1st LD-Writethru: China commemorates late leader Wan Li's 100th birthday anniversary

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday held a seminar to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of late Chinese leader Wan Li.

At the seminar, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, called for passing on and promoting the revolutionary spirit and noble demeanor of veteran revolutionaries including Wan.

Wan was chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) from 1988 to 1993, and he also served as member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier prior to being the top legislator. He died at the age of 99 in 2015.

Zhang Dejiang and Liu Yunshan, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event.

"We should remember the achievements made by Wan and learn from his revolutionary spirit and lofty moral character," Xi said, adding that Party members should learn from Wan's firm ideals and adherence to beliefs.

He stressed Party members should also learn from Wan's loyalty to the Party and his steadfast belief in pursuing the truth, adding that this quality is an important guarantee to safeguard the Party's advancement and purity and improve its governance ability.

He urged people to learn from Wan's spirit of "seeking truth from facts" and bold exploration for development, calling for more efforts to integrate basic principles of Marxism into China's reality.

Xi stressed that people should learn from Wan's courage and determination to push forward reform and overcome difficulties, as "the most salient feature of contemporary China is reform and opening-up."

Xi said resolve should be shown in comprehensively deepening reform, and efforts should be made to solve problems that arise as the nation develops, and to constantly promote the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi also urged cadres and Party members to respect and rely on the people as Wan did.

Describing the mass line as the lifeline of the Party, Xi said the Party members should work for the people, rely on the people and safeguard the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people.

He added that authorities should also give full play to people's initiative and creativity so that the Party will always share weal and woe and unite as one with the people.

Xi stressed that Wan also set an example with his strict self-discipline, diligence and clean governance, urging constant efforts to be made to promote fine traditions and style of the Party and preserve its political qualities of warding off corruption and staying clean.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said Xi spoke highly of Wan's contributions in national independence and liberation, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening-up, and socialist modernization.

He called for efforts to realize the country's "two centenary goals" and the Chinese dream of great national renewal under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core.

The two centenary goals refer to: completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the CPC's centenary in 2021, and building a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious country by the centenary of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 2049.

Officials from the central authorities, Beijing and the provinces of Anhui and Shandong, as well as Wan's relatives, friends and co-workers, attended the event.

Born in 1916 in Shandong, Wan joined the CPC in 1936. He made an important contribution to defending China against Japanese invaders in the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Henan, and he was a leading figure in the War of Liberation.

After the PRC was founded in 1949, Wan assumed a number of positions, including head of the urban construction ministry and deputy mayor of Beijing. Endi