developing a Party-led Sinocentric social science discipline

context: Developing a unique Chinese discursive system to justify the 'China Path' and promote CCP-style governance overseas has been one of the CCP Central Committee's strategic pursuits. Most notably, the Party stresses the need to uphold the ‘two integrations’, i.e., a combination of the fundamental principles of Marxism with the realities of contemporary China and the Chinese civilisation’s longstanding traditions. Under this ideological line, academic, antique, art and literary work contributes unitarily to sustaining the Party’s ruling legitimacy, which stems from the Party’s self-proclaimed identity as the defender and successor of the 5000 year Chinese Civilisation. 

Xi Jinping’s 习近平 advice on the development of philosophy and social science has served as a source of guidance for the academic interpretation of the 'China Path' and Sinocentric theory-building, according to Gao Xiang 高翔 CASS (Chinese Academy of Social Science) president and Party committee secretary. Gao summarises the Party’s directives on social science development

  • uphold Marxist scientific principles as the code for philosophical and social science studies
  • enhance Party theory R&D and systemisation
    • incorporate stances and arguments from Xi Jinping Thought
    • deepen the theoretical explanation for the current path of PRC development

A major part of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is developing a Chinese-style social science discipline with a strong subjectivity. To realise this target, Gao proposes that

  • research should focus on China’s practicalities and historical circumstances
    • simply following other countries’ footsteps cannot
      • advance a Sinocentric philosophical social science school of thought
      • solve existing issues in China
    • Chinese philosophical social science research should draw on
      • the Chinese nation’s 5000 year experience in historical evolution
      • the Party’s 100 year experience in struggle and 70 year experience in governance
      • 40 year developmental experiences from the reform and opening up period
    • target
      • propose theoretical viewpoints with subjectivity and originality
      • develop a Sinocentric disciplinary system, academic schools of thought and discursive system
      • provide intellectual support for the contemporary Chinese civilisation
  • reframe from directly following Western theories, standards and discourses
    • realise Chinese spiritual independence
    • Western international relations concepts and values are unsustainable
      • the ‘Eastern ascendence, Western decline’ trend has been made clear
      • neoliberalism has been subjected to general criticism after the 2008 global financial crisis
      • Western ideas of governance, systems and norms cannot accommodate ever-changing international circumstances
    • maintain the ‘two integrations’
      • combine Marxism with Chinese traditions
      • refuse to abandon Chinese historical ideologies and norms
      • retain traditions yet remain innovative
    • strengthen Chinese discursive power on the international stage
      • enhance the global influence of Chinese academic work and theories
      • continue research on international propaganda theories and methodologies
      • advance China’s discursive power to the same level as its comprehensive national strength and prestigious international status

To implement these general targets, Gao proposes to

  • focus on major questions of Party-state strategic concern
  • retain a people-centric approach to research
  • breakthrough academic barriers and promote cross-disciplinary integration
    • utilise new research methods available from technological innovation
    • nurture a new generation of scholars who can contribute across fields, disciplines and administrative units