国内英语新闻:Senior official stresses Party's leadership in publicity, culture work

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Departments of publicity and culture must follow the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), put the people at the center of their work and support the country's development, a senior official said Sunday.

Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting to urge publicity and culture workers to learn and implement the spirit of the speech on the Party's media work by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi visited China's three leading media providers on Friday morning and addressed the afternoon's symposium, saying the Party's media work should strictly follow the Party's leadership.

Officials attending Sunday's meeting said Xi's speech has answered a series of key questions about the Party's media development, according to a statement released after the meeting.

Liu said the key to doing a good job in media and publicity is to strengthen officials' "ideological and political building."

They should align their ideology, political thinking and deeds to those of the CPC Central Committee, keep up with the committee and protect its authority, Liu said.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong told the meeting that publicity and culture departments should better serve the country's efforts of stabilizing growth, industrial restructuring, promoting reform, benefiting the public and preventing risks.

Liu Qibao, head of the publicity department of the CPC Central Committee, stressed the "extreme importance" of the media work.

He said the media should stick to guiding public opinion on the correct path, adopt innovative methods and improve their abilities.