Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committtee and Chairman of the CPPCC shakes hands with delegates attending international symposium on Confucius in Beijing on Oct. 9th, 2004.

A senior Chinese official on Saturday called for inheriting and displaying excellent traditional Chinese culture to develop advanced socialist culture in China.

At an international symposium to mark the 2555th anniversary of the birth of Confucius (551-479 B.C.), Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), saluted all Chinese and overseas researchers who have engaged in the study of Confucianism, a philosophy based on interpreting the teachings of Confucius (Kong Fuzi in Chinese), the great scholar and educator in the ancient China.

"The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have attached great importance to protecting, displaying, inheriting and developing all excellent traditional Chinese culture, including the Confucianism," Jia said.

Jia, also a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, urged people to study the Confucianism in a scientific manner.

He called for combining efforts to spread traditional Chinese culture and "China's advanced socialist culture" in order to help the outside world have a better understanding about China.

Also present at the symposium was He Luli, a vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Source: Xinhua