Gao Xiang Meets with the Newly Elected Leadership and Executive Directors of the Association for National History of the People's Republic of China
China Social Sciences Net News (Reporter Gao Ying): On June 15, Gao Xiang, President and Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group [1] of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), met in Beijing with the heads of the new Board of Directors and the Executive Directors of the Association for the National History of the People’s Republic of China. Vice President and member of the Leading Party Members’ Group Zhao Rui presided over the meeting.
Gao Xiang stated that the Association for National History serves as a bridge and bond for uniting and mobilizing experts and scholars in the field of New China [2] history research, and constitutes an important force for promoting the research, dissemination, and education of the history of New China. Since the 18th National Congress [3] of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered important speeches on the history of New China on many important occasions and has issued a series of important instructions and comments regarding its study. On December 8, 2022, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Association for National History, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter. This fully reflects the high importance he attaches to and his cordial care for the research, dissemination, and education of the history of New China, as well as his earnest expectations and heavy trust in the vast number of national history researchers. It has pointed out the direction and provided the fundamental guidance [4] for the development of the cause of New China history research in the New Era. We must keep General Secretary Xi Jinping’s entrustment firmly in mind, persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our banner and soul, and integrate the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter and his important discourses on the history of New China throughout the entire process of research, dissemination, and education. We must advance the high-quality development of New China history research with a stronger sense of mission and responsibility.
Gao Xiang emphasized that this change of leadership has opened a new chapter in the development of the Association for National History. The new Board of Directors must take the systematic and in-depth study, implementation, research, and interpretation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on the history of New China as its primary task. It must deeply reflect upon and grasp the historical materialism, the people-centered stance [5], and the practical concerns contained therein, achieving new results in strengthening systematic and theoretical research and interpretation. We must carry forward and inherit the fine traditions of Chinese historiography, uphold a sense of devotion to the family and the country [6], and make good use of the "Two Combinations" [7]—this greatest "magic weapon." We must take the historical achievements made since the beginning of Reform and Opening-up, and especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, as the focus of our research, truly recording and vividly displaying the great miracles and achievements created in promoting Chinese-path modernization in the New Era. We must continuously promote innovation in theory and methodology, strengthen social investigation, and promptly record, analyze, and study the great practices of the New Era. We must manifest the function of New China history research to "examine history to understand the present" [8] and "provide administrative consultation and educate the people," thereby better serving the overall work of the Party and the state.
We must strengthen the Party’s comprehensive leadership over the Association’s work, meticulously implement the requirements of the central and CASS Leading Party Members’ Group inspections and rectifications, and integrate strict discipline and rules throughout the entire rectification process. We must further improve the Association's management and supervision systems to create a clean, upright, united, and positive political ecosystem. Functional departments of the Academy must increase their support for the Association’s work, supporting it in focusing on its main responsibilities and core business. We must further unite and mobilize the nation’s forces in national history research, conduct interdisciplinary and inter-unit collaborative research on major theoretical and practical issues, and continuously produce high-quality research results. We must consistently project the "correct voice" of national history and strive to build a strong fortress and a "theoretical and academic iron army" [9] for New China history research in the New Era that the Party and the people can trust, rely on, and utilize.
The heads of the new Board of Directors and representatives of the Executive Directors spoke at the meeting. Responsible comrades from CASS functional departments and members of the leadership team of the Institute of Contemporary China (CASS) attended the meeting.