The 2023 Annual Meeting of the New Collective Economy Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Political Economy and the First Rural Revitalization Forum Successfully Held
On December 24, 2023, the 2023 Annual Conference of the New Collective Economy Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Political Economy and the First Rural Revitalization Forum were successfully held in Hangzhou. This forum was hosted by the New Collective Economy Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Political Economy and Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE), and organized by the ZUFE School of Marxism, the ZUFE School of Economics, and the Zhejiang Institute of ZUFE and the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was co-organized by the journals Marxism Studies (Mǎkèsīzhǔyì Yánjiū), World Socialism Studies (Shìjiè Shèhuìzhǔyì Yánjiū), World Review of Political Economy (Shìjiè Zhèngzhì Jīngjìxué Pínglùn), Observation and Reflection (Guānchá yǔ Sīkǎo), and the Marxism Studies website. The theme of the conference was "Promoting Common Prosperity for Farmers and Rural Areas, and Comprehensively Advancing Rural Revitalization." Experts and scholars from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Development Research Center of the State Council, Peking University, Beijing Normal University, China Agricultural University, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Zhejiang University, Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, and various academic journals participated in the meeting.
Conference Venue
During the opening ceremony, Professor Li Jinchang, Secretary of the CPC Committee of ZUFE; Research Fellow Chen Zhigang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS; and Research Fellow Hou Weimin, President of the Chinese Society of Political Economy, delivered speeches on behalf of their respective institutions. Li Jinchang offered warm congratulations on the forum’s success, noting that researching the intrinsic links between the new collective economy and rural revitalization helps enrich and develop China's rural economic theoretical system, promotes the integrated development of rural industries, and injects new vitality into rural revitalization. Chen Zhigang expressed his gratitude to the co-organizers and expectations for a successful meeting. He pointed out that the path of rural revitalization with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental route for implementing the rural revitalization strategy and accelerating the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. To persist in and develop this path, one must adhere to the principle of "people first," base efforts on the fundamental national condition of "a major country with small-scale farmers" [1], follow the laws of rural development, innovate institutional mechanisms, and promote urban-rural integration. Hou Weimin introduced the work of the New Collective Economy Branch and noted that the collective economy is an important vehicle for organizing farmers under the leadership of the CPC. It is a vital force for forming a development consensus and pooling strength, and is key to leading farmers toward common prosperity to ensure that "no one is left behind" in the process of Chinese-path modernization. He emphasized that the new rural collective economy must be vigorously developed during the New Era and on the new journey. The opening ceremony was hosted by Professor He Wuhua, Dean of the School of Marxism and Director of the Academic Affairs Office at ZUFE.
Keynote Report Session
In the keynote report session, Research Fellow Wang Lisheng, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Institute of Philosophy at CASS; Yang Chunhua, Deputy Director of the Economic Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (representing Director Jin Wencheng); Research Fellow Du Zhixiong, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Rural Development Institute at CASS; Professor Sun Bangzhu, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the School of Marxism at Peking University; Professor Ding Baojun of Zhejiang University; Professor Xu Xianglin of the Economics Department at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance); Research Fellow Zhong Huibing, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences; and Professor Zhu Youzhi, former President and Party Secretary of the Hunan Academy of Social Sciences, delivered keynote reports.
Wang Lisheng argued that advancing rural revitalization is the prerequisite for common prosperity, and developing the new rural collective economy is an important path for rural revitalization. Yang Chunhua noted that Chinese Communists have engaged in long-term exploration around the "peasant question." Transforming small-scale farmers is not only a prominent difficulty encountered by classical socialists but also a unique challenge that Chinese-path modernization must solve. This transformation must respect farmers' interests, uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, and maintain "historical patience" against impetuosity. Du Zhixiong argued that developing the rural collective economy is a constitutional and policy mandate that must be pursued with confidence while overcoming "chronic ailments" to ensure it protects vulnerable groups. Sun Bangzhu analyzed the relationship between agricultural/rural modernization and Chinese-path modernization from theoretical, historical, and realistic dimensions. Ding Baojun argued that developing the collective economy requires innovation in Marxist political economy and the rejection of both "Marxist dogmatism" and "Western dogmatism." Xu Xianglin emphasized the institutional advantages of "centralization" (tǒng) within the "dual-tier operation system" [2] to ensure land remains in the hands of tillers and to harmonize the interests of owners, operators, and laborers. Zhong Huibing used Xiao Chuanfangyu Village in Tianjin as a case study for cultural empowerment in rural tourism. Zhu Youzhi argued that the "key lies with the Party" in developing the new collective economy and called for lowering development costs.
Theme Report Session
In the theme report session, Wang Hongjia, Deputy Director of the Reportage Committee of the China Writers Association; Professor Xu Bin, Director of the Research Center for Marxist Institutional Theory at Beijing Normal University; Research Fellow Zhao Zhigui of CASS; Research Fellow Zheng Yougui of the Institute of Contemporary China of CASS; Research Fellow He Xinyuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Sinicized Marxism at CASS; and Research Fellow Jiang Yu of the Development Research Center of the State Council delivered reports.
