Prepare for challenges, Xi urges

The people are expecting better education, more stable jobs, higher incomes, better health insurance, a more beautiful environment, and more comfortable living conditions, he added.

He urged the whole Party to have an overall view of the Party and the country's situation, adhere to the Party's basic path, make continuous efforts to push forward economic development, and achieve comprehensive development of all areas.

The Party and country have experienced historic changes since the Party's 18th National Congress, and China's development has entered a new starting point, Xi said.

The success of socialism with Chinese characteristics means that the Chinese nation has completed its historic leap from obtaining independence to becoming rich and finally becoming powerful, he said, adding that China has explored a path for developing countries' modernization and offered China's solution in resolving the problems of mankind.

The CPC attaches great importance to building up its theories, and the Party's theories should be innovated on the basis of practice, Xi said.

It is the Party's solemn promise to lead the country to accomplish the goal of comprehensively building a moderately well-off society in 2020, Xi said, adding that the CPC must win the battles of preventing and resolving major risks, reducing poverty, preventing pollution, and pushing forward supply-side reform.

The Party must unswervingly stick to and improve its leadership in the process of uniting and leading the people to fulfill their great dreams, Xi said, while calling for more efforts to build up a powerful Party that could lead the people to deal with major challenges and risks.

The people have spoken highly of the CPC's achievements of comprehensively promoting stricter governance of the Party, Xi said, adding that the whole Party should make continuous efforts for stricter self-governance.

Premier Li Keqiang said at the opening ceremony of the symposium that Xi's speech is of great importance, and has put forward a series of new thoughts, views, judgments and measures. All relevant decisions and policies should be implemented well for the success of the Party's 19th National Congress, he said.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said at the symposium's ending ceremony that through the symposium, Party officials have gotten a better understanding of the significance of Xi's speech. He urged the Party leaders to unify their actions in accord with the speech and carry forward relevant reforms, development and stability works.