The Year 2009
On February 11, the academic seminar "Capital, Imperialism, and the Current Western Financial Crisis—Thinker Forum (6)" was held in the Academic Auditorium of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). The event was hosted by the CASS Faculty of Marxist Studies, the Institute of Marxism Studies (IMS), the World Socialism Research Center, Social Sciences in China (Zhongguo Shehui Kexue), the Institute of World History, and the Youth Center for Research in Humanities and Social Sciences. Wang Weiguang, Executive Vice President of CASS, delivered the keynote report; Vice President Li Shenming presided over the meeting and delivered a speech. Cheng Enfu, Director of IMS, presided over the afternoon session and gave a presentation. Notable attendees included Zhang Quanjing, former head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee; Ru Xin, former Vice President of CASS; and Hou Shudong, former Vice President of the National Defense University. Nearly 20 scholars spoke, including Ding Yifan, a specially invited researcher of the World Socialism Research Center; Zhang Yu, Vice Dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China; and Lin Xiaofang, a professor at the Nanjing Political College. More than 100 experts and scholars from units such as CASS, the National Development and Reform Commission, Renmin University of China, Nanjing Political College, and Central China Normal University attended the conference.
On the morning of March 2, the IMS held a summary meeting for the "In-depth Study and Implementation of the Scientific Outlook on Development" activities [1]. Cheng Enfu presided over the meeting, and Hou Huiqin, representing the IMS leadership team, delivered the summary report on the study and practice activities. Han Naijin, head of the first guiding and inspection group for CASS study and practice activities, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. He pointed out that during these activities, the IMS strictly followed the spirit of relevant documents and, in integration with its own characteristics and work reality, strengthened leadership, ensured serious implementation, maintained clear thinking, and ensured responsibilities were in place. He noted that the Institute achieved "genuine study, genuine practice, genuine problem-solving, and genuine results," successfully completing the various tasks of the study and practice activities.
On the morning of April 15, CASS Executive Vice President Wang Weiguang, Vice Presidents Gao Quanli and Wu Yin, and Deputy Secretary-General Jin Baoping visited the IMS for investigation and research. They were accompanied by leading comrades from various functional bureaus, including Wang Suye, Zhang Changdong, Zhang Guobao, Zhang Xinying, Duan Xiaoyan, Jiang Hui, Wang Zheng, Wang Lei, and Liu Fuqing.
On April 30, the seminar "Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the May Fourth Movement: Sinicization of Marxism and Contemporary Social Trends—Thinker Forum (7)," hosted by the CASS Faculty of Marxist Studies and the IMS, was held in Beijing. CASS Vice President Wu Yin attended and spoke. Cheng Enfu, Director of the CASS Faculty of Marxist Studies and Director of the IMS, presided. More than 120 experts and scholars attended, including former CASS Vice President Teng Teng, as well as He Bingmeng, Li Chongfu, Hou Huiqin, Zhao Yao, Zhang Haipeng, Zhao Fengqi, Wu Jian, Tian Xinming, and Wu Yuanliang, representing units such as CASS, the Central Literature Research Management Office, the Central Party School, and the Social Science Center of the Ministry of Education. Reporters from media outlets such as the People's Daily, Guangming Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Social Sciences Press, China Education Daily, and Beijing Daily attended.
On April 30, Director Cheng Enfu presided over a general meeting of all Party members of the IMS. Hou Huiqin, Secretary of the Provisional Party Committee and Vice Director, delivered the Party Committee work report, and Vice Director Zhang Zuying reported on the collection and use of Party fees. Hou Huiqin continued to preside over the election of members for the IMS Party Committee and Discipline Inspection Committee. The meeting elected Hou Huiqin, Cheng Enfu, Zhang Zuying, Xia Chuntao, and Xu Wenhua as members of the IMS Party Committee, with Comrade Hou Huiqin as Secretary. Zhang Zuying, Xin Xiangyang, and He Dongmei were elected as members of the IMS Discipline Inspection Committee, with Comrade Zhang Zuying as Secretary.
On May 5, the Bureau of Personnel approved the "Report on Adjusting the Internal Research Departments and Offices of the Institute of Marxism Studies." The adjustments were as follows: The Department of Marxist Principles, with four subordinate research offices: the Research Office of Basic Principles of Marxism, the Research Office of Marx and Engels' Thought, the Research Office of Lenin and Stalin's Thought, and the Research Office of Ideological and Political Education. The Department of the Sinicization of Marxism (formerly the First Department of Chinese Marxism Research), with three subordinate research offices: the Research Office of Mao Zedong Thought, the Research Office of the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and the Research Office of Party Building and Party History. The Department of Marxist Development (formerly the Second Department of Chinese Marxism Research), with four subordinate research offices: the Research Office of the History of Marxist Development, the Research Office of Economic and Social Construction, the Research Office of Politics and International Strategy, and the Research Office of Culture and Ideology. The Department of the International Communist Movement (formerly the Research Department of the History of the International Communist Movement), with three subordinate research offices: the Research Office of the History of the International Communist Movement, the Research Office of Contemporary World Socialism, and the Research Office of Contemporary World Capitalism. The Department of Overseas Marxism (formerly the Research Department of Contemporary World Socialism), with three subordinate research offices: the Research Office of Overseas Communist Party Theory, the Research Office of Overseas Left-wing Thought, and the Research Office of Western Marxism.
