2013

On the morning of January 23, the "Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Youth Forum on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 18th National Congress—Theoretical Innovation and Historical Responsibility" was held in the lecture hall of the Institute of Marxism Studies. This forum was one of the series of youth forums on "Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 18th National Congress" ^[1] hosted by the CASS Youth League Committee and the Youth Center for Humanities and Social Sciences. It was organized by the Youth Working Groups of the Institute of Marxism Studies and the Institute of Contemporary China, with support from the Academy of Marxism Department. Ji Weimin, Secretary of the CASS Youth League Committee, attended and delivered a speech; Yan Xiaona, Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee, was also in attendance. The seminar was chaired by Fan Jianxin, Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies in charge of youth work and head of its Youth Working Group, while Wang Linggui, Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, provided the meeting's concluding remarks. Ten young scholars, including Zhang Wei, Yu Xiaolei, Liu Xukuan, He Qin, and Chen Airu from the Institute of Marxism Studies, and Wang Danli, Cao Shouliang, Xu Yijie, Bi Yanyong, and Han Xin from the Institute of Contemporary China, delivered keynote speeches focusing on the highlights of theoretical innovation in the report of the 18th CPC National Congress, combined with their respective study and research experiences.

From February 28 to March 1, the "First International Forum on Socialism and the Seventh International Forum of Thinkers," jointly sponsored by the CASS Academy of Marxism Department, the Institute of Marxism Studies, the National Center for Research on Cultural Security and Ideology, the Lao Academy of Social Sciences, and the Institute of Philosophy of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, was held at CASS. The theme of this forum was "Socialist Ideological and Cultural Construction in the Process of Globalization." More than 60 experts and scholars from Vietnam, Laos, North Korea, Cuba, as well as CASS, the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Jilin University, Tsinghua University, Guangxi University, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, and Tongren University of Guizhou attended the forum. Li Shenming, Vice President of CASS, attended and spoke. Cheng Enfu, Director of the CASS Academy of Marxism Department and President of the Institute of Marxism Studies, and Alberto Blanco Silva, Cuban Ambassador to China, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Nearly 20 renowned domestic and foreign scholars in relevant fields delivered speeches, including Hou Huiqin, Director of the National Center for Research on Cultural Security and Ideology; Khamphong Bounnadit, Vice President of the Lao Academy of Social Sciences; Pham Van Duc, Director of the Institute of Philosophy of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Kim Ryong-jin, Associate Professor at Kim Il-sung University in North Korea; Xu Shicheng, Honorary CASS Member; Han Xiping, Dean of the School of Marxism at Liaoning University; and Fang Songhua, Executive Deputy Director of the Center for Chinese Marxism Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Deng Chundong, Party Committee Secretary of the Institute of Marxism Studies, chaired the opening ceremony, and Vice President Fan Jianxin delivered the closing remarks. Wang Lei, Director of the International Cooperation Bureau, and Chao Ke, Deputy Director of the Research Management Bureau, along with researchers from the Institute of Marxism Studies such as Liu Shuchun, Zhao Zhikuei, Feng Yanli, Jin Minqing, and Xin Xiangyang, participated in the forum. The forum was specifically organized by the Research Office of Contemporary World Socialism under the Department of International Communist Movement. Based on the two sessions of the "China-Vietnam Marxism Forum" jointly held by the Institute of Marxism Studies and the Institute of Philosophy of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the first "International Forum on Socialism" was reorganized as an international forum by expanding the scope of participating countries to the five existing socialist countries ^[2].

From February to May, CASS completed a major research task for the propaganda, ideological, and cultural systems assigned by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. The research was divided into 13 groups, covering all aspects of the propaganda field. The Office of the Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project (Marxist Project) ^[3] was responsible for budget management, liaison and coordination, and meeting organization, successfully fulfilling the task. From May 10 to 21, Jin Minqing led an academic delegation consisting of Zhao Zhikuei, Gong Yun, Chen Zhigang, and Wang Yonghao to Japan for an academic visit, where they jointly held the Second China-Japan Socialist Scholars Forum with the Socialist Association of Japan.

