The Fourth World Socialism Forum was held in Beijing on October 30-31, 2013
On October 30–31, 2013, the "Fourth World Socialism Forum: The Current Status and Development Trends of World Socialism and Left-wing Thought," an international academic symposium jointly sponsored by the World Socialism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the International Department of the CPC Central Committee’s China Center for Contemporary World Studies, was grandly held in Beijing. Wang Weiguang, President of CASS, sent a congratulatory message to the conference. Li Shenming, former Vice President of CASS and Director of the World Socialism Research Center, delivered a report titled "The Era, the Cold War, and the U.S. Rebalance [1] to the Asia-Pacific," and Li Jie, Vice President of CASS, delivered the closing remarks. The meeting was chaired by Wang Xuedong, Deputy Director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau. Deng Chundong, President and Party Committee Secretary of the Institute of Marxism Studies (马研院, Mayan Yuan), attended and sat on the rostrum. Fan Jianxin, Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies, along with several researchers from the Institute who are members of the World Socialism Research Center, participated in the meeting.
During the two-day forum, more than 150 representatives from 18 countries across five continents—including China, the United States, Russia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, India, Egypt, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Japan, and Colombia—gathered to engage in extensive and spirited discussions on topics such as: neoliberalism and international financial monopoly in relation to the global landscape and social class structure; the characteristics and development trends of neo-imperialism; the current status and prospects of the global Left and socialism; and the proposition that common prosperity is the essence of socialism.
In his address, Wang Weiguang pointed out that since the founding of scientific socialism a century and a half ago, the practice of the gamble [2] between the two major forces, two paths, and two systems of socialism and capitalism has fully confirmed the historical mega-trend that capitalism must perish and socialism must triumph. It has fully demonstrated the powerful truth and vitality of Marxism, showing us the bright prospects for the development of Marxism and world socialism. The development trend of human society will inevitably be the replacement of capitalist globalization by socialist globalization; the prospects for world socialism are bright. He noted that there are still various difficulties and contradictions within the revival of world socialism. To promote the revival of the international socialist movement, as scholars, we must strengthen research in two areas: First, we must strengthen the study of experiences and lessons in socialist practice, particularly the reasons for the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe [3], while strengthening research on socialism with Chinese characteristics. Second, we must strengthen our understanding of the essence and new characteristics of capitalism, particularly regarding theoretical challenges posed by social democracy, neoliberalism, and historical nihilism [4], and their impact on the development of the international communist movement. Only by clarifying these major theoretical and practical issues can we more accurately grasp the analysis of world's socialist prospects and possess greater confidence in our path, theory, and system. Amidst the changing international landscape, the era we live in has not yet transcended the theoretical horizon of Marxism. Socialism possesses a vitality that emerges later; no matter what reforms contemporary capitalism undergoes, it still cannot escape the fate scientifically predicted by Marxism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics highlights the tenacious vitality of socialism and will surely lead world socialism toward a great transition to revival.
Li Shenming pointed out in his report that the world is in a historical period of great upheaval, great change, and great adjustment. In the next 20 to 30 years—and even through the first half of the 21st century—the major powers and strategic blocs of the world will cooperate, compete, gamble, and contend with one another. While it is difficult to say the result is already fixed, it is highly probable that we will see socialism with Chinese characteristics standing towering and firm alongside a major revival of world socialist trends, theories, and movements. Following the 18th National Congress of the CPC [5], we are even more full of confidence in this prospect. However, we absolutely do not rule out the possibility that China and the broader Third World may encounter new and greater difficulties. Regardless of the outcome, the world landscape from the outbreak of this international financial crisis through the first two or three decades—and even the first half of the 21st century—may be in a state of intense turbulence or even saltation. This is the inevitable result of the cumulative conflict of various major contradictions in the world, and it does not shift according to the will of any country or individual.