On October 11, the Academic Symposium Commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of Nankai University Honorary Professor Gu Shutang & the 6^th Forum on Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era were held in Tianjin. The event brought together over 200 experts and scholars from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Nanjing University, Fudan University, Wuhan University, Jilin University, Shandong University, Minzu University of China, Liaoning University, Shanxi University, and other higher education institutions and research centers across China.

The event was attended by distinguished guests including: Zhang Zhuoyuan, recipient of China’s national honorary title “Outstanding Contributor to Economic Research” and former Director of the Institute of Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Ma Jiantang, former Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Development Research Centre of the State Council; Xue Jinwen, President of Tianjin Federation of Social Science, former Vice Chairman of Tianjin Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and former Secretary of the CPC Nankai University Committee; Chen Yulu, President of Nankai University; Zhang Donggang, Secretary of the CPC Renmin University of China Committee; Hong Yinxing, former Secretary of the CPC Nanjing University Committee and Director of the National Research Center for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics, Nanjing University; Liu Wei, former President of Renmin University of China and Director of the National Research Center for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics, Renmin University of China; Gao Peiyong, Chairman of Sun Yefang Foundation and former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; and Pang Jinju, former Vice President of NKU and Director of the National Research Center for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics, NKU. The opening ceremony was presided over by NKU Vice President Sheng Bin.

In his address, Xue Jinwen noted that Prof. Gu Shutang was a renowned Chinese Marxist economist and a pioneering figure in socialist political economy with Chinese Characteristics. Dedicating his life to the research and teaching of Marxist political economy and socialist economic theory, Prof. Gu made significant contributions to the construction and development of China’s socialist political economy, reform and opening-up, as well as socialist modernization. Throughout a teaching career spanning more than six decades, Prof. Gu nurtured a large number of outstanding economics talents. President Xue expressed his hope that experts and scholars present would take this event as an opportunity to fully implement the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s economic thought, undertake a thorough study of the core tenets of Prof. Gu’s scholarly framework, systematically review the evolution of China’s socialist political economy, address pressing issues of the new era, contribute to the advancement of contemporary Chinese Marxist political economy, and provide robust theoretical support for accelerating the building of a great modern socialist country on all fronts and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.

Chen Yulu paid deep respect and tribute to Prof. Gu Shutang on behalf of NKU. He pointed out that the integration of this forum with the academic symposium commemorating Prof. Gu serves to thoroughly study and implement President Xi Jinping’s economic thought, drive the establishment of a self-reliant knowledge system of Chinese economics, and honor Prof. Gu’s lifelong dedication to the research and teaching of socialist political economy and his seminal contributions to the disciplinary development, talent cultivation, and theoretical innovation of Marxist political economy. Economics stands as a cornerstone discipline at NKU, as evidenced by substantial achievements in talent development, scientific innovation, and social services. President Chen called on the experts and scholars present to carry forward the noble spirit of preceding scholars like Prof. Gu, to produce more high-level academic achievements, cultivate socialist builders and successors capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation, and make further exceptional contributions to the building of a modern socialist China in all respects and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Zhang Donggang and Zhang Zhuoyuan delivered keynote addresses at the event.

The event also featured the release of A Critical Biography of Gu Shutang’s Economic Thought. As an academic biography of the economic thought of the renowned economist and educator Gu Shutang, this book draws on extensive historical materials to provide a detailed account of Prof. Gu’s lifelong dedication to education and research, while offering an objective assessment of his groundbreaking academic thinking and his perspectives on education and talent cultivation in areas such as the commodity economy and the law of value, reform and opening-up, modernization, distribution according to contributions from factors of production, and the development of socialist political economy. With a clear thematic focus, rich content, and well-documented sources, the publication holds significant academic and documentary value.

Xue Jinwen, Chen Yulu, Pang Jinju, and He Quan jointly unveiled the publication. 

Pang Jinju delivered the opening address. 

Gao Peiyong

Hong Yinxing

Liu Wei

Li Luoli

Huang Taiyan

Huang Guitian

Huang Qunhui

Yang Ruilong

Jian Xinhua

Ding Renzhong

Cai Jiming

Fan Conglai

During the event, a series of keynote addresses were delivered by prominent scholars and experts including Gao Peiyong, Hong Yinxing, and Liu Wei, alongside Li Luoli, Vice Chairman of China Development Institute; Huang Taiyan, former President and Senior Professor of Minzu University of China; Huang Guitian, former President of Shanxi University and Professor at the School of Economics, Peking University; Huang Qunhui, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Research Fellow at the Institute of Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Yang Ruilong, Dean of Chongshi College, Renmin University of China, and China’s National First-rank Professor; Jian Xinhua, Professor at the Economics and Management School of Wuhan University and a Luojia Distinguished Scholar; Ding Renzhong, former Party Secretary and President of Sichuan Normal University and Director of the Institute of Marxist Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics; Cai Jiming, Member of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, Director of the Institute for New Quality Productive Forces, Tsinghua University, and Director of the Center for Political Economy, Tsinghua University; and Fan Conglai, Director of the Yangtze River Delta Economics and Social Development Research Center of Nanjing University. The session was chaired by Zhang Yu, President of the China Association for the Study of Das Kapital and Professor at the School of Economics, Renmin University of China.

In the afternoon, the Academic Symposium Commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of Nankai University Honorary Professor Gu Shutang was held at the NKU School of Economics. Sheng Bin, NKU Vice President and Dean of the NKU School of Economics, delivered the opening address. Distinguished guests included Ma Jiantang and Hong Yinxing, alongside Chang Xiuze, Professor at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research, National Development and Reform Commission; Lin Muxi, Senior Professor of Liaoning University and Dean of China Economic Research Institute, Liaoning University; and He Quan, President of Shanxi Economics Press. Some of Professor Gu’s friends, colleagues, and students also attended the event. The attendees recalled Prof. Gu’s academic journey and highlighted his scholarly integrity characterized by “steadfast beliefs and harmony in diversity.”

That afternoon also witnessed the concurrent convening of the six parallel sessions of the 6^th Forum on Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

It is reported that the Forum on Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is an academic event jointly organized by seven National Research Centers for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics upon the approval of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The seven research centers are based at Renmin University of China, Nankai University, Nanjing University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Fujian Normal University, and Jilin University of Finance and Economics. The forum is focused on crucial issues such as the development of the theoretical system of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics for the new era and is hosted in rotation by the seven institutions.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)