Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater efforts to cultivate a large number of high-level talent with both integrity and ability to meet the development need of the Party and the country.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the requirement in an instruction on the country's graduate education.

Xi said high-level talent are urgently needed, as socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and a new course of building a modern socialist country is unfolding on the basis of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and winning the battle against poverty.

Xi also stressed the important role of graduate education in boosting innovation, catering for economic and social development, as well as modernizing the system and capacity for governance in China.

Party committees and governments at all levels were asked to focus on improving graduate education to cultivate more high-level talent urgently needed by the country, so as to contribute to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Premier Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also made an instruction saying graduate education bears the task of boosting innovation and creation and serves as a cornerstone of China's development and social progress.

Li called for efforts to implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to cultivate talent adaptable to multiple fields, with the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

A national conference on graduate education was held via video link on Wednesday. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan attended the meeting and delivered a speech.