A speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at a symposium on literature and art will be republished on Wednesday in the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of the symposium held in Beijing, where Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addressed some of the country's most renowned artists and writers at the time.  

Stressing the significance of literature and art for the Party and the people, Xi said they play an indispensable role in realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi urged writers and artists to follow a people-centered approach in literature and art creation and produce more outstanding works that disseminate contemporary Chinese values, embody Chinese culture and reflect the Chinese people's aesthetic pursuit.

He stressed the importance of nurturing writers and artists of both moral and artistic stature, as well as a large contingent of talented personnel in the field of literature and art.

"Socialist literature and art is, in essence, the literature and art of the people," he said in the speech, calling on writers and artists to put the social benefits of their works before everything else.

Literary and artistic works should not be the "slaves" of the market and should not bear "the stench of money," Xi added.

He also urged writers and artists to promote core socialist values and guide the people to develop an accurate understanding of history, ethnicity, country and culture.

(Cover: An exhibition celebrating the 10th anniversary of the symposium on literature and art at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, China, July 24, 2024. /CFP )