President Xi Jinping’s New Year address for 2025 has invigorated the Chinese people, instilling renewed confidence and inspiring a resolute determination to act in the new year.
In a nearly 11-minute speech delivered via China Media Group (CMG) and the internet on Tuesday, President Xi called for confidence in the Chinese economy and emphasized the importance of providing a better life for the people and making the world a better place for all.
Reviewing 2024: Economic Rebound and Achievements
Reflecting on 2024, Xi stated that China’s economy has rebounded and is on an upward trajectory, with its GDP expected to surpass 130 trillion yuan (about $18.08 trillion). He highlighted the country’s achievements in fostering new productive forces and cultivating new business sectors, noting that China produced over 10 million new energy vehicles in a single year for the first time.
“As an industrial worker, I am very proud of the rapid development of China’s new energy vehicle industry,” said Wang Yun, an employee at Voyah, a high-end electric vehicle brand of Chinese carmaker Dongfeng. “In 2025, I will continue to work with passion, making high-quality cars for our customers and contributing greater value to our society.”
Facing New Challenges with Confidence
Acknowledging new conditions such as uncertainties in the external environment and the pressure of transforming old growth drivers into new ones, President Xi urged confidence in overcoming these challenges. “We can prevail with our hard work. As always, we grow in the wind and rain, and we get stronger through hard times,” he said. “We must be confident.”
Entrepreneurs like Hu Kefei, founder of Zhejiang GBI Intelligent Equipment, found the president’s remarks inspiring. “In his New Year address, President Xi has an in-depth analysis of the current economic challenges. At the same time, he boosts our morale and strengthens our confidence,” Hu said. He pledged to enhance his company’s core competitiveness and contribute to the cultivation of new productive forces.
Pursuing High-Quality Development
Looking ahead, Xi stated that China will fully complete the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and implement more proactive and effective policies. The focus will be on pursuing high-quality development as a top priority, promoting greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and maintaining sound momentum in economic and social development.
Grassroots officials like Chen Ze, deputy director of the Economic Development Office in Zhongguan Town, Deqing County of east China’s Zhejiang Province, viewed the address as a profound source of motivation. “With greater enthusiasm, more pragmatic approaches, and stronger measures, we will continue to optimize the business environment, spur market vitality and social creativity, and promote high-quality development of the economy,” Chen told CMG.
Improving Lives Across the Nation
In his address, Xi also recalled his inspection tours across the country in 2024, from Tianshui in northwest China’s Gansu Province to Aojiao Village in southeast China’s Fujian Province. “We are very excited when President Xi Jinping mentioned the ‘big, red Huaniu apples in Tianshui’ in his New Year address,” said Wu Zhengquan, a local apple farmer.
Wu shared that the Huaniu apples in 2024 were of good quality and high yield. “In the new year, we will focus on refined management, aiming to grow our brand bigger and stronger and increase our income and wealth,” he said.
Renowned China expert Robert Lawrence Kuhn noted that Xi’s detailed description of his domestic inspection tours highlighted the leader’s focus on improving the lives of ordinary people. “He states explicitly, ‘The concerns of the people about jobs and incomes, elderly and child care, education and medical services are always on my mind.’ It is perhaps his most personal and revealing comment,” Kuhn said in an analysis for CGTN.
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President Xi's New Year address boosts confidence, inspires efforts
cgtn.com
