Conference Marking the 200^th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Marx & Forum on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was held in in Science Hall of Lanzhou University on April 21^st. It was jointly organized by the university Propaganda Department, School of Marxism, Center for Researches on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and Gansu Alliance of Schools of Marxism. Party Secretary Yuan Zhanting, Professor Fan Peng (also doctoral supervisor) attended the opening ceremony, and scholars from 43 universities participated in the forum. Deputy party secretary Guo Qi chaired the ceremony.

Professor Yuan Zhanting expressed his congratulations for the creation of the forum, pointing out that Karl Marx is a universally acknowledged great thinker, a monument in the history of human thinking. Lanzhou University always attaches great importance to the propangada, education and research of Marxist theory, thus bringing about the Lanzhou University phenomenon of learning, publicizing and studying Marxism. This year sees the 200^th anniversary of Marx’s birth and the 170^th anniversary of publication of “Manifestoof the CommunistParty”. The activities to remember these major events aim to show our determination to stay true to the founding mission of the party, and to keep pressing ahead in our cause. Professor Yuan said, the best way to commemorate Karl Marx is to uphold and carry forward Marxism, to learn and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and to jointly make breakthroughs in Sinicization of Marxism. To achieve these goals, we should firstly clarify the research directions of serving the country and the world, to produce original and influential research results, and to better combine the basic principle of Marxism with the reality of today’s China. Secondly, we must broaden our theoretical horizon, applying Marxist methodology and notions to various subjects in order to build a social science system with Chinese characteristics. Thirdly, we must emphasize the notion of “setting high moral values and cultivating talents”, applying Marxist theory and methodology to the education of university students, to bring them to be new people with the ambition of renewing the great nation. Fourthly, by innovating the mechanism, and deepening cooperation towards reciprocal development, we should try to create a first-class academic platform with Chinese characteristics as well as characteristics of Lanzhou University, so as to make more contributions in theory investigation, practical innovation and talent cultivation. He also said that university teachers responsible for ideology and politics education must understand Marxist theory and Sinicized Marxist theory in the context of teaching practice, arm their mind with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era so as to bring the great thought into coursebooks, into classroom and into students’ mind.

Professor Fanpeng delivered a lecture at the opening ceremony, holding that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has inherited Marxism in three aspects. 1) people-oriented. This principle recognizes the people as the subject of social development, containing such notions as “people first”(position), “happiness of the people”(ultimate goal), “for the interest of the people”(construction), “determined by the people” (function), and “shared by the people” (sharing the fruit of reform and development). 2) being critical. Dialectics, in nature, is revolutionary and critical. Accordingly, the great struggle with many new historic features led by President Xi is what we have inherited from the critical spirit. President Xi’s judgement that CPC is still a revolutionary party represents his profound understanding and development of Marx’s critical mind. The critical mind is what guarantees the stability of long-term administration of the party, what prevents the party from the trap of periodical patterns. 3) world vision. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era not only depicts the blueprint of modern socialist power, but also points to the road for world development: perpetual peace, general security, co-prosperity, open tolerance, sanitation and beautifulness.

Among the other 19 speakers were the following professors: Ji Yaguang (Nankai University), Wang Shaoxing (Shandong University), Yan Fulian (Xi’an Jiaotong University), Hong Xiao’nan (Dalian University of Technology), Wang Weiping, Ma Yunzhi, Cai Wencheng (Lanzhou University), Yu Xiangdong (Zhengzhou Univerisy), Luo Kequan (Jilin University) and Du Liming (Sichuan Univeristy). Their discussion covered such topics as Classical Marxist theory, Sinicization of Marxism，theoretical and practical innovation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Marxism & the Chinese road, Etc.