To embrace even broader prospects in pursuing Chinese modernization

"On the new journey of Chinese modernization, everyone is a key actor, every effort counts, and every ray of light shines," said Chinese President Xi Jinping in his 2025 New Year message.

When delivering the New Year message, Xi reviewed the extraordinary journey completed by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past year, pooling the powerful collective force of all Chinese people striving in unity.

A light show is held on the Huxi campus of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Shapingba district, southwest China's Chongqing municipality, Dec. 31, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Sun Kaifang)

His message demonstrated to the world China's firm determination and confidence in building itself into a strong country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

The year 2024 was a crucial year for achieving the objectives and tasks laid down in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). In the face of challenges posed by evolving dynamics at home and abroad, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to respond calmly with a full range of policies, made solid gains in pursuing high-quality development, and successfully accomplished the main targets and tasks of economic and social development for the year. China's GDP in 2024 is expected to pass 130 trillion yuan ($17.81 trillion) mark, as the country takes new solid strides in advancing Chinese modernization.

An article published on the website of Kenyan newspaper The Standard said that China's development story is one "of a vision realized through concerted effort and determination."

The recently published results of China's fifth national economic census showed that as the world's second-largest economy, China's average contribution to global economic growth has remained around 30 percent for the past five years, making it the largest driving force behind world economic growth.

Promoting green and innovation-driven development

Over the past year, China has made solid progress in green development and sci-tech innovation, continuously writing a new chapter of high-quality development.

Green and low-carbon development has been further enhanced in China, unfolding a more beautiful country. China has also fostered new quality productive forces in light of actual conditions. New business sectors, forms and models have kept emerging.

Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2024 shows beautiful lanterns in a cultural block in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. (People's Daily Online/Yu Xiangquan)

The Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China and the second-largest drifting desert in the world, has been completely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching over 3,000 kilometers. Besides, China's annual production of new energy vehicles has surpassed 10 million milestone for the first time.

A recent report by the Financial Times pointed out that electric vehicles are expected to outsell cars with internal combustion engines in China for the first time in 2025 in a historic inflection point.

According to the Global Innovation Index 2024 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China has moved up to the 11th place in the ranking of the world's most innovative economies, making it one of the fastest risers over the past decade.

Putting people's well-being front and center

"Of all the jobs in front of us, the most important is to ensure a happy life for our people," Xi said in his 2025 New Year message.

Everywhere in China, people in all fields - workers, builders and entrepreneurs, among others - are working hard to fulfill their dreams, enjoying enriching lives.

This vibrant scene fully demonstrates that China has followed a people-centered approach, insisting that development is for the people, reliant on the people, and that its fruits should be shared by the people, which is the precondition for the country to have the right view of development and modernization and build the great momentum of its march forward in the new era.

Workers are welding the frame of a new energy vehicle (NEV) on the production line at a factory of Chinese carmaker Chery Holding Group Co., Ltd. in Wuhu, east China's Anhui province, Dec. 12, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Cheng Yibao)

China's "journey of modernization is not just about material wealth; it is deeply rooted in a people-centered philosophy. The fruits of Chinese modernization have been transformed into tangible improvements in the quality of life for ordinary citizens," as reported by Bangladesh's Weekly Blitz.

Greeting 2025 with hope and confidence

"We will march forward in great strides to advance reform and opening up as the trend of our times. We will surely embrace even broader prospects in pursuing Chinese modernization in the course of reform and opening up," said Xi.

At its Third Plenary Session, the 20th CPC Central Committee sounded a clarion call for further deepening all-round reform.

The year 2025 will see the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan. China will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, fully and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts, and accelerate the building of a new development paradigm.

It will implement more proactive and effective policies, pursue high-quality development as a top priority, promote greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and maintain sound momentum in economic and social development. The country will fulfill the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan with high quality, and lay a solid foundation for getting the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) off to a good start.

As the years turn and new chapters unfold, China will remain confident, continue to grow in the wind and rain, and get stronger through hard times as always. With unwavering determination, China will forge a new path of harmony and prosperity, making more contributions to world peace and development.