Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech marking the 2024 New Year through the China Internet and Media Group.

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen, my greetings to you all. When the winter solstice arrives, spring is not far away. At this moment of farewell to the past and greeting to the future, I would like to send everyone my best New Year wishes from here in Beijing.

In 2023, we continue to fight and move forward with arduous efforts. We experience wind and rain storms, enjoy beautiful landscapes, and achieve tangible results. We all remember the difficulties we have overcome this year and, at the same time, we are full of confidence in the promising future.

This year, we took solid steps. With a stable transition in the work of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, our country's economy continued its recovery and maintained an improvement trend and high-quality development was solidly promoted. The modern industrial system has become more refined with the rapid rise of a group of new pillar industries, green and characterized by the application of cutting-edge and intelligent technologies. Grain production recorded a good harvest for the twentieth consecutive year, environmental protection achieved more notable successes, and rural reinvigoration achieved new advances. New pages were written in the full reinvigoration of the Northeast and new progress was made in the construction of the Xiong’an New Zone. The Yangtze River Economic Belt has developed vigorously and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has made pioneering progress. The Chinese economy has become more solid by weathering major storms.

This year, we took strong steps. Through constant efforts, China has displayed eruptive strength of innovation and effusive vitality of development. The large C919 plane began its commercial flights, the first Chinese-made cruise ship completed its test navigation, the Shenzhou spacecraft carried out successive missions in space and the manned submersible Fendouzhe broke the diving depth record. Domestic brand products were well received, Chinese-made cell phones sold out on the market, and new energy automobiles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products added new reputations to Chinese manufacturing. China, with a spirit of self-strengthening and perseverance, strived to reach new heights, whose innovations advanced day by day across the entire territory.

This year, we walked with vigor and energy. The Chengdu World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games were successful, in which athletes achieved considerable results. Tourism recorded an expansion in the number of tourists, the film market showed progress, the “village football super league” and “village galas” showed rural dynamism, and low-carbon living gradually became a trend. The cozy living atmosphere and the already recovered enthusiasm for work symbolize people's demand for happiness, they also demonstrate a China full of vigor and dynamism.

This year, we walked with confidence. China is a great country that inherits a great civilization. In this vast territory, the lonely smoke in the desert and the uninterrupted drizzle on the plain leave people fascinated, reminding them of ancient history. The sharp curves of the Yellow River and the rushing current of the Yangtze River fill people with pride and enthusiasm. The primitive cultures preserved in the ruins of Liangzhu and Erlitou, the legacy of writing on oracle bones contained in the ruins of Yin, the precious cultural collection preserved in the ruins of Sanxingdui, the cultural heritage preserved in the National Archives of Publications and Culture. Great China, with such a long history and rich culture, is our source of confidence and source of strength.

China embraces the world while pursuing its development, while also shouldering its responsibilities as a great nation. We held the China-Central Asia Summit and the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. We received, as hosts, friends, and guests from five continents in a series of diplomatic activities. I visited several countries and attended international conferences. I met with long-time friends and met new partners. On all these occasions I shared the Chinese proposals and we deepened the consensus reached. Despite the changes the world is going through, peace and development remain the main themes, while win-win cooperation is perennial in any situation.

On the way forward, it is normal to encounter storms. Some companies face difficulties with their business, some people face problems when looking for a job, and in life, some regions have been affected by natural calamities such as floods, typhoons, and earthquakes. I'm worried about all of this. Without fear, in the face of inclement weather, you faced challenges and overcame difficulties with courage and mutual assistance, which moved me greatly. Both the farmers who work in the field with great diligence and the workers who are committed to their work; both entrepreneurs with a fighting spirit and soldiers who dedicate themselves to defending and safeguarding the homeland, people from all social sectors are contributing extraordinarily! The people are always the greatest support for us to overcome all obstacles!

In 2024, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We will carry forward Chinese modernization, and apply the new development philosophy completely, accurately, and comprehensively. We must accelerate the creation of new development dynamics, promote high-quality development, and coordinate development and security. It is necessary to seek progress based on stability and promote stability through progress. It is necessary to adopt a new structure before abolishing the old one, and consolidate and strengthen the good trend of economic recovery, to guarantee economic stability and sustainability. We must deepen reform and open up in all aspects, raise and stimulate confidence in development, and enhance economic vigor. We will dedicate greater efforts to improving education and progress in science and technology, in addition to training talents. We will continue to support Hong Kong and Macau in realizing their advantages and maintaining long-term prosperity and stability during their integration into the country's overall development. The reunification of the homeland is an inevitable trend in history. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should shake hands, with a common will to share the great glory of the nation's revitalization.

Our goal is big, but also simple. After all, it is about offering better living conditions for the population. The upbringing and education of children, the employability and training of young people, as well as medical assistance and care for the elderly, are matters for each family, but also for the State. We need to make joint efforts to develop this work. Nowadays, we face a fast-paced society. We are very busy and there is a lot of stress with both work and life. We must cultivate a social environment full of love and harmony, expand an innovation space full of inclusion and dynamism, and create convenient and comfortable living conditions so that everyone feels joy and makes their dreams come true.

Today, the world is not peaceful. Many regions suffer from wars and conflicts. The Chinese value peace, and we are willing to promote, together with the international community, the construction of a community with a shared future and a better world, taking into account the future of humanity and the well-being of the people.

That night, with the lights shining in every house, let's hope that our country enjoys prosperity and that the world has peace, security, and harmony! May everyone have happiness, tranquility, and health!

Thank you very much!

China Radio International