China to keep scaling new heights with self-reliance in new year

Yachts sail on the waters near Sanya, south China's Hainan province, Jan. 1, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Ye Longbin)

In his 2024 New Year message, Chinese President Xi Jinping reviewed the remarkable achievements China has made, encouraging the Chinese people to forge ahead with resolve and tenacity, steadfastly advance Chinese modernization, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place for all.

His message presented to the world a prosperous and thriving China, as well as the country's global vision and a strong sense of responsibility.

In recent days, the international community has paid high attention to China's tourism during the New Year holiday, witnessing a vibrant and bustling China in the booming tourism market.

In 2023, China's economy continued to rebound and improve, injecting new momentum into global economic recovery. Recently, several international institutions have raised their expectations for China's economic growth. The international community generally believes that China still remains the largest engine of global growth, and it is expected to contribute around 1/3 of global economic growth in 2023.

It is reported that Chinese shipbuilding companies received 59 percent of global shipbuilding orders in 2023, ranking first for three consecutive years. Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that China's automobile production and sales are expected to reach around 30 million units in 2023, with the production and sales of new energy vehicles exceeding 9 million units. The export of automobiles is expected to reach nearly 5 million units. The automotive industry has become a major driving force for industrial growth.

A China-Europe freight train departs from the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base in east China's Jiangsu province for Central Asian countries, Jan. 1, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jianmin)

An article published on the website of Pakistani newspaper The Nation noted that the spotlight has undoubtedly shifted to the East on the global economic stage.

The year 2024 will bring more encouraging news from China on all fronts. On Jan. 1, China's first domestically built large cruise ship embarked on its maiden commercial voyage. This milestone reflected China's burgeoning innovative drive and vibrant development, as well as the C919 large passenger airliner entering commercial service, the Shenzhou spaceships continuing their missions in space, the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reaching the deepest ocean trench, Chinese trendy brands being highly popular with consumers, the latest models of Chinese-made mobile phones gaining market success, and the rise of Chinese new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products.

"Everywhere across our country, new heights are being scaled with dogged determination, and new creations and innovations are emerging every day," said Xi in his New Year message.

The Chinese nation is a nation that is brave and adept at innovation. China is committed to the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy. It has the confidence and ability to achieve high-level technological self-reliance, explore new areas of development, and continuously create new driving forces and advantages for development.

"China has gone from being the world's factory to becoming the global frontrunner in nearly every important industry of the future," said Russian political analyst Dmitry Kosyrev.

Robotic arms weld vehicle bodies in a workshop of a carmaker in Jimo district, Qingdao, east China's Shandong province, Dec. 28, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Liang Xiaopeng)

On the first day of 2024, the free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua officially came into effect. Besides, dairy products from New Zealand have been allowed to enter China duty-free, marking the removal of all remaining tariffs agreed upon in the free trade deal between the two countries. In the new year, China will continue to expand high-level opening-up and constantly create new opportunities for the world with its own development.

The Chengdu FISU World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games hosted last year deeply impressed the world with the profound essence of Chinese civilization. The 78th United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution designating the Lunar New Year (the Spring Festival) as a UN floating holiday, which showcases the influence of the Chinese culture.

In the coming year, China will continue to promote mutual learning, harmonious coexistence, and mutual achievements among different civilizations, and foster understanding and friendship among people from different countries.

In 2023, China established diplomatic relations with Honduras, established or upgraded partnerships with more than 10 countries, and continuously deepened and expanded a global network of partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation. In the new year, the country will continue working hand-in-hand with other countries to walk a path of great virtues and build a better future for humanity.

Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development, which benefits the Chinese people and promotes the modernization of all countries. In the coming year, China will continue striving with dogged determination to scale new heights, employing Chinese modernization to write a new chapter in human progress, and making new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and an even better world for all.