President Xi Jinping lauded the "outstanding contributions" of late leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-97) on Thursday, and called for advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics initiated by Deng, the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up policy.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when addressing a symposium organized by the CPC Central Committee to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Deng's birth on Thursday.

Hailing Deng's historical feats in national independence and the people's liberation, in the founding of the People's Republic of China and socialist construction, as well as in the founding of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Xi said that Deng made outstanding contributions to the Party, the people, the country, the nation and the world.

Deng pushed China to achieve a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, break new ground in socialist modernization, and set a correct path for the country's complete reunification, Xi said.

Deng's achievements have been immortalized in history and will always inspire future generations, he said.

Deng's reform and opening-up policy was officially launched at the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in December 1978, paving the way for China's future growth. His southern tour in 1992, especially his visit to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, pushed China's reform and opening-up further at a critical juncture.

Xi called for continuing to study and apply Deng Xiaoping Theory, the series of political and economic ideologies that play an important role in modern China, such as opening up China to the outside world, the implementation of "one country, two systems", and advocating political and economic pragmatism through the phrase "seek truth from facts".

Deng was the pioneer of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the concept was first highlighted when he addressed the opening ceremony of the 12th CPC National Congress in Beijing on Sept 1, 1982.

The imperative to build socialism with Chinese characteristics is based on the fact that China is in the primary stages of socialism, according to Deng's theory. The overall approach is to promote economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress.

Xi emphasized at Thursday's meeting that the best way to commemorate Deng is to continue advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he initiated.

The country must forge ahead, focusing on the central task of building a strong country and realizing national rejuvenation through comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization, he said.

Xi underlined the need to further comprehensively deepen reforms to provide strong impetus and institutional safeguards for Chinese modernization.

"We must promote high-level opening-up, steadily expand institutional opening-up and promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. We must coordinate openness and security and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests."

Xi also urged efforts to achieve more notable and substantive progress in promoting common prosperity for all.

Noting that realizing China's complete reunification had long been the aspiration of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and other members of the older generation of revolutionaries, Xi urged resolute efforts to promote the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, and firmly oppose "Taiwan independence" to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He also reiterated China's commitment to promoting world peace, saying that the nation will provide new opportunities for the world with new progress in Chinese modernization.

Zulkafil Hassan Khan, president of the Society of International Relations& Law in Islamabad, Pakistan, and director of the Pak-China Corridor of Knowledge, said that Xi's acknowledgment of Deng's outstanding contributions vividly reflects Xi's pivotal role in the further strengthening of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which has ultimately transformed the country's socioeconomic outlook.

Khan noted Xi's emphasis on the country continuing to thoroughly study and apply Deng Xiaoping Theory, saying that it remains the foundation of China's economic transition, social transformation and industrial modernization leading the country toward openness and modernization.

Xu Weiwei in Hong Kong contributed to this story.