The Second Youth Special Seminar 2025 of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Successfully Held
On August 20, 2025, the Second Youth Thematic Symposium of the Institute of Marxism Studies (IMS) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) for 2025 was held in Room 1237 of the Scientific Research Building. This symposium was organized by the Youth Work Group and the Scientific Research Department of the IMS. Luo Wendong, Researcher and Secretary of the Party Committee of the IMS, and Cui Weihang, Researcher, Director, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, delivered opening remarks. The meeting was presided over by Yang Jing, Researcher, Director of the Department of Marxist Principles, and Head of the Youth Work Group. More than 30 experts and young scholars from institutions including the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance) [1], CASS, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China conducted in-depth academic exchanges and theoretical inquiries around the theme "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and Scientific Thinking Methods." Editorial departments of journals and media outlets including Marxism Studies (Markesizhuyi Yanjiu), World Socialism Studies (Shijie Shehuizhuyi Yanjiu), Science and Atheism (Kexue yu Wushenlun), the Chinese Social Sciences Net, and the Marxist Research Network attended by invitation.
At the opening ceremony, Luo Wendong pointed out that the IMS organizes these series of youth thematic symposia to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on youth work and the instructions of CASS President Gao Xiang regarding the cultivation of young talent. The aim is to continuously strengthen "organized research" [2] and promote the development of the IMS youth talent contingent. He noted that the theme of this symposium carries significant political, theoretical, and practical weight. He expressed hope that young scholars would take this opportunity to strengthen academic exchange and improve their scientific research capabilities. Cui Weihang pointed out that the theme is highly political, theoretical, and targeted. He emphasized that for young scholars to grow and succeed, they must master, persist in, and apply the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method [3]. They must learn to use scientific thinking methods to understand and interpret China, establish a sense of mission, carry forward the spirit of responsibility, and persist in "serving the country through scholarship" (xueshu baoguo).
In the morning session of keynote reports, Chen Zhigang, Researcher, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee, and Deputy Director of the IMS, provided a comprehensive and systematic explanation of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and its innovative development. He pointed out that the Marxist worldview and methodology are powerful ideological weapons for Chinese Communists to transform the world, and that the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era constitute the worldview and methodology of contemporary Chinese people. One must profoundly grasp the "Six Must-Persists" [4] through the lens of the "Two Combinations" [5]. He noted that the "Six Must-Persists" form an "interconnected and internally unified organic whole," serving as a significant manifestation and core content of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and representing a major development of Marxist worldview and methodology.
Professor Wang Huxue, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Department of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), delivered a report titled "The 'Two Combinations' and the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism." He explained the significance of the "Two Combinations" from theoretical, historical, and practical dimensions. He emphasized that the "Two Combinations," as a fundamental principled contribution to the Party's theoretical innovation in the New Era, is the root path for promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, the greatest "magic weapon" [6] for the Party's success, and the only way to open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. Furthermore, the "Two Combinations" themselves must be "combined." On one hand, the "Two Combinations" are like two wings of a single body with different emphases: the "First Combination" is primarily the combination of theory and practice, while the "Second Combination" is primarily the unity of the "soul-vein" [7] and the "root-vein" [8]. On the other hand, the "Two Combinations" form a complementary organic whole with the function of "adapting to local customs to transform them" (ruxiang suisu, chengfeng huasu).
Zhou Dan, Researcher and Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Philosophy, based on a comprehensive literature review, explained from a philosophical perspective that General Secretary Xi Jinping's system of scientific methods possesses rich connotations and rigorous logic. Its fundamental methods include mastering the "foundational skills" (kanjia benling) of Marxist philosophy, implementing the Party’s ideological line of seeking truth from facts, and the "Six Must-Persists." Its thinking methods include strategic thinking for gauging general trends, historical thinking for reflecting on the past to understand the present, dialectical thinking for increasing wisdom, systems thinking for observing the overall situation, innovative thinking for adding momentum, legal thinking for promoting reform, and bottom-line thinking [9] for controlling risks. This system of scientific methods is a systematic expression of the methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and provides its philosophical foundation. It is both the theoretical basis for achieving unity of thought and action across the entire Party and an important guarantee for the steady progress of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, contributing Chinese wisdom to the solution of human problems.
