Marxism Research Network
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Expert Review Meeting on the New Trends in the 2021 International Communist Movement and the Yellow Book of International Communist Movement (2021-2022) Successfully Held

Notices & Announcements

Report from Mayan Research Network: On December 9, 2021, the "Expert Review Seminar on New Trends in the Development of the International Communist Movement and the Yellow Book of the International Communist Movement (2021-2022)" was successfully held via the Tencent Meeting platform. More than 40 researchers from over a dozen institutions—including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Peking University, Shandong University, Xiamen University, Yunnan University, Soochow University, Wenzhou University, and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences—engaged in a heated discussion surrounding the new trends in the development of the international communist movement in 2021.

Speech by Researcher Jiang Hui, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Jiang Hui, Chief Editor of the Yellow Book of the International Communist Movement, Vice President of CASS, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Researcher Jiang Hui first expressed his gratitude to the authoritative experts in the international communist movement and the members of the project team from various domestic research institutions. Vice President Jiang stated that thanks to the guidance of these experts, the quality of the Yellow Book of the International Communist Movement has been guaranteed, with its quality continuously improving and growing better year by year in the three years since its publication. He expressed hope that with the help of these experts, the Yellow Book could be built into a high-quality landmark document for this discipline, and that the writing of this "Blue Book" [1] series would drive the cultivation of talent and the development of the international communist movement as an academic discipline. Subsequently, integrating his study of the spirit of the Resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee [2], Vice President Jiang shared his views on the situation of the international communist movement and world socialism, and provided guiding opinions for the writing of the Yellow Book.

Vice President Jiang pointed out that in November of this year, the Party Central Committee convened the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee, which adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century. This document comprehensively summarized the glorious journey, major achievements, and historical experience of the Communist Party of China since its founding one hundred years ago. This requires us to integrate the study and comprehension of the spirit of the Resolution with our research work, and to seriously study the new assertions and new spirit formulated in the Resolution to guide research on Marxism, the international communist movement, and world socialism. The nearly century-long history of the Communist Party of China is an essential component of the international communist movement and the world socialist movement, possessing a prominent status and making immense contributions. History eloquently proves that the Communist Party of China is a steadfast believer in and faithful practitioner of Marxism and scientific socialism; an active promoter and conscious pioneer of the international communist movement and the world socialist movement; and a powerful leader and major contributor to the innovative development of 21st-century Marxism and world socialism. We must conduct in-depth research on the historical experience of the CPC’s century of struggle and its important contributions and great significance to the international communist and world socialist movements.

The year 2021 marks the anniversary of many major historical events in the history of the international communist movement. Among them, the 30th anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune revolution remain two major historical events worthy of reflection today. We must continue to study and summarize these major events in the history of the international communist movement to provide a historical mirror for the international communist and world socialist movements to emerge from their low ebb and move toward revitalization.

Since 2020, under the overlapping influence of the "changes unseen in a century" [3] and the COVID-19 pandemic, the international landscape has accelerated its evolution, and the world has entered a period of turbulence and transformation. To grasp the developmental trends of the global landscape, we must continue to track and study the latest dynamics of foreign communist parties and world socialist countries, grasp new changes in the balance of power between socialist and capitalist forces, and strive to make scientific forecasts on the development of the world situation.

Xin Xiangyang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, presided over the opening ceremony and raised requirements and expectations for the key hot spots of international communist movement research and the writing of the Yellow Book.

Keynote Report Session During the keynote report session, Professor Lin Jianhua, Vice Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, delivered a report titled "What the CPC Is and What It Aims to Achieve from the Perspective of the International Communist Movement." He explained the mission and responsibilities of the Communist Party of China from the perspective of the international communist movement.

