The 5th International Forum on Socialism was held in Vientiane, Laos, from November 22 to 23

From November 22 to 23, 2017, the 5th International Forum on Socialism was held in Vientiane, Laos. This forum was funded by the "CASS Forum" of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and was jointly organized by the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and the Lao Academy of Social Sciences, with the Lao Academy of Social Sciences serving as the host. The theme of the forum was "Marxism and Socialist Construction." More than 120 people attended, including experts and scholars from China, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as public officials from the party and government departments of Laos. Her Excellency Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Laos, and His Excellency Ri Sang-gun, Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to Laos, attended the meeting.

(Photo description) First from right: Ri Sang-gun, Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to Laos; second from right: Research Fellow Fan Jianxin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS; third from right: Professor Soukkongseng Saignaleuth, President of the Lao Academy of Social Sciences; fourth from right: Professor Pham Van Duc, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; fifth from right: Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Laos.

At the opening ceremony, Professor Soukkongseng Saignaleuth, President of the Lao Academy of Social Sciences, delivered an enthusiastic speech. He pointed out that socialism is a great achievement of Marxism. Marxism possesses grand ideas and scientific concepts; although every country has a different historical background, each can creatively apply Marxism to build its own socialism. This year marks the centenary of the victory of the October Revolution. Since the victory of the 1917 October Revolution and the establishment of the first socialist state, the socialist system has undergone arduous trials. Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe ^[1], those countries that persist in socialist ideals and goals have achieved new development after experiencing the test of difficult setbacks. The great achievements of the reform and opening up of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the results of the socialist Doi Moi ^[2] and renovation experiments in Vietnam and Laos, as well as socialist construction in Cuba and the DPRK, have all proven the basic principles and vitality of Marxism-Leninism, inspiring the development of socialist states. The theme of this forum, "Marxism and Socialist Construction," is a theme of profound significance for communist parties. In the era of globalization, there are both opportunities and challenges. While seeing that socialist countries are developing globally and have achieved certain successes in defending the socialist system, we must also recognize that imperialist countries are still constantly resisting, obstructing, and sabotaging the development of socialist states. To this end, our socialist countries governed by Communist Parties must not only strengthen and improve the Party's own building, but also strengthen and consolidate solidarity among socialist states, cooperating with absolute sincerity to jointly promote the development of socialism.

Research Fellow Fan Jianxin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, delivered a speech and presentation. In his remarks, Fan Jianxin first affirmed the significance of hosting this forum. He noted that since CASS, the Lao Academy of Social Sciences, and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences successfully held the inaugural International Forum on Socialism in Beijing in 2013, the forum has been successfully held four times. It has received widespread acclaim from scholars in the five socialist countries—China, Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, and the DPRK—as well as from the international community. Holding the "5th International Forum on Socialism," in addition to consolidating existing achievements, will help us more comprehensively understand the development status of the world socialist movement and more scientifically grasp the development trends of world socialism, thereby providing reference and inspiration for various socialist countries.

In connection with the theme of this forum, Fan Jianxin shared several points: First, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cuba, and the DPRK are all socialist countries. All are guided by Marxism, share common ideals and beliefs, follow similar development paths, and have interconnected futures and destinies. This is the important political foundation for the development of relations between the five countries. It also provides a broad stage for deepening inter-party exchanges, promoting mutual learning, and strengthening the exchange of experience in Party governance and state administration. Second, the "Belt and Road" is not only China's initiative, but also the common aspiration of China and the countries along its routes. Everyone should take into account the legitimate concerns of other countries while pursuing their own national interests, and promote the common development of all countries while seeking their own development. We should take the "Belt and Road" as an opportunity, adhere to mutual benefit, win-win results, and connectivity, and create a socialist community with a shared future. Third, under the current new international political and economic landscape, accurately grasping the basic characteristics, laws of development, and prospects of the world socialist movement requires the joint efforts and active promotion of experts and scholars from all countries. As the backbone of today's world socialist movement, we should join hands to conduct in-depth research on the basic situation, renovation practices, developmental dynamics, and trends of various Communist Parties and other left-wing forces under the background of globalization, as well as the new historical changes in contemporary capitalism, to jointly promote the resurgence of the world socialist movement.

Professor Pham Van Duc, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, congratulated the forum on its opening. He stated that socialist countries currently face some common issues in their practical development, such as the building of democracy, the construction of a socialist state under the rule of law, the problem of corruption, political stability, and social solidarity. To solve these problems, we must ensure the guiding position of Marxism and give play to the guiding role of Marxism in socialist construction and in promoting the building of clean government.

Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Laos, shared several views on Marxism and its contribution to the Cuban Revolution in the context of the Cuban revolutionary process. She stated that Marxism-Leninism is the guiding ideology for revolutionary people the world over. Marxist theory was never a fixed blueprint, but a method, an interpretation, and a science. Therefore, we must earnestly study and widely disseminate Marxism, which is of fundamental, decisive, and vital significance for the resurgence of the world socialist movement. She noted that dialectical materialism and historical materialism are the worldview and methodology of revolutionaries. The Cuban Revolution proved this. In a world characterized by imperialist domination and hegemony, our leader Fidel Castro not only absorbed the ideological legacy of Marxism-Leninism but also put it into practice. Over a long period, he led a blockaded country to overcome countless obstacles and consolidate the achievements of the socialist revolution. In leading the Cuban revolutionary process, the objective and subjective conditions, revolutionary theory and revolutionary movements, leadership and the revolutionary vanguard, and armed struggle as a means—among other elements proposed by Fidel Castro—enriched and developed Marxism-Leninism.

(Photo description) Group photo of attending Chinese and foreign experts and scholars. (Photo description) Group photo of attending Chinese experts and scholars.

During the four presentation sessions, 19 experts and scholars from CASS, Renmin University of China, Dalian University of Technology, Xiamen University, Guangxi Normal University, Guizhou University, Yunnan Agricultural University, Guizhou Normal University, and Central China Normal University, along with the Lao Academy of Social Sciences and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, focused on four topics: the role of Marxism in building a secure and democratic country for the people; the guiding role of Marxism in developing political systems and promoting solidarity; the role and current status of Marxism in cultivating socio-cultural values and promoting human resource development; and the application of Marxism in the socialist economic development of various countries. During the discussion sessions, experts and scholars from the three countries engaged in in-depth, extensive, and candid exchanges and discussions on the four aforementioned topics.

The meeting decided that the 6th International Forum on Socialism will be held in Vietnam in 2018, with the theme "Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Marx."

(Reported by Pan Xihua; Photography by Qi Jianguo)