Xi hails role of nation's youth

In visit to a top university, president calls for blazing new path in higher education

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday urged the young generation across the country to follow the Party, strive for national rejuvenation, and work hard for the best possible results.

Xi, who is also China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark when visiting Renmin University of China in Beijing ahead of China's Youth Day, which falls on May 4.

He also called for blazing a new path to build world-class universities with Chinese characteristics, and stressed that China's universities should be deeply rooted in China and should avoid simply copying foreign standards and models.

Renmin University of China, which was founded by the Party in 1937, is one of the most prestigious universities in China. With an emphasis on teaching and research in the social sciences and Marxist theories, the university has developed into one of the most influential think tanks in the country.

During his tour, Xi visited an intelligent classroom for political and theoretical education, as well as a museum and a library to learn about the university's work in educational reform and innovation, its historical evolution and the achievements it has made in teaching and scientific research.

He also learned about the efforts to strengthen the protection and utilization of ancient books and promote the application of theoretical research achievements.

In running universities, Xi stressed the need to follow the Party's leadership and pass on revolutionary traditions.

While joining students taking part in a political and theoretical course, Xi underlined the importance of ideological education, and encouraged them to firm up their confidence in the country's development path, theory, system and culture, and strive to be pioneers in the new journey of building China into a modern socialist country.

When visiting the university's museum, Xi spoke of the founding of the university and its development under the leadership of the Party, and called for carrying on its fine revolutionary traditions.

He met some senior professors, experts and representatives of middle-aged and young teachers, and stressed the need to attach importance to fostering a strong workforce of teachers in order to build the university into an important center for talent and innovation in the teaching and research of social sciences.

While presiding over a symposium attended by the university's teachers and students, the president underscored the importance of developing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics in the context of the country's efforts to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics as well as the speedy evolution of the international landscape.

He called for adapting the basic principles of Marxism to the actual conditions of the nation, saying that stepping up the development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics fundamentally calls for building China's independent knowledge system.

Efforts should be made to strengthen innovation in theories and know-how and to continuously advance the innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, he said.

Xi also urged efforts to leverage the unique role of philosophy and social sciences in promoting exchanges between Chinese and foreign cultures as well as interaction between various civilizations, and try to make China's voices heard and its theories better understood by the world, and make contributions to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.