On the eve of the Chinese lunar new year, President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji extended their greetings to the Chinese people of various ethnic groups including compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as all overseas Chinese throughout the world.

Jiang said "On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and State Council, I extend warm Spring Festival greetings and good wishes to all Chinese people of various ethnic groups, as well as all workers, farmers, intellectuals, officials, officers and men of the People's Liberation Army, armed police and public security bureaus."

Jiang extended festival greetings to compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, and all the overseas Chinese across the world.

He also expressed his gratitude to all foreign friends who have helped promote China's modernization drive.

Premier Zhu Rongji said that China has made notable progress in its reform and modernization drive in 1999, and in the year 2000 the government is going to adhere to the policy of expanding domestic demand and maintain the positive trend of economic development.

China will continue to strategically re-adjust its economy, launch a large-scale campaign to explore the inland areas and realize the goal to help state-owned enterprises out of financial difficulty this year, Zhu said.

Zhu reiterated the determination of the Chinese government to resolve the Taiwan issue as soon as possible following the successful return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland.

"At this occasion of reunion for millions of families, we miss our Taiwan compatriots more than ever," he said.

"After Hong Kong and Macao returned to the motherland, the sacred mission to resolve the Taiwan issue and completely reunite the motherland has become even more prominent for all the Chinese people," Zhu said.

"We will continue to work to develop the cross-Straits relations and promote the peaceful reunification of the motherland in line with the principles of 'one country, two systems' and the eight-point proposition put forward by President Jiang Zemin on the Taiwan issue," he said.

Zhu also pointed out that the central government will continue to support the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region in their governance according to law and will help them maintain long-term prosperity and stability.

"China will continue to adhere to the independent and peaceful foreign policy, oppose power politics and maintain world peace," Zhu said.

More than 4,000 people attended today's gathering, including Party, government and military leaders, as well as veterans, leaders of non-communist parties, members of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and people without party affiliation, representatives of ethnic minority groups, Chinese and foreign experts, and scholars and representatives from all walks of life.