On New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his 2025 New Year address, featuring a promise to bring more smiles to the Chinese people.
While delivering his annual New Year message on Tuesday, President Xi said the concerns of the people about jobs and incomes, elderly and child care, education and medical services are always on his mind.
During his tours around China in 2024, Xi visited ordinary people to learn about their lives, from their incomes and housing conditions to healthcare, children's education and elderly care services.
"Of all the jobs in front of us, the most important is to ensure a happy life for our people. Every family hopes that their children can have a good education, their seniors can enjoy good elderly services, and their youngsters can have more and better opportunities. These simple wishes are our people's aspirations for a better life," Xi said in the address.
According to China's Ministry of Finance, 70 percent of the government expenditure in 2024 went toward ensuring the people's well-being.
A batch of effective measures were released throughout the year to improve people's lives. Renovations of over 50,000 old urban residential communities began in 2024. Tens of millions of people across China benefited from a multi-billion-dollar consumer goods trade-in program. And the lowering of mortgage interest rates helped 50 million households, equivalent to around 150 million people.
In the first three quarters of 2024, nationwide per capita disposable income stood at 30,941 yuan (around 4,178 U.S. dollars), an increase of 5.2 percent over the previous year.
Facing the challenges of an aging population, with more than one-fifth of China's citizens now aged over 60, the central government in 2024 allocated 300 million yuan to support elderly meal assistance programs nationwide while additional initiatives led to the installation of 358,000 in-home care beds.
"We should work together to steadily improve social undertakings and governance, build a harmonious and inclusive atmosphere, and settle real issues, big or small, for our people. We must bring more smiles to our people and greater warmth to their hearts," said Xi in the New Year address.
He called on the whole country to work together for the Chinese modernization drive and extended his best wishes to the Chinese people.
"Dreams and wishes may be far, but they can be fulfilled with dedicated pursuit. On the new journey of Chinese modernization, everyone is a key actor, every effort counts, and every ray of light shines," he said. "Let us greet the new year with hope. May our great country enjoy harmony and prosperity! May all your dreams come true! May you all have a new year of happiness and peace!"
Ringing in 2025, China vows to bring more smiles to its people
Ringing in 2025, China vows to bring more smiles to its people
China calls for an immediate stop to military operations in the Middle East to prevent further escalation and avoid the spillover of the conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.
Wang reiterated China's stance on Iran situation during a press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing where he answered questions of journalists from home and abroad on China's foreign policy and external relations.
"China's attitude is objective and impartial. We have stated our principled position on multiple occasions, which can be summarized into one key message, that is to achieve ceasefire and end hostilities. Ancient Chinese wisdom warns that weapons are ominous tools and should not be used without discretion. Seeing the Middle East engulfed in flames, I want to say this is a war that should never have happened, and one that benefits no one. The history of the Middle East tells the world once again that force is not the way to resolve problems, and resorting to arms will only breed new hatred and new crises. Once again, China calls for an immediate stop to military operations to avoid the spiraling escalation of the situation and avoid the spillover of the conflict," Wang said.
The foreign minister put forward five fundamental principles for handling the situation in Iran and expressed China's commitment to contributing to peaceful development of the Middle East region.
"China believes that to properly and appropriately handle issues related to Iran and the Middle East, several fundamental principles should be adhered to. First, respecting national sovereignty. Sovereignty is the cornerstone of the current international order. We maintain that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Iran and all countries in the Gulf region should be respected and not violated. Second, refraining from the abuse of force. A strong fist does not mean a strong argument. The world cannot revert to the law of the jungle. Willful use of force does not prove one's strengths. People should not be innocent victims of war," he said.
"Third, adhering to non-interference in internal affairs. The people of the Middle East are the true owners of this region, and the affairs of the Middle East should be independently decided by the countries in the region. Plotting color revolution or seeking regime change are not welcomed. Fourth, promoting political settlement of hotspot issues. China always believes that peace is the most precious. All sides should return to the negotiating table as soon as possible, resolve differences through equal dialogue and make efforts to realize common security," Wang said.
"Fifth, major countries should play a constructive role and use their strength in a benevolent way. Another old saying in China reads when benevolence and justice are not practiced, the position of strength shifts. Major countries should act in the spirit of justice and righteousness and contribute more positive energy to peace and development of the Middle East. As a sincere friend and strategic partner of Middle East countries, China is willing to work with them to implement the Global Security Initiative, restore order to the Middle East, bring peace to the people and contribute to world peace," Wang said.
China calls for immediate ceasefire in Middle East: FM
