The 7th Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Mao Zedong Thought Forum Focuses on "Mao Zedong Thought and the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation"

To further deepen the study of Mao Zedong Thought, more thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses" ^[1], bolster the "Four Confidences" ^[2], and achieve the "Two Upholds," the 7th Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Mao Zedong Thought Forum was held in Beijing on August 29. Hosted by the CASS Leading Group for Marxist Theory Discipline Construction and Theoretical Research and organized by the Institute of Marxism Studies, this year’s forum focused on the theme "Mao Zedong Thought and the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation." Jiang Hui, a member of the CASS Leading Party Group, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, attended and delivered a speech titled "Deepening the Study of Mao Zedong Thought to Contribute to the Realization of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation." Participating experts and scholars reached a consensus that deeply studying Mao Zedong Thought—and better adhering to, inheriting, carrying forward, and developing it in the New Era—is of great significance for the early completion of a powerful, modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, and for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Jiang Hui pointed out that it is essential to maintain the correct research orientation and to master and apply Mao Zedong Thought in its entirety and with accuracy. Guided by Marxism and adhering to historical materialism, researchers must follow the Party’s "two historical resolutions" ^[3]. They should maintain the unity of political and academic integrity, the unity of historical and realistic perspectives, and the unity of inheritance and development. Adopting scientific methods that are comprehensive, historical, and dialectical, researchers must oppose both blind deification and distorting vilification. They must prevent generalizing from isolated cases, treating tributary currents as the mainstream, mistaking phenomena for essence, or viewing accidental occurrences as inevitable. Historical nihilism ^[4] must be resolutely opposed. Through comprehensive and in-depth research, one should grasp the marrow and core tenets of Mao Zedong Thought, delve into the Marxist stance, viewpoints, and methods contained therein, and profoundly understand its epochal value and practical significance.

Jiang emphasized the need to maintain the unity of inheritance and development and to deeply recognize the profound significance of Mao Zedong Thought for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. From the integrated heights of historical, practical, and theoretical logic—and in close connection with the history of Chinese civilization, the history of socialism, modern Chinese history, the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of the Chinese Revolution, and the history of the People's Republic of China—it is necessary to study the far-reaching influence of Mao Zedong Thought on the major transformations in China's political, economic, cultural, and social fields since the 20th century. Research should profoundly reveal its guiding significance and great contributions to the historical process of the Sinicization of Marxism and to China’s revolution, construction, reform, and rejuvenation. Furthermore, researchers must integrate the history of Marxist development with the history of the Sinicization of Marxism to deeply study the relationship between Mao Zedong Thought and Marxism-Leninism, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This requires upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, ensuring a unified approach to continuous lineage and advancing with the times. By linking research with the Party's theoretical and practical innovations in the New Era, scholars should study how Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era inherits and develops Mao Zedong Thought, thereby providing profound theoretical support for understanding, internalizing, and practicing Xi's thought.

Jiang further noted that it is necessary to uphold and apply the "living soul" ^[5] of Mao Zedong Thought to better advance the great practices of the New Era. Realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires serious study of the achievements of the Sinicization of Marxism, including Mao Zedong Thought, while adhering to and applying the rich perspectives on practice, the masses, class, contradiction, and development contained within it. We must remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission, adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly, maintain the fundamental stance of being people-centered, implement the mass line, and respect the people's principal position and their pioneering spirit. By adhering to a problem-oriented approach, researchers should focus on major practical problems facing China’s reform and opening up and socialist modernization, as well as global strategic issues and the "hot topics" of concern to the masses. This will provide new concepts, ideas, and methods for problem-solving, continuously deepening our understanding of the laws of governance by a communist party, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society. This will continue to promote the Sinicization of Marxism, ensuring the Party is well-built and the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era continues to move forward.

During the keynote speech session, Li Shenming, former Deputy Secretary of the CASS Leading Party Group, former Vice President of CASS, and Director of the World Socialism Research Center, summarized Chairman Mao’s thoughts on war and peace across seventeen aspects. These included: the origins, roots, types, and eventual disappearance of war; the essence and nature of war and our attitude and stance toward it; maintaining vigilance and preparing for war; loving peace while not fearing war; striving to strengthen national defense construction; conventional versus nuclear war; world war; the ambition of U.S. imperialism for global hegemony; the dual nature of imperialism; utilizing various world contradictions; adhering to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence ^[6]; supporting the people of all countries in opposing imperialist wars; forming the broadest united front; the ability of weak and small nations to defeat strong and large ones; the unity of the Third World; "talking while fighting" (negotiation and combat); and preparing for war to deter war. He pointed out that these thoughts have practical significance for clearly recognizing the international situation, handling China-U.S. relations, and better responding to external risks and challenges.

[The text continues with a list of speakers and titles which repeat the themes of the "living soul," the dialectics of time and space during the Resistance War against Japanese Aggression, the relationship between Mao's thought and the subsequent theoretical developments of the CPC, and the specific application of Mao's thought to epidemic prevention and poverty alleviation.]

The Mao Zedong Thought Forum is a high-end national academic forum hosted by the CASS Leading Group for Marxist Theory Discipline Construction and Theoretical Research and organized by the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies. It is an authoritative forum in the fields of Mao Zedong Thought research and Mao Zedong’s biography, aimed at strengthening exchanges among scholars nationwide and advancing the in-depth study of Mao Zedong Thought. Founded in 2014, the forum is held annually; this year marks its seventh session. This session received more than 200 papers. Over 90 experts and scholars from more than 50 units—including CASS, the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), the Academy of Military Sciences, the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall Administration, the Comrade Mao Zedong Memorial Museum in Shaoshan, the Mao Zedong Library in Shaoshan, the National Museum of China, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, the National Defence University, Northeast Normal University, and the Hubei Provincial Federation of Social Sciences—participated in the forum along with editors and journalists from over ten media outlets.