Abstract:Confronted with the intricate international political landscape and global industrial competition, China must promptly optimize and adjust the distribution of its major productive forces in light of the new characteristics of its development stage. This involves expanding strategic depth in the vast central and western inland hinterland to fortify national security. The strategic concept of "building the national strategic hinterland" was first introduced at the Central Economic Work Conference in December 2023, laying the groundwork for optimizing productive force distribution and safeguarding national security. The concept delineates key geographical attributes and strategic characteristics, pragmatic practices in different historical periods show that the concept of "rear area" is the basic appearance of "national strategic hinterland". The positioning of the national strategic hinterland by the CPC Central Committee is considered and planned from the overall situation of national development. Compared with other major regional strategies, the national strategic hinterland possesses fundamental characteristics such as its pivotal geographical location, robust economic resilience, role as an engine for innovation and development, and its ability to foster urban culture cohesion. Throughout China's regional economic development history, both the "third line construction" and "coordinated development strategy" have been tasked with optimizing the layout of major productive forces and maintaining a strong "rear area" during different historical periods. In new era, the concept of a national strategic rear area naturally assumes historical responsibility within this contemporary context. Accelerating the construction of the national strategic hinterland represents a timely response to significant changes in this century. It aims to establish a new pattern of development and optimize major productive force layouts in order to confidently navigate external uncertainties and seize strategic initiative. In order to translate strategic decisions and anticipated goals into tangible results, systematic promotion of the construction of the national strategic hinterland is imperative. By enhancing the top-level design of strategic planning, coordinating the establishment of strategic material reserves, strengthening the support for strategic scientific and technological capabilities, and establishing strategic industrial backup bases and developing a network of strategic transportation capacity in space, it will become a new growth pole and power source of China's economic development. This will continuously promote high-quality development and advanced security infrastructure construction in the rear area during this new era.