The 10th World Socialist Forum held at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The Tenth World Socialism Forum, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), opened in Beijing on November 1 and lasted for two days. The theme of this year's forum was: "Seventy Years of New China and World Socialism." The forum was organized by the CASS World Socialism Research Center, the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and the Institute of Marxism Studies. On the morning of the 1st, Comrade Wang Jingqing, Vice President and Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of CASS; Comrade Li Shenming, former Vice President of CASS and Director of the World Socialism Research Center; and Comrade Jiang Hui, Member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of CASS, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, attended the conference and delivered keynote speeches. The conference was presided over by Comrade Fan Jianxin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, and Deputy Director of the World Socialism Research Center.
Domestic leading comrades and experts in attendance also included: Zhang Quanjing, former Minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee; Xu Guangchun, Director of the Advisory Committee of the Central Marxist Theoretical Research and Construction Project; Zheng Keyang, former Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; Zhu Jiamu, former Vice President of CASS; Jin Nuo, Secretary of the Party Committee and Professor at Renmin University of China; Cheng Enfu, Chief Professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Academician of CASS, and Member of the Presidium of the Academic Division; Chen Zhihua, Honorary Academician of CASS and former Director of the Institute of World History; Gu Yuanyang, Honorary Academician of CASS and former Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics; Xu Shicheng, Honorary Academician of CASS; Han Yuhai, Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University; and Zhang Guozuo, Director and Professor of the China Culture Soft Power Research Center, among more than 200 experts and scholars from the national propaganda and cultural systems, research units, and universities.
Also participating in this year's forum were nearly 30 experts, scholars, comrades, and friends from countries including Germany, Russia, Vietnam, Hungary, Namibia, France, Italy, the United States, Cuba, Brazil, Laos, and Japan. Participants included Comrade Hans Modrow, former Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic and Honorary Chairman of the Left Party of Germany; Comrade Novikov, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; Comrade Pham Van Duc, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and President of the Graduate Academy; Comrade Gyula Thürmer, Chairman of the Hungarian Workers' Party; Comrade Elia George Kaiyamo, Namibia's Ambassador to China; Comrade Bocara, member of the Economic Commission of the French Communist Party; Comrade Francesco Maringio, President of the China-Italy "Belt and Road" Promotion Association and author of the first Italian book on the 19th CPC National Congress, China in the New Era; Comrade Andrea Catone, Editor-in-Chief of the Italian journal Marx Ventunesimo; Comrade Grover Furr, Professor and historian at Montclair State University in the United States; Comrade Gladys, Deputy Director of the Department of World Financial Trends at the Center for World Economy Studies in Cuba; Comrade Dos Santos, Professor in the Department of Politics and Economics at São Paulo State University in Brazil; Comrade Bounthanh Phannachanh, Director of the Overseas Department of the editorial office of the Laotian magazine Dawn; and Comrade Akira Narimaru, Beijing bureau reporter for the Japanese newspaper Akahata.
In a keynote speech titled "The World Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy," Comrade Wang Jingqing pointed out: Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is a major innovative achievement of Marxist international relations theory, the crystallization of the wisdom of 70 years of New China's diplomatic theory and practice, and an important ideological contribution by China to all of humanity. To address the severe challenges facing all of humanity, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy has provided the answer of promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity; to respond to the changing international situation, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy insists on socialism with Chinese characteristics as the foundation and firmly follows the Chinese path; to address the issue of how to promote global governance, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy proposes that all countries engage in joint consultation and cooperation; to address how to seek happiness for the people, rejuvenation for the nation, and the Great Harmony [1] for the world, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy focuses on the common destiny of all mankind, demonstrating a positive force to the world and bringing stability and confidence to the complex and volatile international situation. The world must take a new path of peaceful development and shared prosperity, build a community with a shared future for humanity, and ultimately realize the "Great Harmony" of the world. The ideal of "Great Harmony" is traditional Chinese wisdom and is also compatible with Marxism. Of course, China adheres to the path of peaceful development and hopes that all countries in the world will join hands to follow this path. China will never develop itself at the expense of other countries' interests, nor will it ever give up its own legitimate rights and interests.
In a keynote speech titled "China's Development is Still in an Important Period of Strategic Opportunity with Much to be Achieved," Comrade Li Shenming stated: From an international perspective, there are five objective conditions for why our country's development remains in a period of strategic opportunity: (1) The international financial crisis that broke out in 2008 in the Western world, led by the United States, and the extreme polarization between the rich and poor on a global scale. The contradiction between the globalization of capitalist production and the private ownership of the means of production has further intensified. (2) Where there is oppression, exploitation, and polarization, there is awakening, resistance, and struggle. (3) Various types of "teachers by negative example" [2] in the world provide profound warnings and revelations for socialism with Chinese characteristics. (4) The fourth technological revolution of humanity has begun; under the capitalist system, the development of high-tech will only further exacerbate the global polarization between rich and poor. (5) Socialism with Chinese characteristics has overcome difficulties and obstacles to stand tall among the nations of the world. Under the strong and correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era. Looking at the globe, we are facing great changes unseen in a century [3]. We must not only strive to win the current period of strategic opportunity for ourselves but also lay a solid foundation for the strategic opportunity periods of future generations. The great achievements and majestic power of socialism with Chinese characteristics result from both the formation of objective conditions at the time and the full exercise of subjective initiative.
In a keynote speech titled "The Great Significance of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Entering a New Era in the History of Human Social Development," Comrade Jiang Hui stated: Since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, both practical and theoretical innovation have reached unprecedented heights. The Sinicization of Marxism has achieved a new leap, demonstrating the vivid vitality of scientific socialism with irrefutable facts. This has caused a profound shift in favor of Marxism and socialism in the historical evolution and contest between the two ideologies and two social systems on a global scale. In the New Era, socialism with Chinese characteristics has developed itself through immense success while also benefiting the world, playing a more active role in the cause of world peace, development, and human progress. It has written a heavy and colorful stroke in the history of human social development and possesses great and far-reaching historical significance.
Integrating the world's political and economic situation and centering on the forum's theme, participating experts and scholars conducted in-depth discussions on four major topics: (1) Reflections and thoughts on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; (2) Reflections and thoughts on the world socialist movement; (3) The mutual influence between New China and the world socialist movement; (4) The world significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.
As an institute-level forum of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the World Socialism Research Forum has become an important part of building CASS into a strong fortress of Marxism. It has become an important platform for philosophy and social science workers to exchange, enrich, and deepen their theories and ideas, and a valuable window for us to study, research, and publicize Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, broadcast China’s voice, and tell China’s stories well.