On the afternoon of May 27, Comrade Liu Qibao, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, visited CASS for a research inspection. During the inspection, Liu Qibao visited the Institute of Marxism Studies. He was accompanied by leaders from the Publicity Department including Luo Shugang (Executive Deputy Head), Wang Xiaohui (Deputy Head), and Chen Yonggang (Deputy Secretary-General), as well as CASS leaders Wang Weiguang, Li Shenming, Li Yang, and Huang Haotao. Directors of CASS functional bureaus, including Shi He’an and Wang Weidong from the General Office and Liu Fuqing from the Service Bureau, also attended. Liu Qibao engaged in a cordial exchange with CASS Member Li Chongfu. Deng Chundong and Zhang Zuying from the Institute of Marxism Studies accompanied the inspection, while directors and deputy directors of various research departments, personnel from functional offices, and members of research and editorial departments participated in the reception.

On the morning of August 1, the Institute of Marxism Studies held a general meeting of all staff. Li Jie, Vice President of CASS, attended to announce the appointment and removal decisions of the Academy's Party Leadership Group: Comrade Deng Chundong was appointed President of the Institute of Marxism Studies, and Comrade Cheng Enfu was removed from the position of President of the Institute of Marxism Studies. Liu Huichun, Deputy Director of the Personnel and Education Bureau, accompanied Vice President Li Jie to the meeting.

In October, the CASS Party Leadership Group meeting reviewed and approved the "Opinions on Strengthening the Party's Ideological Work and Building a Strong Stronghold for Marxism," which was subsequently issued to the entire Academy. According to the provisions of this document, the Institute of Marxism Studies assumed the functions of the Office for the Party's Ideological Work of CASS.

On the morning of November 2, the Sixth National Forum for Deans of Marxist Institutes, jointly organized by the CASS Academy of Marxism Department, the Institute of Marxism Studies, and Sichuan University, was held at Sichuan University. Attendees included Deng Chundong, President and Party Committee Secretary of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies; Yang Quanming, Party Committee Secretary of Sichuan University; Cheng Enfu, Director of the CASS Academy of Marxism Department; Tang Yongjin, Vice Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Federation of Social Science Associations; Xu Lan, Deputy Party Committee Secretary and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Sichuan University; and more than 120 leaders and experts from Marxist teaching and research institutions and journals such as CASS, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beijing Normal University, Tianjin University, Jilin University, Southeast University, Shandong University, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University, Minzu University of China, and Social Science Research. The theme of the forum was "Marxism and Contemporary China."

From November 30 to December 1, the first National "Postdoctoral Forum on Marxist Theory" was held at Hunan University of Science and Technology. The forum was hosted by CASS, the National Postdoctoral Management Committee, and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and organized by the CASS Postdoctoral Management Committee, the Academy of Marxism Department, and the Institute of Marxism Studies, along with the Hunan Academy of Social Sciences and Hunan University of Science and Technology. The editorial department of Marxist Studies ^[4] co-organized the event, which was specifically carried out by the Postdoctoral Research Station of the Institute of Marxism Studies (Personnel Office of the Institute). The theme of this forum was "Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Mao Zedong's Birth and Continuously Promoting the Sinicization of Marxism." Li Jie, Vice President of CASS; Zhang Guanzi, Director of the Personnel and Education Bureau; Deng Chundong, President of the Institute of Marxism Studies; Liu Jianwu, President of the Hunan Academy of Social Sciences; and Liu Deshun, President of Hunan University of Science and Technology, attended the event. Li Jie delivered a keynote report, and Zhang Guanzi and Deng Chundong gave speeches.

On December 20, the 2013 Press Conference for Major Achievements of the CASS Innovation Project was held. The book Research on Several Major Issues of Marxism, edited by Jin Huiming and Li Chongfu, was selected and presented as the first achievement released.