Zhang Qian

zhqcindy@163.com

A THEMATIC workshop marking the 200th birthday of Karl Marx was held yesterday in Shenzhen.

The Thematic Workshop: Commemorating the 200th Birthday of Karl Marx — Marxism of the 21st Century and the Future for World Socialism, hosted by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, gathered over 100 leaders and representatives of 75 communist parties from 50 countries.

Song Tao, minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, read out a congratulatory letter  from President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the CPC.

Song said that the letter shows the CPC’s determination in implementing and developing Marxism. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a combination of the fundamental principles of Marxism and China’s actual practices. It inherits and develops Marxism’s scientificity in terms of adhering to and developing Marxism in the new era and abiding by and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era based on China’s actual situation. Xi’s thought adheres to and manifests Marxism’s people-centered philosophy.

Nineteen speakers gave speeches about their experiences carrying out and developing Marxism at different times.

Vojtech Filip, chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, and vice president of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, said he admires that the CPC is calling for all parties in the world to maintain world peace, obey the United Nations Charter, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Filip said that in the past 40 years, China has developed into a world-leading powerhouse, which is a success of Marxism.

Nguyen Xuan Thang, secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, said Marxism is not dogma, but an array of ideologies that keep developing with time.

The workshop is part of the three-day thematic event of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting, which ended yesterday.

(Special reports on P2, 3, 4)