BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping has encouraged industrial workers to further contribute wisdom and strength to building a country that is strong in manufacturing and promoting the full revitalization of Northeast China.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to representatives of workers from China First Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (CFHI), a leading equipment manufacturer headquartered in Qiqihar city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

In the letter, Xi said he had visited CFHI twice and was deeply impressed by the persistent pursuit of technological innovation and product quality by the workers.

Xi noted that in recent years, they have focused on tackling core technological challenges in major equipment manufacturing and made many new breakthroughs, which demonstrated the patriotism and creativity of Chinese industrial workers in the new era.

Manufacturing is the foundation of a country and the basis of a strong nation, he stressed, expressing his hope that the workers adhere to the original intention of serving the country with skills and promote the spirit of model workers and craftsmanship.

He said that centrally-administered enterprises should boost reform and innovation, enhance their core functions and competitiveness, and work hard to become bigger, better and stronger. Furthermore, they should contribute more to the endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xi has inspected the manufacturing bases of the CFHI twice and made instructions on its reform and innovation as well as operation and management.

Representatives of the CFHI workers awarded the title of role model wrote a letter to Xi recently, reporting on their efforts to strengthen technological research and development following Xi's instructions, and expressing their determination to contribute to the full revitalization of northeast China and the cause of building China into a great country.