President Xi Jinping has called on the country's historians to improve their research and innovation to better summarize historical experience, reveal patterns and grasp the trend of history.

The remarks of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, came as he congratulated the opening of the academy of Chinese history studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in a letter on Thursday.

Xi called on historians to integrate their strengths in Chinese and world history as well as archaeology, push forward the integrated development of related historical subjects and accelerate the development of discipline, academic and discourse systems with Chinese characteristics.

History is a mirror, he said, and drawing its lessons not only benefits contemporary endeavors but also enriches the mind. It is a fine tradition of China, with a civilization of over 5,000 years, to emphasize historical research and its use as a reference, he added.

It is even more necessary to conduct systematic research into Chinese history and culture and learn more deeply about historical development patterns to adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, he said.

He added that historical research is the foundation of all social sciences, and Chinese historians, under the leadership of the CPC, have made contributions to the course of the Party and the country.

Xi expressed hope that the new academy would launch a series of elite works with thoughtful insights, cultivate historians with expertise in Chinese and Western studies and contribute to furthering Chinese historical studies as well as international exchanges in the area.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the ceremony for the academy in Beijing on Thursday.