The 8th International Forum on Socialism Held via Video Link
On December 20, 2021, the 8th International Forum on Socialism, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences, and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, was held concurrently via video conference in Beijing, Vientiane, and Hanoi. The theme of the forum was "Coordinated Economic and Social Development in the Construction of Socialism in the New Era." Over one hundred experts and scholars from China, Laos, and Vietnam conducted in-depth discussions around three topics: "Economic and Cultural Development," "Economic Growth and Improving People's Livelihoods," and "Economic Growth and Social Harmony."
Dr. Sonethanou Thammavong, President of the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences, the organizer of this year’s forum, noted in his opening remarks that realizing the socialist ideal is the common historical mission of socialist countries and is a grand, profound, comprehensive, arduous, and long-term historical process. In the construction of socialism in the New Era, socialist countries should attach great importance to the coordinated development of economy and society and, through mutual exchange and learning [1], jointly respond to the risks and challenges inherent in building socialism.
Professor Jiang Hui, Vice President and Member of the Party Leadership Group of CASS, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, pointed out in his speech that since its founding in 2013, the International Forum on Socialism has focused on major historical and practical issues such as the historical experience of the Sinicization of Marxism in socialist countries, the contemporary process of socialist construction and reform, and the laws governing the development of Marxist governing parties. It has provided an important academic platform and valuable academic resources for the Marxist theoretical circles and social science communities of socialist countries to carry out multi-level and multi-field ideological exchange and mutual theoretical learning. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governing parties of socialist countries have consistently adhered to the people-centered development philosophy, overcoming numerous difficulties to maintain stability, promote development, and plan for the future, fully demonstrating the mission and responsibility of Marxist governing parties in socialist countries and the powerful institutional advantages of socialism. In the new historical period, socialist countries regard alignment with the fundamental interests and development needs of their own people as the fundamental value principle for socialist modernization, and on this basis, continue to explore and improve the theory and practice of socialist modernization. Against the backdrop of the changes unseen in a century [2], socialist countries can only achieve the great rejuvenation of world socialism in the 21st century and the beautiful vision of a community with a shared future for humanity by maintaining unity and mutual trust and pulling together in the same boat [3].
Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, noted in his speech that although the institutional explorations of socialist countries over the past century have encountered many difficulties, socialism remains an irreversible and inevitable trend for human society. Today, Communists, the working class, and the laboring people of socialist countries must not only continue to develop the socialist theory of Marxism-Leninism but also continuously explore and innovate more diverse development paths that suit the specific conditions of each country. The economy is the foundation of social development, while social development creates resources and momentum for economic development. In the New Era of building socialism, promoting the harmonious development of economy and society is an important mission for social science researchers in socialist countries.
Professor Xin Xiangyang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, pointed out in his keynote speech "A Better Life and Social Harmony" that the Communist Party of China (CPC) has always taken the creation of a better life for the people as its goal and the realization of the people's happiness as its original aspiration and founding mission. To achieve a better life, it is necessary to grasp the principal contradiction in society [4], continuously meet the people's growing needs for a better life, and strive to practice the people-centered development philosophy.
Professor Lin Jianhua, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, pointed out in his keynote speech "Chinese-path Modernization and Harmonious Society" that in the vision of Chinese Communists, a harmonious society possesses six major characteristics: democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and friendliness, vitality, stability and order, and harmony between humanity and nature. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that fully reflects China's basic national conditions and specific realities. China's promotion of people-centered modernization is of great significance to the global modernization process and the development of human society.
Professor Fan Jianxin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Institute of Political Science at CASS, pointed out in his keynote speech "China's Whole-process People's Democracy and China's Harmonious Society" that the crucial reason socialist China has been able to maintain long-term social stability, harmony, and tranquility is the vital role played by the construction of socialist democratic politics. China's whole-process people's democracy is an important way to realize the essence of people's democracy; it is an organic unity of process democracy and result democracy, procedural democracy and substantive democracy, direct democracy and indirect democracy, and the people's will and the state's will. Socialist democracy is a brand-new form of democracy in the history of human political development, possessing unique advantages incomparable to Western capitalist democracy.
Professor Hou Weimin of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS pointed out in his keynote speech "Ways to Realize Socialist Common Prosperity" that since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's understanding of "common prosperity" has continued to deepen, and two staged goals for achieving common prosperity have been proposed. Seeking common prosperity should follow objective economic laws, continuously improve the ownership structure and income distribution structure, and establish a livelihood-oriented development model and a long-term mechanism for resolving relative poverty.
Zeng Xiankui, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, pointed out in his keynote speech "Constructing a New Development Pattern: Promoting the Improvement of People's Well-being" that China's new development pattern [5] is a long-term economic development strategy proposed to adapt to the new stage of development and seize development opportunities under circumstances where the domestic and international economic environments have undergone major changes. To construct the new development pattern, China must further increase people's income levels, narrow the gap between rich and poor, and improve supply efficiency, thereby continuously meeting the people's needs for a better life.
Lao scholars participating in the forum spoke on issues such as "the significance of economic development for cultural development," "rural poverty alleviation and development," "the role of the private sector in improving livelihoods," "improving people's lives through job creation and income generation," "promoting economic growth and inclusive social development," "enhancing the creative potential of the masses in socialist construction," "empowering the people to ensure social equality and justice," and "strengthening equality in development." Vietnamese scholars spoke on "Vietnam's experience in coordinating cultural heritage and development," "Vietnam's economic growth and rural livelihood development," and "building social consensus in the context of Vietnam's development of a socialist-oriented market economy."
Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury, Vice President of the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences; Nguyen Tai Dong, Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; and Professor Pan Jine, Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), respectively chaired the discussion units. Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury provided the closing summary of the meeting. More than 40 experts and scholars from various universities and research institutions in Vietnam, Laos, and China participated in the online meeting.
The Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS organized the Beijing sub-forum.
(Contributed by He Qin)