Beijing Hosts 16th World Socialism Forum
Nearly 300 participants and over 80 overseas guests from 40 countries gathered in Beijing for the two-day forum on socialism.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Lecture and Seminars
The 16th World Socialism Forum opened in Beijing, bringing together nearly 300 participants, including more than 80 overseas guests from 40 countries. The two-day event is hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Why it matters
The forum gathers political parties and scholars to discuss Marxist party building, governance, and the future of socialism, offering a platform for international exchange on these topics. Its annual-style recurrence since 2004 reflects ongoing engagement with socialist thought across regions.
Nearly 300 participants attended, including more than 80 overseas guests from 40 countries, with the CPC citing 105 years of political practice as a reference point. The extraction does not report outcomes or conclusions from the discussions.
The players
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is China's leading national research institution in the humanities and social sciences, hosting the forum.
Dmitry Novikov
Dmitry Novikov is deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and a forum speaker.
Marga Ferre
Marga Ferre is president of transform! Europe, a think tank linked to European left-wing political thought, and a forum speaker.
The details
The forum is organized by the World Socialism Research Center and the Academy of Marxism under CASS, with the opening ceremony chaired by Jin Minqing. Speakers include Dmitry Novikov of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and Marga Ferre of transform! Europe.
Timeline
2004: World Socialism Forum established.
November 3, 2026: 16th World Socialism Forum opened in Beijing.
Historical Context
The forum takes place against the backdrop of the Soviet Union's collapse and the fall of communist governments in Eastern Europe, both of which participants discussed in relation to socialism's future. Its 2004 founding and 16 iterations since mark a sustained effort to keep socialist debate active on the international stage.
Attendance at the forum was limited to invited participants and guests, so the extraction does not indicate public access. Readers interested in its discussions may need to rely on coverage from the organizing institutions or participating parties.
The takeaway
The forum shows that discussion of socialism's future continues among political parties and scholars across regions, even after the major communist setbacks of the late twentieth century. Readers following international political debate can track how such exchanges shape party thinking over time.
Further reading
Explore more Lecture and Seminars coverage to see how international academic forums like this one are reported.
Source note: This article includes information reported by China Daily.
