Time flies, Year 2014 is coming to an end and 2015 is approaching. At this turn of the year, I now extend my best wishes to people of all ethnic groups in China, to our compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions, to compatriots in Taiwan and overseas Chinese, as well as to friends in other countries and regions in the world.
2014 is unforgettable. In the past year, we pushed forward reforms with strong commitment, conquered many hardships and introduced a series of important reform measures, many of which are closely associated with the interests of the general public. We worked to adapt to the new normal of economic growth and actively pushed forward economic and social development, resulting in further improvement in people’s lives. On December 12, the first phase of the central route of Water Diversion Project from South to North was officially completed. More than 400 thousand residents along the route were relocated. We pay our sincere tributes to them for their sacrifice, and wish them a happy life in their new homes. In the past year, we endeavored to improve our work style and strengthen party and government discipline, with efforts focusing on fighting against formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance. The situation has greatly improved. We stepped up our efforts in our crackdown on corruption, and severely punished corrupt officials with zero tolerance. This demonstrates that we are strongly committed to fighting against corruption and other evil forces. In the past year, we enhanced our cooperation and exchanges with countries in the world. We hosted the informal leadership meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization in Beijing. Chinese leaders visited many countries and received many foreign leaders. Such exchanges of visits have helped the rest of the world understand China better.
Officials at various levels have also spared no efforts performing their duty. Of course, those achievements would not have been possible without the support of the people. I would like to salute our great people.
In the past year, through legislation we established the Commemorative Day to mark the victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Commemorative Day of Martyrs, and the National Memorial Day to commemorate victims in the Nanjing Massacre. Solemn ceremonies were held on these days. Despite the change of times, we would always remember the sacrifice and contribution of those who gave their lives for the Chinese nation and for peace.
In the past year, we also recorded sad moments. We remember the more than 150 Chinese compatriots still missing after the loss of the Malaysian Airline flight MH370. We will continue our efforts to locate their whereabouts. In the past year, China suffered from a number of natural disasters and tragic work safety accidents, in which some compatriots lost their lives. The Ludian earthquake in Yunnan Province claimed more than 600 lives. Our hearts are with them and we wish their families all the best.
The New Year bell is about to ring. We will continue our efforts to act upon people’s expectations and turn their aspirations into reality. We will continue to deepen the reform in an all-round way. This is an unstoppable train. Only those who brave hardships would prevail. We will push forward the rule of law in an all-round way, safeguard the rights of people in line with law, maintain social justice and promote national development. For an eventual accomplishment of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way in due time, both deepening the reforms and strengthening the rule of law should function as the two wings of a bird, or as wheels on both sides of a vehicle.
People’s lives in our country are enjoying constant improvement, but we will always remember those still living in hardships. We will work with passion to improve their well-being, with efforts focusing on poverty-alleviation and guaranteeing basic living conditions. We will provide assistance to all those in need of help, including poverty-stricken farmers and urban residents with difficulties, so that their basic living conditions are guaranteed and they feel the warmth of care being in this society.
We will continue to comprehensively push forward strict party discipline, never hesitate in improving our work style. We will always resort to the anti-corruption drive as a sharp weapon, and consolidate mechanism-building as a cage to contain powers. In this socialist country led by the Communist Party of China, every corrupt official must be dealt with once evidence is found. There’s absolutely no tolerance for corruption and graft.
We’re engaged in a lofty mission. Only perseverance will lead to victory, while giving up halfway will end up with failure to do whatever. Our blueprint is magnificent, but our struggle will certainly be arduous. All party members and people of all ethnic groups in the country must be united as one, draw on collective wisdom and useful ideas to grasp opportunities, jointly face challenges with united strength, conquer problems with quick action, be bold to carry on innovation, making China a better country year by year and constantly improving people’s lives.
Chinese people are not only concerned with the prospect of their own country, but also that of the whole world. We helped African people fight against the Ebola epidemic, and assisted people in the Maldivian capital suffering from severe water shortages. Many of those moves showed that Chinese people share weal and woe with people in the world. The world is still not stable enough. We long for peace and sincerely wish that global efforts will help relieve all people from hunger, all families from war, and ensure that all children grow in peace and in sunshine.
Thank you!
