Chinese people's pursuit of a better life cannot be stopped

Addressing the BRICS Business Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 25, President Xi Jinping said: "Success comes only through hard work." He used this old Chinese saying to describe the arduous journey China has taken and the remarkable achievements it has made.

When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, its gross national product was a mere $10 billion and it had almost no heavy industries. Thanks to the self-reliant and hardworking Chinese people, the country has climbed high up on the global political and economic ladder.

When China faced a serious crisis with its economy on the verge of collapse in the late 1970s, it made the strategic choice of making economic development its central task and adopted the policy of reform and opening-up. This economic policy has helped China to become the world's second-largest economy, and take historic leaps forward in science and technology, as well as to boost its national defense and comprehensive national strength.