The following is the full text of Chinese President Jiang Zemin's speech to greet the new century and millennium:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and Friends:

The bell to usher in the year 2000 will soon resound throughout the boundless sky of our planet. Human civilization will enter a new century and the beginning of a new millennium. Tonight, the people of all countries of the world, whether in the east, west, south or north, regardless of their nationalities and faiths, are elated over the arrival of this historic moment.

First, I would like to wish the people of all nationalities throughout the country, overseas Chinese and friends all over the world a happy new year, and extend to them my best wishes for the new century and the new millennium!

This moment is most likely to inspire people to review the past and look into the future. Only by correctly summing up history can people move bravely ahead.

Over the past millennium, great changes have taken place in human history. Ancient civilization developed into modern civilization. Feudal society became capitalist, and in some

countries a completely new socialist system has emerged. The human economic activities have entered an industrial era and are now shifting to a time marked by swift development of high and new technologies. Man has accumulated vast material and ideological wealth which is beyond compare with that of the previous millennia.

In understanding and changing the world, man broke through one realm of necessity after another and has continued advancing toward the realm of freedom.

Over the past millennium, all the achievements in human civilization in terms of social changes and scientific and technological progress have been made by weeding out the old ways

to allow the new ways to come through. The Renaissance did away with the dark domination of theology in the Middle Ages in Europe.

The mighty power of peace and justice defeated "overlords" who rode roughshod over the world and their unjust wars were lost. The centuries-long colonial system was finally declared terminated during the movement for national liberation that had surged through this century. Outstanding inventions and extensive exchanges between people of various countries have converged to form a mighty force to advance the progress made in history. The desire for peace and development has become the trend of the times in the world today.

Before the past millennium, the world acknowledged glorious Chinese civilization developed several thousand years ago, and China maintained its prominent position in the world until the

15th century. Due to the slow growth of productive forces and social and political decadence, China gradually fell behind other nations, and as a result it fell into a semi-colonial and semi-

feudal society up to the modern times, suffering the bullying and humiliation of world powers. However, the Chinese people did not yield but waged an arduous struggle for generations.The Communist Party of China (CPC), represented by Comrade Mao Zedong and combining the basic Marxist principles with the real conditions in China, led the Chinese people in a great revolution and

established new China in the middle of this century. China has since entered a new epoch of socialism. Now, the Chinese people are making giant leaps toward modernization along the road of

reform and opening-up pioneered by Comrade Deng Xiaoping.

Eventually, progress will override backwardness, science will win over ignorance and justice over evil, and this is a truth that history has made clear time after time. The noble cause of world peace and development will never be deterred.

Facing the new century and the new millennium, far-sighted statesmen in all countries should think from a historical perspective when they ask themselves: What should the future world

be like and what contribution should be made to realizing such a world?

We hope that in the future, all states and ethnic groups will co-exist in peace and harmony and cooperate in a friendly manner with each other for common development, shaping a reasonable and just international new political and economic order, and realizing lasting peace and universal prosperity so that the people of all countries can build and enjoy a happy life according to their own desires. The world is marching toward multi-polarization, which is

the inevitable trend in historical development and also the common will of all the people in the world. The Chinese people are ready to work with the people of all other countries to fight against hegemony and power politics, push forward the process of multi-polarization and create a glorious future for the world.

We firmly believe that in the new century, the Chinese people will unshakably proceed along the road of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, China's socialist system will be

consolidated and perfected through continuous reforms, its development will lead to national prosperity through the common advancement in all regions, and the Chinese nation will be

rejuvenated due to the motherland's complete reunification and the establishment of a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and modern socialist country.