Academy of Marxism Holds Youth Seminar to Deepen Study and Interpretation of the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee
On November 26, 2025, the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) held its third youth thematic symposium of 2025. With the theme "Studying and Interpreting the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee," the meeting sought to encourage young scholars to strengthen their theoretical armament and support their academic growth. Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Researcher Yang Jing, Director of the Department of Marxist Principles and Leader of the Youth Working Group, presided over the meeting. More than 30 people, including leaders of youth theoretical study groups from various departments and core youth researchers, attended the session.
Luo Wendong put forward clear requirements for studying and interpreting the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He emphasized the necessity of adhering to the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method [1], and clarifying the underlying principles, academic logic, and philosophical underpinnings [2] from the perspective of Marxist theoretical disciplines. It is essential to study the documents of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in their original form, focusing on the explanations and important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the session. Scholars should conduct longitudinal comparative research with the suggestions and outlines of the 14th Five-Year Plan [3], as well as horizontal international comparative research. We must adhere to historical materialism and closely connect our work to the concrete reality that China's development environment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period will face profound and complex changes. This includes interpreting new progress in economic and social development, particularly the opportunities and challenges brought by innovations in digital-intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence. We must seize the moment, focusing on the new ideas, viewpoints, judgments, and measures proposed by the Plenary Session. Efforts should be concentrated on promoting the systematic and academic research of the Party’s innovative theories, accelerating the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences [4].
Eight young scholars reported their study experiences based on their respective research fields. Associate Researcher Zhang Duan argued that the "Six Adherences" [5] proposed in the suggestions for the 15th Five-Year Plan represent an innovative development of the basic principles of scientific socialism, as well as their new application within the practice of Chinese-path modernization. Assistant Researcher Shangguan Miaomiao elaborated on the contemporary value of "common prosperity in spiritual life," suggesting that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly outlined a roadmap for the continuous upgrading of people's well-being in the process of Chinese-path modernization. Assistant Researcher Feng Mengqi analyzed the rich connotation and institutional logic of the "Five-Year Plan" as an important method of the Party's national governance, arguing that these plans concentrate the significant advantages of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Associate Researcher Zhuo Mingliang pointed out that "achieving decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization" [6] holds major global significance and will continue to lead the developmental direction of world socialism. Assistant Researcher Sun Jinya analyzed the logic of leading and promoting Chinese-path modernization through national development planning, arguing that the scientific formulation and continuous implementation of "Five-Year Plans" will persist over the long term to advance Chinese-path modernization. Assistant Researcher Bi Guoshuai emphasized that the model of civilization exchange in Chinese-path modernization has achieved a reconstruction of civilizational paradigms, representing a brand-new model for human civilizational interaction. Assistant Researcher Liu Daoyi noted that the key to "strengthening the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation and making forward-looking deployments for strategic future industries" lies in institutional reconstruction, factor reorganization, and the advanced deployment of industrial tracks—centered on the enterprise—to ultimately achieve the simultaneous construction of high-level technological self-reliance and future industrial competitive advantages. Assistant Researcher Yang Wen analyzed the manifestation of value and the clinical path for enhancing the "ideological and political leadership power" within the vision of building a leading country in education, emphasizing that this power must be enhanced through innovative methods and approaches.
Through this exchange and discussion, the youth of the Institute of Marxism Studies further deepened their understanding of the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and clarified the focal points for their future research and interpretation of the Party's innovative theories. They expressed their commitment to comprehensive, systematic, timely, and integrated study. They pledged to uphold the principle of integrating theory with practice, grasp objective laws through comparison and deep understanding, and promptly transform their study of the Party's innovative theories into theoretical articles, academic papers, and policy research reports, thereby contributing to Chinese-path modernization with high-quality research results.
Contribution and Photography: Fang Tao, Institute of Marxism Studies