Profile: Xi Jinping: Pursuing dream for 1.3 billion Chinese

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 3,000 deputies to the national legislature made their choice on Thursday, electing Xi Jinping as the leader of China and its military.

Long applause filled the Great Hall of the People as Xi was elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission.

Xi's new role follows his election on Nov. 15 last year, when he was elected general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission.

Xi is now the leader of the CPC, the state and the military.

Xi rose from his seat and bowed to the deputies. In a warm handshake, Xi was congratulated by his predecessor Hu Jintao.

Xi is the seventh Chinese president following Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Li Xiannian, Yang Shangkun, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.

While meeting the press shortly after he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi said the new leadership would shoulder the responsibilities for the nation, the people and the Party and he pledged to fulfill the missions entrusted by the people.

Four months into office, Xi has started with a good beginning by pushing forward a series of popular policy measures.

Xi has stressed the importance of reform and the rule of law, initiated a campaign to curb extravagance, and urged strict disciplines on the CPC and the military and an all-out effort to tackle corruption.

He also reiterated China's policy of peaceful development and underlined opportunities that the world might get from China's rise.

The new leadership led by Xi has won respect and trust from the Chinese people. A media commentary said "China's 'New Deal' has taken shape."

FAITH IN CHINA

Two weeks after his November election, Xi showed his confidence in leading the country while visiting the National Museum of China along with other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

In this file photo taken on Nov. 29, 2012, Xi Jinping (C) views "The Road Toward Renewal" exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

"We will surely complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects when the CPC celebrates its centenary, and turn China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious when the PRC marks its centennial," Xi said.

"I firmly believe that the great dream of the renewal of the Chinese nation will come true," Xi said in front of an exhibition depicting the country's struggles over the past 170 years.

Rising from a CPC branch secretary in a village brigade, Xi fostered his experience in performing duties, dealing with domestic issues and handling foreign and defense affairs while serving higher positions.

An enterprising man, Xi knows how global and national conditions have changed and which challenges are facing the nation. His confidence in coming up with the idea of the "Chinese dream," as well as his determination, is impressive.

"Our system will be improved and the superiority of our socialist system will be fully demonstrated through a brighter future," Xi said. "We should have firm confidence in our path, in our theories and in our system."

"The selection of path is a life-or-death issue for the future of the CPC," he told the new leadership. "We should unswervingly uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics."

He called for the new leadership to enhance their study and practice of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the construction of a moderately prosperous society, improve the people's livelihoods, strengthen Party-building and deepen reform and opening up.

Emphasizing the importance of the rule of law in building a moderately prosperous society, Xi called on CPC members to take the lead to ensure the implementation of the Constitution and act in accordance with the law.

"The people should be able to enjoy justice and fairness in every legal case," Xi said.

"To forge iron, one's own self must be strong," Xi said. "Our job is to work with all CPC members to supervise our own conduct through strict disciplines and effectively solve major problems within the Party."

Extravagance risks the collapse of a political party, Xi said, warning that corruption has become a life-or-death challenge facing the CPC and the nation.

After becoming the general secretary, Xi promised to crack down on corruption, "restrict power by the cage of regulations" and make cadres be respectful of law and refrain from wrongdoing.

He also vowed to go after both "flies" and "tigers," which imply corrupt low-level functionaries and big powers respectively.

A number of suspected corrupt officials have been investigated or prosecuted over the past four months.

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