Co-hosted by Social Sciences in China Press (SSCP) and Tongji University, organized by the School of Political Science & International Relations (SPSIR) and the Institute for China & World Studies of Tongji University, and supported by the Liberal Arts Office, the School of Foreign Languages, and the Law School of Tongji University, the 12th China Social Sciences Frontier Forum was held in Tongji University on December 29, 2018. More than 100 experts and leaders from nearly 50 universities including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China (RUC), Wuhan University, Nanjing University, Jilin University, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), and nearly 20 local academies and associations of social sciences gathered in the lecture hall on the first floor of Yifu Building to discuss major issues of long concern by the Chinese community of philosophy and social sciences in the past 40 years of reform and opening up, around the theme of “Review of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences in the Past 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up and the Mission of Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences in the New Era”. Professor Fang Shouen, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tongji University, researcher Zhang Jiang, Editor-in-Chief of SSCP, Shi Jun, Deputy Resident Director of the Economic Committee of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, and Professor Zhou Hanmin, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was moderated by Wang Limin, Executive Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SSCP.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Fang Shouen first welcomed the leaders and leading scholars from across China. He said that China’s philosophy and social sciences have made remarkable achievements in the past 40 years of reform and opening up. How to enter a new stage of development in the new era to provide theoretical and ideological support for the rise of China and the new journey of national rejuvenation and for the new chapter of reform and opening up has become the new mission of Chinese universities and research institutions. In this regard, the Chinese academia and scholars are required to make new progress in scientific research. Tongji University is very honored to co-host this annual forum with SSCP. This continues with the past interaction and opens up the future cooperation. Liberal arts have always been an indispensable and irreplaceable part of Tongji’s discipline group. At the starting point of the new era, it is more important and urgent to further promote the new development of philosophy and social sciences.

As a representative of the host, researcher Zhang Jiang, former Vice President of CASS and Editor-in-Chief of SSCP, said in his speech that Chinese philosophy and social sciences have made the most important and greatest contribution to the reform and opening up in the past 40 years, putting forward many important issues and iconic concepts under the leadership of the CPC. Regarding the future development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, General Secretary Xi Jinping urged related scholars to proactively set agendas, propose iconic concepts, and design world-leading research topics in his speech at the “Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences”.

Shi Jun, Deputy Resident Director of the Economic Committee of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, delivered a keynote speech on China’s economic transformation in the past 40 years of reform and opening up. He said that China’s economic transformation has always been centered on the structural reform and transformation. Based on the above judgment and his long-term experience in economic work, he made a systemic analysis of China’s economic transformation, and emphasized that when China is about to enter the second stage of reform and opening up, it is necessary to draw on and carry forward the valuable experience in the previous 40 years.

Zhou Hanmin, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of China National Democratic Construction Association, delivered a speech on how China will meet the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2019. Since China joined the WTO, China’s economic structure and foreign trade have undergone radical changes. This has made “competition between two powers” a basic proposition in the process of WTO reform. With China’s active participation in the WTO, the Chinese community of philosophy and social sciences should work harder to improve the systematic study of related issues, he believed.

In the next three breakout sessions, some participants delivered academic, instructive and pioneering keynote speeches based on their work experience and research findings.

The first session was moderated by Professor Jiang Bo, Vice President of Tongji University. In his speech entitled “Research Subjectivity and True Academic Prosperity in China”, Professor Shen Zhuanghai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Wuhan University, discussed the subjectivity and creativity of the domestic academia in studying China issues, and pointed out the necessity of handling the interaction between subjectivity and openness. Professor Wang Xiao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Chairman of Guangdong Social Sciences Association, systematically reviewed the development of Guangdong philosophy and social sciences over the 40 years of reform and opening up and looked forward to the future development. He pointed out that in conducting research on philosophy and social sciences, Guangdong scholars will always adhere to the Marxist direction and methods, and continue to build itself into a province with theoretical and academic excellence. Professor Xi Guang, Vice President of Xi’an Jiaotong University, discussed the mission and responsibilities of universities in prospering philosophy and social sciences in the new era based on XJTU’s own experience. Professor Hua Guihong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu Normal University, emphasized that Chinese universities should actively communicate original theories and Chinese stories, and expand the communication means through talent cultivation, platform building and internet application.

