BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Communist Party officials must eradicate "empty words" and political jargon from their speeches and documents, Vice President Xi Jinping said Wednesday.

Xi told more than 900 officials and new student cadres at the Party School of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee that they must show "substance" in word and deed.

Party officials should diligently study the Party's basic theories, constantly acquire new knowledge, and learn from "ancient Chinese" literature to make their communications simple and concise, Xi said at the opening of the school's spring semester in Beijing.

Xi cited no examples of empty words and jargon, but writing and speech styles of Party officials, especially leaders, had gradually improved in the past 30 years, said Xi, president of the Party School.

Xi said "unhealthy" writing or speech styles would seriously undermine the efficiency of Party and government operations and waste time resolving practical problems.

He asked Party leaders to deliver short, concise and straightforward speeches with new approaches and creativity in solving problems.

He urged Party leaders to learn "colloquial wisdom" from the public and make their speeches and articles more easily understood by common people.