'Our strength comes from unity', Xi says at celebration of New China's 74th anniversary

President Xi Jinping called on the nation on Thursday to firm up confidence and strive in unity in the relentless endeavor toward building a strong China and realizing national rejuvenation.

"Our strength comes from unity, and confidence is more valuable than gold," said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, at a grand reception held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Xi said that the nation's future is bright, but "the road beneath our feet is not always smooth". He called on the nation to continue to surmount difficulties and march forward.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China 74 years ago, the country has gone from being poor to completing the building of a moderately prosperous society, and has embarked on a new journey of building a strong country and realizing national rejuvenation, he said.

"This is the great achievement made by the Communist Party of China leading the people of all ethnic groups in the country through hard work," he added.

While hailing the progress China has made in socioeconomic development this year, Xi said the country still faces many risks and challenges on the way ahead given the profound changes in the international situation.

"We must focus on promoting high-quality development, fully, faithfully and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and accelerate the construction of a new development paradigm," he said.

Xi underlined the need to strengthen macroeconomic regulation, expand effective domestic demand, stimulate the vitality of business entities, keep promoting sustained economic recovery, and work to continuously improve social expectations.

He also called for effectively preventing and defusing major risks and striving to achieve the targets for economic and social development this year.

Efforts should be made to promote high-level opening-up, continue to deepen reforms, steadily expand institutional opening-up in terms of rules, regulations and standards, and promote the high-quality development of Belt and Road cooperation in order to make the economy more resilient and dynamic, Xi said.

In his speech, Xi underscored the need to continue to uphold the principle of "one country, two systems "in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to ensure the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.

He reiterated China's commitment to promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations as well as its determination to resolve the Taiwan question. He said that achieving the complete reunification of the motherland is the aspiration of the people, the trend of the times and an inevitable historical process that no force can stop.

Xi also emphasized that China will adhere to peaceful development, firmly pursue an open strategy of mutual benefit and win-win results, uphold international equity and justice, practice true multilateralism, and work with people from all countries to address various global challenges and create a better future for humanity.

Premier Li Qiang presided over the reception. The event was also attended by other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee — Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi — as well as Vice-President Han Zheng and around 800 Chinese and foreign participants.

On Saturday, Xi and other leaders will join representatives from all walks of life at Tian'anmen Square to present flower baskets in honor of fallen national heroes.

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