Xi Jinping's Philosophical Ideas and their Role in China's Civilizational Development

Xi Jinping’s philosophical innovation lies in his proposal of a systematic project to create a Marxist philosophy with Chinese characteristics as a new theoretical system and a new philosophical practice. The fundamental premise of Marxist philosophy with Chinese characteristics is the thesis of the congeniality of the basic principles of Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophical classics, while its internal mechanism is the interconnected hermeneutic process of harmonization and transcendence of Marxist philosophy and China’s philosophical heritage. And when Marxist Xi Jinping calls on Chinese philosophers to follow the “Tao of Heaven” or “absorb Confucian wisdom,” this is perceived not as a retreat from Marxism, but as a Taoist-Confucian graft onto Marxist philosophy, which enhances the spiritual energy of Marxism. The inclusion of Chinese wisdom in the context of Marxist discourse has significantly expanded the spiritual horizons of Marxist philosophy and enhanced its practical significance for realizing the dream of a great rebirth of the Chinese nation and creation of a modernized “Beautiful China”. Marxist philosophy with Chinese characteristics is now becoming a heuristic methodology for solving practical problems in China’s civilizational breakthrough, and as such it is transforming into the philosophical practice of the Communist Party of China in the new era. Firstly, Xi Jinping’s philosophical practice contributes to strengthening the spiritual and ideological foundations of Chinese society and improving the system of state governance. Secondly, it draws a clear line between the ideologies of the capitalist West and communist China: instead of the cult of capital, it prioritizes comprehensive human development; instead of plutocracy and elitocracy — people’s democracy and people-centered policies; instead of post-humanism — spiritual and practical humanism; instead of Western hegemony and the disunity of peoples — global harmony and a community with a shared future for mankind. We beleive that the Communist Party of China in the Xi Jinping era is successfully practicing a humanistic path of social progress that surpasses the Western technocratic mainstream.