BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping encouraged academicians and experts to inspire more scientific and technological workers to support and participate in the cause of science popularization and improve scientific literacy in China.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Thursday in a letter replying to academicians and experts who have participated in the lecture tour "science and China."

Xi said that for many years, the academicians and experts have actively participated in "science and China," widely spread scientific knowledge and promoted scientific spirit, and played a good role in promoting the popularization of science.

Xi said popularization of science is an important and fundamental work needed to achieve innovative development.

He hoped the academicians and experts will continue to carry forward the glorious tradition of serving the country through science, encourage more scientific and technological workers to support and participate in the cause of science popularization, and inspire young people's interest in respecting science and seeking knowledge via high-quality and rich content and popular ways, in order to promote science literacy for all, and make new contributions to achieving high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology and promoting Chinese modernization.

The "science and China" academician and expert lecture tour was launched in December 2002. Since then more than 2,000 science popularization activities have been held nationwide.

Recently, 20 academicians and experts who initiated and participated in "science and China" wrote a letter to Xi, reporting on the achievements made since the launch of the campaign. They proposed to advance an initiative involving one thousand academicians and one thousand science popularization activities to gather the strength of the academicians and experts, and make greater contributions to strengthening national science popularization and speeding up the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement.