On July 11^th, the Symposium on Cutting-edge Issues in the History of China’s Reform and Opening up convened at Central China Normal University. Discussion centered on the significance of research on reform and opening up, and methodologies for studying this period. One of the ideas expressed at the conference was that researchers ought to broaden their theoretical vision in conceptualizing the significance of reform and opening up, so as to summarize successful experience of China’s reform and opening up. Such an approach will involve actively exploring the cutting-edge issues in reform and opening up and fully questioning how its history can serve as a practical guide.