President Hu Jintao delivers New Year's message

(CRI)
Updated: 2008-12-31 19:26

On the eve of the New Year, Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech entitled "Make Joint Efforts to Advance World Peace, Stability and Prosperity".

Make Joint Efforts to Advance World Peace and Prosperity

-- 2009 New Year Speech delivered by Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China

Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends,

The New Year's bell is about to ring, and 2009 is soon to begin. At this beautiful moment of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, via China Radio International, China National Radio and China Central Television, I'm delighted to extend New Year wishes to Chinese of all ethnic groups, to compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, to overseas Chinese and to friends all over the world!

The year of 2008 has been a very unusual and uncommon one for the Chinese people. Chinese people of all ethnic groups united in one heart and one mind, with a perseverance, successfully dealt with the disasters brought out by the winter storm in southern China and the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province. We successfully held Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics; We successfully launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou VII, We successfully held the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting. The economic strength and the overall national strength have been further strengthened. The living standard of the Chinese people has been further improved. The Chinese people conduct friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation with the rest of the world, meet grave challenges, including the international financial crisis in a joint manner, make new contribution in terms of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

This year, the Chinese people solemnly marked the 30th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. While summing up the experience, China has mapped out new plans to further reform and open up. The Chinese people of all ethnic groups are, with full spirits, pushing forward the process of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and working hard to create an even better life. On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to people from all around the world for their support and assistance.

The year 2009 for the Chinese people is of historic significance. The founding of the People's Republic of China six decades ago represent a new historic period in the development of the Chinese nation. During the past 60 years, China has experienced historic changes. The relationship between China and the rest of the world also experienced historic changes. In the upcoming new year, we will unswervingly uphold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, deepen the implementation of the Scientific Outlook on Development under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, maintain a balanced and relatively fast economic growth based on the expansion of domestic consumption, accelerate the change of development mode and structural adjustment, increase the ability of sustainable development, deepen the reform and opening up to inject vigor and vitality into social and economic development, enhance social program construction, accelerate the speed of resolving hard issues confronting citizens, maintain sound and fast social and economic development.

We will uphold the principles of one country, two systems, Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and Macao people governing Macao with a high degree of autonomy. We will work with our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in the two Special Administrative Regions.

We will firmly adhere to the basic principles of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems, and firmly grasp the theme of cross-Straits relations and peaceful development, strengthen the cross-straits exchanges and cooperation, bring continuous well-being to compatriots on both sides of Taiwan Straits, seek peace for the Taiwan Straits region and safeguard the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.

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