Xi stresses upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics to build modern socialist country

The 70th-anniversary celebration of the People's Republic of China took place during the period, and the CPC marked its 100th founding anniversary and launched a campaign for the study of the Party's history.

Facing the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China, with the commitment to putting the people and their lives above all else, waged an all-out people's war to curb the spread of the virus, Xi said.

The country has managed to protect the health and safety of the people to the greatest extent possible and achieved the best results in the world in coordinating economic development with the COVID-19 response, Xi noted.

We have effectively exercised overall jurisdiction over the special administrative regions based on the Constitution and the regions' basic laws, he said. We have formulated and enacted the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and secured the grasp of Hong Kong's overall situation.

In the face of the rapidly-changing international landscape, we have safeguarded our national dignity and core interests during our struggle and have kept a firm hold on the initiative of our development and security, Xi said.

We have improved implementing full and strict governance over the Party and worked tirelessly to tighten discipline and improve conduct. We have also taken coordinated action to see that officials do not have the opportunity, desire, or audacity to commit corruption, said Xi.

He noted that these efforts have made the Party's ties with the people closer and facilitated the development of a sound political atmosphere. It provided significant political guarantees for developing all areas of the Party and the country's endeavors.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era since the Party's 18th National Congress, Xi said. He noted that the remarkable changes that took place in the decade of the new era are a milestone in the history of the Party, New China, reform and opening up, socialism, and the Chinese nation.

Xi said that achieving national rejuvenation will be no walk in the park, and it will take more than drum beating and gong clanging to get there.

Xi called for resolve to undertake a great struggle with many new contemporary features, and readiness to work even harder toward the goal of rejuvenation.

All the achievements in the past 10 years were made thanks to the joint endeavors of the CPC and the people, he said.

The guidance of the scientific theories of Marxism is a distinct political character and a strong political advantage of the CPC, Xi noted.

On the basis of adapting the basic tenets of Marxism to China's specific realities and its fine traditional culture, the CPC has established the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and achieved a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, Xi said.

Xi urged the whole Party to constantly adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and keep it up-to-date.