Country will never seek its development at the expense of others' interests, he says

China will never seek its development at the cost of sacrificing other nations' interests, and its development will pose no threat to any other country, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark at the closing meeting of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing.

"China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion," he said. "Only those who are accustomed to threatening others see everyone as a threat."

China will stay on the path of peaceful development, and continue to pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, Xi said.

"The Chinese people's sincere wish and practical action to contribute to the peace and development of humanity should not be misinterpreted, nor should it be distorted," Xi said. "Justice will prevail!"

China endeavors to uphold international fairness and justice, Xi said, adding that China will not impose its will on others.

He said China will contribute more Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions and Chinese strength to the world and push for building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.

"Let the sunshine of a community with a shared future for humanity illuminate the world!" Xi said.

Xi stressed the leadership of the Communist Party of China over all areas of endeavor in every part of the country.

"The Party is the highest force for political leadership and the fundamental guarantee of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Xi said.

The leadership of the CPC is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said, urging CPC members to shoulder the historic responsibility of leading the people in the great social revolution.

To this end, the CPC must have the courage to reform itself and adhere to the commitment to serve the public good and exercise power in the interest of the people, step up strict governance over the Party and resolutely clear out all types of inaction and corruption, he said.

Xi said the CPC should be the backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, work hard and share the comforts and hardships with the people and always maintain heart-to-heart communion with them.

He called on all political parties, people's organizations, ethnic groups and people of all sectors to rally closely around the CPC Central Committee and march forward with one heart and one mind.

Xi called for more effort in achieving the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the middle of the century.

The president called for more energy and more concrete measures in deepening reform in all areas, expanding opening-up, applying a new vision of development, promoting high-quality economic development and developing a modernized economy, so as to better demonstrate the vitality of the socialist market economy.

"We will devote more energy and take more concrete measures in developing socialist democracy, upholding the unity of Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, building a country of socialist rule of law, promoting the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance, consolidating and developing the broadest possible patriotic united front to ensure that people enjoy democratic rights in a broader, fuller and more genuine way," Xi said.

More energy and more concrete measures are also required in developing a great socialist culture in China, cultivating and observing core socialist values and promoting the creative evolution and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, according to Xi.

"We will devote more energy and take more concrete measures in ensuring and improving people's living standards, strengthening and developing new approaches to social governance, resolutely winning the battle against poverty, promoting social fairness and justice and making steady progress in ensuring people's access to child care, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing and social assistance," Xi said.

Xi also called for more energy and more concrete measures to advance the building of an ecological civilization, accelerate efforts to develop green production and ways of life and work harder to tackle prominent environmental problems.

Xi pledged to uphold absolute Party leadership over the people's armed forces, fully implement the Party's strategy on strengthening military capabilities for the new era, enhance the political loyalty of the armed forces, strengthen them through reform and technology and run them in accordance with law.

Hong Kong and Macao

Xi vowed to fully and accurately implement the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and Macao people governing Macao with a high degree of autonomy.

The central government supports the special administrative region governments of Hong Kong and Macao in the exercise of power in accordance with the law, and supports Hong Kong and Macao in its integration with the country's development, enhancing the patriotic sense of Hong Kong and Macao compatriots and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.

Xi said any actions or tricks to split China are certain to meet with the people's condemnation and the punishment of history.

He said the Chinese people have the resolve, confidence and ability to defeat secessionist attempts in any form.

"The Chinese people share a common belief that it is never allowed and it is absolutely impossible to separate any inch of our great country's territory from China," Xi added.

Only by adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can the Chinese nation realize its great rejuvenation, Xi said.

"We have a favorable development environment that was unimaginable before, but we still face unprecedented difficulties and challenges," Xi said.

At its 19th National Congress, the CPC drew up a blueprint for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, embarking on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, he said.

Comparing the process to "another Long March", Xi warned the whole nation against being satisfied with the status quo, indulging oneself in ease and comfort or letting delight dispel worries.

He called on everyone to stay true to the original aspirations, hold on to the mission and strive to accomplish it.

Adapting to the new historic juncture for the development of China and acting in response to the evolution of the principal contradiction in Chinese society, Xi said, the country will uphold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and fully implement the spirit of the 19th Party congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

He pledged to follow the guide of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

He stressed the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, the people-centered development vision, the notion of "great struggle, great project, great cause and great dream," and coordinated implementation of the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy.

"We have full confidence in our future," he said.

Over the past thousands of years, the Chinese people have been united and stuck together through thick and thin, built a united country with various nationalities, developed harmonious relationships between 56 diverse and interwoven ethnic groups and formed a big Chinese family where they keep watch for and help defend each other, Xi said.

The Chinese people have been aware since ancient times that "we cannot sit idle and enjoy the fruits of others' work, and happiness can only be achieved through great endeavor", he said.

"Today, the creativity of the Chinese people is being unleashed to an extent like never before, which has been enabling our country to develop rapidly and stride forward at the forefront of the world," Xi said.

Safeguard sovereignty

It is a shared aspiration of all Chinese people to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and realize China's complete reunification, Xi said.

In his speech, Xi told civil servants that, no matter how high-ranking they are, it is a must to put the people in the highest place of their hearts, serve the people wholeheartedly and work hard for the interests and happiness of the people.

"The people are the creators of history, and the people are real heroes," Xi said.

The government must be dedicated to addressing the problems that most concern the people and let the people enjoy happiness and glory in the process of national rejuvenation, he added.

Xi also expressed gratitude to the NPC deputies and the whole nation for electing him president. He pledged to be loyal to the country and the people, spare no effort to fulfill his duties, be diligent at work, accept supervision from the people and never let the people down.

Praising the Chinese people as "people with great dreams", Xi voiced his firm faith in realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Over a history of thousands of years, Chinese people have always held fast to their dreams and made endless efforts, he said, citing ancient Chinese mythology, such as Pangu creating the world, Nyuwa patching up the sky, Fuxi drawing eight diagrams, Shennong tasting herbs, Kuafu chasing the sun, Jingwei filling up the sea and Yugong removing mountains.

Realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation has become the greatest dream of Chinese nation, he stressed.

"I believe that as long as more than 1.3 billion Chinese people keep carrying forward this great spirit of pursuing dreams, we can and will realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn

Xinhua contributed to this story.