On April 15, the Fourth National Forum on the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2017) was held in Tongren, Guizhou.

To create a favorable public opinion environment for the convening of the 19th Party Congress and to further deepen research on socialism with Chinese characteristics, the 4th National Forum on the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2017) was held on April 15, 2017, at Tongren University in Guizhou Province. The theme of the forum was "Contemporary Social Trends of Thought and the Development of the Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics." This forum was jointly organized by the Department of Marxist Development of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the CASS Research Center for Contemporary Theoretical Trends of Thought, the editorial department of Teaching and Research (Jiāoxué yǔ Yánjiū) at Renmin University of China, and the School of Marxism at Tongren University.

Attendees at the opening ceremony included Jian Hui, Researcher and Party Committee Secretary of the CASS Institute of Philosophy and Intelligence; Fan Jianxin, Researcher and Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies; Xin Xiangyang, Researcher and Director of the Department of Marxist Development at the Institute of Marxism Studies; Professor Qin Xuan, Editor-in-Chief of Renmin University's Teaching and Research; Professor Zhou Chunming, former member of the School Affairs Committee of the Party School of the Beijing Municipal Committee; Professor Han Haitao of the School of Marxism at Renmin University of China; and Professor Rao Xiaohua, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Tongren University. More than 100 experts, scholars, and faculty and students from Tongren University participated in the forum.

Xin Xiangyang, Qin Xuan, Jiang Hui, Zhou Chunming, Han Haitao, Liao Shenggang (Dean of the School of Marxism at Jishou University), and Pi Kunqian (Dean of the School of Marxism at Tongren University) delivered keynote reports. They introduced the latest developments and shared their views on philosophy and social science research at home and abroad, particularly in the field of Marxist studies. They analyzed new dynamics in global and domestic social trends of thought, proposed innovative mechanisms for the theoretical development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, discussed legal means and pathways for curbing the erroneous trend of historical nihilism ^[1], and expounded on how to use Marxism to lead social trends of thought and strengthen confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics. These presentations resonated deeply with the experts and scholars in attendance.

The scholars participating in the meeting integrated their respective research fields to offer suggestions and strategies for criticizing various erroneous trends of thought and consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere ^[2]. The conference was a complete success.