Wang Hongjia argued that the most fundamental organizational form for the new collective economy remains the collective cooperative. He noted that without cooperatives in the revolutionary base areas, victory would not have been possible; without their development after 1949, the socialist system would not have been established. Xu Bin emphasized that the essence of modernization is the "modernization of the person" and that rural revitalization requires the synergy of Party leadership, farmer initiative, and technological drivers. Zhao Zhigui stressed the need for "investigation and research" [3] to address talent shortages and "hollowed-out villages" [4]. Zheng Yougui argued for strengthening the legal status of collective economic organizations and "Party branch-led" cooperatives. He Xinyuan provided a philosophical reflection on agricultural modernization based on the "Six Musts" [5], including the "people first" orientation and "systemic concept." Jiang Yu concluded that the essence of the rural revitalization path with Chinese characteristics is to break through the urban-rural antagonism caused by Western capital-centered modernization, achieving common prosperity and opening a new path for human modernization. The theme report session was hosted by Professor Luo Jun and Associate Professor Tong Guanghui.
This conference featured four sub-forums. Sub-forum I focused on the theme of "Chinese-path Modernization and Common Prosperity." Researcher Zhang Jiangang, deputy director of the editorial office of Marxist Studies (《马克思主义研究》), and Associate Professor Zhang Yang from the School of Marxism at the China University of Political Science and Law, served as moderator and discussant, respectively. Sub-forum II centered on "Theories and Explorations of the New Collective Economy," moderated by Senior Editor Jiang Xudong, director of the editorial office of Studies on Marxist Theory (《马克思主义理论学科研究》), with Dr. Zhang Yu, assistant to the dean of the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as discussant. Sub-forum III addressed "Theory and Practice of Rural Revitalization in the New Era," moderated by Researcher Tian Mingxiao, editor-in-chief of Zhejiang Academic Journal (《浙江学刊》), with Professor Yu Boling, former president and editor-in-chief of the Zhejiang Social Sciences (《浙江社会科学》) magazine, as discussant. Sub-forum IV took "Practical Experiences of the New Collective Economy and Rural Revitalization" as its theme, moderated by Researcher Huang Yu, editor-in-chief of Observation and Reflection (《观察与思考》), with Dr. Gao Hong, director of the editorial office of the Journal of Hohai University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) (《河海大学学报(哲学社会科学版)》), as discussant. The participating experts and scholars engaged in in-depth academic discussions on the topics of each sub-forum, reaching a broad consensus on promoting common prosperity for farmers and rural areas and comprehensively advancing rural revitalization. They also proposed countermeasures and suggestions for improving rural industrial development, rural construction, and rural governance.
Highlights from the Sub-forums
Prior to the general assembly, the participating experts and scholars conducted relevant investigative research and held a Rural Revitalization Forum. On December 23, participants traveled to the Fengqiao District of Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, to conduct field research on rural revitalization, visiting the Zhuji Fengqiao Experience [6] Exhibition Hall and touring Taoyuan Village in Fengqiao Town. The Rural Revitalization Forum was moderated by Professor Wang Zhengxin, head of the Publicity Department of the Party Committee at Zhejiang Huaqing University. Xiao Liqing—standing committee member and deputy secretary-general of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), member of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society [7], deputy director of the Jiusan Society’s Central Research Center for Ideological Development and its Central Research Center for Theoretical Study of Participating Parties, and vice-chairman of the Jiusan Society Jiangxi Provincial Committee—served as discussant. Li Fodeng, specially invited researcher at the Sun Yefang [8] Institute of Economic Science and former first-level inspector of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee Inspection Team; Tang Guobiao, vice-chairman of the Tangqi Town People’s Congress in Linping District, Hangzhou, and Party Branch Secretary of Tangqi Village; Duan Chunting, Party Branch Secretary of Nanyu Village in Sanpo Town, Laishui County, Baoding City, Hebei Province; and Fang Yong, distinguished member of the Linping District CPPCC, professional manager of Xinyu Village, and chairman of Hangzhou Xinyu Agriculture, respectively introduced their experiences in rural revitalization to the experts and scholars.
Field Research at the Zhuji Fengqiao Experience Exhibition Hall Professor Wang Zhengxin, Head of the Publicity Department of the Party Committee at Zhejiang Huaqing University, Moderates the Forum Exchange of Rural Revitalization Experiences Between Experts and Rural Party Branch Secretaries Discussion by Xiao Liqing, Standing Committee Member and Deputy Secretary-General of the Jiangxi CPPCC, and Vice-Chairman of the Jiusan Society Jiangxi Provincial Committee
Under the meticulous preparation and organizational arrangements of the hosts, this academic forum and investigative research achieved complete success. Through extensive academic deliberation and deep-seated field research, the participating experts and scholars reached a broad consensus on promoting common prosperity for farmers and rural areas and comprehensively advancing rural revitalization, further consolidating the strength of the scholarly community. Henceforth, the New Collective Economy Research Branch of the China Society of Political Economy will convene its annual meeting on a regular basis, striving to build it into a significant academic community platform for advancing research on rural revitalization in the New Era.
(Contributed by Yue Xiaofeng, Wang Jiaqi, and Peng Haihong of the School of Marxism, University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)