Global Times: Doing a good job in economic work according to local conditions: People's Daily article

BEIJING, Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Guiding new development practices with achievements in theoretical innovation is a distinctive feature of China's development in the new era, and has become a key to decoding how the Chinese economy has withstood winds and storms and continued to grow stronger.

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Monday held a meeting to analyze and study the economic work of 2026. It called for having a correct understanding of what it means to perform well, doing a good job in economic work according to local conditions, and pursuing high-quality and sustainable development.

This sums up the regular pattern of new-era development practices and provides methodological guidance for doing a good job in economic work.

Adhering to the principle of proceeding from reality is both the starting and end points for analyzing problems, making decisions, and carrying out work. The key to put this into practice lies in tailoring the work to local conditions.

In November 2013, during an inspection tour of Hunan, President Xi Jinping visited Shibadong Village, where he first put forward the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation." This concept of tailoring relief policies to different local conditions has become a guiding principle in China's fight against poverty, according to Xinhua.

In March 2024, Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions during the second session of the 14th National People's Congress. Localities should take into account their own resource endowment, industrial foundation and scientific research conditions in promoting the development of new industries, models and growth drivers in a selective manner, Xinhua reported.

From a strategic and tactical perspective, the correct application of strategy and tactics is the secret to the CPC's success in making lasting achievements and overcoming risks and challenges. Tailoring work to local conditions is an effective way to organically combine strategic firmness with tactical flexibility.

"The centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee is the fundamental guarantee for carrying out economic work well." In governing a large party and a large country like ours, nothing can be accomplished without the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and without the unity of thought and action of the entire Party and the nation.

Strategic decisions made by the CPC Central Committee must be unconditionally implemented by all regions and departments without any deviations, shortcuts, or distortions. At the same time, it is necessary to formulate strategies according to local conditions and adapt to the situation to seize the strategic initiative.

From both theoretical and practical perspectives, integrating theory with practice is a practical requirement of the Party's innovative theories, and adapting to local conditions is an important way to uphold the integration of theory with practice and solve practical problems.

Answering questions and guiding solutions to problems is the fundamental task of theory, which requires creative application of Marxist standpoints, viewpoints, and methods.

How to do a good job in economic work according to local conditions?

It's key to gain a deeper understanding of the dialectical approach of Xi Jinping Thought on Economy through three pairs of relationships - between one region and the whole nation, between seizing opportunities and differentiating positions, and between competition and cooperation.

Long-term development

The CPC Central Committee always views issues from a macro perspective. Leading cadres must be mindful of the nation's most important interests, proceed from reality, tailor measures to local conditions, and make calculations based on the big picture. 

Food security concerns the national interest. For Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, continuing to serve as China's granary is as glorious and important as being the cutting-edge tech hub of the Yangtze River Delta. Heilongjiang has persistently prioritized increasing grain output and improving grain quality, achieving a 4.4 percent growth in agricultural output in the first three quarters of 2025.

Ecological civilization is crucial for long-term development. Protecting the ecological environment of the Sanjiangyuan area, known as "China's water tower," is vital. In this regard, Northwest China's Qinghai Province has focused on cultivating a modern industrial system that reflects local characteristics and advantages, and is continuously building a national clean energy industry hub.

Under the overall leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all regions should not simply follow others or imitate them, but rather identify their own strengths and how to leverage their strengths while mitigating their weaknesses.

South China's Guangdong Province has deepened the integration of scientific and industrial innovation, implemented a combination of measures, and maintained the top spot in China's foreign trade for 39 consecutive years.

East China's Shandong Province has vigorously implemented its "No. 1 industrial economy project," with high-tech output as a share of large-scale industry rising from 45.1 percent in 2020 to 55.3 percent in the first three quarters of 2025.

Major economic powerhouses shoulder greater responsibilities, while leveraging their own strengths and advantages.

By clearly defining one's own positioning within the overall national landscape, accurately identifying the convergence points between local strengths and the needs of the whole nation, continuously enhancing the ability to "plan for one's own domain," and consciously integrating into the "big chessboard" of the nation, we can together play the grand symphony of high-quality development.

Balanced development

One must have grand ambitions and actively seize opportunities for development, while also being realistic and adept at developing in a differentiated manner.

Seizing strategic development opportunities underscores strategic and forward-looking thinking. Under the "two overall situations," standing still means falling behind, and even slow progress means regression. Only by planning scientifically on the basis of local realities and making early arrangements can regions grasp strategic opportunities.

By leveraging its natural endowments, Ningde, East China's Fujian Province, has made "good use of mountains and seas," with the marine industry output surpassing 110 billion yuan ($15.6 billion). CATL's establishment has spurred growth, while SAIC has built green factories, and new industrialization has shifted toward "new" and "green" - all demonstrate how adapting to local conditions, seizing development opportunities, and taking the lead can lead to leapfrog development.

Differentiated development highlights unique positioning and characteristics. Given China's vast regional disparities and uneven development, only by playing to strengths and avoiding weaknesses can wasteful internal competition be avoided.

Southwest China's Guizhou Province harnessed its "cool climate" to build data infrastructure and foster digital industry clusters; North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region chased "wind" and "sun," with its installed capacity of new energy exceeding 150 million kilowatts. Finding one's right position based on the realities to create what others lack and improve what others already have opens up new development space.

Recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) elevate development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions to a more prominent strategic position.

By taking a path of reasonable division of labor and optimized development based on the conditions of each region, we can lay a solid foundation and accumulate momentum for high-quality development.

Coordinated development

We should base our efforts on local realities to leverage strengths, while strengthening systemic thinking and promoting coordinated development.

The Yangtze River Economic Belt covers 11 provinces and municipalities. While leveraging their own advantages to pursue their own development, these regions also shoulder the common task of promoting high-quality development.

Placing one's own development within the broader framework of coordinated development creates a multiplier effect.

The majority of the forward fuselage section is manufactured in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province; the landing gear system is assembled in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province; more than 100 components are supplied by enterprises in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province; and final assembly takes place in Shanghai - the C919 large aircraft industrial chain thrives along the Yangtze River.

Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces in Southwest China pioneered a joint legislative model; East China's Anhui and Zhejiang provinces have explored cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanisms, helping the basin's ecological environment continue to improve.

Today, the Yangtze Economic Belt links land and sea, connects eastern and western parts of China, and coordinates high-quality development with high-level environmental protection, becoming the main artery for smooth domestic and international dual circulation.

Recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan call for "enhancing coordinated regional development" and "promoting inter-regional linkage." Together, tailoring to local conditions and coordinated development form a key path for regions to break development bottlenecks and expand the space for development.

Coordination means complementary advantages and inter-regional linkage for common progress. Coordination breaks down barriers and integrates development to expand space. Coordination also means aligned steps and mutual pursuit for win-win outcomes.

As we stride toward the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must continue to arm our minds and guide practice with the Party's innovative theories, carry out economic work according to local conditions, enable "the lead horse" to bring along "the whole herd in full gallop," and turn the strengths of coordinated development into a winning momentum for high-quality development. In this way, the Chinese economy will surge forward with vigorous momentum and advance steadily toward lasting prosperity.

SOURCE Global Times