The First Lecture of the "21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium" of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Starting from December 2020, the Institute of Marxism Studies introduced the "21st Century Marxism Grand Lecture" series, which will periodically invite renowned Marxist scholars from China and abroad to deliver keynote speeches on major theoretical and practical issues. On the morning of December 24, 2020, the series was officially launched. Researcher Li Shenming, a prominent Marxist scholar, former Vice President and Deputy Secretary of the Party Group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Director of the World Socialism Research Center, delivered a lecture in the main hall of the Institute of Marxism Studies titled "Our Country’s Development Remains in a Period of Important Strategic Opportunity: Insights from Studying the Spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee." The lecture was presided over by Professor Lin Jianhua, Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies.
Li Shenming proposed that, against the backdrop of profound and complex changes in both domestic and international environments, understanding the concepts of "the world entering a period of turbulence and transformation," the "critical period for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," and "our country’s development remaining in a period of important strategic opportunity," as well as the relationships between them, constitutes a major research task.
Li Shenming elucidated his understanding of the issue of China’s period of important strategic opportunity from five perspectives:
First, what constitutes the period of important strategic opportunity for our country's development? He argued that compared to the original meaning of the "strategic opportunity period" first proposed at the 16th National Congress [1], the New Era has endowed this term with new connotations. Using the phrase "greatly promising" (dà yǒu kě wéi) [2] rather than "ready for great achievements" (dà yǒu zuò wéi) to characterize this period is intended to illustrate that the strategic opportunity period, as it eventually manifests in reality, is a high-level unity of objective existence and subjective effort; it is by no means an outcome determined in advance. We must also recognize that the opportunities and challenges within this period are not static; under certain conditions, they can transform into one another.
Second, from an international perspective, five objective conditions already exist for the continued existence of this period of important strategic opportunity: 1) the international financial crisis that broke out in 2008 in the Western world led by the United States; 2) the iron law of historical development stating that wherever there is oppression, exploitation, and polarization, there will be awakening, resistance, and struggle; 3) the two distinct types of development models, outcomes, and lessons represented by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the crisis in the United States serve as typical examples with profound revelatory significance for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics; 4) the fourth industrial revolution has already begun; 5) the towering presence of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the East.
Third, the severe international challenges facing our country's period of important strategic opportunity. Focusing on four aspects—economics, politics, the United States itself, and preparation for worst-case scenarios—Researcher Li Shenming explained the general trend for the coming decades where the relationship between China and the U.S. will be characterized primarily by contention and secondarily by cooperation, along with the main reasons for this.
Fourth, the current state and outlook of the global landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic. 1) The world has entered a new period of great turbulence, great transformation, and great development. 2) The fight against the pandemic has fully demonstrated both the "hard" and "soft" power of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics; after achieving complete victory in this major campaign, our country will surely move steadily toward the center of the world stage. 3) The global outbreak and spread of the pandemic is, in final analysis, a concentrated expression of the most basic and deepest contradictions of financial imperialism. 4) Under certain conditions, bad things can turn into good things. 5) The American Democratic and Republican parties differ in their governing tactics; we must treat them differently and adopt various policies and strategies in response, while maintaining a clear understanding of the essential consistency of capitalist political parties. 6) We still live in the historical epoch identified by Marxism, though the international situation has become more treacherous and unpredictable; international struggle has entered an era of "unrestricted warfare" across all fields, directions, and dimensions. We must prepare for the worst to strive for the best results.
Fifth, the key to securing this period of important strategic opportunity lies in domestic reform, development, and stability. 1) The primary and core task is to resolutely achieve the "Two Upholds." 2) The current key is to uphold the socialist economic system and the basic economic system of the Party during the primary stage of socialism [3]. 3) Always adhere to self-reliance and arduous struggle [4]. 4) Correctly treat the two different historical periods before and after Reform and Opening-up [5]. 5) Be mentally prepared to experience a period of "bitter days" (kǔ rì zi). 6) Effectively carry out the struggle regarding Taiwan.
In his concluding remarks, Vice President Lin Jianhua spoke highly of Researcher Li Shenming's lecture, noting that it contained a sense of the times, a sense of mission, a demonstration of historical regularities, and a mountain-like sense of responsibility—calling it an academic and spiritual feast. Lin Jianhua opined that Li Shenming vividly interpreted the essence of our country's period of important strategic opportunity, profoundly analyzed the opportunities, challenges, and drivers we face internationally and domestically, and provided a comprehensive, strategic discourse on several important issues regarding this period. Lin Jianhua proposed that this is the point of origin and departure for our thinking on and resolution of all problems in New Era China. Whether we can make good use of this period of important strategic opportunity depends on our ability to resolve challenges and seize opportunities; this concerns the "Two Overalls" [6], the "Two Centenaries," the developmental trend of our country’s near, medium, and long-term goals, and the future and destiny of China. Researcher Li Shenming has always possessed a strong sense of "problem-awareness" (wèntí yìshí) and a drive for problem-solving; through this report, he has taught us the methodology and path for researching problems, pointing toward the essence, substance, and deep-seated drivers of these issues, while demonstrating the operational logic based on the dialectical relationship between the productive forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure.
The first session of the "21st Century Marxism Grand Lecture" of the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS, concluded successfully.