On December 22, Jiang Hui, Party Secretary and President, Attended the 2018 World Socialist Situation and "Report on the Development of International Communist Movement (2018)" Expert Review Session

On December 22, 2018, the "2018 Expert Review Seminar on the State of World Socialism and the Development Report on the International Communist Movement (2018)," organized by the Department of International Communist Movement Studies of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), was held in Conference Room 1011 of the Institute. Researcher Jiang Hui, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, attended and delivered an address. Participants and presenters included Researcher Chai Shangjin from the Research Office of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee; Professor Hu Zhenliang from the Department of Scientific Socialism at the Central Party School of the CPC; Researcher Xuan Chuanshu, Director of the Foreign Socialism Research Center at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Cui Guitian, Director of the Institute of Contemporary World Socialism at Shandong University; Professor Guo Chunsheng, Deputy Director of the Institute of World Socialism at Renmin University of China; Professor Lin Deshan from the School of Political Science and Public Administration at the China University of Political Science and Law; Researcher Yu Shaohua from the China Institute of International Studies; and Zhu Debin, President of a branch of the Social Sciences Academic Press. The meeting was chaired by Researcher Pan Jin’e, head of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies. More than 40 people, including members of the writing group for the Development Report on the International Communist Movement (2018) and relevant experts, participated in the discussion.

[Group photo of the Blue Book ^[1] authors and experts]

In his address, Director Jiang Hui first affirmed the great significance of compiling the Development Report on the International Communist Movement (2018). He noted that the difference between this report and other current annual reports in this discipline lies in its close tracking of the development of the international communist movement and world socialism, as well as academic progress, providing a comprehensive assessment and forecasting development trends for the coming year. This report uses the Department of International Communist Movement Studies of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies as its primary platform. With the strong support of domestic colleagues and experts, it invites participation from both domestic and foreign peers in an open manner, striving to become a high-quality brand achievement in the field of international communist movement studies.

He emphasized that the Party Central Committee attaches great importance to the current research on the international communist movement and the world socialist movement. General Secretary Xi Jinping has mentioned world socialism in a series of speeches. At present, research on the international communist movement and the world socialist movement primarily focuses on the status and role of socialism with Chinese characteristics within world socialism. Furthermore, the development of communism and Marxism worldwide serves as a resource whose reference value for socialism with Chinese characteristics is also worthy of study. Currently, several practical issues require research, for example:

1. How should the development of world socialism as a whole be periodized? What are the characteristics of each stage? What stage is world socialism in at present?
2. Currently, the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics contributes greatly to the international communist movement and the world socialist movement, but compared with capitalism, to what extent has the role of socialism with Chinese characteristics developed?
3. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has opened up a new stage in the development of the world socialist movement. What are its characteristics? Is it capable of leading the development of the era? All of these deserve attention and research.

During the first stage of the meeting, experts conducted discussions on the "Development Trends and Characteristics of World Socialism in 2018." Researcher Chai Shangjin introduced the development trends of the international communist movement in 2018 from seven perspectives. Professor Hu Zhenliang affirmed the necessity and importance of writing the report, expressing agreement with the basic framework, content, and the openness of the compilation process. He also presented his own judgment on the development trends of the international communist movement in 2018, involving the relationship between socialism with Chinese characteristics and world socialism, as well as the historical context of the "changes unseen in a century" ^[2] in which both find themselves. Researcher Xuan Chuanshu offered three suggestions for the drafting of the main report and provided insights into three noteworthy issues regarding the development trends of the international communist movement in 2018. Professor Cui Guitian elaborated on the overall development trends and new characteristics of the world socialist movement in 2018. In his speech, Professor Guo Chunsheng focused on differentiating the relationships between the international communist movement, the socialist movement, and the social democratic movement. Professor Lin Deshan focused on the concept, origins, and new characteristics of the European radical left movement. Researcher Yu Shaohua summarized the new development trends in North Korea in 2018 and their causes, offering an assessment of North Korea's future development.

[Photo of the seminar discussion]

Subsequently, President Zhu Debin, representing the publishing house, explained the outline, writing requirements, and stylistic conventions for the Development Report on the International Communist Movement (2018). Authors of the sub-reports presented their work to the experts and listened to their opinions and suggestions for revisions. During the meeting, Researcher Jiang Hui presented letters of appointment to the members of the newly formed Expert Committee.

[Presentation of certificates]

Through this meeting, experts provided authoritative interpretations of the 2018 development trends of the international communist movement and offered constructive suggestions for the revision of the general and sub-reports. Based on the absorption of expert opinions, the task force will revise and improve the initial drafts. It is reported that the Development Report on the International Communist Movement (2018), as the first volume of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book ^[3], will be published by the Social Sciences Academic Press in March 2019.

(Contributed by Pan Xihua)