At a grand reception in Beijing on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the nation's solid progress in advancing Chinese modernization over the past year, despite facing \"complex and challenging\" circumstances.
\"In the Year of the Dragon, we demonstrated vitality and a can-do spirit. We endured storms and saw the rainbow,\" President Xi said at the event hosted by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council. The reception was held to usher in the Year of the Snake, which begins on January 29.
Addressing an audience of over 2,000 attendees, Xi, who also serves as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, Taiwan region, and overseas Chinese communities.
Xi emphasized China's composed response to the year's complexities, noting that the nation implemented a range of comprehensive measures, overcame difficulties, and forged ahead with determination. \"We responded with composure and took proactive steps to ensure stability and growth,\" he remarked.
Reflecting on the past year, Xi highlighted China's effective implementation of existing policies and the introduction of additional measures that have promoted economic recovery. \"We achieved remarkable progress in technological and industrial innovation, with new quality productive forces advancing steadily,\" he said, adding that employment rates and consumer prices remained stable.
As China prepares to enter the Year of the Snake, Xi called for continued unity and perseverance. \"Let us carry forward the spirit of resilience and hard work to achieve new milestones in our journey toward modernization,\" he urged.
