give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and mobilize the initiative and creativity of various market entities. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Both theory and practice have proven that market allocation of resources is the most efficient form. The market’s decisive role in resource allocation is a general law of the market economy; the market economy is essentially an economy where the market decides resource allocation. A sound socialist market economic system must follow this law.” [37] Against the backdrop of increasing competitive pressure and uncertainty in the external environment, entrusting market entities with the tasks of discovering new demands, cultivating new growth points, and emerging new technologies, promoting fair competition and survival of the fittest; and entrusting the government with the tasks of improving macro-control, implementing strategic planning, and strengthening policy coordination, concentrating efforts to accomplish major tasks, are powerful weapons in the New Era for ensuring the stable operation of economic work and promoting high-quality economic development.

推动有效市场与有为政府更好结合，要在坚持党对经济工作全面领导的前提下充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，调动各类市场主体的积极性、创造性。习近平总书记指出，“理论和实践都证明，市场配置资源是最有效率的形式。市场决定资源配置是市场经济的一般规律，市场经济本质上就是市场决定资源配置的经济。健全社会主义市场经济体制必须遵循这条规律”。在当前竞争压力与外部环境不确定性持续增加的背景下，将发现新需求、培育新增长点、涌现新技术的任务交给市场主体，推动公平竞争和优胜劣汰；将健全宏观调控、实施战略规划、加强政策协调的任务交给政府，集中力量办大事，是新时代确保经济工作平稳运行，推动经济高质量发展的有力武器。

(IV) The Simultaneous Pursuit of Expanding Domestic Demand and Supply-Side Structural Reform Is a Key Measure for Doing a Good Job in Economic Work in the New Era

（四）扩大内需与供给侧结构性改革并举是做好新时代经济工作的关键举措

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC proposed, “It is necessary to take meeting domestic demand as the basic foothold, organically combine the implementation of the strategy of expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reform, strive to enhance the adaptability of the supply system to domestic demand, and form a higher-level dynamic balance where demand drives supply and supply creates demand.” [38] The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2023 further emphasized “the need to persist in deepening supply-side structural reform and focusing on expanding effective demand in a coordinated manner.” [39] The proposal for the 15th Five-Year Plan regards “coordinating the expansion of domestic demand and deepening supply-side structural reform, accelerating the cultivation of new drivers, and promoting economic structural optimization and upgrading” as one of the requirements for promoting high-quality development, [40] highlighting the significance of simultaneously pursuing the strategy of expanding domestic demand and supply-side structural reform in doing a good job in economic work in the New Era.

党的十九届五中全会提出，“要以满足国内需求为基本立足点，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，着力提升供给体系对国内需求的适配性，形成需求牵引供给、供给创造需求的更高水平动态平衡”。2023年底召开的中央经济工作会议进一步强调“必须坚持深化供给侧结构性改革和着力扩大有效需求协同发力”。“十五五”规划建议将“统筹扩大内需和深化供给侧结构性改革，加快培育新动能，促进经济结构优化升级”作为推动高质量发展的要求之一，凸显扩大内需战略与供给侧结构性改革并举在做好新时代经济工作中的重要意义。

The simultaneous pursuit of expanding domestic demand and supply-side structural reform is a regular understanding of doing a good job in economic work in the New Era and a strategic choice for responding to the profound changes in the domestic and international environment under the new situation. Since the New Era, supply-side structural reform has been continuously deepened and advanced. By optimizing the allocation and combination of production factors, the quality of the entire supply system has significantly improved. However, on the demand side, the problem of aggregate demand remains relatively prominent. At the Central Economic Work Conference in 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out, “Insufficient

扩大内需与供给侧结构性改革并举是新时代做好经济工作的规律性认识，是新形势下应对国内外环境深刻变化的战略选择。新时代以来，供给侧结构性改革不断向纵深推进，通过优化生产要素配置和组合，整个供给体系质量显著提升。但在需求侧，总需求问题仍较为突出。在2022年的中央经济工作会议上，习近平总书记明确指出，“总需求不足是当前经济运行面临的突出矛盾”。总需求不足具体体现在国内有效需求不足与外需持续收缩两个方面。一方面，伴随着我国经济由高速增长阶段转向高质量发展阶段所带来的居民收入增长压力，使得国内消费端的有效需求相对不足；另一方面，当前世界经济动荡加剧，国际秩序不确定、难预料的因素持续增多，外需持续疲软，我国依托外需推动出口大规模扩张的传统模式难以为继。内需不足与外需转弱的双重作用，一定程度上制约了我国经济健康发展。

