BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping on Sunday called for building cultural confidence and strength and securing new successes in developing socialist culture.

A flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China is held at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

"To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and be more confident in our culture," Xi said in a report at the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In the efforts to turn China into a country with a strong socialist culture, the CPC will focus on upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics, rallying public support, fostering a new generation of young people, developing Chinese culture, and better presenting China to the world, he said.

The Party will develop a sound, people-oriented socialist culture for the nation that embraces modernization, the world, and the future, ignite the cultural creativity of the entire nation, and build a powerful source of inspiration for realizing national rejuvenation, Xi added.

"We should uphold the foundational system for ensuring the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain," he said, calling for continuously growing China's cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture.