Hu, also a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the call while addressing a national conference of heads of Party organization departments.

Hu said that great achievements have been made in the Party building in the past year. However, he said such problems as lax discipline and loose organization remain.

The new situation in the new century will bring up opportunities as well as challenges for the Party building, according to Hu.

Hu urged the whole Party to arm themselves with Marxism and improve the Party building in accordance with the instructions of Jiang Zemin, the general secretary of the CPC, in order to make the Party the core in leading the people to building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The Party should always take the economic development as its central task and continue to serve the people whole-heartedly, he said.

Hu also asked Party members to meet the new demands of the new situation in order to improve the organization and working style of the Party.

The year 2001 is a start of a new century and the first year of implementing the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005), and it is of great importance to improve the Party building in the year, Hu said.

(People's Daily 12/29/2000)