Translators’ Voices: ‘Leveraging local conditions’ shows respect for universal laws of modernization, transcends a single devt model: Global Times
Xi emphasizes developing new quality productive forces to drive China’s high-quality, innovation-led growth – Global Times.
Beijing, China, Oct. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2023, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping first proposed the concept of new quality productive forces during a local inspection tour. Since then, he has made important statements and arrangements regarding leveraging local conditions to develop new quality productive forces on a series of important occasions.
In Volume V of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, a chapter is dedicated to "New Quality Productive Forces for High-Quality Development." This chapter includes Xi's speech at the 11th group study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, in which he emphasized new quality productive forces as "a primary driver of high-quality development." In excerpts from Xi's speeches made between March and December 2024 on leveraging local conditions to develop new quality productive forces, he stressed that "we should focus on the primary goal of high-quality development and leverage local conditions to develop new quality productive forces."
The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee will be held in Beijing from October 20 to 23. It will review the opinions solicited from in and outside the CPC on the CPC Central Committee's proposals for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), drawing up a blueprint for China's development in the next five years, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
On April 30, when presiding over a symposium on China's economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period in Shanghai, Xi said higher strategic priority must be given to fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions in the next five years. Highlighting the roles of technological innovation and the real economy, he urged efforts to transform and upgrade traditional industries, develop emerging industries, and make forward-thinking arrangements for industries of the future, so as to accelerate modernization of the industrial system.
In the 14th installment of the special series "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the Global Times (GT), along with People's Daily Overseas Edition, continues to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi's works, practitioners with firsthand experience and international readers to discuss the theme of "new quality productive forces for high-quality development" and deeply explore the important practical significance and value of this concept.
In the 14th article of the "Translators' Voices" column, the Global Times interviewed Emilbek Kaptagaev (Kaptagaev), editor and translator of the Kyrgyz version of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.
GT: How do you think the concept of "leveraging local conditions to develop new quality productive forces" aligns with China's national conditions and the international geopolitical landscape in which China exists? Does this provide China with a more sustainable development path that respects regional differences?
Kaptagaev: Against the backdrop of increasingly prominent uncertainties in global development, the economic sustainability of countries worldwide, including China, has become an urgent and critical issue. To maintain economic competitiveness and ensure sustainable development amid global volatility and challenges, it is essential to formulate a growth strategy that is grounded in domestic conditions and leverages local human, natural, and technological resources. Such a strategy should not only prioritize stability but also aim to achieve high-quality growth in a complex and evolving environment.
On March 5, 2024 when Xi took part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, he called for focusing on high-quality development as the top priority and stressed developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions. The emphasis on leveraging "local conditions" is not only a powerful supplement to the innovation and development strategy, but also a deepening and expansion of its connotation.
The concept of leveraging local conditions not only demonstrates respect for the universal laws of modernization but also transcends a single development model in practice. It advocates that each region develop differentiated and targeted development paths based on its own realities. Local governments must ground themselves in reality and comprehensively examine their local resources, industrial foundations and research capabilities. Only in this way can the application of innovative technologies be deeply integrated with the efficient use of local resources, thereby laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic development amid increasing global uncertainty. A solid local resource base can, to a certain extent, buffer against global market price fluctuations and resource supply risks, while advanced technology and research capabilities can ensure the optimal allocation and value enhancement of these resources.
GT: In your opinion, how does development driven by new quality productive forces fundamentally differ from previous industrial revolutions? Does it herald the arrival of an entirely new and civilized form of production?
Kaptagaev: From machine tools to robotics, humanity is fully entering the wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous vehicles, fully automated factories, the Internet of Things, and 3D printing are gradually becoming tangible realities. At the heart of this revolution lies the comprehensive automation of production processes, which not only significantly enhances production efficiency and improves worker safety but also gives rise to unprecedented product forms and industrial ecosystems.
Amid this global transformation, what distinguishes China's development of new quality productive forces is its role in empowering ecological civilization. While traditional industrialization created immense material wealth, it also disrupted the original balance of the Earth's ecosystem and intensified the conflict between humans and nature. The root of environmental issues ultimately lies in the unsustainability of development models and lifestyles. To fundamentally resolve this challenge, it is essential to steadfastly implement the philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, and to accelerate the formation of spatial layouts, industrial structures, production modes, and lifestyles that conserve resources and protect the environment.
