From September 18 to 22, Xin Xiangyang, Party Secretary and President of the Academy of Marxism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Led a Delegation to Russia for Academic Exchanges
September 18–22, 2023, Xin Xiangyang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), led a delegation to Russia for academic exchange.
On the morning of September 19, the delegation met and held exchanges with Yuri Tavrovsky, Vice Chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association. Yuri Tavrovsky is a renowned Russian Sinologist who pays close attention to China's development and changes; he has authored several books on Chinese themes and published numerous articles regarding China. During the talks, both parties expressed their intention to continue advancing their positive cooperative relationship in the academic field and to conduct further in-depth research centered on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Following the meeting, the two sides exchanged academic works and journals, including Marxism Studies (Makesizhuyi yanjiu).
On the afternoon of September 19, the delegation visited the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They met and exchanged views with Mikhail Golovnin, Director of the Institute, Elena Lenchuk, the former Director, and several experts and scholars in the field of economics. They engaged in intensive discussions on Chinese-path modernization, the current state and prospects of the Russian economy, and the future of China-Russia economic cooperation.
On the morning of September 20, the delegation arrived at Kazan Federal University, where a 17-year-old Lenin once studied. The delegation listened attentively to the account provided by the Director of the Lenin Museum at Kazan Federal University, gaining a deep understanding of Lenin’s experiences in learning and personal growth during his time at the university.
On the afternoon of September 20, the delegation arrived in Ulyanovsk Oblast, where they visited the Lenin Memorial and met with Aleksey Russkikh, the Governor of Ulyanovsk Oblast. Russkikh is a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), and the province continuously strengthens economic cooperation with China across multiple sectors. Currently, at least three Chinese automobile enterprises are engaged in cooperative ventures within Ulyanovsk Oblast. The province also hopes to develop "red tourism" [1] routes for Chinese tourists to further stimulate regional economic development.
On the morning of September 21, the delegation visited the Lenin State Farm located in the southern suburbs of Moscow, which has a 105-year history. Although the farm was privatized according to the laws of the Russian Federation following the collapse of the Soviet Union, its director, Pavel Grudinin—a member of the CPRF with socialist aspirations—continues to operate the enterprise in the manner of a Soviet-era state farm. The Lenin State Farm features integrated infrastructure for employee services, including schools, kindergartens, theme parks, and fitness centers; it embodies the spirit of "putting people first" [2] in every detail and has been lauded by Zyuganov as a "People's Enterprise."
On the afternoon of September 21, the delegation visited the State Duma of Russia and met with Gennady Zyuganov, Chairman of the Central Committee of the CPRF, Vice Chairman Dmitry Novikov, and Secretary of the Central Committee Anikhovsky. Xin Xiangyang noted that one of the primary purposes of the Institute of Marxism Studies delegation’s visit to Russia was to strengthen exchanges with the CPRF and deepen cooperation in socialist theoretical research. He pointed out that Lenin's conviction in the inevitable victory of socialism is a tremendous driving force inspiring Chinese Communists to move forward. The CASS Institute of Marxism Studies has already begun preparations to conduct a series of academic activities commemorating the 100th anniversary of Lenin's death. Zyuganov warmly welcomed the delegation, stating that the continuous expansion of ties between the peoples and Communist parties of Russia and China is a priority for CPRF activities. He particularly emphasized that General Secretary Xi Jinping's theoretical innovations have made significant contributions to the cause of global modernization. The CPRF is seriously studying China's experience. In this regard, the evaluations and conclusions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China are particularly noteworthy. The concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, proposed and elaborated by General Secretary Xi Jinping, possesses extremely important global significance. During the delegation's visit, the CPRF was holding commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Orel-Bryansk Operation; Chairman Zyuganov presented the delegation members with commemorative medals for the anniversary to express the wish to remember history and cherish peace.
January 21, 2024, marks the 100th anniversary of Lenin's passing. On the eve of this important anniversary, it is of great significance for the delegation from the Institute of Marxism Studies to follow the footsteps of Lenin’s birth, studies, and work to experience the character of this great man and to engage in academic seminars and exchanges with the CPRF and the Russian academic community.
(Contributed by Chen Airu)