BEIJING, Jan. 26 -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Liu Yunshanhas visited Chinese scientists including nuclear weapons expert Cheng Kaijia and Nobel laureate Tu Youyou ahead of China's Lunar New Year.

On behalf of President Xi Jinpingand the CPC Central Committee, Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, on Monday and Tuesday visited the homes of Cheng and Tu as well as rocketry expert Ren Xinmin and space scientist Wang Xiji and extended New Year's greetings to them.

Cheng, Ren and Wang, all academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, are among China's most-respected scientists and have made pioneering contributions to nuclear experiments and satellite development.

Liu expressed appreciation of their contributions, listened to their suggestions on scientific and technological development and called on researchers to learn from them.

When visiting pharmacologist Tu, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize with anti-malarial drug based on Chinese traditional medicine, Liu praised her contribution to the health of all humans and urged researchers to bring more Chinese wisdom to science and technological progress.

During his visits, Liu stressed the importance of innovation and fostering talent, calling on Party and government to support experts and create a better environment for their studies and lives.