President Xi Jinping underlined on Thursday the importance of telling more stories of the Communist Party of China, its glorious traditions and fine work style in order to guide Party members, especially younger generations, to remain true to the Party's original aspirations and keep their mission firmly in mind.

Xi made the remarks in a reply letter to over 40 centenarian veterans of the New Fourth Army, who are also members of a Shanghai-based research society on the history of the force led by the CPC during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

In the letter, Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, commended the veterans for their profound love for the Party.

He noted that the veterans devoted themselves to the revolution and fought for the cause of the Party and the people in their youth and still associated themselves with the education and publicity related to the Party's history as centenarians.

For CPC members, the history of the Chinese revolution is the best textbook, and new understanding can always be gauged from new learning experiences, he said.

"You experienced in person the historical process in which the Chinese nation completed the tremendous transformation: it stood up, grew prosperous, and is becoming strong, and thus you better understand the original aspirations and the mission of our Party," Xi wrote.

With the CPC about to launch an education campaign on its history, Xi expressed hope that the veterans can continue to make their due contributions and guide Party members, especially the younger generation, to firm up their beliefs, fight courageously and devote themselves in a tireless endeavor to comprehensively build a modern socialist nation in the new era.

The research society on the history of the New Fourth Army in Shanghai, established in 1980, has long been focused on research, publicity and education on the history of the Party and the People's Liberation Army.

The centenarian veterans, led by Shi Ping and Cheng Yaxi, wrote to Xi recently to share from their experience their keen understanding that only with the CPC can the Chinese nation achieve its great rejuvenation. They also expressed their determination to pass on the "red genes", forever preserve their political character and work tirelessly for the cause of the Party and the people.

xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn