On February 14, 2006 (January 17, 2006 in the lunar calendar), the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a special seminar for leading cadres to build a new socialist countryside. From February 14 to 20, 2006, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a special seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels on building a new socialist countryside. Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao delivered speeches at the opening ceremony and graduation ceremony respectively. Hu Jintao emphasized the need to truly make the construction of a new socialist countryside a popular project that benefits the broad masses of farmers. From April 2006 to January 2007, the central government held 50 consecutive training courses to provide special training on "Building a New Socialist Countryside" for 5474 county party secretaries and county heads across the country.