Xi Jinping: Marxist Thought Continues to Transform the World

Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken at a conference celebrating the 200th anniversary of Karl Marx's birth, praising the philosopher as the greatest modern thinker whose thoughts are still helping transform China and the wider world.

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Xi said that Marx is the "teacher of revolution for the proletariat and working people all over the world, the main founder of Marxism, creator of Marxist parties, a pathfinder of international communism and the greatest thinker of modern times.

"Like a spectacular sunrise, (Marx's) theory illuminated the path of humanity's exploration of the laws of history, and humanity's search for their own liberation."

Xi also emphasized that, since Marx's death, various socialist states have been established. Although some have since fallen, society continues progressing toward a socialist future.

"There might be setbacks in the development of socialism in the world, but the overall trend for human society's development has never changed, and it will never change... Marxism has not only profoundly changed the world, but also China," the president said.

China was once known as "the sick man of Asia," Xi said, but today it has "stood up" and used the principles of Marxism to guide its development.

"This tremendous transformation serves as cast-iron proof that only by adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can we realize national rejuvenation.

"It is perfectly right for history and the people to choose Marxism, as well as for the CPC (Communist Party of China) to write Marxism on its own flag, to adhere to the principle of combining the fundamental principles of Marxism with China's reality, and continuously adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and times."

Xi recently gave a speech praising Marx and calling for greater research into Marxist philosophy at China's Peking University, one of China's top educational institutions where the country's first School of Marxism was established.

In January, the university established a research institution to study the application of 'Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,' which is the body of political thought attributed to the president.