BEIJING: President Xi Jinping, on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, extended Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese Friday at a reception in Beijing.
Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at the gathering at the Great Hall of the People, greeting Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese.
This year’s Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Jan 22.
The outgoing Year of the Tiger is an extremely important year in the history of the Party and the country, Xi said. Confronted with high winds and choppy waters in the international situation and the challenging tasks of pursuing reform and development and ensuring stability at home, the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups have risen to the challenge, united closely and worked in concert, writing a new chapter of socialist modernization, he said.
Li Keqiang presided over the reception. Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Wang Qishan were also present at the event.
Over the past year, the CPC successfully convened its 20th National Congress, Xi noted, lauding the country’s efforts in accelerating the building of a new development pattern, promoting high-quality development, maintaining steady economic growth, achieving bumper harvests, keeping employment and prices generally stable, and having people’s livelihoods well guaranteed.
He also praised the progress made in work on consolidating poverty alleviation outcomes, technological breakthroughs and ecological improvement.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
