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July 18th saw the release of the "Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (2019-2020)" and the Seminar on the Situation of the International Communist Movement in 2020.

News & Updates

On the morning of July 18, 2020, the book launch for the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (2019–2020) and the "Seminar on the Situation of the International Communist Movement in 2020," jointly sponsored by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Social Sciences Academic Press, was held via online video conference. Researcher Jiang Hui, Member of the CASS Party Leadership Group, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, and Editor-in-Chief of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book [1], delivered a speech at the meeting. Yang Qun, Editor-in-Chief of the Social Sciences Academic Press, released the new book information on behalf of the publisher. The meeting was presided over by Researcher Xin Xiangyang, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies.

Reporters from media outlets including People’s Daily Online, Guangming Online, China Youth Net, China Radio International, Chinese Social Sciences Today (and its website), and the Marxism Research Network attended to cover the event.

Remarks by Researcher Jiang Hui, Member of the CASS Party Leadership Group, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies

Jiang Hui pointed out that the theme of this Yellow Book report is the International Communist Movement amidst the "great changes unseen in a century" [2] in the world, possessing strong contemporary relevance and practical significance. Within these great changes, the International Communist Movement is also in the process of forming a new pattern. In 2019, communist parties around the world held various activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist International (Comintern), summarizing its historical experience and lessons, and exploring the possibilities for international alliance in the New Era. Our country solemnly commemorated the 100th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement [3] and the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, reviewing the historical process of the Communist Party of China (CPC) moving from "ragged beginnings to glorious achievements" [4], summarizing achievements and experience, and inspiring the Chinese nation to continue striving to realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and contribute to the development of the world socialist movement. In the West, commemorative activities were held for the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, yet an invisible "curtain" has appeared between the "Old" and "New" Europe. Four socialist countries abroad [5] continued to promote reform, amending constitutions, establishing systems and regulations [6], and laying out new blueprints for development. The performance of non-ruling communist parties across various countries has been complex and diverse, showing signs of differentiation. Against the background of today’s world facing "great changes unseen in a century," building a community with a shared future for humanity has become a wise choice for the harmonious coexistence of the relationship between the "two systems" [7] in the New Era. Many of the aforementioned contents are reflected in the 2019–2020 International Communist Movement Yellow Book.

2020 has been an extraordinary year for the world. At the beginning of the year, against the backdrop of an unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, the differences between socialist and capitalist countries in epidemic control and medical systems became prominent, with their respective merits and demerits clearly distinguished. Socialist countries such as China performed outstandingly in controlling the epidemic and proactively provided large amounts of medical support and humanitarian aid, fully demonstrating the superiority of the socialist system. Meanwhile, in the United States and other Western countries, the epidemic continued to spread, and various social resistance movements occurred frequently. Communist parties worldwide criticized the capitalist system, triggering an increasing yearning for world socialism among more people, and various socialist-leaning left-wing trends of thought received more attention. As COVID-19 spread globally, the contemporary value of the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity was fully manifested.

History and reality prove once again that the fates of all countries in the world are closely linked. Against this background, how should we understand the world pattern and the new state of the struggle between the "two systems"? How should we look forward to the new pattern of global anti-epidemic efforts and world socialist development? What new trends and characteristics have the world's communist parties exhibited during the pandemic? What is the superiority of the socialist system demonstrated in the management of the COVID-19 epidemic? What are the advantages of the Chinese system demonstrated in the "whole-of-nation" [8] fight against the epidemic? These questions are all worthy of in-depth reflection and research.

2020 is a year of landmark significance for China. It is the year in which China will finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, complete the battle against poverty, and realize the First Centenary Goal [9]. Currently, our country's work in promoting epidemic prevention and control alongside economic and social development has achieved positive results. The decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the final battle against poverty will be achieved as scheduled. This once again demonstrates the significant advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. What important contributions and significance do these major practical achievements have for Marxism, world socialism, and human development and progress? These questions also deserve our in-depth reflection and research.

2020 is also a year of important commemorative significance in the history of the International Communist Movement. 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Engels and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lenin; it is expected that communist parties and socialist countries around the world will hold commemorative activities. We must pay close attention to and conduct follow-up research. In 2020, we must deeply study major frontier issues concerning the new changes and characteristics of the International Communist Movement. As Lenin pointed out, changes in the situation involve "extremely abrupt changes, and this naturally and inevitably causes a 'revaluation of all values,' a return to the study of fundamental problems, and a renewed interest in theory." A series of major events—landmark, historical transformations—occurred in 1991, 2001, 2008, 2016, and 2020. Having experienced these turning points and landmark changes, both capitalism and socialism have come under vast and profound influences. We must seize historical opportunities and attach importance to the research and innovation of major theoretical issues.