Professor Gan Hui, Chairman of Shaanxi Federation of Social Sciences Circles, pointed out that the discipline structure of normal universities has changed from a relatively single one, i.e. foundation subjects in liberal arts and sciences, to a comprehensive one, and the work on philosophy and social sciences in normal universities is also undergoing value reconstruction. Professor Guo Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Tsinghua University, specifically discussed the development history and future directions of the research on clean governance in China. He reviewed and summarized the development history and main topics of this research since the reform of China, and proposed that relevant research should start with interpretation and understanding, and gradually play a leading role in the related academic fields. Professor Zhou Haobo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Liaoning University, proposed that to build a higher education discourse system with Chinese characteristics, we must take roots in China while integrating Chinese and Western learning, with the support of the “Double First-Class” initiative. Professor Li Fengliang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Southern University of Science and Technology, discussed the construction of humanities in Chinese universities of science and technology in the context of cultural awareness. He further stated that such universities should, on the basis of grasping the overall trend of the world, pay more attention to characteristics construction, discipline crossover and mechanism guarantee. Researcher Chen Wei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and President of Qinghai Academy of Social Sciences, proposed that the creation of a new high-end think tank requires a correct political direction, a good understanding of the national and provincial conditions, and an improved scientific research system, based on the characteristic development of philosophy and social sciences in Qinghai. Professor Chen Heng, Vice President of Shanghai Normal University, pointed out in his speech that world history research is an important part of contemporary Chinese cultural construction, and historical research should serve as an important foundation and source of national cultural construction in the process of integrating China and the West.

The second session was jointly moderated by Professor Liu Dehai, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of Jiangsu Provincial Federation of Philosophy and Social Sciences, and Professor Li Guanghong, Vice President of Jinan University. Professor Yu Haifeng, President of Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, discussed the inner mechanism of China’s economic development to world balance as well as China’s measures and contributions to world balance in the new era. In his speech “local academies of social sciences can serve as think tanks in the new era”, researcher Zhang Shucun, President of Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, proposed to continue to implement innovative projects and strive to build new high-end local think tanks. Professor Bao Yukun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group andVice Chairman of Guizhou Provincial Federation of Social Sciences, introduced the innovative results and experience of the federation. Professor Meng Weidong, Vice President of Chongqing University, mainly explained China’s economic growth since the reform and opening up and the direction of economic reform. He believed that the Chinese economic circles should pay more attention to the study of China issues, so as to innovate and Sinicize the existing theories. Professor Zeng Ming, President of Southwest University for Nationalities, pointed out that the discipline of ethnology is a unique mission for institutions of nationalities, and discussed the challenges and tasks for the development of ethnology in such institutions in the new era.

Researcher Zhou Xiaomao, Vice President of Hunan Academy of Social Sciences, re-emphasized that practice is the core criterion for measuring the value of philosophy and social sciences, and believed that philosophy and social sciences should move toward the other side of truth in new practices. In his speech entitled “Responsibilities and Missions of Social Sciences Researchers in Frontier and Minority Areas in the New Era”, researcher Che Minghuai, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Tibet Academy of Social Sciences, said that the problem awareness must be strengthened in the research on philosophy and social sciences, rather than focusing on empty theories. Professor Wang Mingyu, former Vice President of Tianjin Foreign Studies University, focused his speech on the concept of 'new liberal arts' and pointed out that traditional universities of liberal arts should become 'big and strong'; comprehensive universities should become 'strong and perfect'; science and engineering universities should become 'excellent and unique'; and local universities should become 'good and practical'. Professor Wu Gaofei, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of Dalian University, talked about the historic opportunities and missions of the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. He said that the academic community should conduct in-depth research on the vision of people-centered development, the socialist market economy, the new development concepts, and the system for an open economy, etc. Dong Junhua, Director of the Fund Management Division of the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences, made a systemic introduction about the relevant situation of the Office.

