The 12th International Forum on the Communist Movement and the Launch Ceremony of New Books Including "China's Whole-Process People's Democracy" (Vietnamese Edition) Held in Kunming

From November 16 to 17, 2024, the "12th International Communist Movement Forum and the Launch Event for New Books, including China’s Whole-Process People’s Democracy (Vietnamese Edition)," was held in Kunming. The theme of the forum was "The Theory and Practice of Democratic Political Systems in Socialist States." The forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Yunnan University, and the Institute of Chinese-path Modernization of CASS. It was organized by the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS, and the School of Marxism at Yunnan University.

During the opening ceremony, Lin Jianhua, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Chinese-path Modernization (CASS); Zhou Xuebin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Yunnan University; and Yu Haiqing, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), attended and delivered speeches.

In his address, Lin Jianhua introduced the primary contents of the book China's Whole-Process People's Democracy. He provided a focused interpretation of the background and foundations of the theme "further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization," as determined by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee ^[1].

Zhou Xuebin’s speech elaborated on the significant practical importance of convening the 12th International Communist Movement Forum at a time when the entire nation is deeply studying and implementing the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

Yu Haiqing introduced the developmental history and core content of the International Communist Movement Forum and the Report on the Development of the International Communist Movement, both established by the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS). He further discussed the focus of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee on the theme of Chinese-path modernization.

During the book launch segment, Professor Nguyen Minh Hoan, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Academy of Journalism and Communication of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, represented the Vietnam Political Theory Publishing House. He announced the translation and publication of the Vietnamese editions of China's Whole-Process People's Democracy and the Research Report on the International Communist Movement (2022-2023), and described the extensive influence these works have garnered in Vietnam.

Andretta Catone, Editor-in-Chief of the Italian journal MarxVentunesimo (Marx Twenty-First Century), represented the publisher of the English and Italian editions of the Research Report on the International Communist Movement (2021-2022), the Italy 21st Century Marx Publishing House. He introduced the broad influence the report has had among various European communist parties over the past few years. The opening ceremony and book launch stage of the forum were presided over by Professor Yuan Qun, Deputy Dean of the School of Marxism at Yunnan University.

During the plenary session, more than 30 experts and scholars from countries including China, Italy, Vietnam, and Laos conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on topics such as "The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the New Development of Chinese-path Modernization," "Comparative Learning and Mutual Reference in the Construction of Democratic Political Systems in Socialist States," and "New Trends in the International Communist Movement and Foreign Communist Parties."

Chai Shangjin, a researcher from the Contemporary World Research Center of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a plenary speech titled "The Implications of Chinese-path Modernization for the Modernization of Other Developing Countries." Francesco Maringiò, a member of the Central Committee of the Italian Communist Party and President of the Italian Association of Marx 21st Century, introduced the dissemination and impact of the Research Report on the International Communist Movement among European communist parties and focused on new trends among European communist and left-wing parties.

Professor Yu Sinian from the School of Politics and International Relations at Central China Normal University gave a speech titled "New Observations on the Research Paradigm of Contemporary World Socialism." Nguyen Vinh Quang, a researcher at the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies of Vietnam and Vice President of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association, spoke on "The Development of Vietnam and China and the International Communist Movement." Xu Baoyou, a researcher from the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, spoke on "The Significance of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee from the Perspective of the Relationship between Reform and Socialist Modernization."

Xayasith Phouxay, Deputy Director of the International Liaison Office of the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences, delivered a speech titled "The Development Status of the Lao People's Democratic System." Researcher Xuan Chuanshu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Graduate School of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, spoke on "The Fundamental Driving Force and Fundamental Guarantee for Advancing Chinese-path Modernization." Researcher Wang Jin, Executive Editor of the journal Contemporary World and Socialism at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, spoke on "Main Practices and Implications of the United States in Maintaining Ideological Security."

Pan Jine, a researcher from the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), presided over the first half of the plenary speeches. Professor Jiang Rui, Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University, spoke on "The Party's United Front ^[2] and Chinese-path Modernization." Francesco Galofaro, an Associate Professor at the University of Milan, Italy, spoke on "The Re-greening of European Communist Parties during the Ukraine Crisis." Professor Guo Chunsheng from the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University delivered a speech titled "The Status and Role of Deng Xiaoping's 'Chinese-path Modernization'."

Bounthavy Khounvongsa, a lecturer from the Khammouane Provincial Political and Administrative School under the Lao National Academy of Politics and Administration, spoke on "The Construction of the Party and Political System of the Lao People's Democratic Regime under the New Situation." Professor Yu Weihai from the School of Politics and International Relations at Central China Normal University spoke on "New Situations and Characteristics of the International Communist Movement in 2024." Professor Lin Deshan from the School of Political Science and Public Administration at the China University of Political Science and Law gave a speech titled "Some Reflections on New Developments and Problems in the European Socialist Movement." Professor Zhao Ting, Deputy Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University, spoke on "The French Communist Party’s Alternative to Capitalism." Deputy Researcher Wang Jing from the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS) spoke on "Historical Experience and Future Prospects of Advancing Chinese-path Modernization through Whole-Process People’s Democracy." Yuan Xiuli, Deputy Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), presided over the second half of the plenary speeches.

On November 17, the forum also conducted panel discussions. Nearly 100 scholars from institutions such as the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China University of Political Science and Law, the Beijing Municipal Party School, Beijing Institute of Technology, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Yunnan University, Shandong University, Central China Normal University, and Soochow University participated via both online and offline exchanges.

During the closing ceremony, Professor Zhao Ting of Shandong University and Professor Li Haiyu of the School of Marxism at Henan Polytechnic University delivered exchange speeches on behalf of their respective groups. Pan Xihua, Deputy Researcher and Director of the Research Office of the History of the International Communist Movement at the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), presided over the closing ceremony, and Professor Yuan Qun summarized the preparation and convening of the forum.