President Xi Jinping delivers his New Year address on Sunday. It was aired on television, radio and the internet. XINHUA
Reform, opening-up will be carried out fully so people can realize the 'Chinese dream', Xi says in his New Year speech
Speech highlights
"Reform and opening-up has been the only path to the development and progress of contemporary China."
"Building a high-rise begins with mounds of soil."
"I feel the millions of ordinary Chinese are the greatest, and I also feel that happiness is achieved through hard work."
"Our great development has been achieved by the people, and its fruits should be shared by the people."
"This will be the first time in thousands of years of Chinese history that extreme poverty has been eliminated."
China will take the opportunity on the 40th anniversary of the start of the reform and opening-up policy this year to carry them through to the end, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday, while pledging efforts to "surmount all obstacles to carry the reform further to its ultimate triumph".
"Reform and opening-up has been the only path to the development and progress of contemporary China, and the only path to the realization of the Chinese dream," Xi said in his New Year address.
Xi stressed that 2018 is the launch of implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a key meeting that drew the blueprint for the country's development for decades to come.
"Building a high-rise begins with mounds of soil. To translate the blueprint into reality, we have to avoid the distractions of unsubstantial ideas and superficial fame, take one step at a time and approach our work with a firm footing," he said.
The president reaffirmed his solemn commitment to lift all of the country's rural impoverished people out of poverty under current standards by 2020.
"This will be the first time in thousands of years of Chinese history that extreme poverty has been eliminated," Xi said.
Xi said he was aware of the biggest concerns of the people, such as education, employment, income, social security, medical care, old-age security, housing and the environment.
"Our efforts at improving people's well-being have not always been satisfactory. This requires us to enhance our sense of mission and responsibility to achieve solid and effective results in improving the people's welfare," Xi said.
The president urged that all Party and government officials must place the people's needs as top priority and regard the benefit of the people as their highest career accomplishment.
Xi said that in 2017, he received many letters from the people, including villagers from the Yumai township in Lhunze county in the Tibet autonomous region, members of the Wulanmuqi Art Troupe from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and new People's Liberation Army student recruits from Nankai University.
"Their stories touched me deeply. The people have made sacrifices for the good of the nation without regrets or complaints. I feel the millions of ordinary Chinese are the greatest, and I also feel that happiness is achieved through hard work," Xi said.
Noting that China's GDP rose to 80 trillion yuan ($12.3 trillion) in 2017, Xi said that over 13 million urban and rural jobs were created.
The country's old-age insurance system has covered more than 900 million people, and 1.35 billion people are covered by basic medical insurance, Xi said, adding that more than 10 million rural residents were lifted out of poverty in 2017.
"How I wish I could have 10,000 houses, to provide shelter for all who need it!" Xi said, quoting the ancient Chinese poet Du Fu.
Mentioning that China has achieved great progress in areas such as science and technology, manufacturing, aerospace and agriculture, Xi cheered the creative powers of the Chinese people.
In his speech, Xi also mentioned the multilateral international events hosted by China, including the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the BRICS Xiamen Summit and the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting.
China's proposal of building a community of shared future for mankind is supported by the world, he said.
"China will act as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order," he said.
President Xi Jinping delivers his New Year address on Sunday. It was aired on television, radio and the internet.