The 5th National Forum on the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Successfully Held
Chinese Social Sciences Net report (Correspondents Liu Xukuan and Liang Yuchun). From September 29 to October 1, 2018, the Fifth National Forum on the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics was successfully held at Xinjiang Normal University. The theme of the forum was "Reform and Opening Up and the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era." This forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Xinjiang Normal University; it was organized by the Department of Marxist Development Studies at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and the School of Marxism at Xinjiang Normal University, with co-sponsorship from the editorial offices of Marxism Studies (Makesizhuyi Yanjiu) and Studies on Marxist Theory (Makesizhuyi Lilun Xueke Yanjiu).
[Image: Conference Rostrum] [Image: Conference Venue]
Deng Chundong, Party Secretary of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, and Parhati Jalali, President of Xinjiang Normal University, delivered successive opening addresses. More than 200 people from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, major universities and research institutions nationwide, as well as various journals and magazines, attended the forum. Several experts and scholars delivered keynote speeches. Liu Zhiming, Director of the Department of Marxist Development Studies at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, presided over the opening ceremony, and Vice President Sun Xiuling of Xinjiang Normal University delivered the concluding remarks.
Deng Chundong—Member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Party Secretary, and Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies—emphasized the significance of holding the Forum on the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in his address and proposed three points of expectation. First, he hoped the research results of this forum would contribute to the summation of experiences and lessons from the 40 years of China's reform and opening up. Second, he hoped that through this forum, the research and dissemination of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of theories on comprehensively deepening reform would play an active role in further advancing reform. Finally, he hoped that by utilizing such forums, the summary and understanding of the regularities [1] of various aspects of socialism with Chinese characteristics would be continuously deepened to provide intellectual support for advancing its development.
[Image: Deng Chundong, Party Secretary and Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, delivering a speech]
Parhati Jalali, President of Xinjiang Normal University, pointed out in his address that Marxist theory is the power of truth for persisting in and developing the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and consolidating the Communist Party of China's (CPC) governing status; it is also the ideological "magic weapon" [2] for resisting the infiltration of various social trends of thought and winning the struggle in the ideological field. This forum is of great significance; the theoretical achievements of the experts and scholars not only assist the development of the discipline of Marxism but also serve as the important theoretical foundation we need to maintain social stability and long-term peace and security [3] in Xinjiang.
[Image: Professor Parhati Jalali, President of Xinjiang Normal University, delivering a speech]
Centering on the theme of "Reform and Opening Up and the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics," experts engaged in insightful academic exchanges from diverse perspectives and multi-dimensional levels. Participating experts and scholars believe that reform and opening up broke through all ideological and institutional obstacles hindering the development of the country and the nation, opening up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and allowing China to catch up with the times in wide strides. We are now closer than at any time in history to realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and are increasingly moving toward the center of the world stage. It is necessary to fully recognize the great historical significance and epochal value of reform and opening up for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Some scholars argued that reform and opening up must strictly adhere to "red line" and "bottom line" [4] awareness, persist in the correct direction of reform, and must never commit "subversive errors." Some scholars, integrating the actual conditions of Xinjiang, pointed out that the CPC Central Committee's strategy for governing Xinjiang is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, a vivid practice of this Thought in Xinjiang, and an action guide for performing work in Xinjiang effectively. Other scholars elucidated the innovation and practice of the theory of the Sinicization of Marxism, noting that the 40 years of contemporary Chinese reform and opening up constitute a great social revolution under the guidance of Marxism. Some scholars discussed the epochal mission of the philosophy of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era from the levels of thinking paradigms, innovation in thinking, and the construction of thinking. Furthermore, some scholars, from an interdisciplinary perspective, depicted the multi-spectrum forms of values in current society and their influence, while others explored the issues of building a "clean and upright" [5] cyber-ideology and the problem of "leading practice with the posture of 'taking an exam,'" [6] proposing countermeasure-based suggestions.
The participants unanimously agreed that reform and opening up were the driving force for opening up socialism with Chinese characteristics and remain the "magic weapon" for its development. We must unswervingly and comprehensively deepen reform, promote the formation of a new pattern of comprehensive opening up, provide inexhaustible momentum for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and seize new victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.
The attending experts believed that the great achievements of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics have erected a unique "epochal coordinate," demonstrating a new journey of socialist development and manifesting the bright future of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the future developmental situation of humanity, socialism with Chinese characteristics will surely—through confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture—open up a great new era, continuously meet the people's growing needs for a better life, and proclaim the new future of socialism within the historical process of the "Two Inevitabilities." [7]
[Image: Professor Li Guoliang, Deputy Party Secretary of Xinjiang Normal University, speaking] [Image: Jin Minqing, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, speaking] [Image: Feng Yanli, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Philosophy, speaking] [Image: Professor Wang Jianjun, Dean of the School of Marxism at China University of Petroleum, speaking] [Image: Liu Zhiming, Director of the Department of Development at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, presiding over the opening ceremony] [Image: Professor Sun Xiuling, Vice President of Xinjiang Normal University, delivering the concluding remarks] [Image: Hou Weimin, Researcher at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, speaking]