The 2025 Young Scholars Forum of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Successfully Held
On December 10, 2025, the 2025 Annual Youth Academic Forum of the Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), was held in Room 1345 of the Research Building. The forum centered on "Major Theoretical and Frontier Issues of Marxism," aiming to strengthen theoretical discussion and exchange among youth, assist in youth academic growth, and promote the production of high-quality results. Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies, delivered a speech. Approximately 40 people attended the forum, including directors of research departments, heads of journal editorial departments, external experts, and young scholars from various departments. The forum was hosted by the Youth Working Group and the Scientific Research Department of the Institute of Marxism Studies.
Scene of the 2025 Annual Youth Academic Forum of the Institute of Marxism Studies
The forum consisted of three segments: opening remarks, keynote speeches, and a summary.
In his opening remarks, Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies, first expressed congratulations on the convening of this youth academic forum on behalf of the Institute's Party Committee and leadership team, and expressed gratitude to the experts from both within and outside the Institute for taking the time to attend. He pointed out that this forum is a major event for youth academic discussion at the Institute and an important platform for the growth and success of young talent. Compared to thematic youth seminars, the annual Youth Academic Forum should place greater emphasis on systematization and theoretical rigor [1], combining basic theoretical research with applied policy research to produce more high-quality results. He expressed hope that young scholars at the Institute would maintain a vigorous and enterprising spirit of exploration, carry forward an ideological style of seeking truth, innovating, and striving for excellence, actively participate in the youth forum, and achieve self-transcendence better and faster.
The morning keynote speech segment featured six youth representatives and four expert commentators.
Liu Yan, Associate Researcher at the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, delivered a speech titled "The Core Inner Meaning and Theoretical Innovation of the Concept 'Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets' [2]." She excavated the theoretical sources of the "Two Mountains" concept, elaborated on its theoretical inner meaning, and pointed out that the "Two Mountains" concept embodies the unity of history and logic, of science and values, and of possibility and reality. She argued that this concept has achieved theoretical breakthroughs and innovations across three dimensions: the view of development, the view of values, and the view of civilization.
Zhang Ge, Associate Researcher at the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism, spoke on "The Construction of the Discursive System of the Discipline of Marxist Atheism in the New Era." Starting from the practical difficulties faced by the discipline of atheism and the practical need to respond to hot-button issues and promote atheism publicity and education, he proposed three links for constructing the discursive system: the construction of "atheistic" discourse, the deconstruction of "theistic" discourse, and the analysis of the contradictory discourse between "theism" and "atheism."
Bi Guoshuai, Assistant Researcher at the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, spoke on "An Analysis of the Logical Framework of the Cultural Form of Chinese-path Modernization." Based on the historical materialist view of culture, he explored the internal dimensions and basic components of "cultural forms" at the level of principles. On this basis, he analyzed the subjective logic, cognitive logic, practical logic, and communicative logic of the "cultural form" of Chinese-path modernization.
He Xinyuan, Director of the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism and Senior Researcher, and Ren Jie, Executive Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Department Director of Marxist Studies (Makesizhuyi Yanjiu) and Senior Researcher, commented on the three scholars' speeches. They pointed out that articles in the category of Marxist theoretical research should increase philosophical analysis as much as possible to enhance theoretical depth and abstract height. They emphasized that there should be innovation in structural frameworks to avoid formulaic writing; titles and content must correspond; the use of conceptual terminology must be extremely rigorous and cautious; and linguistic expression should avoid grammatical errors.
Li Yan, Assistant Researcher at the Department of the Principles of Marxism, spoke on "The Valorization Mechanism and Power Maintenance of Technocratic Monopoly Capital." She analyzed the essence of the combination of technology and capital and its primary manifestations in contemporary capitalism. She argued for the valorization mechanism of technocratic monopoly capital in contemporary capitalism and the primary methods by which monopoly capital maintains its power over technology. She pointed out that to seek new profit margins, contemporary monopoly capitalism shapes technology into a scarce economic resource, leveraging advantages in technological accumulation to extract rent [3] from non-core segments of global industrial chains. By dominating the reproduction of technology, monopoly capitalism forms unequal power relations in global industrial chain activities and, with the support of capitalist state power, maintains and consolidates its technological monopoly. Thus, the combination of technology and capital has become a relatively independent force of capital which, while based on the highly developed socialization of production, exacerbates uneven development and further deepens the inherent contradictions of capitalism.
Sun Jinya, Editor at the Marxist Studies Editorial Department, spoke on "The Logical Rationale and Theoretical Contribution of Comprehensively Deepening Reform in the New Era: An Analysis Based on Political Economy." She pointed out that from the period of reform and opening up to the comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era, China's reforms have consistently embodied the scientific understanding and innovative development of the laws of reform within Marxist political economy. Rooted in the historical coordinates of the crucial moment for advancing Chinese-path modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and with the basic principles of Marxist political economy as scientific guidance, the comprehensive deepening of reform in the New Era has achieved great success in the practice of reforming the dialectical unity of productive forces and relations of production, and of the economic base and the superstructure. It has also formed important theoretical contributions, successfully opening up a new realm of Marxist political economy.
