--Comment on Huang Qunhui's "Understanding New Quality Productivity"

■ Zhu Keli

Productivity is the ability of human beings to engage in productive activities and transform nature. It is the most active and revolutionary factor in promoting social progress. Since the Industrial Revolution, technological innovation has become a key factor in improving productivity, rather than a simple superposition of traditional production factors. Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is emerging. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data have formed new productivity represented by new industries such as intelligent manufacturing and digital economy. Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,"Understanding New Quality Productivity"(published by CITIC Press in March 2024) closely follows the pulse of the times, integrates academia and policies, deeply analyzes the connotation and extension of new quality productivity, and looks forward to the future drivers of China's economic growth.

01

Comprehensive discussion:Multi-level construction from concept to vision

It should be pointed out that although the academic community has made preliminary progress in the research on new quality productivity in a short period of time, due to time constraints, most of the existing literature focuses on discussing the connotation of new quality productivity from the vertical context of the development of productivity theory and its status and role in the historical development process. These studies mainly trace the impact of previous scientific and technological revolutions and industrial changes on the qualitative change of productivity, as well as the logic of the emergence and evolution of new productivity in the current economic and social transformation. However, relevant literature is still scarce on how to integrate new productivity into a broader economic theoretical perspective and combine it with modern economic policy frameworks such as new development concepts, modern industrial systems, high-quality development, and new industrialization.

Huang Qunhui's book "Understanding New Quality Productivity" filled this research gap in time. With a system theory of thinking, he pioneered the analytical framework of the new quality productivity system. From the three-dimensional perspective of "factor-structure-function", he comprehensively examined the essential characteristics and operating mechanism of the new quality productivity, and used the new development concept as a guide., the modern industrial system serves as the carrier, high-quality development and new industrialization serve as the source of power, and in-depth analysis of the interaction and functional performance between various elements within the new quality productivity system. The book clearly states that the new quality productivity system not only includes the replacement of workers, labor materials, and labor objects, but more importantly, the qualitative changes of these elements in the context of the new scientific and technological revolution, as well as the reorganization and optimization of the industrial structure and industrial chain. Each element in this system does not exist in isolation, but forms a new and highly collaborative form of productivity organization through technological innovation, knowledge spillover, and optimal allocation of resources.

Based on this, the book further places new productivity under the broad vision of Chinese-style modernization and accurately grasps the key role played by new productivity in China's economic and social development. Through in-depth research on the new quality productivity system, it will help understand China's current policies and measures in economic transformation, industrial upgrading, green development, etc., thereby providing solid theoretical support and practical reference for promoting Chinese-style modernization.

02

Systems perspective:Interpretation of the upgrading dimension of the new quality productivity system

From the perspective of connotation, new productivity is a form of productivity driven by scientific and technological innovation, transformation and upgrading of industrial structure, innovative allocation of production factors, and has high-tech content, high-efficiency performance and high-quality attributes. The book uses the perspective of systems theory to summarize multiple dimensions of the new productivity system:Its outstanding characteristics reflect the decisive impact of innovation-driven development on productivity progress; the factor characteristics focus on discussing how scientific and technological innovation triggers the optimization and reorganization of production factors such as labor, capital and technology; the structural bearing demonstrates how new industrialization and modern industrial systems breed new quality productivity; functional orientation deeply explores the important role of new quality productivity in promoting high-quality development and high-level security.

As an advanced productivity that conforms to the new development concept, new quality productivity is not only the core engine for promoting high-quality development, but also the inherent requirement and key task for realizing Chinese-style modernization. Therefore, starting from the extension, the book "Understanding New Quality Productivity" further broadens the horizons and horizontally explores the close relationship between new quality productivity and new development concepts, high-quality development, modern industrial systems, new industrialization and Chinese-style modernization. connection. The practical path of policy-oriented new quality productivity includes but is not limited to guiding industrial upgrading with innovation-driven development strategies, promoting modernization with new industrialization strategies, strengthening the foundation of the real economy with the construction of a modern industrial system, and promoting the comprehensive development of the Chinese-style modernization process with high-quality development.

For example, whether it is an innovation-driven development strategy or a new development concept, there is a strong correlation between it and new productivity. In essence, the inherent mechanism of the development of new quality productivity is innovation-driven development, which is to implement the innovative development concept that ranks first among the five development concepts. From the source, the generation of new productive forces is inseparable from scientific and technological innovation, especially the application of disruptive technologies and cutting-edge technologies. These advanced technologies have given birth to new industries, new models and new momentum, giving the economy high-tech, high-efficiency and high-quality characteristics promote economic growth from quantitative accumulation to qualitative leap.

The book particularly emphasizes that new production relations should be shaped to ensure the full flow of new productive forces, to promote the efficient and smooth allocation of market factors by building a unified national market and breaking down regional barriers, and to adhere to institutional openness and optimize market environment and industrial policies to release economic growth potential. To this end, it is particularly pointed out that deepening reform must not only remove the obstacles posed by traditional systems to the circulation of innovation factors, but also actively promote high-level opening up to the outside world, learn from international advanced experience and rules, and help domestic By building a high-standard market system and a new open economic system. Optimize resource allocation and mutually reinforcing symbiosis of the international economic cycle.

03

New governance plan:Practical reference for high-quality development

The book "Understanding New Quality Productivity" has both academic depth and practical guidance. It not only deepens the understanding of the nature and driving mechanism of productivity in China's new development stage, but also explores how the Chinese economy can cultivate new quality productivity in deepening reform and expanding opening up., in turn, achieve the goals of high-quality economic development and Chinese-style modernization, and provide insightful interpretations and highly enlightening countermeasures and suggestions. Especially for relevant researchers and decision-makers, this is an indispensable reference book for a deep understanding of the future development of China's economy.

In the second half of the discussion on the shaping of new production relations and the modernization of macroeconomic governance, it further reflects the far-reaching significance of new productive forces in promoting China's economic and social transformation and responding to major changes unseen in the world in a century. Especially in the context of increasingly fierce international competition, the advancement of Chinese-style modernization requires continuously improving scientific and technological innovation capabilities, continuing to strengthen the resilience of industrial and supply chains, building an open, inclusive, mutually beneficial and win-win international cooperation system, and demonstrating Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions in the new pattern of global economic governance.

Throughout the book,"Understanding New Quality Productivity" discusses in depth the theoretical connotation and practical path of new quality productivity, and in the process of integrating theory and practice, reveals how China can base itself on the new development stage, practice new development concepts, and promote High-quality development and construction of a modern economic system are committed to realizing the vision of Chinese-style modernization. It can be said that from interpreting the logic of China's economic growth to exploring the path of Chinese-style modernization, it has provided us with valuable ideological enlightenment and action guidance. As the editor-in-chief of this book, I recommend reading to readers, which will be beneficial to the beginning of the book.

(The author is an executive director of the China Information Association)