Academic Seminar of the "2022 National Forum on Basic Principles of Marxism" Held at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
To study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, facilitate exchange and the demonstration of research results among experts and scholars engaged in the study and teaching of the basic principles of Marxism, and promote the classical inheritance and innovative development of those principles, the "2022 National Forum on the Basic Principles of Marxism and Seminar on the Basic Principles of Marxism and the Study of the Spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress" was held at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) on November 6, 2022. The forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Editorial Department of World Socialism Studies, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for the Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Beijing Universities (China University of Political Science and Law), and organized by the School of Marxism at NUAA and the NUAA Base of the Jiangsu Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The theme of this year's seminar was: "The Study and Application of the Basic Principles of Marxism: Studying the Spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress."
Specific topics included: (1) Thought on economic development in the New Era in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (2) Thought on political development in the New Era in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (3) Thought on cultural development in the New Era in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (4) Thought on social development in the New Era in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (5) Thought on the development of ecological civilization in the New Era in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (6) Thought on international issues in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress; (7) Contemporary applications of the basic principles of Marxism; (8) Disciplinary construction of the basic principles of Marxism; and so forth.
Attendees included Cheng Enfu, Member of the CASS Academic Division, Chief Professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), and member of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the National People's Congress; Lin Jianhua, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS; Gao Huanyue, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Director of the Organization Department, and Dean of the School of Marxism at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL); and Jiang Bin, Vice President of NUAA. More than 300 renowned experts in Marxist theory, teachers of ideological and political courses [1], and young scholars from universities, Party schools, and research institutions across the country—including CASS, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Jilin University, Shandong University, UCASS, CUPL, and NUAA—participated through a combination of online and offline formats.
The first half of the morning session was chaired by Professor Wang Zhi, Dean of the School of Marxism at NUAA. Opening remarks were delivered by Jiang Bin, Lin Jianhua, and Gao Huanyue.
In his speech, Jiang Bin stated that the 20th CPC National Congress emphasized that only by combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture [2], and by persisting in the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions posed by the times and practice, and consistently maintain the vigorous vitality of Marxism. Deeply studying the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and conducting academic discussions on the basic principles of Marxism and its development in the New Era will help promote education, research, and talent cultivation in Marxist theory. Inheriting the "red gene" of serving the country through aviation, NUAA adheres to its original aspiration of educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the country. Always moving in tandem with the times, generations of NUAA people have kept the "greatest concerns of the nation" [3] in mind and made significant contributions to the cause of aeronautics and astronautics. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of NUAA, he thanked the experts for their guidance at the meeting.
Lin Jianhua expressed in his speech that the forum has developed in sync with the New Era, with this year marking its tenth session—a result of the joint efforts of colleagues in the academic community. He argued that, first, we must study the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress "from the source" [4], word by word and sentence by sentence, focusing on the second section of the report, "Opening a New Frontier in the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism," to profoundly grasp its underlying rationale, academic logic, and philosophical depth. Second, we must recognize that Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and country are founded and bolstered. Possessing the guidance of scientific Marxist theory is the fundamental basis for our Party to strengthen its faith and conviction and maintain historical initiative; it is our Party’s distinct political character and powerful political advantage. Third, we must not only conduct "scholarship in the study" but also step out of the study and into the heat of social life, conducting scholarship "on the soil of China" [5] to solve Chinese problems and open new frontiers in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
Gao Huanyue expressed her reflections through three pairs of keywords. First, "welcome and gratitude," expressing thanks to the experts and scholars on behalf of the organizers. Second, "mission and responsibility." The contemporary value of Marxism has been fully demonstrated in the modernization of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This forum’s in-depth exploration of the various ideas in the report of the 20th CPC National Congress fully fulfills the historical mission and responsibility of Marxist researchers, making it timely and significant. Third, "expectation and conviction." This conference brings together experts and scholars from many universities and is a high-end event in the field of Marxist theory. The organizers possess profound academic strength and are committed to advancing research on the basic principles of Marxism, consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in philosophy and the social sciences, and jointly promoting the normalization of the National Forum on the Basic Principles of Marxism to accumulate rich theoretical resources and achieve abundant theoretical results.
Cheng Enfu delivered the keynote report. Utilizing his profound theoretical and academic foundations and a clear Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, combined with the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Party's innovative theories and practices, Professor Cheng proposed that the Party's self-revolution must oppose five types of erroneous views: opposing and resisting erroneous trends of thought that deviate from Marxism; opposing and resisting individualism that deviates from working for the public good; opposing and resisting bureaucratism that is detached from the masses; opposing and resisting formalism that is detached from reality; and opposing and resisting "evasionism" [6] that fears struggle. Professor Cheng emphasized that Marxist scholars should be adept at organic integration of academic research, theoretical dissemination, and policy discussion to shoulder the responsibilities of the era.
The second half of the morning session was chaired by Professor Tai Lihua, Executive Dean of the School of Marxism at CUPL. Keynote reports were delivered by Yu Bin (Director of the Principles Department, Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS) on "The Great Spirit of Struggle in the New Era"; Professor Zhu Andong (Dean of the School of Marxism, Tsinghua University) on "The World-Historical Significance of Chinese-path Modernization"; Professor Wei Bo (Director of the Institute of Basic Principles of Marxism, Peking University) on "Promoting the Upholding of Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground in Marxism through a Problem-Oriented Approach"; Professor Liu Zhaofeng (Vice Dean of the School of Marxism, Zhejiang University) on "Piercing the Illusions of the World of Capital: The Contemporary Value of Marx's Critique of Fetishism"; Professor Zhang Xinning (Vice Dean of the School of Marxism, Fudan University) on "The Systematic Construction of China's Autonomous Knowledge System for Scientific and Technological Innovation"; Zhou Dan (Researcher, CASS Institute of Philosophy) on "Philosophical Interpretation of Promoting the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation through Chinese-path Modernization"; and Professor Xu Chuan (Delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress and Party Secretary of the School of Marxism, NUAA) on "The Fundamental Compliance for Doing Youth Work Well in the New Era and on the New Journey."
The first half of the afternoon session was chaired by Yang Jing (Deputy Director of the Principles Department, Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS). Speakers included Zhu Jidong ("Several Important Principles of Comrade Mao Zedong's Theoretical Innovation"), Zhao Maosheng ("The Combination of the Basic Principles of Marxism with China's Specific Realities from the Perspective of the Materialist Conception of History"), Li Nan ("The 'Six Must-Persists' to be Achieved in Great Ideological and Political Courses in Schools in the New Era"), Wang Miao ("An Interpretation of Marx’s Thought on Common Prosperity: Based on the Perspective of Marx’s Distribution Theory"), Wu Yunxi ("World Socialism and Chinese-path Modernization"), Jia Yuming ("Profoundly Grasping the Spirit of the 20th National Congress to Promote the Construction of Philosophy and Social Sciences"), Zhang Jiangang ("The Essential Difference Between Chinese-path Modernization and Capitalist Modernization"), Zheng Jingbin ("Realizing a New Realm of the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism within the 'Two Combinations'"), Zhao Jing ("Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Coordinated Regional Development in the New Era: Theoretical Origins, Scientific Connotations, and Value Implications"), and Deng Bojun ("Value Traps of Historical Nihilism from the Perspective of 'Party History' Themes").
The second half of the afternoon session was chaired by Professor He Wei (Vice Dean of the School of Marxism, NUAA). Speakers included Zhao Ling ("Institutional Foundations and Livelihood Value of People's Consumption Democracy"), Zhang Guoxian ("The Great Founding Spirit of the Party as the Spiritual Power Promoting Chinese-path Modernization"), Zhang Xiuhua ("The Integration of Scientific Spirit and Craftsmanship from the Perspective of Marx's Practical Philosophy"), Jin Jiaxin ("The Party's Ideological Theoretical Innovation and Practical Development since the 18th National Congress"), Zhang Fuwen ("An Analysis of the CPC's Strategic Understanding of Major Historical Tasks"), Su Zhenfeng ("Research on the Content System of Xi Jinping's Important Discourses on Scientific and Technological Innovation"), He Hanhun ("The Logic of Capital Expansion and its Methods of Prevention: Revisiting Marx's Thought on the Critique of Capital"), Xia Yonglin ("Continuing to Promote the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxism Amidst Confidence"), and Fang Guangshun ("The Value Orientation and Advancement Path of Promoting Fine Traditional Chinese Culture of Integrity").
Zhang Jianyun, Director of the Marxist Philosophy Office at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, provided the conference summary. She reviewed the ten-year development of the "National Forum on the Basic Principles of Marxism," noting its positive role in promoting the academic reading of Marxist classics, the in-depth elaboration and applied research of basic principles, and the promotion of disciplinary construction and theoretical dissemination. The forum has built a platform for Marxist scholars and teachers of ideological and political courses to learn from each other and exchange results, serving as a "spiritual home" for those working in Marxist research and teaching. This forum focused on the theme of basic principles and the study of the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, covering topics such as the courage and skill to struggle, Chinese-path modernization, upholding fundamentals and breaking new ground, youth and ideological work, the "Two Combinations," and the application of basic principles in the New Era. The forum was a complete success. Professor Zheng Jingbin, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Shandong University, spoke on behalf of the next host institution; the 2023 forum will be held in Jinan, Shandong.
(Contributed by Xue Chaofan and Lu Di)