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The 2024 Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Association for Historical Materialism Successfully Held in Beijing

Academic Society

From December 27 to 28, 2024, the "2024 Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism" was held at Peking University. The conference was hosted by the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism, the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Peking University; it was organized by the School of Marxism at Peking University and the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with the editorial department of Marxism Studies (Makesizhuyi Yanjiu) serving as co-organizer. The theme of this annual conference was "Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Chinese-path Modernization."

Attendees of the opening ceremony included Hou Huiqin, President of the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism and Director of the CASS Research Center for National Cultural Security and Ideology; Xin Xiangyang, Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies; Jin Minqing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Chinese Academy of History (CASS); Jiang Yingchun, Professor of the Department of Philosophy at Nanjing University; Wu Fulai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Renmin University of China; Yuan Yinchuan, Professor of the School of Marxism at Wuhan University; Feng Yanli, Dean of the School of Marxism at Chongqing University; Yang Haifeng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Peking University; Sun Xiguo, Executive Vice President of the Peking University Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; Yang Shengping, President of Capital Normal University Press; Yan Xiaofeng, Dean of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University; and Li Jianguo, Director of the Theoretical Research Department of the CASS Institute of Chinese-path Modernization. Nearly one hundred experts and scholars from units such as the Central Party School of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), CASS, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China attended the meeting. The opening ceremony was presided over by Yang Haifeng.

Xin Xiangyang stated in his opening remarks that the development of the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism has benefited from the academic leadership of President Hou Huiqin, the intellectual contributions and steadfast support of various experts, and, moreover, the requirements of the development of the times. In its essence, the contemporary era remains an era of transition from capitalist society to socialist society; it is still the era identified by Marxism, and the basic principles of historical materialism require further in-depth research. Facing the questions of the times, it is necessary on the one hand to summarize answers from practice, and on the other to deepen research into foundational theory in a philosophical sense. Only then can the task of researching and interpreting the Party’s innovative theories in a systematic and academic manner [1] be successfully completed.

Hou Huiqin noted in his remarks that the achievements of the Association stem from three factors: first, consistently maintaining the correct political direction and centering on the core tasks of the Party and the state; second, consistently "using scholarship to talk politics," persisting in the systematic and academic research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; and third, consistently upholding the unity of the "Two Serves" direction and the "Double Hundred" policy [2], persisting in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, while remaining open and inclusive.

Following the opening ceremony, Hou Huiqin delivered a keynote report titled "The Essence of the Worldview and Methodology of Chinese-path Modernization." He noted that the "system concept" (xitong guannian) is a prominent feature of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and can serve as an entry point for summarizing Xi’s important philosophical thought. The system concept is one of the essences and cores of materialist dialectics, representing a complete grasp of its spirit; it constitutes the foundational thinking of materialist dialectics. It possesses prominent value in the New Era—characterized by peace and development—aligning with the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, providing a systematic method for understanding new quality productive forces, and responding to the question of the times: "Whither shall we go?"

Sixteen experts and scholars, including Xin Xiangyang, Jin Minqing, Yan Xiaofeng, and others, delivered thematic reports. This year marks a transition year for the Association's leadership. According to the Constitution of the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism, the Ninth Council of the Association was elected by secret ballot at the General Assembly of Member Representatives. Xin Xiangyang was elected as the new President of the Chinese Association of Historical Materialism.