Qin Xuan: Adhering to the Value Guidance of the Party's Innovative Theory for Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences
The Party’s innovative theories serve as the "nutrition" for transforming one’s subjective world and the "golden key" for advancing work and resolving problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Lead innovation in the knowledge, theory, and methodology of the philosophy and social sciences with the Party’s innovative theories." The prosperous development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences in the New Era cannot be separated from the value leadership of scientific theory. As the latest achievement in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, the Party’s innovative theories provide directional guidance, ideological nourishment, methodological adherence, and practical orientation for the flourishing of Chinese philosophy and social sciences in the New Era. To accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences, we must consciously integrate the Party’s innovative theories into academic research and disciplinary construction, transforming them into the value leadership for all disciplines within the field.
An Important Method for Accelerating the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System for Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences
In his important speech at the seminar for provincial and ministerial-level leading officials on studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The primary task is to study the Party’s innovative theories, thoroughly understand the Central Committee’s major principles, policies, and decision-making deployments, and improve political capacity and strategic thinking [1]." Consciously transforming the Party’s innovative theories into the value leadership for various disciplines of Chinese philosophy and social sciences is both an intrinsic requirement for upholding and developing Marxism and an important method for constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences.
This transformation is the fundamental guarantee for Chinese philosophy and social sciences to maintain the correct political direction and value standpoint. Philosophy and social sciences possess distinct political and ideological attributes. As the fundamental guiding ideology of the Party and the state, and the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and the people of the whole country, the Party’s innovative theories consistently adhere to the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method. They persist in the principle of "people first" [2] and establish clear value coordinates for the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. By taking the Party’s innovative theories as leadership and leveraging their important role in unifying ideological understanding and forging social consensus, we can provide a value main-thread for the prosperity of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. This guides the field to always stand with the people, promote the "main theme" [3], and spread positive energy. Simultaneously, it ensures that Chinese philosophy and social sciences can clearly distinguish directions on matters of major principle, ensuring that academic research proceeds steadily and reaches far, providing ideological support for the country’s long-term peace and stability as well as economic and social development.
This is the core support for constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences and enhancing the international influence of Chinese academic discourse. The Party’s innovative theories originate from the most grand and unique practical innovations in human history currently being experienced in contemporary China. They contain a series of original and "identifiable" [4] Chinese categories and Chinese wisdom, providing precious ideological resources for constructing an independent knowledge system. Taking the Party's innovative theories as value leadership enables Chinese philosophy and social sciences to remain rooted in history, based in reality, and focused on the future, deepening research around major national strategic needs and key issues. It also leads the field to construct an independent knowledge system that can explain Chinese practice and guide Chinese development, achieving "resonance at the same frequency" [5] between theoretical research and practical development. Furthermore, it promotes Chinese academia's move toward the global stage, continuously enhancing international influence and cultural soft power.
This is the important adherence for cultivating a fine academic style and forging a high-quality workforce of philosophy and social science talents. The Party’s innovative theories emphasize integrating theory with practice, upholding academic conscience, and opposing academic impetuousness. Taking these theories as value leadership can guide our country’s philosophy and social science workers to establish a correct attitude toward scholarship, abide by ethical norms, and consciously shoulder the important mission of understanding the world, inheriting civilization, providing policy advice, and serving society. It encourages them to consciously "write their papers on the motherland" [6], creating a wholesome academic ecosystem characterized by integrity and the pursuit of truth. This will also drive the country’s scholars to closely link their personal academic pursuits with the development of the nation and the people, striving to become high-quality talents of great use to the Party and the state.
The Party’s Innovative Theories in the New Era Provide All-Around Navigation for the Prosperity of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences
As an extensive, profound, and scientific theoretical system, the Party’s innovative theories provide leadership for the prosperity of Chinese philosophy and social sciences that is all-encompassing, whole-process, cross-field, and deep-seated. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the latest achievement of the Party’s innovative theories; it is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. Since the 18th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed a series of original, systematic, and leading ideological viewpoints regarding the work of philosophy and social sciences under new circumstances, pointing out the way forward and providing the fundamental adherence for this work in the New Era.
Regarding the direction of research: Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era profoundly answers major questions of the times, such as: what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be upheld and developed in the New Era and how to uphold and develop it; what kind of great modern socialist power should be built and how to build it; and what kind of long-term governing Marxist party should be built and how to build it. This important thought provides directional leadership for the themes and subjects of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, guiding the field to focus on deepening research into major topics such as further comprehensively deepening reform, advancing Chinese-path modernization through high-quality development, and building a community with a shared future for humanity, ensuring that Chinese philosophy and social sciences truly resonate at the same frequency with national development.
