Deng to guide scholars

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have been asked to study and adhere to the theories of Deng Xiaoping in academic work.

The academy's leadership made the call at its annual conference in Beijing. Wang Renzhi, academy vice-president, and Ding Guangen and Li Tieying, both members of the political bureau of the Central Party Committee, asked scholars to "adopt Deng Xiaoping Theory as their guiding principle, so they may grasp correctly the characteristics of the contemporary time".

At its 15th National Congress in September last year, the Communist Party adopted Deng Xiaoping Theory as a guiding principle, along with Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.

The academy has been set key tasks for research, including a redefinition of public ownership, the restructuring of state-owned enterprises and the reform of the banking sector.

The academy will undergo a shake-up this year. Top posts are to be filled by younger, politically correct scholars who have strong academic and managerial skills, and the academy will open an information network that links all of its institutes.