2024 Academic Annual Conference of the Chinese Association for Historical Materialism Successfully Held in Beijing

From December 27 to 28, 2024, the "2024 Academic Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism" was held at Peking University. The conference was hosted by the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism, the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Peking University; it was organized by the School of Marxism at Peking University and the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with the editorial department of Marxism Studies (《马克思主义研究》) serving as co-organizer. The theme of this year’s annual meeting was "Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Chinese-path Modernization."

Attendees of the opening ceremony included Hou Huiqin, President of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism and Director of the CASS Research Center for National Cultural Security and Ideology; Xin Xiangyang, Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies; Jin Minqing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Chinese Academy of History ^[1] (CASS); Jiang Yingchun, Professor of the Department of Philosophy at Nanjing University; Wu Fulai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Renmin University of China; Yuan Yinchuan, Professor of the School of Marxism at Wuhan University; Feng Yanli, Dean of the School of Marxism at Chongqing University; Yang Haifeng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Peking University; Sun Xiguo, Executive Vice Dean of the Peking University Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; Yang Shengping, President of the Capital Normal University Press; Yan Xiaofeng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University; and Li Jianguo, Director of the Theoretical Research Department of the CASS Institute of Chinese-path Modernization. Nearly one hundred experts and scholars from units such as the Central Party School of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), CASS, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China attended the meeting. The opening ceremony was presided over by Yang Haifeng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Peking University.

Members of the leadership of the Eighth Council of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism sat on the rostrum.

Xin Xiangyang, Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, delivered a speech. In his opening address, Xin stated that the development of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism has benefited from the academic leadership of President Hou Huiqin, the intellectual contributions and strong support of various experts, and, even more so, from the requirements of the development of the times. In its essence, the contemporary era is still in a period of transition from capitalist society to socialist society ^[2]; it remains the era specified by Marxism, and the basic principles of historical materialism require further in-depth research. To face the questions of the era, it is necessary to summarize answers from practice on the one hand, and to deepen basic theoretical research in a philosophical sense on the other, so as to move forward the tasks of researching, explaining, systematizing, and theorizing the Party's innovative theories. The growth of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism is continuously realized through extensive academic exchanges that respond to these questions of the age.

Hou Huiqin, President of the Eighth Council of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism, delivered a speech. In his opening address, Hou stated that the Society’s ability to achieve its current results stems from three factors: first, always maintaining the correct political direction for the association, consistently centering on the core tasks of the Party and the state, and serving the overall work of the Party and the country; second, always insisting on "discussing politics through scholarship," and persisting in the systematized and theorized research and explanation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; third, always maintaining the unity of the "Two Serves" ^[3] direction and the "Double Hundred" policy ^[4], while persisting in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and maintaining openness and inclusiveness. Today, our important task is to vigorously advance the systematic and theoretical research and explanation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Following the opening ceremony, Hou Huiqin delivered a keynote report titled "The Essence of the Worldview and Methodology of Chinese-path Modernization." He noted that the "systems concept" ^[5] is a prominent characteristic of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, serving as an entry point for summarizing Xi's important philosophical thought. The systems concept is one of the essences and cores of materialist dialectics; it is a complete grasp of the spirit of materialist dialectics and constitutes the foundational thinking of materialist dialectics. It possesses prominent value in the New Era characterized by peace and development, aligns with the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, provides a systematic method for understanding new quality productive forces, and responds to the "question of the era" regarding "where we are headed." The systems concept is the pivot for our profound understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The keynote report session was presided over by Li Jianguo, Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism.

Sixteen experts and scholars delivered thematic reports: Xin Xiangyang, Jin Minqing, Yan Xiaofeng, Jiang Yingchun, Yuan Yinchuan, Feng Yanli, Sun Xiguo, Yang Shengping, as well as Dong Zhenhua, Director of the Department of Philosophy Teaching and Research at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance); Hou Yanshe, Professor of the School of Marxism at Renmin University of China; Tian Pengying, Dean of the Institute of Chinese-path Modernization at Northeastern University; Wang Yonggui, Professor of the School of Marxism at Nanjing Normal University; Liu Tongfang, Dean of the School of Marxism at Zhejiang University; Wang Yan, Professor at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Yang Renzhong, Professor of the School of Marxism at Tianjin Normal University; and Zhang Shihai, Dean of the School of Marxism at Shandong University. Chen Zhigang, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, and Zheng Chengjun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism and Vice President of Beijing International Studies University, respectively presided over the first and second sessions of the thematic reports.

This year marks the election year for the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism. The leadership transition meeting was held following the academic seminar. In accordance with the Constitution of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism, the members of the Ninth Council were elected by the General Assembly of Members via secret ballot. Subsequently, the executive directors and officers of the Ninth Council were elected by the Council via secret ballot. Xin Xiangyang was elected as the new President of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism. Yan Xiaofeng, Jin Minqing, Wu Fulai, Yang Haifeng, Feng Yanli, Chen Zhigang, Liu Tongfang, Tian Pengying, Yang Renzhong, Li Deping, Wang Yan, Zhang Zhidan, and Li Jianguo were elected as new Vice Presidents. Liu Xukuan was elected as the new Secretary-General.

A group photo of the participating experts and scholars was taken.