Xi salutes late leader Liu Shaoqi's high spirit

President Xi Jinping pledged on Friday to learn from the high morality of the late leader Liu Shaoqi to have firm belief in communism and always be loyal to the Party and the people.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark while delivering a speech at a symposium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Liu's birth.

Liu, a veteran revolutionary leader, joined the CPC in 1921 and served as Chinese president from 1959 to 1968. He was expelled from the Party in 1968 during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) and died a year later at the age of 71.