On February 22, Vice President Jin Minqing received a delegation of cadres from the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus
On the afternoon of February 22, 2019, in Room 403 of the Administration Building, Jin Minqing, Vice Dean of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); Xin Xiangyang, Vice Dean of the Institute of Information Studies; and Gong Yun, Executive Deputy Director of the Research Center for Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, received a twelve-member cadre delegation from the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) of Cyprus, led by Central Committee member Michalakis Tsitsekkos.
Cyprus is one of the most friendly countries toward China within the European Union, and successive governments and major political parties have attached great importance to developing relations with China. Founded in 1926, the Progressive Party of Working People is currently an opposition party in Cyprus and the second-largest party in parliament.
Researchers Jin Minqing, Xin Xiangyang, and Gong Yun respectively introduced the delegation to three areas: the historical background of the emergence of Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, its primary content, and its major contributions to Marxism.
Researcher Jin Minqing pointed out that China's development over recent decades is a miracle in the history of world development, and the fundamental reason for its success lies in persisting in the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Without the strong leadership of the CPC, it would have been impossible to achieve such world-renowned accomplishments.
Researcher Jin Minqing argued that the reason the CPC achieved success in revolution, construction [1], and reform lies in the Party's continuous advancement of theoretical and practical innovation. A significant characteristic of the CPC's theoretical innovation is that it both consistently adheres to the guidance of Marxism and continuously advances the innovative development of the Sinicization of Marxism based on the new problems and challenges posed by the times.
Researcher Jin Minqing emphasized that General Secretary Xi Jinping has provided profound answers to four major questions of the era: "Where is the world going?", "Where is socialism going?", "Where is contemporary China going?", and "Where is the Communist Party of China going?". These four questions, concentrated before contemporary Chinese Communists, constitute the question of "what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be maintained and developed, and how to maintain and develop it," which is the core issue of Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.
Researcher Xin Xiangyang pointed out that Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics possesses rich connotations. Its primary content is concentrated in the "Eight Express Affirmations" [2], covering fundamental issues such as the general objectives, general tasks, principal contradiction [3], overall layout [4], and strategic layout [5] for maintaining and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. It also encompasses development direction, development mode, developmental drivers, strategic steps, external conditions, and political guarantees, forming a logically rigorous theoretical system.
Researcher Gong Yun pointed out that Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has made original contributions to Marxist philosophy, scientific socialism, and political economy. It has opened up new horizons [6] for Marxism, for socialism with Chinese characteristics, for state governance, and for the management and governance of the Party.
Tsitsekkos expressed deep agreement with many important viewpoints within Xi Jinping New Era Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. He noted that although Marxism was founded over 100 years ago, it still holds important guiding significance for the present; the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus consistently persists in taking Marxism as its guidance. He emphasized that Marxist theory must be integrated with practice, must proceed from the actual conditions of each country, and must be based on the needs of the masses [7] to promote better development for the working class and the laboring people in the future.
Also participating in the symposium were researchers Liu Zhiming, Chen Zhigang, and Yu Haiqing.
Contributor: Chen Zhigang