BEIJING -- A speech given by President Xi Jinping when meeting attendees at a conference to honor model families across the nation has been published by the People's Publishing House.

The book is available at Xinhua Bookstore outlets nationwide, the publisher said Wednesday.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, at the conference called for efforts to enhance virtue and civility in Chinese families, and make them "an important foundation" for national development, progress and social harmony.

The conference was held on Dec 12.