Chinese leaders joined noted intellectuals in a party to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the Chinese lunar New Year, Sunday night at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan attended the gathering held by the CPC Central Committee.

Some noted intellectuals from the art, scientific and technological, educational, theory, news media and publishing circles were invited to the party.

Li Changchun, who chaired the party, extended festival greetings and nice wishes to all Chinese intellectuals on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

He said the intellectuals are an important force in China's reform, opening up and modernization drive and called on them to make bigger contributions to further pushing forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2006)