Updated

Chinese President Xi Jinping has made a high-profile and rare tour of the country's top three media outlets, and told the editors and reporters that they must pledge absolute loyalty to the party and closely follow the party's leadership in both thoughts and actions.

His remarks Friday after visiting the party newspaper People's Daily, the official Xinhua News Agency and the state broadcaster CCTV are the latest sign of the party's increasingly tighter controls over the media as Xi seeks to further cement his powers.

Xi told the journalists that the state media are propaganda fronts for the party and its government, must be loyal to the party, reflect the party's will and safeguard the party's authority.