The 12th International Forum on the Communist Movement and the Launch Ceremony of New Books Including "China's Whole-Process People's Democracy" (Vietnamese Edition) Held in Kunming

On November 16–17, 2024, the "12th International Communist Movement Forum and New Book Release Ceremony for China’s Whole-Process People’s Democracy (Vietnamese Edition)" was held in Kunming. The theme of the forum was "Theory and Practice of Democratic Political Systems in Socialist States." This forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Yunnan University, and the Academy of Chinese-path Modernization of CASS. It was organized by the Department of International Communist Movement Studies of the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS) and the School of Marxism at Yunnan University.

During the opening ceremony, Lin Jianhua, Secretary of the Party Committee of the CASS Academy of Chinese-path Modernization; Zhou Xuebin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Yunnan University; and Yu Haiqing, Vice President of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, attended and delivered speeches.

In his address, Lin Jianhua introduced the primary contents of the book China’s Whole-Process People’s Democracy. He focused his explanation on the background and foundation of the theme "further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization," as determined by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee ^[1].

Zhou Xuebin’s speech elaborated on the significant practical importance of holding the "12th International Communist Movement Forum" at a time when the entire nation is deeply studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

Yu Haiqing introduced the developmental history and core content of the International Communist Movement Forum and the Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement, both established by the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies. He further discussed the focus of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee on the theme of Chinese-path modernization.

During the book release session, Professor Nguyen Minh Hoan, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Academy of Journalism and Communication of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, representing the Vietnam Political Theory Publishing House, announced the translation and publication of the Vietnamese editions of China’s Whole-Process People’s Democracy and the Research Report on the International Communist Movement (2022–2023). He also described the extensive influence these works have garnered in Vietnam.

Andrea Catone, Editor-in-Chief of the Italian journal MarxVentuno (21st Century Marx), representing the publisher of the English and Italian editions of the Research Report on the International Communist Movement (2021–2022)—Italy’s MarxVentuno Publishing House—announced the new releases and introduced the wide-ranging impact the reports have had among communist parties in various European countries over parity years.

The opening ceremony and book release stage were presided over by Professor Yuan Qun, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Yunnan University.

During the plenary session, more than 30 experts and scholars from countries including China, Italy, Vietnam, and Laos conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on topics such as "The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the New Development of Chinese-path Modernization," "Comparative Mutual Learning in the Construction of Democratic Political Systems in Socialist States," and "New Dynamics of the International Communist Movement and Foreign Communist Parties."

Chai Shangjin, a researcher from the Contemporary World Research Center of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a keynote speech titled "The Implications of Chinese-path Modernization for the Modernization of Other Developing Countries."

Francesco Maringiò, a member of the Central Committee of the Italian Communist Party and President of the Italian Association of MarxVentuno, introduced the dissemination and influence of the Research Report on the International Communist Movement among European communist parties, focusing his remarks on the new dynamics of European communist and left-wing parties.

Professor Yu Sinian from the School of Politics and International Relations at Central China Normal University delivered a speech titled "New Observations on the Research Paradigm of Contemporary World Socialism."

Nguyen Vinh Quang, a researcher at the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies (Vietnam) and Vice President of the Viet Nam–China Friendship Association, delivered a speech titled "Development in Vietnam and China and the International Communist Movement."

Researcher Xu Baoyou from the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee gave a presentation titled "The Significance of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee from the Perspective of the Relationship between Reform and Socialist Modernization."

Xayasith Phouxay, Deputy Director of the International Relations Division of the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences, delivered a speech titled "The Developmental Context of the Lao People's Democratic System."

Researcher Xuan Chuanshu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Graduate School of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, delivered a speech titled "The Fundamental Driving Force and Fundamental Guarantee for Advancing Chinese-path Modernization."

Wang Jin, Executive Editor-in-Chief of the journal Contemporary World and Socialism at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a speech titled "Major Practices and Lessons from the United States in Maintaining Ideological Security."

Researcher Pan Jine from the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies presided over the first half of the plenary session.

Professor Jiang Rui, Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University, delivered a speech titled "The Party's United Front ^[2] and Chinese-path Modernization."

Francesco Galofaro, Associate Professor at the University of Milan, Italy, delivered a speech titled "The Re-greening of European Communist Parties during the Ukraine Crisis."

Professor Guo Chunsheng from the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University gave a presentation titled "The Status and Role of Deng Xiaoping's 'Chinese-style Modernization' ^[3]."

Bounthavy Khounvongsa, a lecturer at the Khammouane Provincial Political and Administration School under the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, delivered a speech titled "Party and Political System Building of the Lao People’s Democratic Regime under the New Situation."

Professor Yu Weihai from the School of Politics and International Relations at Central China Normal University delivered a speech titled "New Situations and Characteristics of the International Communist Movement in 2024."

Professor Lin Deshan from the School of Political Science and Public Administration at the China University of Political Science and Law gave a speech titled "Reflections on New Developments and Issues in the European Socialist Movement."

Professor Zhao Ting, Vice Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University, delivered a speech titled "The French Communist Party’s Alternative to Capitalism."

Associate Researcher Wang Jing from the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies delivered a speech titled "Historical Experience and Future Outlook for Advancing Chinese-path Modernization through Whole-Process People’s Democracy."

Researcher Yuan Xiuli, Deputy Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, presided over the second half of the plenary session.

On November 17, the forum also held breakout group discussions. Nearly 100 scholars from institutions such as the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the China University of Political Science and Law, the Beijing Municipal Party School, the Beijing Institute of Technology, the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Yunnan University, Shandong University, Central China Normal University, and Soochow University participated via both online and offline exchanges.

During the closing ceremony, Professor Zhao Ting of Shandong University and Professor Li Haiyu of the School of Marxism at Henan Polytechnic University delivered exchange speeches on behalf of their respective groups. Associate Researcher Pan Xihua, Director of the History of the International Communist Movement Research Office at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, presided over the closing ceremony. Professor Yuan Qun summarized the preparation and execution of the forum.