Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the National Library of China (NLC) to promote fine traditional culture, encourage reading among the public, and better meet the people's cultural and intellectual needs. 

President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a reply letter to eight senior experts from the library, which celebrates the 110th anniversary of its founding this year. 

Recently, eight retired experts wrote to Xi expressing their pride in witnessing the steady development of the library and firm confidence in further advancing the library cause in the new era. 

In his reply, Xi extended greetings to the staff of the library, hoping that the library will make new contributions to the building of socialist country with great cultural strength. 

He acknowledged the positive role the library has played over the past 110 years and called on it to explore new ways of providing services. 
  
Founded in 1909, the NLC has a collection of nearly 40 million books and receives more than five million visitors annually. 

(With input from Xinhua)