Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, introduced the Party’s new central leadership to the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday.
Presenting new CPC central leadership
“I was re-elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. I see this as not just approval of my work, but also encouragement that will spur me on,” Xi told journalists.
Xi led the other members of the Standing Committee of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee Political Bureau to meet the media.
The other members are Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.
Li Keqiang served on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, while all the others were members of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, Xi said.
“Here, on behalf of the newly elected central leadership, I wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all other members of the Party for the trust they have placed in us,” he said.
“We will work diligently to meet our duty, fulfill our mission and be worthy of their trust,” Xi said.
Coming 5 years a period of several important junctures
Xi said that the coming five years will see several important milestones.
“As I look ahead to the next five years, I see several important junctures and signposts,” Xi said.
Stating that the next five years between the 19th and the 20th Party Congress is the period in which the timeframes of the Two Centenary Goals will converge, Xi said that “not only must we deliver the first centenary goal, we must also embark on the journey toward the second centenary goal”.
“With decades of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. In this new context, we must get a new look and, more importantly, make new accomplishments,” he said.
Sustained, healthy growth of Chinese economy in 2019
Xi said China will strive for sustained and healthy economic growth in 2019 which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
“We will act on the new vision for development, and strive for sustained and healthy economic growth that benefits people in China and around the world,” Xi said.
“We will continue our efforts to accomplish all the tasks laid down in the 13th Five-Year Plan, develop new blueprints for China’s future, and see the flourishing of all our endeavors,” he said.
These efforts will contribute toward a more prosperous and strong People’s Republic, he added.
Further reform, opening China wider to the world
Xi promised further reform and opening-up.
“We will review our experience and build on the good momentum to continue modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, and make determined efforts to comprehensively deepen reform and open China still wider to the world,” Xi said.
The next year marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of reform and opening-up, Xi said. The drive started in 1978.
Reform and opening-up is a crucial move that is shaping China’s future. Forty years of reform and opening-up has made it possible for the Chinese people to lead decent and even comfortable lives, Xi said.
“We will see that the reform and opening-up complement and reinforce each other. It is my conviction that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will become a reality in the course of reform and opening-up,” he said.
Realizing common prosperity for everyone
Xi said the Party must remain committed to a people-centered philosophy of development and make steady progress toward enhancing people’s sense of fulfillment and realizing common prosperity for everyone.
“The aspirations of the people to live a better life must always be the focus of our efforts,” Xi said.
“I have no doubt in my mind that our people’s lives will see further improvement year after year,” he said.
He reiterated the resolve to establish a moderately prosperous society across all metrics in 2020.
“This is a society to be enjoyed by each and every one of us; on the march toward common prosperity, no one must be left behind,” he said.
Greater contributions to peace, development for humanity
Xi said China will make new and greater contributions to peace and development for all humanity.
The CPC and the Chinese people have gone through trials and tribulations, Xi said.
“These experiences have taught us that peace is precious and development must be valued,” he told reporters.
“With confidence and pride, the Chinese people will be steadfast in upholding our country’s sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said.
Xi said China will work with other nations to build a global community with a shared future, and make new and greater contributions to the noble cause of peace and development for all humanity.
China welcomes constructive suggestions
Xi told reporters worldwide that China welcomes objective reporting and constructive suggestions.
“We do not need lavish praise from others, however, we do welcome objective reporting and constructive suggestions, for this is our motto: ‘Not angling for compliments, I would be content that my integrity fills the universe’,” Xi said.
He encouraged members of the press to visit and see more of China, citing a Chinese saying that “It is better to see once than to hear a hundred times.”
“We hope that after the Party Congress, you will continue to follow China’s development and progress, and learn about and report on more dimensions of China,” Xi said.
CPC to build mighty nationwide force driving China’s development
The CPC will generate waves of positive energy which can build into a mighty and nationwide force driving China’s development and progress, said Xi.
“We must continue to rid ourselves of any virus that erodes the Party’s fabric, make great efforts to foster a healthy political environment of integrity, and generate waves of positive energy throughout our Party,” Xi said.
The CPC will mark its centenary in 2021.
“For a party which fights for the eternal wellbeing of the Chinese nation, the centenary only ushers in the prime of life,” Xi said. “As the world’s largest political party, the CPC must behave in a way commensurate with this status.”
“Its history makes it abundantly clear that the CPC is capable of not only spearheading a great social revolution, but also imposing a great reform on itself,” he said. “We, as its members, must always have a youthful spirit, and forever be the servants of the people, the vanguard of the times and the backbone of our nation.”
“Exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party is a journey to which there is no end. We should never entertain the idea of taking a breather or halting our steps,” he said.
Xi stressed the significant role of the people.
“The people are the creators of history. It is to them that we owe all our achievements,” he said. “As long as we firmly align ourselves with the people and rely on them, we can and will have boundless energy to forge ahead, come rain or shine.”
