Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently made important instructions on the work of public communication and culture. He pointed out that the work is extremely crucial to the future and destiny of the Party, the long-term stability of the country, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has made systematic plans and arrangements from an overall and strategic perspective for the work in this sector, securing historic achievements in this regard in the new era. As a result, overarching and fundamental changes have taken place in the country's ideological landscape, which has greatly boosted cultural confidence and morale throughout the Party and the nation.

Xi stressed that, in a new era and on a new journey, the evolution of changes with a magnitude unseen in a century is accelerating across the world. The Chinese nation has entered a critical period for its great rejuvenation with the juxtaposition of strategic opportunities as well as risks and challenges. The work of public communication and culture is facing new situations and tasks, and thus those in this sector must take on a new look and make greater progress in this regard. Under the guidance of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, it is essential to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, focus on the primary political task of arming the entire Party and educating the people with the Party's innovative theories. To fulfill the new cultural mission of further advancing cultural prosperity, building a leading country in culture and developing a modern Chinese civilization at a new historical starting point, it is a must to have stronger cultural confidence, follow the approach of openness and inclusiveness, and uphold fundamental principles and break new ground.He called for great efforts to strengthen Party leadership in the work of public communication and culture, develop a socialist ideology that has the power to unite and inspire the people, cultivate and practice the core socialist values, improve the capacity of dissemination and guidance, as well as influence and credibility of the media, carry forward the legacy of Chinese culture with a view to promoting innovative transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture, beef up the prosperity and development of cultural undertakings and industries, boost the capability of international communication, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. He also called for endeavors to fully stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the whole nation, constantly consolidate the common ideological foundation for the concerted efforts of all Party members and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, continuously strengthen the nation's cultural soft power and the international influence of Chinese culture, so as to provide solid ideological guarantees, powerful inspiration and favorable cultural environment for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Xi stressed that the Party committees (leading Party members groups) at various levels should consider the work of public communication and culture as a major political responsibility they must shoulder, so as to ensure that the CPC Central Committee's policies and plans for cultural progress are implemented to the letter. The departments at various levels concerned with the work of public communication and culture should enhance their political awareness, have the courage to reform and innovate, have the courage and ability to carry forward their struggle, and constantly break new ground for this work in the new era.

The National Conference on the Work of Public Communication and Culture was held in Beijing from October 7 to 8. Important instructions from General Secretary Xi Jinping were conveyed at the conference. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended and addressed the conference.

It was stressed at the conference that General Secretary Xi's important instructions are profound, insightful, and carry immense political, ideological, and guiding significance. They have pointed out where to go for further improving our work of public communication and culture, and therefore must be thoroughly understood, and resolutely implemented.

Those present at the conference agreed that the historical achievements made in the work of public communication and culture since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 were, in the final analysis, attributed to Xi's leadership and guidance from the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The general secretary's new thoughts, viewpoints, and assessments on cultural advancement in the new era are rich in content and profound in exposition. They are summaries of the practical experience of the Party's leadership in cultural advancement in the new era, and enriched and developed the Marxist cultural theories. They have constituted the cultural dimension of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and formed Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

It was noted at the conference that Xi Jinping Thought on Culture involves not only innovation and breakthroughs in theoretical proposition of the cultural sector, but also arrangements and requirements concerning the work of culture. It has well coordinated both the theories and applications. It has charted the course for and tasks of cultural development in the new era. It demonstrates that our Party has reached a higher level in its understanding of the right way for the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and in having greater historical and cultural confidence. It also showcases powerful strengths in the development of socialist culture in our country, providing us with strong intellectual tools and guidelines for rational actions so that we will be able to do a better job on the work of public communication and culture on the new journey of the new era, and better shoulder the new cultural mission. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is an ideological system that remains open and keeps expanding, and it is bound to be enriched and further developed amid practices. It is imperative to thoroughly understand the decisive significance of the "Two Affirmations," strengthen our commitment to the "Four Consciousness", the "Four-sphere Confidence" and the "Two Upholds", intensify our efforts to study, research and interpret Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and implement it to the letter in all aspects and the whole process of the work of public communication and culture.

It was stressed at the conference that to implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and the strategic arrangements for cultural development of the 20th CPC National Congress, we must boost our sense of responsibility and mission to do well the work of public communication and culture on the new journey of the new era, and push forward relevant work to achieve concrete outcomes. We must make unremitting efforts to strengthen cohesion and forge the Party's soul with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must work hard to study, understand, believe in and apply the thought, and thus internalize and transform it into what we can draw on for our work. We must consolidate and strengthen the mainstream thoughts and public opinion in the new era, strengthen positive public communication with a view to boosting confidence, and upgrade the capabilities of guiding opinions. We must extensively practice the core socialist values, and improve and innovate the work in making cultural-ethical progress. We must promote the prosperity of cultural undertakings and industries, and strengthen the protection and inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. We must strengthen and improve the work of international communication, and promote the dissemination and influence of Chinese culture. We must firmly prevent and defuse ideological risks and have the courage to carry on our fight. We must strengthen the Party's overall leadership over the work of public communication and culture, hold those in charge politically accountable, have the courage to reform and innovate, strengthen the rule of law, build a strong contingent of officials and talents, so as to provide a strong political guarantee for shouldering the new cultural mission. We must hammer away at implementing all tasks and requirements to the letter, constantly improve our work capabilities, and the quality and efficiency of our work, and take on a new look and make new achievements in our strive for and practice of building a strong socialist culture as well as a modern Chinese civilization.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head?of?the?Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, announced work plans.

Leaders of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, People's Daily, China Media Group, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Publicity Department of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee made speeches.

Tie Ning and Shen Yiqin attended the conference.

Also present at the conference were members of the Central Public Communication and Culture Work Leading Group, and leading officials of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and cities?specifically?designated?in?the state plan, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, departments of publicity and culture of the CPC Central Committee, relevant central Party and government departments, relevant people's organizations, financial institutions under the central government, some enterprises and universities as well as? leaders of relevant departments of the Central Military Commission.