The 8th International Forum on Socialism Held via Video Link
On December 20, 2021, the 8th International Socialist Forum, 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 in Beijing, Vientiane, and Hanoi via video conference. The theme of the forum was "Coordinated Economic and Social Development in Socialist Construction in the New Era." Over one hundred experts and scholars from China, Laos, and Vietnam conducted in-depth discussions on three topics: "Economic and Cultural Development," "Economic Growth and Improving People's Livelihood," and "Economic Growth and Social Harmony."
Dr. Sonethanou Thammavong, President of the Lao Academy of Social and Economic Sciences—the organizer of this session—pointed out in his opening speech that realizing the socialist ideal is a shared historical mission of socialist countries and constitutes a great, profound, comprehensive, circuitous, and long-term historical process. In the socialist construction of the New Era, socialist countries should attach great importance to the coordinated development of economy and society, and jointly respond to risks and challenges in socialist construction through mutual exchange and learning.
Professor Jiang Hui, Vice President and Member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of CASS, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, noted in his speech that since its founding in 2013, the International Socialist Forum has focused on major historical and practical issues such as the historical experience of the Sinicization [1] (and localization) of Marxism in socialist countries, the contemporary process of socialist construction and reform, and the patterns of building 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 engage in 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 of socialist modernization, and on this basis, continue to explore and improve the theory and practice of socialist modernization. Against the backdrop of 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 uniting in mutual trust and helping each other like passengers in the same boat [3].
Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out 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 constantly 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, stated 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 of struggle and the realization of the people’s happiness as its original aspiration and founding mission. To achieve a better life, one must grasp the principal contradiction [4] in society, 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, noted in his keynote speech "Chinese-path Modernization and Harmonious Society" that within the vision of Chinese Communists, a harmonious society possesses six major characteristics: democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and 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 advancement 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 reason socialist China has been able to maintain long-term social stability, harmony, and tranquility is that the construction of socialist democratic politics has played a crucial role. 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-oriented democracy and results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy and substantive democracy, direct democracy and indirect democracy, and the people’s will and the will of the state. Socialist democracy is a brand-new democratic form 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 noted in his keynote speech "Paths to Achieving 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 development model oriented toward people’s livelihoods and a long-term mechanism to resolve relative poverty.
Zeng Xiankui, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, pointed out in his keynote speech "Constructing the New Development Paradigm: Promoting the Enhancement of People's Well-being" that China’s new development paradigm [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 paradigm, 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.
Participating Lao scholars delivered speeches on issues such as "the significance of economic development for cultural development," "poverty alleviation and development in rural areas," "the role of the private sector in improving people's 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." Participating Vietnamese scholars spoke on "Vietnam's experience in coordinating cultural heritage and development," "economic growth and rural livelihood development in Vietnam," and "establishing social consensus in the context of Vietnam's development of a socialist-oriented market economy."
The unit discussions were chaired respectively by 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 Jin’e, Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the Institute of Marxism Studies, CASS. Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury concluded the meeting with a closing summary. More than 40 experts and scholars from universities and research institutions in Vietnam, Laos, and parts of China participated in the online meeting.
The Beijing sub-forum was organized by the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS.
(Reported by He Qin)