High-speed rail is a key symbol of Chinese modernization. Photo: TUCHONG

On June 18, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) held a symposium on Chinese modernization theories and inaugurated a new research institute named the “National Academy of Chinese Modernization,” in order to explore and implement General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping’s important discourses on Chinese modernization in more depth and further promote the innovation of related theories.

Gao Xiang, president of CASS and secretary of the leading Party members’ group at CASS, attended the opening ceremony and delivered the keynote speech. Hong Dayong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and director of the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences, and Liu Zheng, vice minister of the Social Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the opening ceremony. Zhang Yalin, deputy director general of the State Commission Office of Public Sectors Reform, was present at the opening ceremony. Gong Weibin, vice president of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), Tang Chengpei, vice minister of civil affairs and a member of the Party branch at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Zhang Donggang, Party secretary of Renmin University of China, and Xu Yongsheng, deputy director general of the National Government Office Administration and a member of the administration’s Party branch, also attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Hang Yuanxiang, head of the Discipline Inspection Group dispatched to CASS by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission and a member of the leading Party members’ group at CASS, along with Wang Changlin, vice president of CASS and a member of the leading Party members’ group at CASS, and Zhao Zhimin, secretary general of CASS and a member of the leading Party members’ group at CASS, were also present. Zhao Rui, vice president of CASS and a member of the leading Party members’ group at CASS, chaired the opening ceremony.

In his keynote speech, Gao Xiang emphasized that modernization represents a pivotal trend in the evolution of human civilization and has been a long-cherished aspiration of the Chinese nation, noting that this grand vision has been at the heart of Chinese communists for generations. At the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, demonstrating his visionary leadership and acumen as a Marxist statesman, thinker, and strategist, detailed an expansive blueprint for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in all respects through a Chinese path to modernization. He elaborated on the scientific connotations, core principles, and practical requirements of Chinese modernization, building a profound, systematic, and sound theoretical framework. As a significant result of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional culture, Chinese modernization is deeply rooted in the nation’s rich cultural heritage. It embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism, presenting a new paradigm distinct from the Western modernization model and creating a new form of human advancement.

Gao stressed that social sciences theorists are duty-bound to research and interpret theories on Chinese modernization. Establishing the National Academy of Chinese Modernization is a significant political task and an innovative move that will enable CASS to better serve General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee. This undertaking marks a major milestone in the development history of CASS and is great news for researchers focusing on Chinese modernization.

In their speeches, attendees extended congratulations to the establishment of the National Academy of Chinese Modernization and expressed their expectations for deepening collaborative innovative research and promoting resource sharing, talent exchanges, joint platform construction, research cooperation, and outcome translation to create synergistic value for theoretical studies of Chinese modernization.

Delivering thematic keynote speeches were Li Peilin, a CASS Member and director of the Academic Division of Social, Political, and Legal Studies at CASS, Cai Fang, chief expert of the National High-End Think Tanks at CASS and a CASS Member, Xin Xiangyang, a research fellow and director of the Academy of Marxism at CASS, Zhang Jing, a senior professor and director of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Peking University, and Wu Zhongmin, a senior professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, who spoke about “advancing Chinese modernization through high-quality development,” “accelerating the cultivation of new demographic dividends,” “Chinese answers to questions facing the modernization of humanity,” “characteristics of a new type of modern countries,” and “a few notable issues in studies of Chinese modernization,” respectively.

Panel discussions at the symposium saw participating experts and scholars focusing on five themes: “research on the theoretical system of Chinese modernization,” “Chinese modernization and the human community with a shared future,” “further deepening reform comprehensively and Chinese modernization,” “Chinese modernization and modern Chinese civilization,” and “Chinese modernization and social development.”

They concurred that Chinese modernization represents an epoch-making theoretical innovation that will guide the building of a human community with a shared future. Advancing Chinese modernization requires comprehensively deepening reform, underpinned by the development of a strong socialist culture, and guaranteed by the modernization of social governance capacity. To expedite the construction of a Chinese modernization theoretical system, efforts are needed to leverage the role of Chinese modernization in guiding research in philosophy and social sciences to build a research innovation mechanism featuring a wealth of talent, complementary strengths, and efficient collaboration.

The National Academy of Chinese Modernization is primarily responsible for theoretical and practical studies on Chinese modernization. Focusing on major theoretical and practical issues, the academy will research and interpret General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on Chinese modernization, conduct robust studies on its historical evolution, path comparison, and practical experience, as well as develop countermeasures and other proposals. Meanwhile, domestic and international academic exchanges will be organized to publicize the academy’s practical achievements and theoretical outcomes on the subject of Chinese modernization.