On July 20th, the Forum on the Construction of the Academic Discourse System of Political Economy 2018, a forum of the Construction of the Discourse System of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences - Pudong Forums guided by the National Office for the Coordination of the Construction of Discourse System of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences and the Publicity Department of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC, co-sponsored by China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, Shanghai Academy as well as Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, and co-organized by the Innovation Think-Tank of CASS Contemporary Chinese Marxism Political Economy and School of Economics, Fudan University was held at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong. Gao Peiyong, Vice President and member of the Party Group of CASS, CASS member and also President of the Institute of Economics, Yan Shuang, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Group and full-time vice chairman of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, as well as Wang Jinding, Vice President (presided over routine work) of China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong attended the Forum and each made a speech there. Wang Lisheng, Secretary of the Party Committee of CASS Institute of Economics, presided over the opening ceremony of the Forum. Li Youmei, First Vice President of Shanghai Academy also attended the event.
Gao Peiyong pointed out that the Construction of the Discourse System of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences - Pudong Forums aims to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important statement on the construction of the discourse system of philosophy and social sciences, advance the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, and develop the cause of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. He talked about three experiences with regard to the construction of the discourse system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics and the construction of the academic discourse system of political economy: first, the construction of the discourse system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics and the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics are a unity; second, the most important task facing the Chinese economic circle is to construct the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics by taking Xi Jinping’s socialist economic thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era as the guide; third, the construction of the discourse system of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics is best explained in a comparative way. He stressed that the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics involves at least an academic system, discipline system and discourse system, and the soul of the word "characteristic" is guided by Marxism and based on Chinese practice to solve the Chinese problem.
Yan Shuang stressed that the important speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the symposium on the work of philosophy and social sciences is a programmatic document for the prosperity and development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. He pointed out that this year marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up. Over the course of 40 years, China's political economy has formed the theory of the primary stage of socialism, the theory of socialist essence, the theory of socialist basic economic system and distribution system and a series of other important theories on the basis of continuously summing up the practical experience in reform & opening up and modernization. He also pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed adhering to the idea of people-centered development, setting up a new concept of development, enabling the market to play a decisive role in the allocation of resources and giving better play to the role of the government, adapting to and leading the new normal, strengthening supply-side structural reform and other strategic thoughts and theoretical views, thus writing a new chapter of contemporary Marxist political economy in China.
Wang Jinding said that the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics must be guided by Marxist political economics, enriched and developed in practice, and must be able to withstand the test of practice and then guide practice. He pointed out that the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, has successfully managed the overall situation of China’s economic development, formed socialist economic thought in the new era with Chinese characteristics in practice, opened up the "economic chapter" of the Party Central Committee in governing the country, and promoted the enrichment and development of the academic discourse system of Chinese political economy. He stated that the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong has already listed socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics as one of the three major disciplines for key construction, and has made useful explorations in the fields of curriculum system, textbook compilation, academic research, talent training, and international exchanges.
Xie Chao, member of the Party Group and full-time vice chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, presided over the keynote address of the Forum. Eight experts expressed their views consecutively. Professor Hong Yinxing, former Party Secretary of Nanjing University, pointed out that the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, which is characterized by the development goals of essential stipulation of socialism, transformation of major social conflicts, socialist modernization, and great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Prof. Pang Jinju, former Deputy Party Secretary and Vice President of Nankai University, pointed out that one of the most fundamental achievements of reform and opening up is the creation of the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, and one of the most valuable experiences is adhering to the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics to guide the practice. In the course of comprehensive reform and opening up and the construction of a modern and powerful socialist country, we should constantly improve and develop the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. Prof. Bai Baoli of the School of Economics & Business Administration, Beijing Normal University, pointed out that the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics has distinct “affinity to the people”, and the people-centered theory is the logical starting point of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. Wang Lisheng, Secretary of CASS Institute of Economics, pointed out that the goal of socialist production is "to realize the life yearned by the people", and it must be made clear that this purpose of production is the theoretical red line of Xi Jinping's socialist economic thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Zhang Huiming, professor at the School of Economics, Fudan University, stated from the perspective of the integrity of Marxist theoretical system that it is of leading significance for the innovation of Chinese political economy theory to refresh historical materialism methodology and clarify the inner essence and development context of Marxist political economy methods. Quan Heng, researcher & Director of SASS Institute of World Economy, analyzed five value functions of constructing the discourse system of economics with Chinese characteristics and six relationships that need to be dealt with. Prof. He Lisheng, Director of the Department of Educational Affairs, China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, discussed the essence of China's economic transformation from the perspective of the border between the government and the market and its function adjustment. Ma Yan, professor at the School of Economics of SUFE, expounded the logical framework of Xi Jinping's socialist economic thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Subsequently, the Forum was divided into four groups for thematic discussions.
The closing ceremony of the Forum was presided over by Liu Jingbei, member of the Faculty Board of China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, Director of the Research Department and also Vice President of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations. Shen Kaiyan, researcher of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Zhang Xian, professor of Sichuan University, Guo Guanqing, researcher of CASS and Liu Zheng, professor of Shanghai University represented the four groups to make exchanges at the meeting respectively. Prof. Meng Jie of Fudan University made concluding remarks.
More than 200 experts and scholars from scientific research institutions, universities and party schools such as CASS, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, Nankai University, Nanjing University, Beijing Normal University, Wuhan University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Central University of Finance and Economics, Jilin University, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shandong University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai University, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, and China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong attended the meeting.