During the morning youth scholar presentations, Pan Xihua, Associate Researcher at the IMS, proposed using historical thinking to scientifically grasp the theory and practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This helps trace its origins and provides a theoretical foundation, scientific method, value core, and basic follow-through for strengthening the "Four Confidences" [10]. Li Yang, Assistant Professor at the Peking University School of Marxism, revealed insights for mastering scientific thinking methods by reviewing the research trajectories of the "Young Marx," arguing that one must establish subjective consciousness, carry forward a critical spirit, and maintain an open attitude. Fang Tao, Associate Researcher at the IMS, explored the systems thinking inherent in persisting in the Party’s leadership in the New Era, discussing its generative logic, systemic characteristics, and systemic methods. Luo Wendong, Chen Zhigang, Wang Huxue, and Zhou Dan provided comments on the three young scholars' speeches.
In the afternoon session of keynote reports, Professor Zhang Yunfei from the School of Marxism at Renmin University of China explained the main content of the "systems concept" (xitong guannian) and its contribution to the basic principles of Marxism from four aspects: systemic ontology, systemic epistemology, systemic methodology, and systemic praxeology. He pointed out that the systems concept concentrates the "sum total of human knowledge" regarding systems, serving as a foundational method for thought and work. He emphasized that socialism with Chinese characteristics is a socialism of comprehensive development, requiring the concrete and historical unity of theoretical systematicity and practical systematicity. He Xinyuan, Researcher and Director of the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism at the IMS, analyzed the strategic significance of the major thesis of "building a community with a shared future for humanity" [11] from the perspective of strategic thinking and a "large-scale view of history" (da lishi guan). He pointed out that this community gathers the "greatest common denominator" of the aspirations of people worldwide for peace, development, and prosperity. He further discussed strategic measures for building this community in terms of value guidance, practical platforms, international order, governance principles, path choices, guiding principles, and security guarantees.
During the afternoon youth scholar presentations, Chen Yongsheng, Associate Researcher at the IMS, discussed General Secretary Xi Jinping’s dialectical thinking and its practical application. Liu Ying, Associate Researcher at the IMS, expounded on the Marxist strategic outlook from a philosophical perspective across six aspects: strategic starting point, strategic subject, strategic value, strategic method, strategic vision, and strategic effectiveness. Lu Zida, Assistant Professor at the Tsinghua University School of Marxism, analyzed the systems concept contained in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief. Chen Ni, Assistant Researcher at the IMS, discussed the basic connotation, essential meaning, and logical approach to enhancing "problem awareness" (wenti yishi) in the new journey of the New Era, taking the General Secretary’s instructions on persisting in a "problem-oriented approach" (wenti daoxiang) as the fundamental guide. Cui Weihang, Zhang Yunfei, and He Xinyuan provided comments on these four presentations.
At the closing ceremony, Director Cui Weihang and Secretary Luo Wendong delivered concluding remarks. Cui Weihang noted that the presentations were distinctive, conducting in-depth discussions on the relationships between principles and methods, the particular and the universal, and strategy and tactics, demonstrating the height of thought and depth of understanding characteristic of the vigor of young scholars. Luo Wendong summarized the symposium using "Three Threes": First, it featured three distinct combinations (the old, middle-aged, and young; internal and external institutional experts; and reports combined with commentary). Second, it achieved three effects (extensive exchange, mutual inspiration, and collective improvement). Third, it required three areas of continued improvement for future youth symposia: preparation, quality of reports, and the transformation of research results. He concluded that the Youth Work Group should continue to improve the targeting, timeliness, and organization of academic activities, and that young scholars should aim high, practice self-discipline, dare to innovate, and become talents as early as possible.