BEIJING — President Xi Jinping has called for “firm adherence to the right direction in the reform of mass organizations.”

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction to a symposium on mass organization reform.

The work on mass organizations is an important component of the undertakings of the CPC, and mass organization reform is an important part of overall reform, Xi said.

Xi asked the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee to enhance guidance on the reform work, with a reform office under CPC Central Committee overseeing the implementation of the reform plan.

Party committees at all levels should take responsibilities to push forward the reform of mass organizations, by steering the direction of the reform, studying the current situation and tackling difficulties to improve the work of mass organizations and their services, Xi said.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said at the symposium on Aug 26 that efforts must be made to follow Xi’s instruction and push forward the reform.

He said the reform must focus on the improvement of mass organizations’ work to better serve, attract and influence the people, under the leadership of the CPC.

Mass organizations represent people from different lines of work or age groups, such as trade unions, women’s groups and youth leagues.