President Hu Jintao Delivers New Year's Message

On the eve of the New Year, Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech entitled "Jointly Create a Better Future for World Peace and Development".

Please stay tuned as we broadcast the entire New Year's message.

Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends:

The New Year's bell is about to ring, and 2010 is soon to begin. At this beautiful moment of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, and via China Radio International, China National Radio and China Central Television, I'm delighted to extend New Year wishes to Chinese of all ethnic groups, to compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, to overseas Chinese and to friends all over the world!

The year 2009 has been a very important one in the history of the People's Republic of China. Chinese people of all ethnic groups celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, felt very proud of the great motherland's progress, and are determined to continue pushing forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics from a new start. Facing the grievous impact of the global financial crisis, Chinese people of all ethnic groups have faced difficulties and overcome obstacles with strong determination and a united heart, and have made stable and relatively fast development the priority in economic work. Our strong overall planning and coordination has helped ensure growth, improve people's livelihoods, maintain stability and bring about a recovery of the overall economic growth. New and outstanding achievements have been made in China's reform and opening-up and socialist modernization drive. The people's living standards have risen and society as a whole has maintained harmony and stability. China has actively participated in international cooperation to deal with such issues as the global financial crisis and climate change, has expanded exchanges and cooperation with the rest of the world and has made new contributions to world peace and development.

2010 is the last year for implementing China's 11th five-year plan. In the upcoming new year, we will unswervingly uphold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, further implement the Scientific Outlook on Development under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, maintain the continuity and stability of macro economic policy, continue implementing proactive fiscal measures and adopt a moderately relaxed monetary policy, raise the policy's pertinence and flexibility based on new situations, work harder to improve the quality and efficiency of economic growth, pay more attention to transforming the economic development pattern and readjusting economic structures, push forward the reform and opening-up drive and independent innovation, and further strengthen the vigor and vitality of economic growth. We will pay more attention to improving people's livelihoods, maintaining social harmony and stability, considering both domestic and international situations, striving for stable and relatively fast economic development and continuing to build a moderately prosperous society in an all-around way.

We will uphold the policy of "one country, two systems"- "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and "Macao people governing Macao" with a high degree of autonomy. We will work with our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in the two Special Administrative Regions. We will firmly adhere to the principles of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems", firmly grasp the theme of peace and development in handling cross-Straits relations, strengthen cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation, and bring continuous well-being to compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

At present, the world is facing a time of great changes and huge adjustments. The trend toward multi-polarity and economic globalization is gaining momentum. The global financial crisis is still affecting the world, global problems such as climate change, energy resources and public health security remain serious, and international and regional hot-spot issues have kept flaring up. To continue promoting the lofty cause of world peace and development, people all around the world should strengthen cooperation and pull together in times of trouble.

I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm that China will unswervingly hold aloft the banners of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to its foreign policy's ultimate goal of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, firmly take the road of peaceful development, implement the open-up strategy for mutual benefit and win-win progress, develop friendly cooperation with all countries based on the five principles of peaceful coexistence and actively participate in the cooperative efforts by the international community to deal with the global financial crisis and climate change. We will work with people of various countries to strive to build a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity.

At this moment, on this planet where we live together, there are still many people who suffer from war, poverty, sickness and natural disasters. The Chinese people have great sympathy for their misfortunes, and as always we are willing to do everything in our capacity to help them overcome their difficulties. I believe that through the unremitting efforts of people of many countries, world civilization and human welfare will surely develop constantly.

In 2010, the world expo with the theme of "Better City, Better Life" will be held in Shanghai, China. We welcome friends from five continents to join in the spectacular gathering and jointly write a new chapter on mutual understanding and friendship between China and the rest of the world.

Finally, from here in Beijing, I would like to wish you all happiness, peace and health in the New Year!