Academy of Marxism Holds Seminar for Retired Cadres to Study and Implement the Spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee

On September 27, 2024, the Retired Cadre Party Branch of the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS) held a symposium to study and implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee ^[1]. Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee, attended the meeting to convey the spirit of the CASS Party Discipline Study and Education Summary Meeting held on September 17. He explained the "Three Measures" ^[2] launched by the CASS Party High-Level Leading Group (Party Group) for implementing the responsibility system for discipline construction. The retired cadres in attendance signed the Letter of Commitment for Staff of the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to Strictly Abide by Discipline. Thirteen retired cadres participated in the meeting to share their insights and reflections on studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

Luo Wendong pointed out that this symposium for retired cadres to study and implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is of great significance. Party discipline study and education is the first intensive study and education program focused on the theme of Party discipline in the history of our Party. All Party members and cadres in the Institute, including retired cadres, have followed the unified deployment of the Party Central Committee to deeply study Xi Jinping’s important expositions on comprehensively strengthening the Party’s discipline construction and to earnestly study the newly revised Regulations on CPC Disciplinary Action. By deepening the implementation of the Party Group’s "Three Consensus," actively carrying out the "Three Actions," and strictly executing the "Three Measures," they have significantly enhanced their consciousness in studying, understanding, and abiding by discipline. The successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the adoption of the Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization constitute a milestone in our Party’s history. The earnest study and implementation of the Plenary Session’s spirit by retired Party members and cadres reflect a high degree of Party spirit ^[3] and political awareness.

Luan Wenlian, Secretary of the Retired Cadre Party Branch, briefed the participants on the guiding report delivered by Zhang Yi, President of the Institute of Chinese-path Modernization, at a special report session organized by the Bureau of Retired Cadres for retired Party branch secretaries. She also reported on the "Economic System Reform as the Lead" seminar organized by the Bureau of Retired Cadres and the Association of Senior Experts.

During the symposium, participants spoke freely about their learning experiences regarding the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Researcher Liu Shuchun discussed her reflections on Studying General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "Explanations" regarding the Decision, arguing that reform has been a consistent thread. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee ^[4] inaugurated the new period of reform and opening up; the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed comprehensively deepening reform to break through the barriers of entrenched interests ^[5] as reform entered the "deep-water zone" ^[6]; and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee shoulders the important historical task of further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization.

Researcher Shang Wei argued that the Decision is of great significance for comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. In particular, the modernization of the national security system and governance capacity is crucial, as national security is an important guarantee for the steady and long-term progress of Chinese-path modernization.

Researcher Luan Wenlian focused on the important expositions in the Decision regarding the construction of a high-level socialist market economy, the promotion of high-level opening up to the outside world, the strengthening of national security under conditions of opening up, and the persistence of using opening up to promote reform. She provided an interpretation of how China should respond to the current continuous expansion of U.S. government debt.

Researcher Wang Shijin contended that the Decision’s proposal to promote "better alignment" between the relations of production and productive forces, between the superstructure and the economic base, and between national governance and social development represents a contribution to the fundamental principles of historical materialism. It deepens the Party’s understanding of the laws of human social development, the laws of the Communist Party’s governance, and the laws of socialist construction ^[7]. The state of social development determines national governance, while national governance exerts a massive counter-action (re-action) upon social development; therefore, national governance must better adapt to social development.

Every retired comrade in attendance spoke actively, conducting comparative research on the role of market factors in economic development, and offering opinions and suggestions on strengthening confidence in doctrine ^[8], upholding the Marxist standpoint, enhancing national security awareness, and improving the Party’s work. The participants agreed that the symposium was highly fruitful; they received discipline education and gained a deep understanding of the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It broadened their horizons and inspired reflection on national economic and social development, as well as issues closely related to the interests of the people that require further deepening of reform, allowing them to offer suggestions for national development.

(Tex by Shang Wei of the Institute of Marxism Studies; Photos by Lyu Zhicheng)