The Spring Festival holidays of 2015 ended on Tuesday. There had been worries that downward economic pressures would sabotage the festive atmosphere and thwart consumption. But this didn't happen. The number of tourists traveling during the holidays hit a record high. Giving away cash-filled electronic red envelopes has emerged as a new trend.

Official statistics haven't been released yet, but the potential of the Chinese market excites many. And consumption during the Spring Festival holidays is always viewed as indication of public confidence in the Chinese economy.

It's difficult to describe the status quo of the Chinese economy. The manufacturing industry is having trouble while the service sector is booming. The number of employed is on the rise despite labor shortages that plague the low-end manufacturing and service sectors. The booming tourism and consumption during the National Day Golden Week holidays last year and the just-ended Spring Festival holidays, the soaring salaries of domestic helpers all across the country, and the unabated enthusiasm for taking taxis despite a hike in taxi fares - all are worth studying.

Some non-economic elements also deserve our attention. So far economic downward pressure hasn't affected the public's daily lives. The consumption capacity of the Chinese people has never been higher since the reform and opening-up. Both urban and rural residents have accumulated a certain amount of wealth.

The Chinese at large are optimistic about the future and few anticipate shrinking incomes and that life will be worse in the future. With the unfolding of the anti-graft campaign, more people are confident that China is a just society and in the rule of law.

All this constitutes the background of a "new normal" for the Chinese economy. China is still beset with many difficulties. It faces a surfeit of challenges in dealing with downward economic pressure and building good, clean governance. We should learn from the Spring Festival holidays: Do we overlook some important elements? Some intellectuals are less confident in the Chinese economy than the public, do they neglect the feelings of the ordinary people?

The development of the Chinese economy and society should be centered on the interests of the public. This is one of the key way to comprehensively deepen the reforms. The Chinese system has an advantage in both securing the public's immediate interests and long-term interests. Although statistics provide important information that can be used to assess China's economy, it's the public who will make the ultimate judgment. China has just witnessed an inspiring Spring Festival, let's wait and see what will happen next.