Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 5, 2018. The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday asked senior officials to consistently uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote the "great new project of Party building."

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials.

The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress.

"Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era must be upheld consistently as it is both the achievement and continuation of the people's great social revolutions led by the CPC," Xi said. "Both history and reality have proved that a long historical process is needed when a social revolution is declared a final victory."

"We can grasp the essence of many problems only by looking back the path we have taken, comparing it with others, looking to the road ahead, as well as understanding where we came from and where are going.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics does not drop from the sky, but comes out of the practice of 40 years of reform and opening up and the practice of exploration since the establishment of the People's Republic of China nearly 70 years ago, he said.

It is also the result of the 97-year practice of the people's great social revolutions under the CPC leadership, the 170-plus-year historical process during which the Chinese nation becomes prosperous from decline, and the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization in the past 5,000-plus years, Xi added.

"It is extremely difficult to achieve the outcome," the president said.

The success of scientific socialism in China is of great importance for Marxism, scientific socialism and socialism across the world. It is most fundamental for the CPC to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics so as to realize its historic mission in the new era, Xi said.