BEIJING - Xi Jinping, the new leader of China's ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), on Saturday called for efforts to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made the comments at the opening ceremony of a high-profile workshop attended by new CPC Central Committee members and alternate members elected at the 18th CPC National Congress in November last year.

Xi called for efforts to unswervingly uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, saying "which path to take decides the life of the Party" and it is the most important question that is related to the success or failure of the Party.

CPC members should always harbor the spirit of "cutting a road when (they) come to the hill, and building a bridge when (they) come across a river," Xi said, urging them to "forge ahead and explore boldly" along the path.

CPC members should deepen reform and opening up, make discoveries, innovations and progresses, he said.

He urged Party members to be brave in analyzing and responding to pressing problems that the public want solving and to promote innovation in practice, theory and institutional building.

Late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping put forward the concept of building socialism with Chinese characteristics 31 years ago.

Xi said China's cause to develop socialism can be divided into two stages by the watershed decision of starting the reform and opening-up in the late 1970s.

Although principles and policies as well as practice in the two stages were very different, they were not irrelevant nor contradicted with each other, he said.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics took shape after the country adopted reform and opening-up. However, it was also based on the socialist system established since 1949 and the following 20-plus years of socialist construction, he said.

People can not deny what was done before the reform and opening-up based on what happened after it and vice versa, he said.

"We should seek the truth from the facts and tell apart what is important and what is not," he said.

"Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only route that must be taken to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, advance the socialist modernization and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said.