SHENZHEN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2025 opened Monday in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province.

Themed "deepening reform in the cultural sector to ignite cultural creativity," the forum was hosted by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the conference and delivered a keynote speech.

Attendees to the forum included officials of publicity departments, representatives of cultural enterprises and public institutions, and scholars and experts.

The participants agreed that it is imperative to boldly advance reform in the cultural sector, further release and develop cultural productive forces, and steadily promote cultural prosperity.

Reform in the cultural sector should focus on addressing the key challenges hindering cultural development, the participants said.

They also called for efforts to advance the integration of culture and science and technology, as well as to promote openness and cooperation in the cultural sector.■