BEIJING, April 28 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called for pooling the strength of the country's working class and the broad masses of working people, and translating the grand blueprint of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into reality through hard, down-to-earth work.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a grand gathering to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and honor model workers and exemplary individuals.

The gathering was presided over by Premier Li Qiang. Senior leaders Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attended the event, and Cai Qi read out the commendations.

A total of 1,670 people were honored as national role model workers, and 756 were recognized as exemplary individuals.

On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi congratulated the honorees and extended his greetings to workers, farmers, intellectuals and other working people from all ethnic groups, as well as to trade unions and their staff at all levels, ahead of the International Workers' Day, which falls on May 1.

Xi noted that the All-China Federation of Trade Unions has written a magnificent chapter in the workers' movement over the past 100 years since its founding.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, trade unions at all levels have united and mobilized the broad masses of workers to make significant contributions to the realization of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled and to advancing Chinese modernization, Xi added.

No matter how historical conditions and social groups evolve, the status and role of the working class in China, the fundamental principle of relying wholeheartedly on the working class, and the nature and functions of the country's trade unions cannot be shaken, he said.

He stressed that over the past century, the most significant achievement in the theoretical innovation and practical development of the Party's workers' movement cause has been the formation of the socialist trade union's development path with Chinese characteristics.

The path upholds the overall leadership of the Party over workers' movement and trade unions, sticks to the fundamental principle of relying wholeheartedly on the working class, commits to following and serving the central task of the Party, maintains the trade unions' political character, pioneering nature and connection with the people, adheres to serving the working people as its lifeline, and stresses operation in accordance with laws and regulations, Xi said, adding that such a path must be upheld in the long run.

The Party's central task defines the theme of the times for the workers' movement in China, he said.

On the new journey in the new era, it is imperative to focus on promoting high-quality development and motivate the broad masses of working people to strive for achievements and be innovative and creative, he said.

It is essential to ride the latest sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation wave, and comprehensively boost the quality of the country's workforce, Xi said.

He called for promoting the respect for model workers, the ethos of work as well as craftsmanship, focusing on advancing common prosperity, and steadily enhancing the well-being of the vast number of employees and working people.

Xi called on the whole society to learn from the model workers and exemplary individuals, and promote their excellent qualities. Model workers and exemplary individuals should also cherish the honors they have received and continue working hard to achieve new successes.

Standing at a new, historic starting point, trade unions at all levels need to promote the high-quality development of their work, he said.

Party committees at all levels should strengthen and improve their leadership over trade unions, promptly study and address major issues in trade union work, and create favorable conditions for trade unions to perform their duties, he added.