On the afternoon of March 19, the 2016 First Quarter Forum of Shanghai Marxism Research and the 2015 Annual Conference of Shanghai Marxism Research Institute, co-sponsored by Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, and Shanghai Marxism Research Association, with the theme as Marxist Sinicization and the New Concept of Development, was held at Shanghai Party Institute of CCP. YAN Shuang, Deputy Director-General of the Publicity Department of Shanghai Municipal CPC Committee & Secretary of Party Leadership Group of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations and WANG Guoping, Deputy Principal of Shanghai Party Institute and President of Shanghai Marxism Research Association, were presented at the forum and gave an academic speech. GUO Qingsong, Deputy Principal of Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, presided over the opening ceremony of the forum.

    Mr. YAN Shuang pointed out that the experts and scholars of Marxism theories in Shanghai should enhance the efforts to learn and spread the important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping, enrich and advance theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, blend new concepts and new ideas on how CPC Centre governs the state under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping into the construction of new theories, strengthen the integrate study of Marxist theories, overcome the shortcomings of fragmentated and disciplinary study, cultivate new research talents to boost the research on Marxist theories into a new phase, foster Chinese Marxist academic masters, and have our voice heard in the world’s Marxist theory research.

    Mr. WANG Guoping addressed that the “Five Concepts on Development” demonstrated the laws on how China’s economic society developed in-depth, reflected the pioneering position over the new normal of economic development, highlighted the realistic pertinence on how we should cope with new conflicts and challenges in development, and collectively manifested the urgency to enhance every weak aspect of overall construction of a moderately prosperous society. Our theory researchers have been required to dig deep into the connotation, value, structure and features of “Five Concepts on Development”. They have to shoulder more responsibilities and obligations to figure out the relationship between “Five Concepts on Development” and Marxist theories, social practices, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Only with a thorough theoretical understanding and explanation of these issues can the value and level of research be really embodied.  

    Focusing on the theme, the forum held symposiums on “research on theoretical innovation” and “research on pioneering practices”.

    At the symposium of “Research on Theoretical Innovation”, Professor HU Wei, Executive Dean of Marxism Research Department of Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, Distinguished Professor CHEN Xueming from the School of Philosophy at Fudan University, Professor SUN Li from Shanghai Branch of PLA Nanjing Political College, Professor SHAO Longbao from College of Marxism at Tongji University, Distinguished Research Fellow HUANG Lizhi from Marxism Research Department of Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, and Professor HE Yunfeng, President of Institute of Knowledge & Value Sciences, Shanghai Normal University respectively discussed their views on the topics of “A View on New Development Concepts from Great Strategies of Governance of China”, “New Concepts on Development and New Civilization of Human Beings”, “Evolution of Socialism Development Concepts and China’s Contribution”, “Marxist Sinicization and New Progress of Confucianism”, “Advance Overall Innovation through Cultural Innovation” and “Caution against Inclination to Social Darwinism in Development and Governance”. The symposium was chaired by Researcher XU Juezai from Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and Distinguished Professor CHEN Xixi from Shanghai Jiaotong University made comments on the discussions.  

Attendees of the symposium also pointed out that, since the 18th National CPC Congress, the central CPC leadership led by General Secretary Xi Jinping has had a good insight into the main trends of development, unswervingly insisted on and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, demonstrated bold practices and excellent innovations, deepened the understanding of laws on the CPC governance, construction of socialism and development human society to form a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies on state governance and provide theoretical guidance and practical instructions to deepen the reform and opening up in new historical context and to accelerate the modernization of socialism.

At the symposium of “Research on Pioneering Practices”, Professor ZHANG Huiming, President of Fudan University Enterprise Institute, Professor WANG Gonglong, Director of Academic Affairs Office of Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, Professor WANG Fengcai from the School of Philosophy at Fudan University, Professor DU Yuhua from College of Marxism at East China Normal University, Professor LI Zhancai from College of Marxism at Tongji University, and Professor TANG Zhilong from Shanghai Branch of PLA Nanjing Political College respectively gave their views on topics of “Developing Marxist Political Economics in Modern China”, “New Outcomes of Chinese Marxism Development in the 21st Century”, “A Thought of Issues on ‘Marxist Sinicization’”, “From ‘Political-Social Cooperation’ to ‘Inter-embedded Mutual Governance’: An Enlightenment from Practices of Sharing Development Outlook in Wuxi Community”, “Sharing Underlying Thoughts and Practical Orientation on Development”, and “Innovating in Three Dimensions of Development”. The symposium was chaired by Professor MEI Lihong, Dean of Shanghai Party Institute of CCP, and Reseachert FANG Songhua, Chief of Chinese Marxism Research Institute of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences gave comments during the discussions. 

    Attendees of the symposium viewed that the innovative development was the key driving factor to realize strategic adjustment of the economic structure during the “13th Five-Year Plan” period, as well as the fundamental support and key driver to achieve overall development under the overall layout of “Five-into-one Constructions”. They also viewed that harmonized development was an important guarantee of the “comprehensiveness” in comprehensively constructing a moderately prosperous society, and the powerful support to enhance the overall efficiency of development and advance overall progress of undertakings. Green development was a historical choice to realize a civilized development path that offered advanced production, prosperous life, and sound ecology, and an inevitable course leading to the harmony of both mankind and nature. Open development was based on historical conclusions drawn by China from the success of its reform and opening up, and also constituted inevitable demands to expand room for economic growth and improve the level of open economic development. Sharing development was required by the nature of socialism, the collective demonstration of socialism’s superiority, and also an inevitable choice made by CPC to insist on the fundamental tenet of serving the people whole-heartedly. ZHOU Jingqing, Director of Academic Research Office at Shanghai Party Institute of CCP made closing remarks on the forum.

    Along with this forum, the 2015 Annual Conference of Shanghai Marxism Research Association was also held. Mr. WANG Guoping delivered the “Working Report of Shanghai Marxism Research Association in 2015”, and WANG Weisong, Chief Editor of Shanghai People’s Publishing House and Vice President of Shanghai Marxism Research Association introduced the new book, Hard Work Will Pay Off (《长风破浪会有时》in Chinese) during the annual conference. Professor TONG Shijun, CPC Committee Secretary at East China Normal University and Deputy President of Shanghai Marxism Research Association, chaired the annual conference.

    There were around 130 theory researchers from a dozen of universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University, East China Normal University, and Shanghai Normal University, social sciences institutes and the Party institutes in Shanghai attended this forum, interacted and communicated with each other.