Coordinate the two major tasks of development and security, using the certainty of high-quality development to respond to external uncertainties.
Against the complex backdrop of insufficient global economic growth momentum, intensified geopolitical conflicts, and the indiscriminate imposition of tariff barriers by certain countries, China’s economy delivered an impressive performance in the first quarter that was hard-won: GDP grew by 5.0% year-on-year, value-added industrial output above the designated size rose by 6.1%, and the producer price index for industrial goods ended a 41-month streak of year-on-year declines. This set of data not only confirms the strong resilience and vitality of China’s economy but also profoundly illustrates a truth: development and security are like two wings of a bird and two wheels of a cart. Only by building a solid economic security barrier can high-quality development proceed steadily and far.
First, it is necessary to consolidate the “ballast stone,” using the “stability” of high-quality development to lay the “foundation” of security. Development is the foundation of security, and lack of development is the greatest insecurity. The 5.0% economic growth rate in the first quarter was achieved against a backdrop of significantly rising external uncertainties and a high base in the same period last year. This is not only a speed indicator but also a security indicator. Only by maintaining a reasonable economic growth rate can national economic security have a solid foundation. More commendably, the “quality” of growth continues to improve: new quality productive forces are accelerating, with high-tech manufacturing contributing nearly one-third of industrial growth; the green transformation is advancing deeply, with the share of non-fossil energy consumption steadily increasing. Looking at the bigger picture, total grain output has steadily remained above 1.4 trillion jin, the energy self-sufficiency rate has stayed above 80%, and the scale of manufacturing value-added has ranked first globally for 16 consecutive years. These hard indicators constitute the “stabilizing anchor” for China to withstand external storms. Practice has proven that adhering to high-quality development as the primary task is itself the most effective and lasting way to maintain national economic security.
Second, build a “breakwater,” using the “shield” of high-level security to protect the “progress” of development. Security is the prerequisite for development; development without security is like a castle in the air. The turnaround of PPI from negative to positive in the first quarter, while partly due to the transmission of international commodity price fluctuations, is more deeply rooted in the improvement of domestic supply-demand relations and the optimization of market order. This reflects the continuous enhancement of the resilience of China’s industrial and supply chains: industrial robot output increased by 33.2%, 3D printing equipment output grew by 54.0%, and new breakthroughs were made in key core technologies such as chips, with many “bottleneck” links being vigorously tackled. The energy security system is continuously improving, with the share of renewable energy power generation installed capacity exceeding 60%, and the diversified oil and gas import strategy effectively hedging against geopolitical risks. From “storing grain in the land and storing grain in technology” for food security, to the coordinated management of “exploration, production, supply, storage, and sales” of energy resources, to the steady advancement of a package of debt resolution plans in the financial sector, China is building a comprehensive, multi-layered economic security protection network to ensure that the national economy does not “drop the chain” under extreme circumstances.
Furthermore, activate the “power source,” using the “excellence” of institutional advantages to resolve internal and external “risks.” Facing external shocks such as turmoil in the Middle East and fluctuations in international oil prices, the fundamental reason why China can maintain stable prices and orderly production lies in the significant advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. In the first quarter, CPI rose by 0.9% year-on-year, and core CPI rose by 1.2%, with prices rising moderately and residents’ lives not significantly affected. This benefits from forward-looking planning in the new energy industry, strong coal-based security guarantees, and, more importantly, more proactive and effective macro-policy coordination. From the intensified implementation of policies for “two major projects” and “two new initiatives,” to consumer goods trade-in sales exceeding 430 billion yuan; from infrastructure investment growing by 8.9% year-on-year, to the narrowing of the decline in private investment by 4.
