Skillfully Turning Difficulties into Opportunities

“Misfortune is that which fortune depends upon; fortune is that in which misfortune is concealed.” [1]1 A classical allusion from the *Dao De Jing* (Chapter 58), expressing the dialectical relationship between fortune and misfortune. Rainbows and storms coexist; opportunities and challenges stand side by side — this is an unchanging dialectical law. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Difficulties and challenges arise every year, but we have always developed through the baptism of storms and grown stronger through the test of trials.” [2]2 A quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the 2022 Central Economic Work Conference. “We must both face difficulties squarely and strengthen our confidence, carry forward the historical initiative spirit, rise to challenges, dare to struggle, forge ahead with determination, and strive to achieve results.” [3]3 A reference to the concept of “historical initiative” (历史主动精神), a term in CPC discourse emphasizing proactive agency in shaping history. Difficulties are both pressure and challenges, and they often also contain opportunities; overcoming difficulties means seizing opportunities and gaining the upper hand. Grasping difficulties and opportunities with dialectical thinking, rising to challenges, and actively taking on responsibility are very important for Party members and cadres in advancing the cause of development and honing their abilities and skills.

“祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏”。彩虹和风雨共生，机遇和挑战并存，这是亘古不变的辩证法则。习近平总书记指出：“困难挑战年年有，但我们从来都是在风雨洗礼中发展、在历经考验中壮大的”“我们要既正视困难又坚定信心，发扬历史主动精神，迎难而上，敢于斗争，砥砺前行，奋发有为”。困难既是压力和挑战，往往也蕴藏着机遇，克服困难也就意味着抓住了机遇、赢得了先机。以辩证思维把握困难和机遇，迎难而上，积极担当作为，对党员干部推进事业发展、历练能力本领十分重要。

A difficulty is a hurdle, but it is also a breakthrough point for opening up the work situation. From the perspective of dialectical materialism, difficulties exist objectively; not taking difficulties seriously is not a materialist viewpoint. But being trapped by difficulties and denying that difficulties and opportunities can transform into each other deviates from the essence of dialectics. Where difficulties lie, opportunities for solving problems are often hidden. For example, at the beginning of this century, due to constraints from factors such as resources and the environment, Zhejiang once experienced “growing pains.” [4]4 “Growing pains” (成长的烦恼) is a metaphor used in Chinese political economy to describe the challenges of rapid economic development, such as resource and environmental constraints. Should it focus on resolving these difficulties to ensure survival and food on the table, or should it treat the difficulties encountered this time as an opportunity to promote comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable development? On June 14, 2004, Comrade Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, pointed out in an article published in the “Zhijiang New Words” column of the *Zhejiang Daily*: “We should regard difficulties as a test, treat challenges as opportunities, and turn passivity into initiative.” [5]5 “Zhijiang New Words” (之江新语) is a column in the *Zhejiang Daily* where Xi Jinping published a series of short Through multiple measures such as advancing scientific and technological progress, accelerating the construction of an advanced manufacturing base, and adhering to the “going global” strategy, Zhejiang promoted the strategic adjustment of its economic structure and the transformation of its growth model, bringing development to a new level. The difficulty of development being constrained by severe resource and environmental limitations instead became the breakthrough point for Zhejiang to embark on a path of intensive development.

困难是一道坎，也是打开工作局面的突破口。从唯物辩证法看，困难客观存在，不重视困难，不是唯物论观点；而囿于困难，否认困难和机遇可以转化，则背离了辩证法要义。困难之处，常蕴藏着解决问题的机遇。比如，本世纪初，因面临资源、环境等因素制约，浙江一度出现“成长的烦恼”。是紧紧围绕化解这些困难来解决保生存有饭吃的问题，还是把这次遇到的困难作为一次机遇，推动全面、协调、可持续的发展？2004年6月14日，时任浙江省委书记的习近平同志在《浙江日报》“之江新语”专栏发表的文章中指出：“要视困难为考验，把挑战当机遇，变被动为主动。”浙江通过推进科技进步、加快先进制造业基地建设、坚持“走出去”战略等多措并举，推进经济结构战略性调整和增长方式转变，发展迈上新台阶。发展受制于资源和环境严重约束的难点，反而成为浙江走内涵式发展道路的突破点。

Those who do not shy away from difficulties advance. Difficulties do not automatically turn into opportunities; to turn crises into opportunities, both subjective and objective conditions must be present. Objective conditions include the material base and social environment, while subjective conditions are mainly reflected in whether Party members and cadres possess the spirit of not avoiding difficulties and taking on responsibility. In the face of difficulties, the fatalistic tendency of “that’s just the way things are” is unacceptable, and the mindset of “one person’s efforts are useless” is equally inadmissible. The ancients said: “If you do it, then the difficult becomes easy; if you do not do it, then the easy becomes difficult.” [6] For example, since 2018, the United States has been suppressing and containing China in the field of science and technology, and Huawei and other high-tech enterprises have faced a comprehensive “encirclement.” We do not believe in evil, are not afraid of ghosts, and are not intimidated by pressure. We have turned the “bottleneck” list into a research list, continuously increased investment in scientific and technological innovation, and achieved major breakthroughs in key technologies and key fields such as chips, 5G, and artificial intelligence, thereby opening up a new realm for the development of our cause. By maintaining the momentum of rising to challenges, seeing prospects, light, and the future amidst difficulties and challenges, opening roads through mountains and building bridges across waters, and persevering over time, we can turn difficulties into opportunities.