Professor Lin Jianhua pointed out that upholding the Party’s leadership is not only a scientific understanding derived from reviewing history and summarizing experience but also a fundamental principle we must adhere to at all times in the future. Party leadership is not only a major issue in Marxist theory on Party building but also the criterion for judging whether a social movement engaged in by the proletariat constitutes an international communist movement. Why can the Communist Party of China maintain its leadership? The key lies in its correct answer to, and constant remembrance of, the fundamental question: what the Communist Party of China is and what it aims to achieve. On this basis, he answered the question of what the CPC is: the Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, and at the same time, the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. The people’s standpoint is the fundamental standpoint of the CPC; serving the people wholeheartedly is the CPC’s fundamental purpose; and the state of "I shall be selfless and live up to the expectations of the people" [4] is the highest realm of Chinese Communists. The CPC always represents the fundamental interests of the broadest possible range of the Chinese people; it does not have any special interests of its own, nor does it ever represent the interests of any interest group, power group, or privileged stratum. Furthermore, he answered from the history of the Party’s struggle what the CPC aims to achieve and what it must continue to do as it moves from the past into the future. "What the Party aims to achieve" is not only a question to be answered and resolved at the time of its founding but a question that runs through the entire process of the Party’s century-long struggle. For a hundred years, the CPC has consistently united and led the people of all ethnic groups in arduous struggle for national independence, the liberation of the people, the realization of national prosperity, and the happiness of the people. The Party’s century of struggle has fundamentally altered the future and destiny of the Chinese people, opened the correct path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, demonstrated the powerful vitality of Marxism, and profoundly influenced the course of world history. Today, the Party has united the Chinese people and embarked on a new "road to the exams" [5] toward achieving the Second Centenary Goal. In the New Era and on the new journey, the Communist Party of China must build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Expert Discussion Session During the expert discussion session, several scholars—including Professor Hu Zhenliang of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, Honorary CASS Member Xu Shicheng, Researcher Chai Shangjin of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Researcher Xu Baoyou of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Professor Cui Guitian, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University, Researcher Yu Haiqing of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, and Professor Guo Chunsheng of the Institute of Contemporary Socialism at Shandong University—presented academic reports on the new trends of the international communist movement in 2021. Their topics included: "Solving the Problem: 21st-Century Socialist Modernization," "New Dynamics of the Development of Communist Parties in Latin America," "History and New Development Trends of the Communist Movement in West Asia and North Africa," "New Ideological Characteristics of Communist Parties, Workers’ Parties, and Other Left-Wing Parties," "New Trends in Reforms of Contemporary Foreign Socialist Countries," "New Developments and Situations of Foreign Communist Parties in 2021," and "The Communist Party of the Russian Federation in the Context of the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Collapse."

Specialized Discussion and Expert Review Session During the specialized discussion and expert review phase, the scholars responsible for writing the book reported on their respective topics and consulted with expert advisors regarding difficulties encountered during the writing process. The experts provided comments one by one and gave detailed answers to relevant questions. The authors and participating graduate students agreed that such discussions are highly beneficial for improving writing quality.

Closing Finally, Researcher Pan Jin’e, Director of the International Communist Movement Research Department of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS and Chief Editor of the Yellow Book of the International Communist Movement, delivered the closing remarks. She expressed her sincere gratitude to the experts for taking the time to attend the seminar. She stated that under the leadership and guidance of Vice President Jiang Hui and with the full support and help of the experts, the project team must redouble its efforts to build the Yellow Book into one of the landmark works leading the development of the international communist movement as a discipline. Meanwhile, she expressed hope that through the writing of the Yellow Book, a research team for the international communist movement—combining old, middle-aged, and young generations—could be cultivated to drive the development of the international communist movement and world socialist research, making due contributions to the development of world socialism and the international communist movement.

The seminar was hosted by the International Communist Movement Research Department of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS. Researcher Xuan Chuanshu, Vice Director of the Institute of Chinese Marxism at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Researcher Pan Jin’e, and Researcher Yuan Xiuli, Vice Director of the International Communist Movement Department, successively presided over the three discussion sessions.