Jiang Zemin Calls for Increased Worldwide Understanding of China 　　Chinese President Jiang Zemin has called for an increased worldwide understanding of China through massive publicity efforts so as to raise the country's international stature and benefit its modernization drive. 　　"China should have an influence on world opinion which must be as strong as its international standing and prestige," Jiang told a national work conference on promoting understanding of China here today. "The job must be done better through analyzing the situation and making a correct assessment of it." 　　A favorable international environment of opinions was important for China to achieve its modernization goal in the next century, he said. 　　"China needs to understand the outside world better, as the outside world does of China, because mutual exchanges and understandings are vital to the development of any country", Jiang, also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said. 　　He explained that the work to promote understanding of China was mainly aimed at clarifying the country's internal and diplomatic policies as well as principles towards major international issues, and to introduce the country's historic and current situations to the outside world. 　　"It will be of great significance to help China enhance economic, technological and cultural exchanges and cooperation with other countries, foster mutual friendship, gain more overseas aids and safeguard political, economic and cultural security, " he said. 　　Jiang also emphasized that departments in charge of the work should be equipped with advanced information technology and facilities. More support should be provided by CPC committees and governments at all levels. 　　The conference was attended by Vice President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier Li Lanqing, who are both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. HomeNews 1999-02-27 Page1 Full Story in Chinese