China Convenes Second International Symposium on Xi Jinping Cultural Thought

The second International Academic Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture took place in Shenzhen, bringing together approximately 130 domestic and foreign scholars and officials. Operating under the theme of consolidating cultural subjectivity to advance Chinese modernization, participants examined the role of traditional heritage in contemporary governance. Senior propaganda officials and state media leaders framed the ideological concept as both a domestic guide for cultural development and a theoretical reference for other nations, notably across the Global South. The conference also introduced a think tank report examining new mass literature and art alongside four specialized academic panels.

The symposium highlights Beijing's ongoing effort to construct an independent Chinese system of philosophy and social sciences while seeking international narrative influence. By presenting cultural subjectivity as an alternative to Western modernization paradigms, Chinese officials aim to resonate with developing countries seeking modernization without sacrificing national civilizational identity.

The second International Academic Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was held in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, drawing roughly 130 domestic and overseas experts, scholars, and invited guests, according to reports published by Xinhua. The gathering convened under the central theme of consolidating cultural subjectivity to advance Chinese modernization. Hong Dayong, Vice Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, addressed the opening ceremony, characterizing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture as a theoretical synthesis of the Communist Party of China's cultural governance experience. Hong stated that the framework adheres to the "Two Combines"—the fusion of Marxism with China's specific conditions and its traditional culture. He argued that consolidating cultural subjectivity offers insights for countries navigating the preservation of their own cultural identity and historical legacy amid modernization. Xinhua News Agency Editor-in-Chief Lyu Yansong remarked that the state news agency would expand its international communication and academic exchanges to articulate the historical depth and vitality of Chinese civilization. Hu Jinjun, head of the Guangdong Provincial Propaganda Department, noted that the province intends to use the conference to deepen local cultural practices linked to modernization. Scholars in attendance, including South China Normal University Party Secretary Wang Hengyin, Beijing Normal University Academic Committee Director Han Zhen, and Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine ambassador to China and current director of the Sinology Research Center at the University of Buenos Aires, discussed the global implications of China's path. According to conference reports, participants noted that Chinese modernization offers insights for countries across the Global South seeking independent development paths while retaining their civilizational roots. The symposium was guided by the Research Center on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and co-hosted by the center's Xinhua collaborative research base, the Guangdong Provincial Propaganda Department, and South China Normal University. During the proceedings, organizers released a think tank report titled "The Flourishing Development and Global Impact of New Mass Literature and Art." Attendees also convened across four specialized sub-forums focusing on humanities-oriented economics, mass literature under internet conditions, mutual civilizational learning, and the construction of an independent knowledge system for philosophy and social sciences.