A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has stressed the importance of nurturing a harmonious culture compatible with the theme of the country's development.

After a four-day tour of the southernmost island of Hainan, Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, ordered local officials to push forward cultural reforms with a focus on rural cultural life.

He urged that a publicity campaign be launched to let people know the significance of building a harmonious society, which should be based on the creation of a core value system.

To achieve this goal, the nation should be armed with Marxism that fits the concrete situations of China, he said.

He visited rural areas in Qionghai city and paid special attention to the development of ecology-friendly villages.

Li said it was important to improve public culture services, to popularize knowledge of modern farming, and to enrich cultural activities for people living in the countryside.

Residential communities, schools, families, and factories should also launch a drive to build a harmonious culture, Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)