Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, called for efforts to improve "weak links" and break through the "blockade of vested interests" as reform in China deepens. 

Xi, who is also Chinese president and head of the central committee for deepening overall reform, made the remarks on Wednesday at the ninth meeting of the committee. 

Deepening overall reform is an important manifestation of the CPC's commitment to remaining true to its original aspiration and shouldering its founding mission, Xi said. 

As reform goes deeper, greater courage and effort are needed to advance it, he stressed, warning against any slackness in the process.

Several documents were reviewed and approved at the meeting, including a plan to establish a national committee on ethical issues related to science and technology, guidelines on enhancing the protection of intellectual property rights and guidelines on promoting the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine, according to a statement released after the meeting. 

It said scientific and technological activities must follow certain ethics and that the establishment of the national committee on ethical issues related to science and technology aims to promote the building of a comprehensive ethical governance system in that field. 

The statement called for taking legal, administrative, economic and social governance measures in an integrated manner to improve the protection of intellectual property rights. 

Noting that equal importance is attached to traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine and efforts are made to promote mutually complementary and coordinated development of the two, the statement hailed the fact a "significant advantage" of China's medical and health services. It called for efforts to improve the traditional Chinese medicine service system and promote high-quality development of the industry. 

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central committee for deepening overall reform, also attended the meeting.