China celebrated the 50th anniversary of its television broadcasting service and founding of the China Central Television Station (CCTV) yesterday.

The CCTV is an important window through which China knows about the world and the world learns about China, said Chinese President Hu Jintao in a congratulation letter.

Corresponding with the development and changes of domestic and international situation, the country will build modern media system and enhance the power of news media for domestic and world service so as to create a favorable social environment and atmosphere for public opinions, Hu said.

He hoped the CCTV to make itself a leading media group with strong international influence, advanced technologies, rich contents and good coverage.

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin hoped the CCTV to become a world-class media with strong international influence in a calligraphy work he presented to the TV station.

Addressing the celebration ceremony, Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the television industry has developed very fast in China with facilities updated, programs improved and audience expanded.

In the past 50 years, the CCTV has played an important role to introduce the country's development and meet people's needs for cultural products, he said.

Li hoped that the TV industry will serve domestic and overseas audience both, instead of serving domestic ones only.

Everyone in this industry shall try his or her best to provide people with programs close to their interests, he said.

"They should work to let China's voice be heard worldwide," he said.