National Forum of Deans of Marxism Special Seminar on "The Centennial Glory of the Communist Party of China and Chinese Modernization" Held

On December 12, 2021, the National Forum of Deans of Marxist Academies Special Seminar was held in Beijing and Fuzhou. The theme of the forum was "The CCP's Century of Glory and Chinese Modernization." This forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Fujian Normal University, and organized by the School of Marxism of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the School of Marxism of Fujian Normal University. It was co-organized by the journals Marxism Studies (Makesizhuyi yanjiu), World Socialism Studies (Shijie shehuizhuyi yanjiu), and Theory and Criticism (Lilun yu pinglun). The meeting was conducted through a combination of online and offline formats. Attendees at the opening ceremony included Jiang Hui, Vice President and Member of the Academy Party Group of CASS, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies; Liu Weize, Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee; Lin Weifen, Party Group Secretary and Vice Chairperson of the Fujian Provincial Federation of Social Sciences; Professor Pan Yuteng, Party Committee Secretary of Fujian Normal University; and Liu Xiaoxin, Vice President of the Fujian Academy of Social Sciences. Jiang Hui, Pan Yuteng, and Liu Weize delivered speeches respectively. The opening ceremony was chaired by Xin Xiangyang, Party Committee Secretary and Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies of CASS and Dean of the School of Marxism of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Speech by Jiang Hui In his speech, Jiang Hui pointed out that the National Forum of Deans of Marxist Academies Special Seminar is an important academic activity organized by CASS in cooperation with the higher education front. Its purpose is to deeply study, comprehend, research, and interpret the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee ^[1], to conduct in-depth discussions on the major theoretical and practical issues proposed in the Resolution ^[2] of the Plenum, and to contribute wisdom and active effort toward promoting the Party’s theoretical innovation and the continued development of contemporary Chinese Marxism and twenty-first-century Marxism. Jiang Hui noted that this forum focuses on two major topics: "The Chinese Communist Party’s Century of Glory" and "Chinese Modernization." These themes possess profound significance and a high vantage point, and will surely assist us in using the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee as a guide to summarize experience from a century of historical glory, draw strength and wisdom, consolidate ideological consensus, and promote theoretical innovation. Jiang Hui requested that experts and scholars: first, deeply study the major achievements and historical experience of our Party’s century of struggle ^[3], drawing historical wisdom to enhance historical confidence and fill ourselves with the power to move forward; second, deeply study the significant meaning of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in achieving a new historical leap in the Sinicization of Marxism, its important status in the history of the development of Marxism, and its original contributions to the development of 21st-century Marxism; third, deeply study the great significance of the CPC’s creation of the path of Chinese-path modernization and the creation of a new form of human civilization, as well as its massive contributions to the history of the development of human society and the history of the progress of human civilization.

Speech by Pan Yuteng Speech by Liu Weize Pan Yuteng pointed out in his speech that this seminar fully demonstrates the political consciousness of the national Marxist theoretical community in promoting the deep and substantive study and implementation of the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the academic consciousness of assisting in the construction of a great modern socialist country, and the active consciousness of fulfilling the mission of "casting the soul and educating people" ^[4] and "providing governance advice and educating people." Liu Weize noted in his speech that Fujian is an important place where Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was nurtured and practiced. He expressed hope that experts and scholars would assist Fujian in properly researching, interpreting, and propagating this contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism.

Xin Xiangyang Presides Following the opening ceremony, keynote reports were delivered by four scholars: Xin Xiangyang; Professor Sun Bangzhu, Party Committee Secretary of the School of Marxism at Peking University; Professor Xiao Guiqing, Executive Vice Dean of the Institute for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Tsinghua University; and Professor Tao Wenzhao, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Renmin University of China. Keynote speeches were then delivered by fourteen heads of national key Marxist academies, including Professors Liu Tongfang, Luo Yongkuan, Wang Shuqin, Liu Fengyi, Yan Lianfu, Li Ran, Liu Lvhong, Zhang Shihai, Hong Xiaonan, Pang Lisheng, Hu Daping, Cai Wencheng, Lin Jinping, and Wu Hongzheng.

The keynote report session was chaired by Professor Li Jianping, former President of Fujian Normal University and Director of the National Research Center for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics (Fujian Normal University). Experts conducted in-depth discussions on what constitutes the power source for the CPC’s theoretical innovation, the dialectical relationship between the new development paradigm ^[5] and Chinese-path modernization, the correct path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and how to write a perfect answer to the major questions of the New Era. Li Jianping provided commentary on the experts' reports. The thematic speech sessions were chaired and commented upon by Professor Lin Jianhua, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS and Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Zheng Chuanfang, Director of the Fujian Provincial Teaching Steering Committee for Ideological and Political Theory Courses; and Professor Zhang Youkui, Executive Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Xiamen University. Using the research and interpretation of the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee as the main thread, the experts expressed their views on important issues such as the new leap in the Sinicization of Marxism, the century-long history of the CPC, Party building, and the path of Chinese-path modernization. The closing ceremony was chaired by Zhang Aimin, Party Committee Secretary of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University. Gong Yun, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, and Professor Fu Huifang, Executive Dean of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University, delivered closing remarks on behalf of the host organizations.

Group Photo of Participating Scholars in Beijing Group Photo of Participating Scholars in Fuzhou

The participating experts unanimously agreed that, at a time when the whole Party and the people of the whole country are deeply studying and implementing the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the convening of the "CCP's Century of Glory and Chinese Modernization" National forum was timely and profoundly significant. The exchanges and discussions at this forum were in-depth and enthusiastic, deepening the understanding and grasp of the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session, deepening the research and interpretation of the significance of the CPC's creation of the path of Chinese-path modernization and a new form of human civilization, and deepening the contact and exchange among Marxist academies nationwide. This plays a positive role in the prosperity and development of contemporary Marxist theoretical research and the construction of a community of national Marxist academies.

It is reported that this seminar was attended by more than 200 experts and scholars from nearly 100 universities and research institutes across the country, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, CASS, Renmin University of China, Wuhan University, and Nankai University, as well as representatives from important academic journals such as Marxism Studies, World Socialism Studies, Southeast Academic (Dongnan xueshu), Fujian Tribune (Fujian luntan), and the Journal of Fujian Normal University.