While meeting the military delegates attending the 8th Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the 7th Congress of the Chinese Writers Association yesterday, Xu Caihou, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that President Hu Jintao's important speech should be complied with as the fundamental guideline to the literary and art work of the army so as to boost the innovative development of the literary and art work of the army and make new contributions to the construction of the harmonious socialist culture.

　　Li Jinai, member of the Central Military Commission and director of the General Political Department of the PLA attended the meeting.

　　Xu Caihou pointed out emphatically that the literary and art work of the army is an important part of the literary and art work of the Party, and therefore, we should always stick to the correct direction and make great efforts to give full scope to the central theme of the times. More top-notch artistic works on major subject matters in military life should be produced and more and better "mental food" should be turned out for the broad officers and men as well as the masses of the people. Special attention must be paid to the building of the ranks of writers and artists who should be cared for and cherished, and on top of that, better conditions should be created for them to put their talent to good use.

　　By Ding Haiming and Bian Zhen

　　(Nov 16, PLA Daily)