Xi highlights new tasks in new year

"Meanwhile, we must be aware that (the achievement) is only a significant step toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said.

Xi urged the nation to not be self-satisfied and to keep working hard toward realizing the second centenary goal of building China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious by the middle of the 21st century, and to make greater contributions to the sacred undertaking of human peace and development.

He hailed the CPC as the world's largest Marxist ruling party, with more than 91 million members, and said it has ruled the biggest socialist country for seven decades and more, and has won acclaim and support from 1.4 billion Chinese people.

"We should seriously review the journeys that we have made, bear in mind where we came from and continue marching forward," Xi said, urging the whole Party to firm up its beliefs, keep the Party's founding mission in mind and stay rooted in the people.

"As long as the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country get closely united around the CPC Central Committee, no difficulties will overwhelm us and nothing will undermine our firm efforts to rejuvenate the Chinese nation," he said.

In the new year, Xi said, efforts should be made to coordinate development and security, to keep consolidating the results of epidemic prevention and control and socioeconomic development to make a good start of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

As the new year is the year of the ox, a creature seen as a symbol of diligence, earnestness and dedication in Chinese culture, Xi called for carrying on in the spirit of the ox to continue to make every effort to realize national rejuvenation and create new glory in the new era.