Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a workshop attended by delegates of a national conference on publicity and ideological work on Tuesday. (Xinhua Photo)

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has urged the Party's publicity and ideological workers to uphold the great banner of socialism with China's characteristics, closely follow the general situation, serve the people, and undertake reforms and innovations.

The ideological workers should work for "creating a sound environment for continuing the ideological emancipation, persisting in reforms and opening-up, and pushing forward a scientific development and social harmony," said the Party leader, who is also head of state and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Addressing a workshop attended by delegates of a national conference on publicity and ideological work on Tuesday, Hu urged the Party's publicity workers to provide a powerful ideological guarantee for achieving new victories in building a comprehensive prosperous society and opening up the new situation for the socialism with China's characteristics.

Hu said the 17th Party Congress, which was held three months ago, called for pushing forward the big development and prosperity of socialist culture in a more active way.

"The publicity and ideological work is one of the important components of the work of the Party and the State," he said, highlighting its significant status and irreplaceable role in the whole of the socialism with China's characteristics.

"Efforts should be made to advocate things that are helpful to the prosperity of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation, the happiness of the people, and the harmony of the society," Hu said.

He called for building a public cultural service system, to further guarantee people's fundamental cultural rights; deepening cultural restructuring, to further increase the vitality of the cultural development; and do a better job in the field of overseas publicity, so as to further display the good image of the country.

Present at the workshop were Li Changchun and Xi Jinping, both members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

Li, who presided over the meeting, said Hu's speech is very important as it stands on a strategic height concerning the long-term development of the Party and the Nation. He called for seriously studying, understanding and implementing Hu's instructions.

Also present were other senior officials including Liu Yunshan, Li Yuanchao, Xu Caihou, Ling Jihua, Wang Huning, Chen Zhili and Chen Kuiyuan.

Editor: Yan