BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has held a symposium with non-CPC personages to seek opinions and suggestions on the country's current economic situation and economic work for the second half of the year.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the symposium and delivered an important speech on July 21.

To do the economic work well for the second half of the year, the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability should continue to be followed, Xi said.

Efforts should be made to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerate the building of a new pattern of development, comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, intensify macro regulation, expand domestic demand, boost confidence and prevent risks, he said.

He also stressed pushing for the continued improvement of the economic performance, endogenous driving force and social expectations, continuously defusing risks and hidden dangers, and effectively upgrading and appropriately expanding China's economic output.