BEIJING, Dec. 25 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Saturday wrote back to the artists of the China Oriental Performing Arts Group (COPAG), encouraging them to pursue people-centered cultural creation and production.

The COPAG has two major predecessors -- the Chinese Song and Dance Troupe (CSDT), established in December 1952, and the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe (OSDT), established in January 1962.

Noting that this year marks the 70th founding anniversary of the CSDT and the 60th founding anniversary of the OSDT, Xi extended sincere greetings to all COPAG artists and staff in the letter.

Xi lauded the COPAG artists for their outstanding literary and artistic works produced over the years and their contributions to the development of literature and art in China as well as to the cultural exchanges with other countries.

He expressed the hope that the artists will stick to high moral standards, improve their artistic skills, uphold fundamental principles while breaking new ground, carry forward the underlying values of the new era, and promote the ethos of the Chinese people.

Xi encouraged them to make new contributions to the development of literary and artistic undertakings, build cultural confidence and strength, and devote more efforts to turning China into a country with a strong socialist culture.

Recently, 10 COPAG artists wrote a letter to Xi, expressing their determination to better tell Chinese stories and spread the Chinese voice through the expressions of art.