Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun Tuesday asked the People's Publishing House, China's oldest publisher of books on the Party and politics, to actively use new media to expand its influence.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, said during a visit to the publishing house that it should invigorate its development.

Acknowledging the company's achievements, Li said it should increase investment, further reform income distribution and human resources management.

He also urged the publisher to raise its international profile by publishing more books on the successful theories and practices of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It would contribute to improving the country's soft power, he said.

The house should endeavor to nurture a group of foreign-language literate talents who not only understood China's national situation, but also had a global view, Li said.

He said the house should earnestly implement the gist of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee that concluded in mid-September. The CPC session decided to expand democracy within the Party and better fight corruption.

The People's Publishing House was founded in 1921 and rebuilt in 1950. It is a well-known publisher of works on philosophy and social sciences.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2009)