Xi lauds contribution of top political advisory body

President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China has met the major economic and social development targets of the past year and its gross domestic product is expected to grow by around 5 percent in 2024.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a gathering held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, to usher in the new year.

"Faced with challenges arising from both domestic and international situations, we have responded calmly with the implementation of a full range of steps," he said, lauding the encouraging achievements that have been made in the past extraordinary year.

Xi also praised the CPPCC's contribution to the development of the Party and the country through its fulfillment of duties over the past year and encouraged the CPPCC to play a more proactive role in the new year so as to better rally people's support, build consensus, pool wisdom and strength.

As the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) will conclude in 2025, Xi stressed efforts to maintain strategic resolve and pool the great strength of all Chinese people to forge ahead against all odds to build a strong country.

"On the journey of Chinese modernization, we will not only encounter clear skies and gentle breeze, but also face high winds, choppy waters and even dangerous storms," he said.

Xi said that in 2025, work should be done to further deepen reform across the board, pursue higher-standard opening-up and ensure both development and security, among others.

Xi also urged efforts to put into place more proactive macro policies to promote sustained economic recovery and improvement, continuously enhance people's living standards, and maintain social harmony and stability.

The high-quality fulfillment of the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) will lay a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the president said.

As a key mechanism for multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the CPPCC has played a major role in conducting political consultation, exercising democratic oversight and participating in the discussion and the handling of state affairs.