The 2020 Yellow Book report focuses on many major theoretical and practical issues of the International Communist Movement and world socialism in the 21st century. Based on the "overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" and the "great changes unseen in a century," it researches and analyzes major issues that are holistic, forward-looking, and strategic. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that there is a historical process of socialism moving from utopia to science, from theory to practice, and from one country to many countries; so, what is the situation now? This is well worth in-depth study. He also stated that our country is the largest socialist country in the world; when our country has built a great modern socialist country and becomes the first in the world to successfully build a modern power not by following the capitalist path but by following the socialist path, the great social revolution led by the Communist Party of China will even more fully demonstrate its historical significance. These are all major issues that require our hard work and concentrated energy for in-depth research. Furthermore, under the general trend of the "East rising and the West declining" [10], how can we promote the "rise of socialism and the decline of capitalism"? How should we understand the standards and main factors for judging the current "high tide" or "low tide" of world socialism? And so on; I will not list them one by one here. The aforementioned content will be discussed as theoretical and topical issues for the International Communist Movement Yellow Book to be published in 2021.

Compared with similar books in the discipline of the International Communist Movement, the International Communist Movement Yellow Book is authoritative, original, professional, and cutting-edge, with distinct characteristics and highlighted focuses. The "specialty" of the Yellow Book lies in examining major events and problems in the evolution of the world pattern from a Marxist perspective; its "weight" lies in facing reality and researching major theoretical and practical issues of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era; its "ambition" lies in facing the future, summarizing the development laws and trends of the world socialist movement in the early 21st century based on in-depth research of its new states and characteristics, and scientifically analyzing and judging new patterns and directions.

Editor-in-Chief Yang Qun of Social Sciences Academic Press Releases the New Book

Editor-in-Chief Yang Qun of Social Sciences Academic Press gave a detailed introduction to the publication of the new book. After the book launch of the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (2019–2020) concluded, the attending experts held discussions for the "Seminar on the Situation of the International Communist Movement in 2020."

Keynote Report by Researcher Li Shenming, Former Vice President of CASS and Director of the World Socialism Research Center

Researcher Li Shenming, former Vice President of CASS and Director of the World Socialism Research Center, gave a keynote speech on "The Post-Pandemic World Pattern, China's Strategic Opportunities and Challenges, and Our Response."

Researcher Xin Xiangyang, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, Presides over the Meeting

Subsequently, focusing on the theme of the meeting, six renowned experts from the Expert Advisory Committee of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book Editorial Board gave brilliant speeches in succession:

  • Researcher Chai Shangjin, International Department of the CPC Central Committee. Topic: "Global Anti-Epidemic Efforts and the New Pattern of World Socialist Development."
  • Professor Hu Zhenliang, Central Party School of the CPC. Topic: "Deepening the Understanding of the Global Anti-Epidemic Fight and Its Development from the Perspective of 'Isms'."
  • Professor Lin Jianhua, Dean of the School of Marxism, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Topic: "The Historical Process and Phase Characteristics of World Socialism from the Perspective of the Pandemic."
  • Professor Cui Guitian, Director of the Institute of Contemporary World Studies, Shandong University. Topic: "Reflections on the Relationship between the 'Two Systems' from the Perspective of the Pandemic."
  • Researcher Xuan Chuanshu, Director of the Foreign Marxism Research Center, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Topic: "Recognize the Situation and Open up the Future—Reflections on Reading the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (No. 2)."
  • Professor Yu Weihai, Director of the Foreign Marxist Political Parties Research Center, Central China Normal University. Topic: "How to View 'America's Socialist Moment'?"

In addition, more than 130 experts and scholars in the field of International Communist Movement research from more than ten universities, including Renmin University of China and Yunnan University, as well as members of the Advisory Expert Group and the Project Team of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book Editorial Board, attended the meeting. They conducted discussions on the "Situation of the International Communist Movement in 2020" and discussed the topics for the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (2020–2021) Yellow Book. Researcher Pan Jin’e, Director of the International Communist Movement Research Department of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Editor-in-Chief of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book, presided over the seminar.

The second volume of the International Communist Movement Yellow Book, namely the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement (2019–2020), was officially published in June this year and has received affirmation and praise from peers in the field. This is one of the series of results of the CASS Innovation Project Class A project "Research on New Progress in Contemporary World Socialist Trends and Movements (2018–2022)" presided over by Researcher Pan Jin’e. The project team plans to publish the Annual Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement annually and is committed to building it into a brand achievement in the discipline of International Communist Movement research. Currently, the Yellow Book has received attention from some foreign communist parties and experts. The New Communist Party of Aotearoa (New Zealand) promoted this book on its homepage and published an English abstract of it, and other communist parties are following suit. The project team hopes to publish an English version in the future, so that communist parties, experts, and scholars around the world can understand the international communist movement through the eyes of Chinese scholars, and thereby understand socialism with Chinese characteristics and understand China.

(Contributed by Pan Xihua)