President Xi Jinping has stressed promoting the unity and hard work of Chinese people at home and abroad to pool strength for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

 

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a central conference on the united front work held from Friday to Saturday in Beijing.

 

Xi emphasized following the guidance of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and upholding the CPC leadership and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

 

Xi underscored holding high the banner of patriotism and socialism, balancing commonality and diversity, concentrating on the central task, serving the overall interests of the country, keeping pace with the times, and innovating on the basis of what has worked in the past.

 

He also emphasized giving full play to the united front's political role in rallying the people's support and pooling their strength to promote harmony in relations among political parties, ethnic groups, religious sectors, social strata, and compatriots at home and abroad.

 

Li Keqiang presided over the conference, which was also attended by Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng. Wang Yang delivered concluding remarks.

 

The united front is an important component of the Party's general line and policy, said Xi, noting that the CPC has made historic achievements in the united front work since the 18th CPC National Congress.

 

We have formed the thought on the Party's united front work in the new era through practice. It serves as the fundamental guideline for the united front work in the new era and must be fully and faithfully applied by the whole Party, Xi stressed.

 

As an important way to unite Chinese people at home and abroad to achieve national rejuvenation, the united front must be upheld on a long-term basis, he said.

 

Xi pointed out that the essential requirement of the united front work is to achieve great unity and solidarity, and the key lies in seeking common ground while shelving differences and seeking commonality while respecting diversity.

 

Xi also underscored the importance of ensuring the Party's overall leadership over the united front work.

 

Noting that profound changes unseen in a century are evolving rapidly across the world, Xi said the united front is playing an increasingly important role in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security, and development interests.

 

It is also playing a more important role in serving the overall interests in efforts to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects, and in strengthening the Party's class foundation and expanding its mass base, he added.

 

Xi stressed efforts to truly unite all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation from different political parties, ethnic groups, social strata and groups, as well as those with different beliefs and living in different social systems.

 

The relationship between unity and struggle in the united front work must be properly handled, so as to reach a real, impregnable unity, Xi said.

 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has always been attaching great importance to the united front work from an overall and strategic perspective.

 

Xi called for upholding and improving the system of the CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation, uniting non-CPC intellectuals and people of new social groups, facilitating the healthy growth of the non-public sector and encouraging those working in this sector to achieve success.

 

He also called for fostering overseas patriotic elements and enhancing cyberspace united front work.

 

The fundamental requirement in strengthening the united front work in the new era is to uphold the Party's leadership, Xi said, calling on all relevant authorities and departments to form a strong synergy.

 

He also asked personnel in this regard to improve their capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation and carry out the united front work with better methods.

 

Presiding over the conference, Li Keqiang called for efforts to earnestly study Xi's important speech, and think and act in line with its guiding principles. Li also called for completing various tasks based on actual conditions.

 

In his concluding remarks at the conference, Wang Yang called for full and faithful understanding of Xi's important thought on the Party's united front work in the new era. Wang urged concerted efforts to serve the Party's central task in the new era and write a new chapter in the cause of the united front.