The Sixth Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee of the CPC

It was convened in Beijing from October 15 to 18, 2011. The Plenary Session listened to and discussed Hu Jintao's Work Report entrusted by the Central Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the “Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues concerning Deepening the Reform of the Cultural System Reform and Promoting the Development and Prosperity of Socialist Culture”.

The “Decision” emphasized that advanced socialist culture is the ideological and spiritual banner of the Marxist Party, cultural building is an important part of the overall layout of the the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Without the active leadership of culture, without the great enrichment of the people's spiritual world, without the full play of the spiritual power of the whole nation, a country, a nation cannot survive in the forest of the world's nations. The “Decision” comprehensively summed up the achievements and experiences of the Party in leading cultural building and put forward the strategic objective of adhering to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics and striving to build a socialist cultural power. The Plenary Session put forward the guiding ideology, objectives, tasks and important guidelines for promoting the reform and development of the cultural system, and made work arrangements and proposed major initiatives.

The Plenary Session for the first time clearly put forward the strategic task of “building a system of Socialist core value”. The “Decision” underlined that the system of Socialist core value is the soul of the country and the essence of the advanced socialist culture. To promote building a system of Socialist core value and consolidate the common ideological and moral basis for the unity and struggle of the people of all nationalities throughout the Party, the Party must adhere to Marxism as the guide, firmly uphold the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, carry forward the national spirit with patriotism as the core and the spirit of the times with reform and innovation as the core, and establish and implement the socialist concept of honor and shame.

The “Decision” also emphasized the need to strengthen and improve the leadership of the Communist Party of China on cultural work. The Plenary Session discussed and adopted the “Resolution on the Convening of the Eighteenth National Congress of the Party”.