BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sun Chunlan, head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, paid a visit on Wednesday to major religious groups and extended her good wishes.

Sun said she appreciated the work of the groups, including the Buddhist Association of China, China Taoist Association, China Islamic Association, China Catholic Patriotic Association and Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church in China, and urged them to unite religious believers in helping economic growth and social development.

Religious groups should train more young and middle-aged clergy who are politically reliable, religiously accomplished, morally respected and can play a constructive role at critical moments, said Sun.

Sun also urged religious groups to continue to find ways to adjust religion to socialist society.