Xi stresses confidence, hard work in 2025 to overcome challenges

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year's message in Beijing on Tuesday evening via China Media Group and the Internet to celebrate the year 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on the nation to remain confident in the coming year, saying the world's second-largest economy can overcome challenges and pressure through hard work.

Xi made the remarks in his New Year's message for 2025 broadcast via China Media Group and the Internet.

Set to fully complete its 14th Five-Year Plan in 2025, China will implement more proactive and effective policies, prioritize high-quality development, promote greater autonomy and strength in scientific fields and technology, and will maintain solid momentum in economic and social development. » said Xi.

He said China's economy “is now facing new conditions, including challenges related to uncertainties in the external environment and the pressure of transforming old growth engines into new ones.”

“But we can win through our hard work. As always, we grow in wind and rain, and we become stronger in difficult times. We must be confident,” Xi said.

The Chinese president also pledged to continue the country's reform drive, pointing to the Party plenum held in July that adopted a blueprint for massive reforms. The document outlines the main reform tasks for the next five years and proposes more than 300 major reform initiatives.

“We will make great strides to advance reform and opening-up as the trend of our times. We will surely adopt even broader perspectives in pursuing China's modernization in the course of reform and opening-up,” he said. he declared.

UPWARD TRAJECTORY

Reviewing China's footprint in 2024, Xi said the economy has rebounded and is on an upward trajectory, with national GDP expected to surpass the 130 trillion yuan (about $18.08 trillion) mark. ) and the country's cereal production exceeds 700 million tonnes.

He noted that China has fostered new quality productive forces and new sectors, forms and business models have continued to emerge. For the first time, China produced more than 10 million new energy vehicles in a year, and breakthroughs have been made in fields such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence and quantum communications.

Xi also highlighted government measures introduced to improve people's livelihoods, including increasing the basic pension, lowering mortgage rates and expanding a direct inter-province settlement system for medical bills. , which has made it easier for people to seek medical treatment across the country.

For the coming year, Xi said: “We must work together to gradually improve social commitments and governance, build a harmonious and inclusive atmosphere, and address real problems, big or small, for our people.” We must bring more smiles to our people and greater warmth in their hearts. »

Xi also said that no one can ever prevent China's reunification, a trend of the times. “We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one family. No one can ever break the ties of kinship that bind us,” he said.

China will relentlessly implement the “one country, two systems” policy to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, he said.

MAINTAIN GLOBAL PEACE AND STABILITY

In a world that is both transforming and turbulent, China, as a responsible major country, actively promotes global governance reform and deepens solidarity and cooperation among countries in the South, Xi said.

Highlighting China's progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the successful hosting of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as well as its participation in bilateral and multilateral forums , Xi said the country had “made great contributions to maintaining China-Africa cooperation.” global peace and stability. »

“China will work with all countries to promote friendship and cooperation, strengthen mutual learning among different cultures, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We must jointly create a better future for the world,” he said. he declared.