Shi Taifeng: Deeply Study and Implement the Spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "May 17" Important Speech and Accelerate the Construction of Philosophy and Social Sciences with Chinese Characteristics, Chinese Style, and Chinese Manner

On May 17, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium on the work of philosophy and social sciences and delivered an important speech (hereinafter referred to as the "May 17" important speech). From the strategic height of the overall development of the Party and state undertakings, the "May 17" important speech profoundly elucidated the status and role of philosophy and social sciences, profoundly discussed the great significance of upholding the guiding role of Marxism, and profoundly answered a series of fundamental questions regarding the accelerated construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. It is a programmatic document of Marxism, pointing out the forward direction and providing the fundamental follows ^[1] for accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese appeal ^[2].

Over the past six years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has consistently remained concerned with the development of philosophy and social sciences, delivering a series of important speeches and making a series of important instructions on accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. On April 25 of this year, during an inspection of Renmin University of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics ultimately comes down to constructing China’s independent knowledge system. We must take China as our vantage point and the times as our vantage point, base ourselves on Chinese reality, solve Chinese problems, and continuously promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. We must continuously advance innovation in knowledge, theory, and method, so that philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics can truly stand among the world's academic forests. We must demonstrate real ability and achieve high-quality results in researching and solving major issues that concern the overall, fundamental, and key interests of the Party and the state. We must leverage the unique role of philosophy and social sciences in bridging Chinese and foreign cultures and enhancing civilization exchanges, broadcasting Chinese voices, Chinese theories, and Chinese thoughts, so that the world can better understand China. This is the latest requirement put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping for the development of philosophy and social sciences; we must profoundly study and grasp its spiritual essence and effectively transform the learning results into a powerful impetus for accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

Over the past six years, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to the implementation and realization of the spirit of the "May 17" important speech, making a series of major policy decisions and deployments centered on the development of philosophy and social sciences. In March 2017, the Party Central Committee issued the "Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of Philosophy and Social Sciences with Chinese Characteristics," making comprehensive arrangements for accelerating the development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. In January 2018, the Party Central Committee decided to establish the National Leading Group for Philosophy and Social Sciences Work. The reports of both the 19th Party Congress and the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee explicitly proposed the strategic task of accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. In February of this year, the Party Central Committee issued the "National Development Plan for Philosophy and Social Sciences during the '14th Five-Year Plan' Period"; this is the first national-level development plan for philosophy and social sciences and is a programmatic document guiding the development of our country's philosophy and social sciences during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

Over the past six years, under the cordial care of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, our Academy ^[3] has continued to study and implement the spirit of the "May 17" important speech, accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. On May 17, 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). On January 2, 2019, and April 9, 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping respectively sent congratulatory letters for the establishment of the Chinese Academy of History and the China-Africa Institute. On October 17, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Yangshao Culture and the birth of modern Chinese archaeology. Under the guidance of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "May 17" important speech and his congratulatory letters to our Academy, the Academy’s Party Group has united and led all comrades of the Academy to persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, developing alongside the times and advancing together with the people. We have striven to build a position for Marxist theory, actively played the role of a think tank serving the decision-making of the Party and the state, and accelerated the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. We have deeply implemented the Philosophy and Social Sciences Innovation Project. Various undertakings centered on scientific research in our Academy have achieved new successes and reached new heights.

Accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics is a major strategic task proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his "May 17" important speech and his congratulatory letter for the 40th anniversary of the founding of CASS. As the "national team" for philosophy and social science research, our Academy must more consciously shoulder this lofty mission and sacred responsibility. We must persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, continue to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "May 17" important speech and his congratulatory letters to our Academy, profoundly grasp the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, strengthen the Four Consciousnesses, firm up the Four Confidences, and achieve the Two Upholds. We must fully implement the "National Development Plan for Philosophy and Social Sciences during the '14th Five-Year Plan' Period," accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, provide solid theoretical support for national development and national rejuvenation, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to world development and the progress of civilization.

First, we must persist in taking Marxism as guidance and achieve greater progress in studying, researching, and explaining Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that persisting in taking Marxism as guidance is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from other philosophy and social sciences. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. In the New Era, for philosophy and social sciences to persist in taking Marxism as guidance means, fundamentally, to persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance. We must first work hard on "learning, understanding, and practicing" ^[4], profoundly grasping the essence of this important thought, systematically mastering the Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, and ensuring we truly study, truly understand, truly believe, and truly apply it. We must promote the Party’s innovative theories to "enter the brain and enter the heart" ^[5], ensuring that philosophy and social sciences always advance in the correct direction. As a position for Marxist theory, our Academy must further leverage its advantages—namely, a complete disciplinary system for Marxist research, a solid research foundation, and an outstanding overall level. We must apply ourselves to the research and explanation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, focusing on conducting holistic, systematic, and theoretical research and explanation of this important thought, making new and greater contributions to promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

Second, we must keep the "greatest concerns of the nation" ^[6] in mind and play a greater role in serving the overall work of the Party and the state. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that contemporary China is undergoing the most grand and unique practical innovation in human history. The weight of the tasks of reform, development, and stability, the number of contradictions, risks, and challenges, and the magnitude of the tests of national governance are all unprecedented. The profound changes of the world's unseen changes in a century are unprecedented, raising a large number of theoretical and practical subjects in urgent need of answers. As a "think tank serving the decision-making of the Party Central Committee and the state," our Academy must fully leverage its advantages of strong comprehensive research strength and concentrated high-end academic resources, strengthen comprehensive research and collaborative innovation, and continuously produce high-level research results in researching and solving major issues concerning the overall, fundamental, and key interests of the Party and the state. We must closely integrate the development of philosophy and social sciences with the resolution of major theoretical and practical problems in the process of the development of the Party and state undertakings. We must persist in a problem-oriented approach, base ourselves on Chinese reality, solve Chinese problems, provide theoretical and academic support for effectively preventing and defusing various major risks, and provide intellectual support for planning national development strategies.

