Special Forum on "Chinese Modernization and a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" at the Theoretical Seminar on Chinese Modernization Held in Beijing
To deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Chinese-path modernization and to further promote theoretical innovation in the research of Chinese-path modernization, a special forum of the Symposium on the Theory of Chinese-path Modernization, titled “Chinese-path Modernization and a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity,” was held in Beijing on June 18. The forum was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and organized by the Institute of Marxism Studies. More than 50 experts and scholars from universities and research institutions—including CASS, the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Nanjing Normal University, Jilin University, and the Hunan Academy of Social Sciences—attended the meeting to conduct in-depth exchanges and discussions surrounding the forum’s theme.
The forum was divided into three sessions, presided over respectively by Researcher Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS; Researcher Lin Jianhua, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee and Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS; and Researcher Dai Lixing, Deputy Director of the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS.
Researcher Xin Xiangyang, President of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, delivered a keynote speech focusing on the “World Significance of Chinese-path Modernization.” He emphasized that this significance should be elucidated through three aspects: the influence and contribution of building a great modern socialist country to human development; the international value of manifesting and driving the vigorous development of world Marxism; and providing answers to world-historical challenges.
Professor Chen Shuguang, Director of the Scientific Research Department of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), explained from the perspective of comparative civilizations why the “Western logic” of modernization is unsuitable for China. He pointed out that China’s pluralistic-integrated [1] and “Great Unity” [2] national structure is incompatible with Western modern civilization based on the nation-state. Furthermore, traditional cultural elements characterized by being “close to socialism and opposed to capitalism” do not match Western modern civilization of a capitalist nature. The magnanimity of a major Eastern power that “holds the whole world in its heart” and “embraces all rivers” [3] is incompatible with the Eurocentric stance of Western modern civilization. The structure of “the integration of family and state,” where “the world is treated as one family and China as one person,” [4] does not match Western modern civilization centered on individual values. Finally, the national character of “cherishing people from afar” and “promoting harmony among all nations” [5] is incompatible with highly aggressive and offensive Western modern civilization.
Professor Qin Xuan, Dean of the Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Renmin University of China, provided an in-depth discourse on the significance of Chinese-path modernization for building a community with a shared future for humanity. He noted that the general summary of Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. Modernization of a huge population highlights a people-centered value orientation; modernization of common prosperity for all and the coordination of material and cultural-ethical [6] civilizations is conducive to building a world of universal security and common prosperity; modernization of harmony between humanity and nature helps build a more beautiful world; and modernization following the path of peaceful development contributes to a world of lasting peace.
Professor Xiao Guiqing, Executive Vice Dean of the Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Tsinghua University, elaborated on the unique advantages of the CPC’s leadership in Chinese-path modernization. He argued that these advantages are manifest in three areas: the Party’s long-term governance and its consistent, relay-like exploration; the Party’s theoretical exploration and innovation regarding Chinese-path modernization; and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Professor Lin Jianhua discussed the dialectical relationship between Chinese-path modernization and the free and well-rounded development of individuals based on three propositions: “the people’s support is the greatest politics,” “Chinese-path modernization is the greatest politics,” and the essence of Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of the person. He pointed out that to realize the free and well-rounded development of the individual and human liberation, Chinese-path modernization is the new path, the right path, and the high road; civilization—specifically the modern civilization of the Chinese nation—is the wisdom, the answer, and the strength.
Professor Sun Laibin, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Marxism at Peking University, pointed out that Chinese-path modernization seeks both a good life for its own people and a good life for the people of the world. Advancing Chinese-path modernization requires transcending three fixed mindsets and discourse modes: Western-centrism, the "center of world revolution" theory, and China-centrism, thereby opening a new space for the “coexistence of two systems” (socialism and capitalism).
Professor Wang Yonggui, Director of the Center for Socialist Ideology Research at Nanjing Normal University, addressed how Chinese-path modernization answers the "questions of human modernization," explaining how it transcends Western modernization in terms of values, institutions, and pathways.
Researcher Zhong Jun, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Hunan Academy of Social Sciences, analyzed the socialist nature of Chinese-path modernization. He noted that it highlights human subjectivity and correctly handles the relations between humans and modernization, society, themselves, nature, and humanity, achieving a mutual advancement between "modernized people" and the "modernization of people."
Professor Wu Hongzheng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Jilin University, spoke on the objectivity of the “teleology of life” in world history. He argued that Chinese-path modernization must be understood within the process of world history, recognizing the unity of law-governed necessity and purposiveness inherent in the objectivity of world history, as well as the significance of pursuing freedom and liberation in its evolution. Chinese-path modernization is a path choice aimed at the symbiosis of all nations to achieve sustainable existence and development.
Researcher Chen Zhigang, Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, focused on the innovation and creation of Chinese-path modernization and the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. He explained that Chinese-path modernization is rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture; it activates this culture with the light of Marxist truth, achieving a transformation of Chinese civilization from tradition to modernity. Chinese-path modernization embodies the advanced essence of scientific socialism, achieving a transition from the classical form of scientific socialism to a Chinese form. Simultaneously, it leads modernization through a unique “six-fold outlook,” [7] expanding the pathways of modernization and creating a new form of human civilization.
Researcher Ren Jie, Director of the Basic Theory Research Office at the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, discussed grasping Chinese-path modernization from a holistic perspective. She pointed out the need to understand its historical trajectory through a "macro-view of history" (da lishi guan), systematically explain its theoretical system, and adhere to a systems perspective in its advancement.
Professor Dong Shubin, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Jilin University, discouse on the unique view of democracy inherent in Chinese-path modernization. He noted that democracy and socialism are conceptually symbiotic and possess internal consistency. While Western-style democracy is an electoral democracy "castrated by liberty," whole-process people’s democracy is a democracy across the entire chain, in all directions, and with full coverage. It is the most extensive, genuine, and effective socialist democracy, serving as the concentrated manifestation and epochal expression of the unique democratic outlook of Chinese-path modernization.
Researcher Liu Xukuan, Director of the Research Office of Ideology and Social Trends at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS, discussed examining the community with a shared future for humanity through a worldview of "holding the world in one's heart." He pointed out that this stance is a unique pursuit and lofty realm of the CPC; peaceful development and win-win cooperation are its necessary requirements; and the community with a shared future is the fundamental prerequisite for building a better world.
Researcher Chen Airu, Director of the Research Office of Foreign Communist Party Theory at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS, discussed the latest Russian research on Chinese-path modernization. She noted that Russian academia primarily reveals the contemporary value of Chinese-path modernization from a comparative perspective, elucidating its significance for developing countries. She emphasized the need to deeply and systematically summarize the successful experiences of Soviet socialist construction and the lessons from the collapse of the CPSU and the Soviet Union to provide a reference for Chinese-path modernization while winning increasing international recognition.
Researcher He Xinyuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Marxism Sinicization at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS, delivered the closing summary. He spoke highly of the forum, noting that it promoted research on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Chinese-path modernization, proposed inspiring insights, and achieved fruitful theoretical results.