Zhang Ting, Editor at the World Socialism Studies (Shijie Shehuizhuyi Yanjiu) Editorial Department, spoke on "A Conceptual Analysis of the View of Capital with Chinese Characteristics." She pointed out that the New Era has given rise to the epochal task of shaping a view of capital with Chinese characteristics, which answers the question of how to guide and regulate the development of capital under the conditions of a socialist market economy. The key and primary issue in studying the view of capital with Chinese characteristics is the definition of the concept of capital. It is necessary to clarify the "Chinese characteristics" of this view across four aspects—the nature, status, role, and characteristics of capital—through conceptual differentiation between capital and funds [4], capital and the view of capital, and the capitalist view of capital versus the socialist view of capital.
Yu Bin, Director of the Department of Foreign Marxist Studies and Senior Researcher, and Shan Chao, Deputy Director of the World Socialism Studies Editorial Department, commented on the three scholars' speeches, pointing out that their articles still faced issues such as failing to clarify main arguments, incomplete correspondence between content and titles, and contradictions between analytical tools and arguments.
The afternoon keynote speech segment featured seven youth representatives and six expert commentators.
Ma Zhengli, Associate Researcher at the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, spoke on "Comprehensively and Strictly Governing the Party to Escort High-Quality Economic Development." She explored the fundamental logic, historical evolution, practical paths, and long-term mechanisms of how comprehensively and strictly governing the Party escorts high-quality economic development. She searched for the theoretical foundation of the interaction between Party leadership, strictly governing the Party, and economic development in classical Marxist literature, traced the practical thread of how strictly governing the Party has escorted economic development over the past century from a historical dimension, and attempted to construct an innovative framework using Chinese academic discourse to explain the great achievements of high-quality Party building leading high-quality economic development in the New Era.
Liu Ying, Associate Researcher at the Department of the Principles of Marxism, spoke on "The Thought of Marx and Engels on Strategic Determination and Its Contemporary Value." She discussed the logical premises, core essence, and methodological principles of Marx and Engels' thought on strategic determination. She pointed out that its contemporary value lies in adhering to the correct strategic direction of reform and opening up, cultivating strategic patience to persist over the long term, consolidating the strategic will to dare to struggle and be good at struggling, maintaining the unity of strategic firmness and tactical flexibility, and enhancing the scientific level of governance.
Chen Ni, Assistant Researcher at the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism, spoke on "An Analysis of the Problem-Oriented Approach in the Party's Leadership over the Formulation of Five-Year Plans in the New Era." She pointed out that adhering to a problem-oriented approach is an important methodology in the Party's leadership over the formulation of Five-Year Plans in the New Era, as reflected in the principles and throughout the entire process of formulating these plans.
Yang Wen, Assistant Researcher at the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism, spoke on "Historical Exploration and Experiences of the Party's Work Style Construction in the Early Period of the People's Republic of China." She argued for the necessity and feasibility of the Party's work style construction in the early PRC. Using literature related to Party history and Party building from 1949–1956, she summarized specific measures of work style construction during that period, and then summarized valuable historical experiences and their Enlightenment for Party work style construction in the New Era.
Wang Bingquan, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Political Science and Director of the Political Science Research (Zhengzhixue Yanjiu) Editorial Department and Senior Researcher; Li Ruishan, Editor at the Studies on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (Zhongguo Tese Shehuizhuyi Yanjiu) Editorial Department; and Dai Lixing, Director of the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Senior Researcher, commented on the four scholars' speeches. They pointed out that a good paper needs to refine its thesis, focus on problems, and concentrate its discussion; core conceptual categories should be as concise as possible, with definitions provided before discussion; the problem-oriented approach should be discussed in conjunction with objectives; the excavation of Marxist classics must have depth; historical analysis should place special emphasis on summarizing data; and academic articles differ from publicity articles and must possess theoretical depth.
Zhuo Mingliang, Associate Researcher at the Department of Foreign Marxist Studies, spoke on "The Political Logic of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era Promoting the Development of the World Socialist Movement." He proposed three points: first, socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era is continuously dispelling the "haze" hanging over the world socialist movement; second, it has caused a major shift in the contest between the two systems [5] in favor of socialism; and third, it is becoming the power engine leading the world socialist movement toward rejuvenation.
