国内英语新闻:China calls for greater cultural, ethical progress: senior official

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese official called for a higher level of requirements for promoting cultural and ethical progress at a national conference Tuesday.

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee urged for efforts to "provide firm ideological assurance, powerful spiritual drive, effective media support and sound cultural conditions for achieving the great goal of building an overall prosperous society."

Li, also director of the Central Spiritual Civilization Development Steering Commission, made the remark while addressing the National Award-issuing Conference on the Work of Cultural and Ethical Progress.

Li Changchun (1st L), a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Central Spiritual Civilization Development Steering Commission, presents the awards to the advanced collectives and individuals during the National Award-issuing Conference on the Work of Cultural and Ethical Progress held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 20, 2011. Li attended the conference on Tuesday and gave a speech.

In his speech, Li extended his gratefulness to everyone engaged in cultural and ethical work at all levels, as well as to people from all walks of life for their active participation in, and support of, the work.

Currently, publicizing the Party's new plenary session should be the primary task in cultural and ethical work, Li said.

"Cultural and ethical progress is a major component of the socialist cause with China's own characteristics," he said, emphasizing that substantial efforts must be made to strengthen Party leadership on the work.

The meeting was presided over by Liu Yunshan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy-director of the Central Spiritual Civilization Development Steering Commission.

In an address at the gathering, he called for greater efforts in publicizing the models of cultural and ethical progress, so as to "enhance the level of civilization of the society as a whole."

A total of 27 cities and municipal districts, 899 villages and small towns, and 1,794 institutions and enterprises were awarded for their marked achievements in cultural and ethical progress, and 23 cities and municipal districts that had been previously awarded were allowed to keep their honorary titles.