BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Li Changchun called for more efforts to develop public cultural services during a visit to central China's Hunan Province from May 11 to 16.

    Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China should build more cultural infrastructure, expand the network of cultural services and provide more cultural products to the public.

    "We need to respond to the public's appetite for culture ¨C not just television, but also radio, reading, libraries, museums, movie-going and taking part in public cultural activities," said Li.

    "The construction of public cultural services should be included in the regional social and economic development plan and guaranteed by government investment," Li said.

    In making plans for major public cultural service programs, preferential treatment should be given to China's rural areas as well as central and western regions, he said.