事不避难者进。困难不会自动转变为机遇，要化危为机，必须具备主客观条件，客观条件包括物质基础、社会环境等，而主观条件主要体现在党员干部是否具有事不避难、担当作为的精气神。面对困难，那种“大势如此”的宿命论倾向要不得，“一个人努力没用”的思维方式同样不可取。古人说：“为之，则难者亦易矣；不为，则易者亦难矣。”比如，2018年以来，美国在科技领域对我国进行遏制打压，华为等高科技企业遭遇全方位“围堵”。我们不信邪、不怕鬼、不怕压，把“卡脖子”清单作为攻关清单，持续加大对科技创新的投入，在芯片、5G、人工智能等关键技术、关键领域取得重大突破，反而打开了事业发展新天地。保持迎难而上的劲头，在困难和挑战中看到前途、看到光明、看到未来，逢山开路，遇水搭桥，久久为功，就能将困难转化为机遇。

Sitting around discussing theories or working behind closed doors will not yield good methods for turning difficulties into opportunities. We must go out, go down, go to the front line, and go to the masses. The specific and detailed opinions and needs put forward by the grassroots indicate the directions where Party members and cadres most need to concentrate their efforts to overcome difficulties. The new paths explored by the masses contain good practices that Party members and cadres can refine, summarize, and promote on a broader scale. When in-depth and concrete investigation and research are conducted more frequently, the predicament of “mountains multiply and streams double back, leaving one in doubt whether there is a way out” can be transformed into the opportunity of “willows darken and blossoms brighten, leading to another village hidden from sight,” [7] turning the “stumbling blocks” of development into “stepping stones” for further development.

坐而论道、闭门造车，是找不到困难变机遇的好办法的，必须走出去、沉下去，到一线去、到群众中去。基层提出的一条条具体细致的意见和需求，体现着党员干部工作中最需发力攻坚的方向；群众探索出来的一条条新路子，蕴含着党员干部可以提炼总结并推广到面上的好做法。深入而具体的调查研究多了，就可以将“山重水复疑无路”的困境变为“柳暗花明又一村”的机遇，把发展的“绊脚石”变为进一步发展的“垫脚石”。

Innovation is the only way to win opportunities and take the initiative. For example, the old Shougang plant completely ceased its steel smelting operations in 2010. It carried out green renovations on its industrial heritage and, leveraging the historical opportunity of Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics, underwent functional transformation and spatial renewal. [8] Today, this former “industrial rust belt” has successfully transformed into a new consumption landmark and a new paradise for science fiction, becoming a model for the reuse of industrial heritage. If one stubbornly clings to old ideas and old methods, the transformation between difficulties and opportunities can never be realized. Only by viewing immediate difficulties with the overall perspective and long-term vision of “stepping outside Lushan to see Lushan’s true face,” [9] breaking through conventions with the spirit of “boldly trying and boldly forging ahead,” and coming up with entirely new ideas to find ways to resolve difficulties, can one see the dawn of “opportunity” within “crisis,” thereby turning danger into safety and turning crisis into opportunity.

创新才能赢得机遇、赢得主动。比如，首钢老厂区在2010年全面停止了钢铁冶炼业务，针对工业遗产进行绿色改造，依托北京举办冬奥会的历史机遇进行了功能性改造和空间更新。如今，这一昔日的“工业锈带”已经成功转型为消费新地标和科幻新乐园，成为工业遗产再利用的典范。如果固守老思路、老办法，困难和机遇之间的转化就无从实现。只有用“跳出庐山看庐山”的全局视野和长远眼光看待眼前的困难，以“大胆地试、大胆地闯”的精神突破条条框框，拿出全新的思路寻找化解困难的办法，才能从“危”中看到“机”的曙光，从而转危为安、化危为机。

Whether for a small enterprise or a city, or for a large country or a nation, what determines their development prospects has never been the presence or magnitude of difficulties, but whether they possess the determination, courage, and methods to overcome all difficulties without being overcome by them. At present, our country is in a critical period of further deepening reform comprehensively, with increasing uncertainties and unpredictable factors. [10] The more this is the case, the more Party members and cadres must rise to challenges, dare to take responsibility, be brave in innovation, be good at achieving results, turn pressure into motivation and difficulties into opportunities, and promote the greater development of the cause of the Party and the state.

小到一个企业、一座城市，大到一个国家、一个民族，左右其发展前景的，从来不是困难的有无和大小，而是是否具有压倒一切困难而不为困难压倒的决心、勇气和办法。当前，我国正值进一步全面深化改革的关键时期，不确定难预料因素增多。越在这个时候，党员干部越要迎难而上、敢于担当，勇于创新、善作善成，化压力为动力、化困难为机遇，推动党和国家事业实现更大发展。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