Central authorities of the Communist Party of China (CPC) decided to launch a project of studying and building Marxist Theory in early 2004, which made substantial progress in the past three-plus years. The implementation of this project represents a vital measure of the CPC Central Committee with Hu Jintao as its general secretary to step up the Party's ideological, theoretical building. On this issue, People's Daily reporter Yu Jianbin interviewed a leading official of the office of the project at the request of readers on the eve of the imminent 17th CPC National Congress.

Reporter: Could you give an account of what the project has so far achieved as people from all strata of society have been paying great heed to the progress of this project?

Leading official: The project has scored substantial progress since the launch of the project over three years ago with joint efforts of experts and scholars and various departments under the direct leadership of the CPC Central Committee. Its progress is manifested in the ensuing aspects:

First, new progress has been made in the study and interpretation of the latest outcome in sinifying Marxism. Centered on three vital theoretical achievements on this subject and a range of major strategic ideas set forth by the CPC Central Committee in the past five years following the convocation of the 16th National Congress in late 2002, more than 50 key topics have been worked out and experts have released more than 800 theoretical articles (or essays) from their study on practical, ethnical and epochal characteristics of Marxism in the present-day China, providing a powerful, academic reasoning prop for the Party's theoretical innovation.

Second, new progress has been made in the study of major theoretical and practical issues. Centered on such great strategic concepts as the scientific outlook on development and the building of a socialist, harmonious society, a series of theoretical, study-group meetings have been held, which brought forth a batch of theoretical research findings and, centered on some "hot, knotty" issues of concern to the masses of people and officials, serial popular books have been edited as imperative, supplementary reading materials for ordinary people or Party officials. Moreover, the relevant specialists have been organized to study special theses in an effort to provide useful materials for the CPC and government departments in making their policy decisions.

Third, new progress has been made in the compilation and translation of classic Marxist works. To cope with demands of both officials and commoners to study the classic works of Marxism, the recompilation, re-translation and revision have done to the existing versions of the Marxist classic works. To date, the 10-volume Collective Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and Lenin's Treatise in five volumes have basically undergone the compilation, revisions and checks of the existing translations.

Fourth, new progress has been made in updating a setup for disciplines or branches of learning and the teaching materials setup. With regard to the building of discipline setup, the study of Marxist theories has been taken as the first-class discipline, and the study of ABC Marxist theories, the historical development of Marxism, the signification of Marxism and the development of Marxism overseas as the second-class discipline. And the Marxist theoretical research discipline setup has initially taken shape with respect to the study of philosophy, political economy, scientific socialism, political science, sociology, media science, historiography, jurisprudence and literature, etc.

Moreover, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee (PD) and the Ministry of Education (ME) this year again drafted an "overall, essential teaching material editing plan for philosophy and social science at institutions of higher learning under the project of studying and building Marxist Theory. The "overall plan" proposes incorporating a total of 41 varieties of essential teaching materials, involving 10 college disciplines in the plan, which are expected to complete in 2011. At present, the work of editing and compiling the first batch of essential teaching materials is proceeding well and smoothly, and four new books about college ideological, political theories have already been put to use.

Reporter: The implementation of this major project of ideological and theoretical studying and building project also spurs the building (or training) of scientific researching and theoretical ranks.

Leading official: Yes, indeed. Emphasis has been placed on the training of young and middle-aged theorists, so as to accelerate the building of theoretical contingents.

A. Particular heed should be given to the formation of an echelon made up of the relative elders, the middle-aged and young people, and a greater effort be made to draw those doing practical work. Of the 800-strong experts and scholars partaking in the project, over one third comprises the young and middle aged workers.

B. The PD and ME has since 2005 sponsored in the Party School of the CPC Central Committee 16 study sessions for college philosophy and social science teaching, which have taken in more than 1,600 people.

C. Beginning May 2007, PD and ME are expected to jointly hold research and advance study courses for six years in a row for those leading or "core" teachers engaged in college philosophy and social science teaching, with six sessions a year and 100 attendees for each session, and three sessions have been run to a good, obvious effect.