The 19th Annual Forum of the World Association for Political Economy (WAPE) opened on the afternoon of August 5, local time, at the University of Greenwich in London under the theme "The Wealth of Nations in the Multipolar Age".

The five-day forum has brought together more than 200 professors and scholars from universities around the world. The agenda covers a broad range of political economy topics, including the political economy of economic development and productivity growth in a multipolar world, the implications of the U.S. dollar and dollar-denominated stablecoins as global currencies, the significance and impact of China's recent global initiatives, and the evolving roles of organizations and mechanisms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Cheng Enfu, a member of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Academic Divisions and Chief Professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said this year's WAPE forum focuses on Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" and its contemporary relevance. "Drawing on the enduring value of Adam Smith's ideas will contribute to the healthy development of China's socialist market economy as well as the global economy," he said.

Professor Andrew Westby, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Greenwich, said the discussions on political economy would have a substantive impact on the development of ideas in the 21st century.

Ding Xiaoqin, Deputy Dean of the Institute of Xi Jinping's Economic Thought at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said the forum, themed "The Wealth of Nations in the Multipolar Age", has brought together more than 200 Marxist economists from over 40 countries, making it one of the largest gatherings of Marxist political economists worldwide.

During the forum, WAPE presented the 2026 Marxian Economics Award and the Distinguished Achievement Award of World Political Economy of the 21st Century. Independent researcher Michael Roberts was among the recipients. He said he was both pleased and surprised to receive the honor. "Most of my work is published through my blog, where I regularly write about a wide range of topics, combining theoretical discussion with analysis of real-world developments in the global economy. I've also written a number of books. I hope this work helps people better understand the world we live in today and how we can strive for a fairer society."

WAPE is an open, nonprofit international academic organization dedicated to the study of the global economy and national economies through the lens of modern Marxian economics, exploring their underlying dynamics and operating mechanisms, and advancing economic development, social progress, and a global community with a shared future, with the ultimate goal of improving the well-being of people around the world. Since 2006, the association has held 18 international forums in cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, and Paris.