Xi addresses New Year gathering of CPPCC National Committee

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2020. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

BEIJING -- A New Year gathering was held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Thursday in Beijing.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the gathering.

Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering.

On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, Xi extended new year greetings and wishes to the non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation and people's organizations.

His greetings were also extended to people from all walks of life including workers, farmers and intellectuals; the Chinese People's Liberation Army officers and soldiers, armed police, public security officers and fire and rescue forces; and compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese, as well as international friends.

Xi stressed the importance of the coming year of 2021 as China will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, formulate and implement the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and embark on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country.

Facing the complicated international and domestic situations in 2020, Xi said China has made major strategic achievements in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, overcome serious floods and achieved positive economic growth.

China also accomplished the targets and tasks for winning the battle against poverty in the new era and those set for the 13th Five-Year Plan Period (2016-2020) and achieved continuous progress in scientific and technological projects and major engineering construction, Xi said.

The building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects has recorded great historic achievements and a new big step has been taken toward China's national rejuvenation, Xi noted.

Over the past seven years since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, the country has launched a total of 2,485 reform plans, accomplishing the targets and missions set at the session as scheduled, Xi said.

"In 2020, we have been upholding the principle of 'one country, two systems' to promote economic development and social stability in Hong Kong and Macao. We have been adhering to the one-China principle and the '1992 Consensus' to resolutely safeguard the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Xi said.

Xi said that China upholds the idea of a community with a shared future for humanity and has been promoting and participating in the international cooperation to fight against COVID-19, making active contributions to the global anti-virus fight and world peace and development.

"Looking back on the past year of 2020, the journey was full of hardships, but with remarkable achievements," Xi said, noting that the achievements were the results of the strong leadership of the CPC and the facts that the Chinese people and Chinese nation unite as one and work hard.

Xi called on the CPPCC to make further efforts to pool wisdom and strength and create a strong joint force among all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation both at home and abroad to think and work together.

While presiding over the event, Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, called for efforts to carefully study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech.

He also required concrete work and outstanding achievements to celebrate the CPC's centenary.