China's President Xi calls for soft approach in online policing

President Xi Jinping urged cadres to improve communication with prominent figures in new media as the Communist Party wrapped up a three-day conference yesterday.

Xi also called on the cadres to step up political ideological work with intellectuals outside the party, and warned that religions in the state must remain independent from foreign influence.

His remarks came amid a push for the propaganda machine to better utilise new media, following concerns over the detention of several prominent figures on social media.

"There needs to be strengthening work on well-known representatives of new media, setting up regular communication and interacting with them both online and offline," state-run Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

"We should let [these intellectuals] exert positive influence in cleaning up cyberspace and spreading mainstream values," he said, adding that non-party intellectuals were crucial for united front work. "Those studying overseas should be encouraged to return … to serve the nation."

The president explained that bringing together non-party intellectuals was a basic and important strategy as part of the party's efforts to unite the nation towards realising the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.