Based on the objective reality of both the supply and demand sides, the Party has proposed to simultaneously expand domestic demand and implement supply-side structural reform, which carries rich theoretical connotations and practical significance. Marxist political economy points out that production determines consumption, and consumption in turn influences production; the coordinated development between the department of means of production and the department of means of consumption is a necessary condition for the stable conduct of social reproduction. Therefore, "expanding domestic demand concerns not only economic stability but also economic security; it is not an expedient measure but a strategic move." [34]34 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Economic Work Conference" (December 15, 2022), *Selections from Xi Jinping*, Vol. 2, p. 606. It is necessary to coordinate efforts on both the supply and demand sides, enhance the compatibility between supply and demand, "firmly grasp the strategic basis of expanding domestic demand, so that production, distribution, circulation, and consumption each rely more on the domestic market to achieve a virtuous cycle, clarify the strategic direction of supply-side structural reform, and promote a dynamic balance between aggregate supply and aggregate demand at a higher level." [35]35 Xi Jinping On the demand side, it is necessary to adhere to the strategy of expanding domestic demand, continuously consolidate the dominant position of domestic demand, fully leverage the advantages of China's large domestic market, and guide new supply with new demand. By accelerating the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system, building a unified domestic market, smoothing the domestic circulation, and promoting the effective connection of various market factors in all links, we continuously stimulate the vitality of private investment and enhance the growth momentum of effective investment led by the market. On the supply side, with the goal of building a modern industrial system, we must further optimize and upgrade traditional industries, cultivate and strengthen emerging industries and future industries, promote the high-quality and efficient development of the service industry, and construct a modern infrastructure system.

基于供需两端的客观现实，党提出将扩大内需与供给侧结构性改革并举，具有丰富的理论内涵和实践意义。马克思主义政治经济学指出，生产决定消费，消费反过来又影响生产，生产资料部类与消费资料部类间协调发展，是社会再生产稳定进行的必要条件。因此，“扩大内需既关系经济稳定，也关系经济安全，不是权宜之计，而是战略之举”，要坚持供需两侧协同发力，增强供给与需求的适配性，“牢牢把握扩大内需这一战略基点，使生产、分配、流通、消费各环节更多依托国内市场实现良性循环，明确供给侧结构性改革的战略方向，促进总供给和总需求在更高水平上实现动态平衡”。在需求侧，要坚持扩大内需战略，不断巩固内需主体地位，充分利用我国国内大市场优势，以新需求引领新供给。通过加快构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，建设国内统一大市场，畅通国内大循环，促进各种市场要素在各个环节有效衔接，不断激发民间投资活力，增强市场主导的有效投资增长动力。在供给侧，要以建设现代化产业体系为目标，进一步优化提升传统产业、培育壮大新兴产业和未来产业、促进服务业优质高效发展、构建现代化基础设施体系。

(5) Coordinating Development and Security is the Realistic Guarantee for Doing a Good Job in Economic Work in the New Era

（五）统筹发展与安全是做好新时代经济工作的现实保障

Development and security are two wings of one body; rationally coordinating the relationship between development and security is a major principle of our Party's economic work and an objective requirement for adhering to a people-centered approach in doing a good job in economic work in the New Era. Since entering the new stage of development, the world has undergone profound changes unseen in a century, the tasks of reform, development, and maintaining stability are arduous, the tests of governance are increasing, and various contradictions, risks, and challenges are intertwined, making the importance of coordinating development and security increasingly prominent. To this end, the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out that "we must unswervingly implement a holistic approach to national security, and integrate the maintenance of national security into all aspects and the entire process of the Party and the state's work." [36]36 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC further proposed the goal of "a benign interaction between high-quality development and high-level security, effectively ensuring the long-term stability and security of the country." [37] Coordinating development and security sets forth practical requirements for carrying out economic work in the New Era and provides a strong guarantee for maintaining strategic focus in an increasingly complex environment, building a foundation for enduring peace and creating a long-term stable enterprise.