It is encouraging that China is fulfilling its green commitments with concrete actions. Pollution control and carbon reduction have become integral components of the strategic adjustment of the economic structure. At the national level, multiple guiding policies have been introduced to accelerate the transition toward a green and low-carbon economy, and a nationwide carbon emissions trading market has been established. China's systematic strategy for achieving carbon neutrality -including vigorously developing renewable energy and establishing a sound carbon emissions trading mechanism - is gradually forming a "China approach" with reference value, injecting confidence and insights into global green development.
Against this backdrop, the connotation of new quality productive forces has been further deepened and expanded. It is not only the outcome of technological revolution and industrial upgrading but also a fundamental shift in development philosophy - from pursuing quantity and speed to emphasizing quality and welfare, and from resource-intensive growth to innovation-driven, green, and low-carbon high-quality development.
GT: As Xi has pointed out, new quality productive forces serve as "a primary driver of high-quality development." The report to the 19th CPC National Congress states that China's economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development, and the report to the 20th CPC National Congress emphasizes that to build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must, first and foremost, pursue high-quality development. As you just said, high-quality development means shifting from pursuing quantitative growth to improving quality. What does this mean for the sustainable development of humanity? What lessons does it offer to other developing countries?
Kaptagaev: China has established sustainable development as a national strategy and, driven by decades of reform and opening-up, has achieved remarkable socio-economic leaps. Today, China has emerged as a global leader in key fields such as artificial intelligence, telecommunications, electric vehicles, and information technology, and is widely recognized by the international community as a key driver of the new industrial revolution. In recent years, amid global challenges, China has not only demonstrated strong resilience but has also progressively developed a new growth model - one that deeply integrates innovation-driven development, green energy transition, and the potential of its domestic market, forming a development framework with systemic competitiveness. The world is witnessing a nation steadfastly advancing on a new path to modernization, with the initial results of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) serving as powerful evidence of this progress. China has become a global power in the truest sense, reflected not only in its vast territory and population but also in its substantial economic scale and expanding international influence.
China's practices and experiences hold significant reference value for other developing countries, including Kyrgyzstan. Connected by shared mountains and long borders, the two countries have continuously deepened their cooperation, with trade volumes growing steadily and Chinese enterprises increasing their investments in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan has received substantial assistance and humanitarian support from China, and the friendly relations between the two nations continue to expand.
To further consolidate and develop this good-neighborly and friendly cooperation, it is imperative for us to gain an in-depth understanding of China's development logic and governance system, and to grasp the underlying dynamics of its political, social, and cultural evolution. For this reason, my institute is committed to translating the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China into Kyrgyz, which is of great significance. To truly understand China, one must begin by studying the core texts that represent its developmental wisdom - these works serve as the most authentic guide to comprehending contemporary China. Moreover, it is undeniable that many of the universal ideas and experiences contained within these texts can also offer valuable insights for the development of Kyrgyzstan.
GT: The fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC will be held in Beijing from October 20 to 23. The meeting will study suggestions on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development. What signals do you think the meeting will send in terms of stabilizing expectations and promoting development?
Kaptagaev: It will be an extraordinary event. China's status as a major power and its growing influence in global politics undoubtedly capture the world's attention. The fourth plenary session will focus primarily on economic work and the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, which begins next year. It will provide clear guidance on topics such as developing new quality productive forces by leveraging local conditions, promoting high-quality economic growth through innovation, and deepening reform while expanding high-level opening-up. Faced with global instability, China will make decisions to strengthen risk prevention measures to ensure sustainable development and security. Most importantly, I believe that China's global initiatives to build a community with a shared future for humanity will gain further momentum.
GT: The 14th Five-Year Plan is drawing to a close, and planning for the 15th Five-Year Plan is in full swing. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a meeting on September 29, emphasizing that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, "it will be important to promote high-quality development, guide development with the new development philosophy, and foster new quality productive forces in line with local conditions to promote sustained and healthy economic growth as well as comprehensive social progress." Where does your confidence in the future development of the Chinese economy come from?
Kaptagaev: From the 14th Five-Year Plan to the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, China has demonstrated remarkable strategic resolve and policy continuity. The system that adheres to "following a good blueprint through to the end" effectively integrates top-level design with phased goals, providing a stable institutional environment and clear guidance for economic transformation and upgrading. Furthermore, the unique strategy of "leveraging local conditions to develop new quality productive forces" has pioneered a pragmatic approach, maximizing endogenous driving forces, deeply integrating cutting-edge science and technology with local characteristics, and forming a solid and sustainable growth engine.
Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
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