(PHOTO: VCG)

BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the Science and Technology Daily on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its founding.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended congratulations to the newspaper's staff.

In the letter, he pointed out that over the past 40 years, the Science and Technology Daily has, focusing on the central tasks of the Party and the country, played an active role in promoting the Party's innovative theories, interpreting sci-tech policies, reporting on sci-tech achievements, and popularizing scientific knowledge.

Xi emphasized that, from a new starting point, efforts should be made to tell well China's sci-tech innovation stories, reflect the voices of sci-tech workers, and gather more wisdom and strength to achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and strength, and to build a strong country in science and technology.

Founded on Jan. 1, 1986, the Science and Technology Daily has evolved into a comprehensive media organization with platforms such as newspaper, journal, website and mobile application.