Introduction to the Department for Research on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era
The Department for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the department dedicated to researching major contemporary questions, such as what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be upheld and developed in the New Era, and how to uphold and develop it. Established in 2020, the department consists of five research offices: Basic Theory, Basic Strategy, Party Building and Party History, Ideology and Social Trends, and Clean Governance and Social Evaluation. It currently employs 21 researchers, including seven research professors, eight associate research professors, and six assistant research professors, as well as five doctoral supervisors and six master's supervisors. The current Director of the Department is Dai Lixing.
The department’s primary research areas include: the systematic and theoretical construction [1] of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; Xi Jinping’s economic thought; Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization; Xi Jinping’s thought on diplomacy; Xi Jinping’s thought on culture; General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on Party building; and theories of discipline inspection and supervision. Major projects and research tasks undertaken by the department include: "The General History of Chinese Thought (Volume on the Reform and Opening-up Period)," a major project of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); "Research on the ‘Two Combinations’ [2] and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era," a major commissioned project of CASS; "Research on the Worldview and Methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and "Research on So-called Radical Social Groups Under New Circumstances," both major commissioned projects of the Central Marxism Theoretical Research and Construction Project (Marxist Project) [3]; "The History of the Development of Marxism (Volume VI)," a major project of the Institute of Marxism Studies; and "Research on the Scientific System of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era," a major innovation project of the Institute of Marxism Studies. Other projects include "Research on the New Form of Human Civilization Created by the People under the Leadership of the CPC," a major project of the National Social Science Fund of China; "The Academic History of the Discipline of CPC History and Party Building," a major innovation project of CASS; and "Research on the Identifying Concepts of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture," a key project under the CASS Engineering for the Research and Interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
The department's representative research achievements include: the "Identifying Concepts of the New Era Series" (16 volumes published); the "Great Spirit of the CPC Series" [4] (6 volumes published); the "Inheriting the Red Gene Series" [5] (7 volumes published); as well as works such as The Report to the 20th National Congress Explained via Data, The New Thought Explained via Data, and The Spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee Explained via Data.
The department hosts several major academic events, including the "Forum on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" (11 sessions held to date) and the "Forum on the Theory and Practice of Governing Party Building" (10 sessions held to date).
Representative awards received by the department include: five Special Prizes of the CASS Award for Excellent Material for Policy Consultation; the "Identifying Concepts of the New Era Series" (14 volumes), involving several faculty members, was honored as a 2022 National Excellent Science Popularization Work; the final results of a project commissioned by the National Party Building Research Association, involving several faculty members, received a second-class award; and the "Great Spirit of the CPC Series" was selected as a major CASS scientific research achievement in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.