Furthermore, high-level report meetings are organized, experts involving in the research project have been aroused to study China's specific national conditions and ace scholars from overseas invited to hold discussions with their Chinese peers, and some top Chinese experts sent abroad for inspecting special topics so as to imbue them with a deeper understanding of guidelines of central authorities' policies or a better awareness of things about China while acquainting themselves with developments in the outside world.

Reporter: As a vital, crucial outcome scored by the project of studying and building Marxist Theory, new teaching materials concerning the political, ideological theory for the institutions of higher learning have been put into use nationwide. Then, could you brief us on the situation in this regard?

Leading official: new teaching materials on the political, ideological theory for use in colleges and universities, such as the Fundamentals of Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and "Three Represents" Important Thought, an Introduction to China's Modern History, a Survey of Ideological, Moral Cultivation & Legal Basis, and the Basic Tenets of Marxism, constitute the important outcome for the project of studying and building Marxist Theory. These books have been put into extensive use since September 2006 and are well received by both the faculties and students in institutions of higher learning across China.

Those teachers and students have commended that these new teaching materials embody the latest outcome in signifying Marxism and indicate the most up-to-date progress in the study of Marxism, a relatively greater innovation in both contents and the setup, and hence become the worthy, ideal books for the ideological, political and theoretical course in colleges and universities, since they are very scientific and authoritative and with a high ideological level.

When these new teaching materials are put to use, college students are contented, and interest themselves even more in the course of ideological, political theory, with a growing number of them taking an active part in classroom discussions and their classroom order and discipline improving noticeably. Moreover, college students unanimously deem that the new teaching materials proceed from specific circumstances they face and integrate the advanced ideology and politics, and thus turn more knowledgeable and applicable. So they think such teaching materials favorable for improving their comprehensive qualities.

In order to further reflect the new outcome of the Party's theoretical innovation and solicit ideas and suggestions from among teachers and students in the course of using these teaching materials, the office of the project organizes experts concerned to make additional revision to these books. Experts have been organized to revise a Survey of Ideological and Moral Cultivation and Legal Basis this year and, its revised edition has already come off press for use.

Reporter: What impact has the project produced to propel the Party's ideological and theoretical building and spur the prosperity and boom of philosophy and social sciences?

Leading official: Along with its continuous advancement, the Project has increasingly brought its No. 1 or "chieftain" role, its basic role and its promotion role, which are shown chiefly in the following aspects:

First, the Project serves as a "bridge" or a "pivot" for the CPC to contact the theoretical circle. Its implementation has greatly enhanced the Party's ties with the theoretical circle, so that experts and scholars learn more directly the spirit or essential guidelines of CPC central authorities and submit their research findings accordingly to the Party and government institutions and give scope to their role as a "think tank".

Second, the Project prompts the philosophy and social sciences circle to "sound" or keep up to the central theme of Marxism. Spurred by the project, Marxist research institutions have kept improving and staffed researchers' teams well; the Marxist theorists have apparently heightened their sense of confidence, responsibility, pride and identity.

Third, the Project prompts consensus on major theoretical issues. A series of report meetings, seminars, study-group meetings or discussions, or idea solicitations have increased exchanges among experts and scholars of varies academic spheres and reached their consensus or common understanding on major issues of vital importance.

Fourth, the Project stimulates the prosperity and development of philosophy and social sciences. Due to the implementation of the project, new outcome has been obtained on a number of vital frontier science issues in various branches of learning, and their capacity for academic innovation will go on progressing. With a greater heed the Party and government departments pay to the growth of philosophy and social sciences, a good social atmosphere in which greater importance is attached to philosophy and social sciences will take shape more soundly.

Fifth, the Project opens an important "showcase" for external academic exchanges. Top Chinese experts and scholars are organized "to go abroad" on "special topic" inspection tours, and ace scholars from overseas are "invited in" for theoretical exchanges with their Chinese peers, so as to broaden and raise the latter' international vision for theoretical researches. Furthermore, it also helps to acquaint those overseas scholars with both socialist theory and practice alive with Chinese characteristics.

Sixth, the Project facilitates to unite with and cohere the theorists' contingent. The elites or "backbone" forces from varies disciplines and systems across China will be converge together through their joint endeavor to compile theoretical teaching materials and do researches on major issues, so that their ranks will unify and be integrated or straightened out.

Meanwhile, it should also be soberly acknowledged that what the project has so far attained is merely initial, representing only achievements of one phase, however. Furthermore, some weak points in the project are yet to be overcome and beefed up. So a sense of accountability or urgency has to be further enhanced so as to do all sorts of work relating to the Project better still in compliance with the spirit of seeking truth and substantiality.

(People's Daily October 10, 2007)