Li Changchun, a top Communist Party of China (CPC) official, highlighted Sunday the vital role of culture in the course of building a "harmonious society", the latest initiative of the Chinese leadership to balance the country's economic growth and social development.

"Building a harmonious socialist society is a major task put forth by our Party in making the Chinese society more affluent and ushering in new advancement of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics," said Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the Party's nine-member top decision-making body, while joining in a panel discussion of lawmakers from south China's Guangdong Province Sunday morning.

The lawmakers, or deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), are in BEijing for the annual full session of the top legislature.

During the discussion, Li echoed the lawmakers' view that the Government Work Report, which Premier Wen Jiabao delivered at the opening of the NPC session Saturday, was a "good report" underlining the building of a harmonious society.

"In the building of a harmonious socialist society, the development of an advanced socialist culture is of much importanceas it can provide a strong ideological guarantee, as well as powerful spiritual support, for our efforts," said Li, who is in charge of the Party's cultural and ideological work.

It is essential to go on upholding the guiding status of Marxism in the ideological field, spare no effort to carry forward China's great national spirit, especially patriotism, and actively promote the socialist ethics, added Li.

Li, the former provincial Party chief of Guangdong, also urged the booming southern coastal province to take the lead and play an exemplary role in building a harmonious society.

Editor: Olivia