The 2025 Suzhou Forum on Humanistic Economics & Conference on Innovation Practices and Independent Knowledge Achievements took place in Suzhou on Feb. 28th.
The event marked the second anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal of the significant concept of humanistic economics and aimed to explore the integration of humanity and economy.
Attendees included Zhang Donggang, Chair of the University Council of Renmin University of China (RUC); Liu Xiaotao, Member of the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee; Qu Futian, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress; and Wu Qingwen, Deputy Secretary of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Suzhou.
Other distinguished officials and scholars were also present.
The forum was themed "Humanistic Economics and the Construction of a New Form of Human Civilization."
It was hosted by Wang Xiaohu, Assistant President of RUC and Executive Deputy Director of the Suzhou Campus Management Committee.
Zhang Donggang highlighted in his speech that humanistic economics represents a critical theoretical proposition integrating Marxist principles with China’s realities and traditional culture.
He emphasized the collaboration between RUC and Suzhou in establishing research platforms, expanding research fields, and producing academic outcomes to advance the theoretical and practical exploration of humanistic economics.
Liu Xiaotao noted that Suzhou has actively implemented Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts, deepening research on humanistic economics in cooperation with RUC.
The two institutions co-founded the Humanistic Economics Suzhou Research Center, which has already produced significant theoretical achievements.
He stressed the importance of strengthening cultural confidence and further integrating humanistic and economic development.
Qu Futian underscored the necessity of systematically advancing humanistic economics and constructing China’s independent knowledge system in the field.
He called for continued innovation, collaborative research, and the pursuit of high-quality practical applications.
During the conference, the Suzhou Humanistic Economics Research and Practice Base was officially launched to serve as a model for national research.
A cooperation agreement was signed between the Suzhou Municipal Publicity Department and RUC’s Suzhou Campus, and a research call for humanistic economic studies was jointly issued.
The conference also featured discussions on key research topics and interactive sessions with attendees.
The event concluded with the release of major academic achievements, including Liu Shouying’s The Humanistic Economics of the Suzhou Miracle and Liu Bogao’s Suzhou Humanistic Economics Case Study Collection.
These works analyze the role of humanistic values in economic development and provide empirical cases demonstrating the integration of culture and economy in Suzhou.
Since the establishment of the RUC Humanistic Economics Suzhou Research Center in Dec. 2023, the center has been at the forefront of exploring the role of humanistic economics in China’s modernization.
It has introduced a pioneering master’s program in humanistic economics and achieved a series of groundbreaking research results, further solidifying Suzhou’s role as a model city for humanistic economic development.
