General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presides over a symposium on strengthening the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of crucial ecological projects, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, and delivers an important speech in Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, June 6, 2023. Xi sent a congratulatory letter to the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING – The following is the full text of Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength.

On the occasion of the opening of the first Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength, I would like to express my warm congratulations on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee!

Our Party has been committed to securing new successes in developing socialist culture. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party 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.

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.

Xi Jinping
June 7, 2023