Mao Zedong Thought 'guiding principle'

A leading Party theory professor from China's top think tank has dismissed speculation that Mao Zedong Thought would be amended or removed from the Communist Party of China's Constitution.

"Mao Zedong Thought is always the guiding principle of our Party," Wang Weiguang, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and an alternate member of the 17th CPC Central Committee, said at a news conference focused on theoretical innovation of the Party during the ongoing 18th National Congress of the CPC on Friday.

The report Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, delivered to the 18th Party Congress articulated that the theoretical system of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has inherited the assets of Mao Zedong Thought including "seeking truth from facts", he said, adding that the two share the same origin of Marxism-Leninism.