SHENZHEN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength opened in Shenzhen on Wednesday afternoon. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent a letter to extend his warm congratulations to the forum on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi noted in the letter that the CPC has been committed to securing new successes in developing socialist culture. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, it has attached great importance to cultural development in national governance, furthered understanding of rules about cultural development, and promoted cultural inheritance and development. Solid progress has been made in building China into a country with a strong socialist culture.

Xi stressed that we must fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, better shoulder new cultural missions, increase confidence in our own culture, adhere to the approach of openness and inclusiveness, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, and inspire the cultural creativity of the whole nation. Standing at a new historical starting point, we will continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a leading country in culture, develop a modern Chinese civilization, keep promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and provide cultural strength for building a stronger country and achieving national rejuvenation.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, read out Xi's letter and delivered a keynote speech at the forum. He said that Xi's letter demonstrated great confidence in and a deep understanding of our culture, pointing the direction for shouldering new cultural missions and developing a modern Chinese civilization. It is imperative to study and put into practice the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the meeting on cultural inheritance and development, and the important instructions in his congratulatory letter. We should undertake our mission, work diligently, uphold ideological principles, strengthen our spiritual power, root ourselves in cultural traditions, push forward cultural prosperity and development, and promote exchanges and mutual learning.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attended the forum and delivered an address. Tie Ning, vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the forum and made a speech.

Hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength is themed on "Towards Greater Cultural Confidence and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations." Leading officials of central publicity and cultural authorities, publicity branches of provincial-level Party committees and some enterprises and public institutions in the cultural sector and experts and scholars from relevant think tanks were present at the forum.