The third session was jointly moderated by Professor Xie Chao, Vice President of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, and Professor Wu Zhenwu, Vice President of Jilin University. Researcher Jiang Xiaoqiu, President of Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, introduced the important mission of philosophy and social sciences to build a vigorous, innovate, open and young Liaoning in the new era. Professor Gu Feng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SJTU, pointed out the necessity of putting people first and defining the strategic focus of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics; highlighting the problem awareness and crystalizing the choice direction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. Professor Xi Weiqun at the Research Center of Finance & Taxation of Jiangxi University of Finance & Economics discussed the cost to use of manufacturing capital, corporate income tax, and fixed asset investments, and looked forward to the possible actions of China on related issues in the new era. On the topic of building Shanghai into a technological innovation center, Professor Ye Qing, President of East China University of Political Science and Law, proposed that efforts should be made to nurture future legal professionals, guarantee the future legal rulemaking, and build an international collaborative platform for legal education. Professor Sun Jisheng, Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University, touched on the international political linguistics from an interdisciplinary perspective and its theoretical growth points and breakthrough points. Professor Fan Conglai, Assistant to the President of Nanjing University, mainly discussed China’s monetary policy in the past 40 years of reform and opening up, and believed that China need to further consider promoting employment, stabilizing price, and loosing monetary policy. Professor Yu Wenxiu, Vice President of Heilongjiang University, raised several possible issues that might affect the maturity of Chinese feminist theories. Professor Tian Shu, Vice President of Northwest Normal University, discussed the survey and study of the resources related to the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty. Professor Dai Jianbing, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hebei Normal University, analyzed the study of Xibaipo in the 40 years of reform and opening up.

The above three sessions lasting for one day was followed by the closing ceremony that was moderated by Professor Men Honghua, Dean of SPSIR and President of the Institute for China & World Studies, Tongji University.

At the closing ceremony, Professor You Xuqun, President of Shaanxi Normal University, pointed out that the Chinese academic circles must fully realize the importance and urgency of developing the Chinese philosophy and social sciences strategy, fully recognize the contributions of the Chinese philosophy and social sciences to the reform and opening up in the past 40 years, accelerate the building of a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, and enhance the capacity of the Chinese philosophy and social sciences in serving national strategies and global governance.

Professor Han Dongyu, Vice President of Northeast Normal University, pointed out that over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, China has cultivated a large number of experts on humanities and social sciences who have been working hard to standardize the research and change it from perception to science. However, in the process of development, the standard research first became mechanical and then turned out to be fragmented. So, it is necessary to strengthen academic preparations for national transformation and make greater theoretical contributions to national security and global development. In the new era, the Chinese community of philosophy and social sciences should also be committed to leading the theoretical development and building a Chinese academic school with Chinese style.

After the keynote speech, Wang Limin, Executive Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SSCP, reviewed the background and effectiveness of the forum. He pointed out that the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences has not only promoted the great cause of reform and opening up, but also made great progress in the process of reform and opening up, but practical innovation is still faster than theoretical innovation. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s relevant speeches, the Chinese academic community has tried to combine the problem-oriented approach with the discipline-oriented approach, combine academic research with problems, and combine comprehensive analysis with interdisciplinary research to pave the way for academic development by setting up iconic concepts and following the logical framework of questions, topics, issues and propositions. However, there is a need to further explore the 'academic system' and 'knowledge system' related to the research on philosophy and social sciences. In his view, this conference that involved different disciplines and different issues has unlocked the analytical model of the knowledge system of humanities and social sciences in the new era. Given this, in the future development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, the community should further contribute to the improvement of the knowledge system in addition to continuing the principle of conducting problem-oriented, discipline-oriented and interdisciplinary-oriented research.

Finally, Professor Men Honghua expressed his gratitude for convening this conference on behalf of Tongji University. First, he said that we are fortunate to be in this era of change because it has not only provided fertile soil and golden opportunities for the development of philosophy and social sciences, but also put forward a huge demand for interdisciplinary research. In an ever changing world, how to make China in the new era an anchor of stability requires both focused research and theoretical innovation. Second, he thanked all the participants for their insights and academic contributions. They gathered here to look back into the past, evaluate the present, and look forward to the future, reflecting the aspiration and mission of the Chinese community of philosophy and social sciences. Once again, he thanked SSCP for its guidance, support and assistance to Tongji University. Since the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement between the two parties in 2015, SSCP has given great support to the strategic studies and the development of philosophy and social sciences of Tongji University. Then he thanked the teachers and students of Tongji for their participation in and support to this event. Finally, the dean wished everyone an academic and career success in the promising new era.