Newspaper has flourished through 70 years of challenging history

President Xi Jinping has called on People's Daily, which just celebrated its 70th anniversary, to faithfully fulfill the responsibilities and missions of the publicity work of the Communist Party of China.

In a congratulatory letter sent to the newspaper, which held a conference on Friday to celebrate the anniversary, Xi asked the newspaper to continuously improve its penetration, guidance, influence and credibility.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that over the past 70 years People's Daily, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, has been adhering to the lines, principles and policies of the Party.

He praised the important roles the newspaper has played through periods of revolution, socialist construction and reform, saying the paper works closely with the Party and the people, and enthusiastically reports the activities of the people.

Now that China has entered a new era and started a new journey to build a strong and modernized socialist country, Xi said, the staff of People's Daily should seriously study and carry forward the spirit of the thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era as well as that of the 19th CPC National Congress.

The newspaper should insist on the correct political direction, carry forward good traditions, boost reform and innovation, build a competent team, improve news reports, tell the Chinese stories in a proper way and use all-media pattern to help realize the "Two Centenary Goals" and the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the conference and asked the staff of People's Daily to learn and carry forward the spirit of Xi's instructions.

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the newspaper should firmly grasp the right direction of public opinion and direct the Party's innovative theory into the hearts of the people, said Huang, who is also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

People's Daily was founded on June 15, 1948. The newspaper group has boasted various communication platforms including newspapers, magazines, websites and apps, reaching an audience of more than 780 million people.