BEIJING - Senior Chinese official Liu Yunshan on Friday stressed increased capability in guiding public opinion and the creation of a "positive and upward" atmosphere on the Internet.

When delivering a speech at a national conference attended by local publicity chiefs, Liu emphasized the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) over the media, the correct guidance of public opinion, and the pooling of "positive energy."

Good work should be done in the spheres of publicity and ideological work so as to provide a forceful spiritual guarantee for pushing forward China's reform, developing its economy in a sustainable and healthy manner, and safeguarding its social stability, said Liu, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Publicity departments should become powerful in order to do a good job in publicity and ideological work "under new situations," and publicity authorities should fulfill their obligations and strengthen their political conviction, Liu said.

The official also advocated deepened reform in the cultural system and called for more creativity in the cultural sector.

Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, underlined the guidance of mainstream media over public opinion, greater efforts to guide public opinion on the Internet and strengthened guidance and management in the ideological sphere.