发展与安全一体两翼，合理统筹发展和安全的关系是我们党开展经济工作的重大原则，是坚持以人民为中心做好新时代经济工作的客观要求。步入新发展阶段以来，世界百年未有之大变局深刻变化，改革发展稳定任务繁重，治国理政考验不断增多、各类矛盾风险挑战相互交织，使得统筹发展与安全的重要性日益凸显。为此，党的二十大报告指出“必须坚定不移贯彻总体国家安全观，把维护国家安全贯穿党和国家工作各方面全过程”。党的二十届三中全会进一步提出“高质量发展和高水平安全良性互动，切实保障国家长治久安”目标。统筹发展与安全为新时代开展经济工作提出了现实要求，为在日趋复杂的环境中保持战略定力，建久安之势、成长治之业提供了坚强保障。

To balance development and security, attention must be paid to the short-term and long-term aspects of development. In the short term, it is necessary to prevent security risks in economic work, shifting the safety prevention of economic work from post-event handling to pre-event research and judgment, and from passive response to active prevention. In the long term, it is necessary to increase the allocation of resources to links that bear on the overall situation of economic security, gradually resolving major risks. Development is the root of solving all problems; efforts must be made simultaneously in two directions: the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and the cultivation and strengthening of strategic emerging industries. This ensures both the continued growth and stable expansion of traditional industries and the use of industrial policies and other means to support technological innovation in emerging industries, guide market investment directions, break the situation where some high-precision and cutting-edge fields are constrained by others, and achieve a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.

统筹发展与安全，要关注发展的短期与长期。短期内，要做好经济工作的安全风险防范，将经济工作的安全预防由事后处置向事前研判、被动应对向主动预防转变。长期则要加大资源向事关经济安全大局的环节倾斜，将重大风险逐步化解。发展是解决一切问题的根本，要在传统产业改造升级与战略性新兴产业培育壮大两方面同步发力，既确保传统产业持续做大做强平稳增长，又要利用产业政策等手段重点支持新兴产业技术创新，引导市场投资方向，打破部分高精尖领域受制于人的局面，实现高质量发展与高水平安全良性互动。

To balance development and security, attention must be paid to the domestic and international aspects of development. Achieving a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security cannot exclude openness; rather, it requires striving for a more proactive opening up to the outside world. In today’s world, the division of labor and cooperation among countries is increasingly close. Therefore, it is necessary both to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, promote the mutual reinforcement of domestic and international dual circulations while ensuring the dominant position of the domestic circulation, continuously enhance one’s own risk-resistance capacity, and achieve high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening, and to persist in advancing international common security, establish a concept of cooperative and sustainable global development, and jointly build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, and a clean and beautiful environment.

统筹发展与安全，要关注发展的国内与国际。实现高质量发展与高水平安全良性互动不能排斥开放，而是要争取更加积极主动的对外开放。当今世界各国分工协作越发紧密，因此，既要加快构建新发展格局，在确保国内大循环主体地位的前提下推动国内国际双循环相互促进，不断增强自身风险抵御能力，实现高水平自立自强，又要坚持推进国际共同安全，树立合作、可持续的全球发展观念，共同建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界。

To balance development and security, development and security must be implemented throughout the entire process of economic work. Xi Jinping Thought on Economics implements the concept of safe development throughout the entire process of fields such as grain, energy, industrial chains, finance, information, and the ecological environment, providing systematic theoretical guidance for precise policy implementation in economic work. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC[36]36 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., our Party has taken development as the foundation of security and security as the condition for development, effectively ensuring the healthy development of the macroeconomy, the stable operation of capital markets, the stable supply of important resources such as grain and energy, the marked improvement of the ecological environment, the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces, safeguarding the new development pattern with a new security pattern, and promoting the steady and long-term progress of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics amid high-quality development.

统筹发展与安全，要将发展与安全贯彻经济工作的全过程。习近平经济思想将安全发展的理念贯彻到粮食、能源、产业链、金融、信息、生态环境等领域的全过程，为经济工作精准施策提供了系统化的理论指导。党的十八大以来，我们党把发展作为安全的基础，把安全作为发展的条件，有效保障宏观经济健康发展，资本市场平稳运行，粮食、能源等重要资源稳定供给，生态环境明显改善，培育和发展新质生产力，以新安全格局保障新发展格局，推动中国特色社会主义事业在高质量发展中行稳致远。