Regarding research content: Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a powerful ideological weapon that has been tested by practice and is full of practical power. Since the beginning of the New Era, under the guidance of this important thought, our Party has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in the country to carry forward the cause and forge ahead, successfully advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization. In particular, the General Secretary’s important thoughts and discourses in different fields and on various specific topics have provided rich nourishment for the construction of independent knowledge systems in various disciplines. They provide scientific guidance for using Chinese logic to summarize Chinese experience, elevating that experience into Chinese theory, and promoting the construction of disciplinary, academic, and discourse systems, thereby enhancing academic originality and international discourse power.
Regarding research methodology: The "Six Musts" [7]—namely, we must maintain a people-centered stance, maintain self-confidence and self-reliance, uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, maintain a problem-oriented approach, apply systems thinking, and maintain a global vision—are the concentrated expression of the standpoint, viewpoint, and method of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The "Six Musts" fundamentally establish the value standpoint for the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences and fundamentally resolve the core question of for whom we speak and for whom we study. They provide a methodological guide for theoretical innovation. Comprehensively implementing the "Six Musts" throughout the entire process of developing Chinese philosophy and social sciences is the key to ensuring the field reflects the spirit of the times, grasps objective laws, and remains creative.
Optimizing the Practical Path for the Development of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences in the New Era
Insisting on the value leadership of the Party’s innovative theories over Chinese philosophy and social sciences is a systemic project. Only by continuing to work in coordination across theoretical arming, disciplinary construction, scientific research practice, and institutional guarantees can we ensure that the Party’s innovative theories truly become the ideological banner guiding the prosperity of Chinese philosophy and social sciences and the manual for action in constructing an independent knowledge system, allowing Chinese philosophy and social sciences to truly stand among the world’s academic forests.
We must persist in taking the study, research, promotion, and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories as the primary political task. We should promote the integration of the Party’s innovative theories into textbooks, classrooms, and minds, guiding philosophy and social science workers to comprehensively and systematically grasp the core essence, spiritual substance, rich connotations, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They should consciously apply the standpoint, viewpoint, and method contained therein to observe, analyze, and solve problems, continuously increasing their political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identification with it. This fundamentally ensures the correct direction for the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. At the same time, we must strengthen the systematized and academic research and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories, consciously integrating this important thought deeply into the construction of disciplines such as economics, political science, law, sociology, journalism, and international relations. We must transform major viewpoints and judgments into disciplinary categories, academic propositions, and research paradigms, causing theoretical leadership to transform from a political requirement into academic consciousness, and from external advocacy into internal academic support, continuously enhancing the academic depth and persuasiveness of theoretical leadership.
We must focus the research priorities of Chinese philosophy and social sciences on the urgent needs of the state, frontier fields, and the concerns of the people. Under the guidance of the Party’s innovative theories, we should encourage the country’s philosophy and social science workers to revolve around the major theoretical and practical issues in the cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation. They should consciously take the answering of the "Questions of China, the World, the People, and the Times" [8] as their academic duty, establishing major research projects and organizing joint assaults on key problems. In researching and solving major issues of a strategic, fundamental, and critical nature for the Party and the state, they should demonstrate true ability and achieve high-quality results. Simultaneously, we must persist in using the scientific methodology contained in the Party’s innovative theories to lead innovation in research paradigms, promote a fine academic style, encourage interdisciplinary and cross-field collaborative research, and promote the integration of traditional research methods with modern research tools. This will continuously improve the ability of theory to explain reality, guide practice, and lead the times, ensuring that academic achievements better serve the overall interests of the Party and the state.
We must improve systems and mechanisms and strengthen institutional guarantees. We should refine policies for research project approval, achievement evaluation, professional title assessment, and commendations and awards. We must take a clear-cut stand against erroneous trends of thought, resist academic impetuousness and utilitarian tendencies, and create a wholesome academic ecosystem that pursues truth and dares to innovate. We must adhere to the principle of the Party managing talents, guiding philosophy and social science workers to establish the ideal of "doing scholarship for the people," and cultivating a group of theoretical mainstays and academic leaders who are politically steadfast, deeply learned, and possess an excellent style of work.