On the morning of May 21, the IMS Party Committee held its first meeting after receiving formal approval from the CASS Party Leadership Group (yuan dangzu). The meeting clarified the division of labor among committee members; discussed and passed in-principle the "Working Rules of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies"; discussed and passed in-principle the "Study System for the Theory Center Group of the IMS Party Committee"; discussed the competitive recruitment of research office directors; and studied issues related to the management of research departments and offices and the construction of Party branches.
On May 21, following a notice from the Central Propaganda Department, the CASS Research Center for Deng Xiaoping Theory and the "Three Represents" Important Thought was officially renamed the "CASS Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics."
On July 3, the IMS held an Academic Committee meeting to discuss the project launch for the Institute’s "Key Discipline Construction Plan." At the meeting, the heads of the three original CASS key disciplines within the IMS and the two newly proposed key disciplines ("Sinicization of Marxism" and "International Communist Movement") reported to the Academic Committee on their respective disciplines' history, current status, and development plans, and submitted project applications. After careful deliberation, the Academic Committee unanimously agreed to establish projects for the following five disciplines under the "Key Discipline Construction Plan": Basic Principles of Marxism, Sinicization of Marxism, History of Marxist Development, International Communist Movement, and Overseas Marxism. Following the meeting, the five key disciplines signed project agreements with the IMS, marking the launch of a new round of the "Key Discipline Construction Plan."
From July to September, the IMS Labor Union organized 26 comrades to represent CASS in a large-scale choral event organized by the Work Committee for Offices Directly Under the CPC Central Committee to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
From September 9 to 11, Jin Huiming was honored as a "National Outstanding Professional and Technical Talent" and attended the Fourth National Commendation Conference for Outstanding Professional and Technical Talents. Xi Jinping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President of the State, met with the delegates and delivered a speech.
From September 26 to 27, the "60 Years of New China and Marxism—The Third National Forum for Deans of Marxist Studies," jointly hosted by the CASS Faculty of Marxist Studies, the IMS, and the Nanjing Political College, was held in Nanjing. CASS Vice President Gao Quanli attended. IMS Director Cheng Enfu and several scholars participated. More than 60 deans and experts engaged in the teaching and research of Marxist theory from universities and research institutions nationwide attended the meeting.
At the end of September, after eight months and 14 rounds of revisions, the Implementation Plan of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for Strengthening the Construction of Marxist Theoretical Disciplines and Theoretical Research (2009–2014) (CASS Office Document [2009] No. 33) was issued. The formulation and implementation of this Implementation Plan is a major strategic measure for CASS to strengthen its position as a Marxist stronghold and to realize the "Three Orientations" [2] set by the Central Committee. The Party Leadership Group and President Chen Kuiyuan attached great importance to it. A CASS Party Leadership Group meeting on July 13 was dedicated to discussing the Implementation Plan. President Chen Kuiyuan spoke at the meeting, emphasizing the necessity and urgency of strengthening Marxist theoretical research and discipline construction at CASS, and gave specific requirements for the framework, main content, key tasks, and implementation steps of the draft. Other members of the Party Leadership Group also provided valuable suggestions. During the CASS Beidaihe Working Meeting in August [3], the Implementation Plan was discussed again. Since the first collective discussion on February 4, the drafting group held more than ten collective revision sessions; Executive Vice President Wang Weiguang and Vice President Li Shenming participated throughout and directly guided the drafting and revision of the document. Meanwhile, to carry out the various tasks of the Implementation Plan, a Leading Group for Marxist Theoretical Discipline Construction and Theoretical Research was established under the leadership of the Party Leadership Group. Wang Weiguang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Executive Vice President, served as the leader; Li Shenming, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President, and Vice President Wu Yin served as deputy leaders, with Li Shenming responsible for specific implementation. An office was established under the leading group, with IMS Director Cheng Enfu as office director, and Li Hanlin, Director of the Bureau of Scientific Research Management, and Hou Huiqin, Party Secretary of the IMS, serving as deputy directors.
On October 19 and 20, the IMS hosted the "First China-Vietnam Marxism Forum" and the 52nd "Academic Report Meeting on Chinese and Foreign Marxism." Li Shenming attended and spoke; Hou Huiqin delivered the opening address and a report titled "On the Innovativeness of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics"; Cheng Enfu presided over the first phase of reports and delivered the closing speech; and Zhang Zuying participated. A ten-member delegation from the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), led by Pham Van Duc, member of the Theoretical Council of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Director of the Institute of Philosophy at VASS, attended. The forum was organized by the Department of the International Communist Movement.
From October 26 to 28, the "First World Socialism Forum—The Financial Crisis and the Development Prospects of Socialism," jointly hosted by the CASS World Socialism Research Center and Southwest University, was held in Chongqing.
On December 25, a symposium organized by the Central Propaganda Department for the publication of the Collected Works of Marx and Engels and the Thematic Collected Works of Lenin was held in Beijing. The CASS Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics organized 20 CASS experts from the Marxist Theoretical Research and Construction Project to attend. Some leaders and scholars from the IMS, including Cheng Enfu, Hou Huiqin, and Jin Minqin, participated.