The 15th World Socialism Forum was held in Beijing on Nov. 3–4 under the theme “At the Crossroads of World History: The Choice of All Nations.” Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), attended and addressed the opening ceremony, which was chaired by Jin Minqing, director of the Institute of Contemporary China Studies at CASS.

In his remarks, Gao noted that while profound global changes unseen in a century have presented humanity with both unprecedented opportunities and challenges, new horizons for the development of world socialism in the 21st century are beginning to unfold. At this historic juncture—marked by accelerating transformation in global governance and increasingly complex challenges, President Xi Jinping has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and Global Governance Initiative (GGI), contributing Chinese insight and strength to addressing current global governance challenges and charting a shared path for humanity’s future.

Gao further emphasized that, in meeting these epochal transformations and challenges, the world socialist movement continues to serve as a vital positive force for global peace and stability, common development, and human progress. As a leading force in this movement, China has effectively dispelled the “end of history” illusion through the practice and exploration of Chinese modernization. Socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, he said, is becoming a banner of scientific socialism in the 21st century.

Quoting President Xi’s statement that “standing on the people’s side represents the fundamental political stance of the CPC, and it is what distinguishes a Marxist political party from other political parties,” Chen Zhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, called on Marxist political parties worldwide to uphold a people-centered stance and demonstrate their sense of mission with a practice-oriented approach, and to promote self-reform and expand international influence with tenacious efforts.

Alberto Moreno Rojas, president of the Peruvian Communist Party (Red Fatherland), remarked that Western hegemony is waning while the Global South is rising, creating favorable conditions for people of all nations to pursue independence, development, and social progress and bring new opportunities for the cause of world socialism. The CPC’s success in defending and developing socialism, together with China’s achievements in the new era, he said, demonstrates socialism’s vitality and enduring conviction to the world.

Li Yi, vice president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), said that the new form of human advancement created through Chinese modernization represents the inevitable outcome of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, embodying the essence of scientific socialism and serving as a guiding beacon at the crossroads of world history.

José Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain and vice president of the Party of the European Left, highlighted the GGI as another major international public good provided by China. It seeks neither hegemony nor privilege, he stressed, but aims to advance a more just and equitable global governance system—both a response to history and a call to the future.

Reforming and improving the global governance system has become a critical task for today’s world, asserted Huang Yibing, vice president of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee. President Xi’s solemn proposal of the GGI stands as the most robust response to the challenges facing global governance and the best commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

Maurizio Acerbo, general secretary of the Communist Refoundation Party–European Left, stated that China has been a crucial force in shaping the postwar world peace, demonstrating the moral responsibility of a major country. Chinese modernization has presented an alternative vision of development, offering an example of resisting neoliberal hegemony and providing a Chinese approach for humanity’s exploration of better social systems.

In the view of Zhang Donggang, secretary of the CPC Central Committee at Renmin University of China, socialist modernization reflects the evolutionary trajectory of human society and is reshaping the global modernization landscape. Under CPC leadership, the Chinese people have continuously advanced socialist modernization through strategic resolve, theoretical innovation, and a people-centered development philosophy while focusing on comprehensive social progress and scientific planning.

Jorge Kreyness, general secretary of the Communist Party of Argentina, noted that the BRICS cooperation mechanism, with China at its core, advocates and practices win-win international relations, serving as a key anchor in global affairs. Argentina stands at a historical turning point that will determine its future, and joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism is a critical step toward achieving greater autonomy.

In his important speech at the meeting commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, President Xi articulated: “The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization. We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with all peoples around the world in building a community with a shared future for humanity.” Li Shenming, former vice president of CASS and director of the World Socialism Research Center at CASS, remarked that this important exposition upholds and develops the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels regarding the “real community” and “association of free individuals.”

The forum brought together over 90 participants—including leaders of communist parties from more than 30 countries, Marxist researchers, social activists, and diplomats based in China—alongside Chinese experts and scholars. Attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on issues such as Chinese modernization and a new form of human advancement, the rise of Global South countries and transformation of the global governance system, rejecting unilateral power politics and upholding international equity and justice, new features and trends of world socialism amid profound global changes, and safeguarding the outcomes of the World Anti-Fascist War and the postwar international order.

The forum was organized by CASS and co-hosted by the World Socialism Research Center, the Academy of Marxism, and the Institute of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, all under CASS.