Zhao Dingqi, Assistant Researcher at the Department of Foreign Marxist Studies, spoke on "Chantal Mouffe’s Left-Populist Strategy and Its Limitations from a 'Post-Political' Perspective." He pointed out that since 2013, European left-nationalist movements have been deeply influenced by Chantal Mouffe’s left-populism. He argued that Mouffe’s left-populism emerged against the backdrop of the crisis in neoliberal hegemony and the post-political landscape to counter the threat posed by the wave of right-wing populism to global society. In practice, it has suffered repeated setbacks, and theoretically, it has significant limitations, completely departing from basic Marxist positions and essentially constituting a form of bourgeois reformism.
Wang Zhen, Assistant Researcher at the International Review of Ideology (Guoji Sixiang Pinglun) Editorial Department, spoke on "Analyzing the Institutional Advantages of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics from the Perspective of the Generalized Sharing Economy." She proposed that economic and social development objectively requires regulators, providers of goods and services, and consumers to fully share information. Simultaneously, it requires a regulator to plan and regulate by synthesizing the needs of all parties. From an economic perspective, she argued that the Communist Party of China is the "regulator" that meets the requirements of economic development; CPC leadership is the most defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Wang Jin, Second-Level Inspector at the Fourth Research Department of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee and Executive Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary World and Socialism (Dangdai Shijie yu Shehuizhuyi); Liu Haixia, Deputy Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies and Senior Researcher; and Wang Zhongbao, Executive Editor-in-Chief of International Review of Ideology and Senior Researcher, commented on the three scholars' speeches. They pointed out that academic paper topics should be novel; abstracts should highlight the main viewpoints and highlights of the article; analytical frameworks and logical threads should be clear; the sources of evidence should be diversified rather than singular; and references should be substantial.
Three external experts from journal editorial departments emphasized that the core standard for selecting articles for excellent journals does not lie in how well the superficial aspects are done, but in how much time and effort the author has invested. Articles written with genuine heart and effort will not have many loopholes. They noted that young scholars should not pursue "short, smooth, and fast" [6] results; although chasing hot topics can lead to published articles, it is not conducive to academic growth. "Youth-friendly" journals do not select based on the author's seniority—"heroes are not judged by their origins"—and young scholars should have the confidence to submit to top journals.
Luo Wendong pointed out that in the New Era, the Party and the state have provided an excellent research environment and conditions for workers in the philosophy and social sciences. Young scholars should carry forward the spirit of struggle and innovation, work diligently and hard, remain rigorous and realistic, and integrate themselves into organized research teams and the community of national Marxist discipline construction to fully utilize their abilities and talents. He stated that for young scholars to do good scholarship, they should read more articles, read good articles, seek advice from experienced seniors, and engage in interdisciplinary academic exchanges. At the same time, they must combine theory with practice to increase their knowledge and broaden their horizons. The Institute's Party Committee and leadership team will also continue to provide strong support for the growth of young people.
Yang Jing, Deputy Director of the Department of Principles of Marxism and Head of the Youth Working Group at the Institute of Marxism Studies, concluded by pointing out that the speeches of the 13 young scholars reflected the research characteristics of various departments. From the keynote speeches and expert comments, it can be seen...
The conclusion summarized three sets of relationships that must be properly handled to write high-quality articles: first, the relationship between the "large, medium, and small." "Large" [7] refers to the value and novelty of the track selection, framework, and argumentation; "medium" requires logical consistency and a correspondence between the text and the title; and "small" refers to paying attention to details and putting in painstaking effort. Second is the relationship between "avoiding haste" [8] and "not waiting." On one hand, one must learn to "sit on a cold bench" [9], consolidating one’s theoretical foundation and building up theoretical accumulation for long-term research; on the other hand, one must have a sense of "time waiting for no one," optimizing work methods and increasing efficiency to achieve comprehensive development across multiple areas. Third is the relationship between collective scientific research and individual research; one should actively carry out individual research on the basis of completing collective projects, facilitating the mutual promotion and transformation between collective and individual achievements.
Yang Jing offered three suggestions for the learning and growth of young scholars: first, deeply cultivate classic texts, conducting holistic and systematic study of the history of development of Marxist theory to grasp its continuous internal logic and its theoretical character of advancing with the times, thereby promoting its development and innovation in the contemporary era. Second, strengthen the contemporary interpretation of the basic principles of Marxism, actively exploring the points of intersection between the basic principles of Marxism and different disciplines, as well as their points of intersection with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Third, contribute to the systematization and academic theorization of the Party’s innovative theories, focusing on seizing opportunities and deepening research. Finally, Yang Jing, on behalf of the Youth Working Group, expressed sincere gratitude to the participants, stating that the Youth Working Group will resolutely implement the deployment requirements of the Party Committee and leadership of the Institute of Marxism Studies, continue to optimize youth work, actively build platforms for growth, and strive to create a better environment and provide solid support for the development and success of young scholars.
(Contributor and Photographer: Wang Yi)