Third, we must focus on enhancing original capacity and take the lead in achieving breakthroughs in constructing China’s independent knowledge system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that whether our philosophy and social sciences have Chinese characteristics depends, in the final analysis, on whether they possess subjectivity and originality. Original capacity is the core competitiveness of philosophy and social sciences and is the key point and focal point for accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. As the "highest academic institution for Chinese philosophy and social science research," our Academy must fully leverage its advantages of complete disciplinary categories and the gathering of high-end talents. We must accurately grasp the timeliness and regularities ^[7] of the development of philosophy and social sciences, persist in forward-looking layouts and proactive actions, and conduct prospective research and strategic reserves on major issues concerning world development, China's future, and national rejuvenation, leading the construction and development direction of academic thought, academic theory, academic systems, and academic standards. We must aim at the goal of "sound and solid basic disciplines, prominent advantages in key disciplines, innovative development of emerging and interdisciplinary disciplines, the transmission of 'cold' ^[8] disciplines across generations, the mutual complementation of basic and applied research, and the mutual promotion of academic research and the application of results." Based on the needs of national economic and social development, we must optimize the disciplinary layout and talent structure to adapt to the realization of high-quality development. We must build a group of advantageous disciplines that reflect the trends of the times, support the disciplinary system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, lead the trend of disciplinary development, and possess deep foundations, thereby accumulating potential energy for enhancing original capacity. We must strengthen original innovation, persist in independent knowledge production and theoretical creation, and persist in the localized and characteristic development of philosophy and social sciences. We must focus on integrating Marxist research resources, fine traditional Chinese culture resources, and foreign philosophy and social science resources, continuously promoting knowledge innovation, theoretical innovation, and method innovation. We must persist in a quality-oriented approach and high-quality development, striving to produce landmark innovative results that reflect the height of the times and represent the highest level of our country's philosophy and social sciences, providing more solid theoretical support for the inheritance, innovation, and development of Chinese scholarship.

Fourth, we must focus on answering the "questions of the times" and achieve greater progress in enhancing the guiding power of Chinese academic thought and the international right to speak ^[9]. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the world's unseen changes in a century are accelerating, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation; there is an urgent need to properly answer the questions of the times: "What is wrong with the world?" and "Where is humanity headed?" As a "national comprehensive research center for philosophy and social sciences," our Academy must, from a holistic and overall perspective, properly summarize the experience of the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, tell the stories of this great practice well, and promote the development of this great practice. We must let more and more people around the world recognize the correctness of the Chinese path, the scientific nature of Chinese theory, and the superiority of the Chinese system, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the resolution of world problems. We must leverage the unique role of philosophy and social sciences in bridging Chinese and foreign cultures and enhancing civilization exchanges, actively broadcasting Chinese voices, Chinese theories, and Chinese thoughts. We must promote the formation of an international right to speak that is commensurate with our country's comprehensive national strength and international status, providing strong support for grasping the direction and winning advantages amidst changes.

Fifth, we must persist in the concept of "doing scholarship for the people" and make greater contributions to establishing scholarship and theories for the Party and the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the question of "for whom" is the fundamental and principled question of philosophy and social science research. Only by persisting in the concept of doing scholarship for the people and obtaining rich nourishment and sources of strength from the practice of the masses can we truly create research results that can withstand the test of practice, the people, and history. For our country’s philosophy and social sciences to achieve anything, they must persist in a people-centered research orientation, persist in the viewpoint that the people are the creators of history, take the satisfaction of the people’s longing for a better life as the goal, and take responding to and solving the hot and difficult issues that the people care about as the mission. We must go deep among the masses, explain the Party's theories, lines, principles, and policies clearly and profoundly, summarize, refine, and sublimate the experience created by the people, and resolve doubts and elucidate principles around the people's needs. We must guide the broad masses of the people to become firm supporters of the Party’s governance, continuously consolidating the class basis and social foundation of the Party’s governance.

To deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "May 17" important speech and fulfill the requirements of the "Plan," we must persist in the Party’s overall leadership over philosophy and social sciences. We must always keep in mind that while our Academy is an academic institution, it is first and foremost a political organ. We must speak politics with a clear-cut stand ^[10], continuously improve our capacity for political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, and unswervingly maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in terms of political stance, political direction, political principles, and political path, ensuring that the cause of philosophy and social sciences always advances in the correct direction. Persisting in the Party’s overall leadership over philosophy and social sciences and continuously improving leadership capacity and levels provides the fundamental guarantee for the development of philosophy and social sciences.

The key to deeply studying and implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s "May 17" important speech lies in implementation. According to the deployment of the Party Central Committee and the Academy’s Party Group, we must grasp implementation one step at a time, continuously producing research results with true intellectual penetration, truly becoming a position for Marxist theory, truly playing the role of a think tank serving the decision-making of the Party Central Committee and the state, and becoming the highest academic institution for Chinese philosophy and social science research worthy of the name.