Overview
The social science theory academia in Shenzhen organized a colloquium on the afternoon of July 1, 2021 to study President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Plenty of experts from several universities and research institutions in Shenzhen shared their takeaways from the speech. The statement of Prof. Tao Yitao, director of China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University (SZU) and president of the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRIICD), was posted on “Xuexi.cn” platform. The following is a summary of her statement:
In the century-long strenuous development of the CPC, reform and opening-up undoubtedly have their unique historical significance as well as theoretical and practical values. President Xi said “To realize national rejuvenation, the Party united and led the Chinese people in freeing the mind and forging ahead, achieving great success in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.”
The reform and opening-up that began in 1978 manifests the CPC’s courage for self-revolution and their fearless critical spirit in challenging dogmatism. Taking the Chinese path by abandoning the centrally planned economy and establishing the socialist market economy fully demonstrates the CPC’s confidence in their own path, theories, institutions and culture. The establishment and successful development of Shenzhen and other SEZs are milestones in the CPC history. These SEZs have not only practiced but also enriched Marxism through constant exploratory breakthroughs in societal transformation. They have also helped the CPC develop a theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese solutions that can be learned by emerging markets and transition economies.
“Embrace lofty ambitions like an eagle soaring high.” Shenzhen should embark on a new journey after the CPC’s centennial anniversary and remain true to its original aspiration and founding mission. The city should continue its efforts in transforming itself into a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, implementing the strategy of building science and technology cities, deepening reform and opening up, promoting coordinated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and executing the Belt and Road Initiative to verify President Xi’s assertion that “the Chinese people were capable of not only dismantling the old world, but also building a new one, that only socialism could save China, and that only socialism could develop China.”
