Xi also urged efforts to uphold openness and inclusiveness, adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times, carry forward and develop excellent traditional Chinese culture, promote the localization of foreign cultures, and cultivate and build socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

According to Xi, combining Marxism both with China's specific conditions and traditional Chinese culture is the most effective instrument for China's success in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Combining Marxism with traditional Chinese culture demonstrates that the Party has reached new heights in its understanding of the Chinese path, theory and system, and that the Party's confidence in history and culture has reached a new level, he said.

Prior to the symposium, Xi visited the China National Archives of Publications and Culture on Thursday afternoon. He said the construction of the archives center is an infrastructure project for building China into a leading country in culture and also a landmark project that can benefit future generations.

Noting that China now enjoys prosperity, social peace and stability, he said the country is willing to and is capable of carrying forward Chinese civilization, the only uninterrupted civilization in the world, and it must do a good job in this regard.

When visiting the Chinese Academy of History on Friday, Xi emphasized the important role of archaeology in understanding the long history of Chinese civilization and appreciating the richness and profoundness of Chinese culture.

Work must be done to carry out comprehensive studies of the origin and early development of Chinese civilization, implement major archaeological projects and conduct research and interpretation of the origins of Chinese civilization, he said.

Xi also encouraged researchers at the academy to work with their counterparts across the country and contribute their wisdom and efforts to the advancement of Chinese modernization.