Xi's speech at first session of 13th NPC to be published

BEIJING -- An article, titled "Speech at the First Session of the 13th National People's Congress", which was delivered by President Xi Jinping, will be published Saturday in the 10th issue of the Qiushi Journal.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered the speech at the closing meeting of the session on March 20, 2018.

The article stresses that people are the creators of history and real heroes, and the magnificent development history of the Chinese nation was written by the Chinese people.

The endeavor of the Chinese people has led to a tremendous transformation of the Chinese nation in which it has stood up, grown rich, and is becoming strong, says the article.

The article points out that the great national spirit, fostered, passed down and developed by the Chinese people during their long-term struggle, has offered a strong impetus for the development of China and the human civilization.

"We must base our efforts on the interests of the people," says the article, demanding efforts to focus on addressing the most pressing, most immediate issues that concern the people the most.

"We must also ensure that all Chinese people could share the happiness and pride in the historic course of national rejuvenation," the article says.

Noting that only when people have faith, will the nation have a bright future and strength, the article says that now socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and the hard-working and brave Chinese people have shown more confidence, self-respect and self-improvement.

"The path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics have radiated with great vitality, while miracles keep happening in our land," says the article.

The world we live in is full of hopes and full of challenges, notes the article.

Stressing that China will never pursue development at the expense of others' interests, the article says China's development does not pose a threat to any other country and China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.

Only those who are accustomed to threatening others see everyone as a threat, the article adds.

Continuing to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, China will stay on the path of peaceful development and continue to pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, says the article.

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

"Let the sunshine of a community with a shared future for humanity illuminate the world," it says.

The leadership of the CPC is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, notes the article.

To shoulder the historic responsibility of leading the people in the great social revolution, the CPC must have the courage to reform itself, always preserve the character of a Marxist governing party, always remain ahead of the time, and always be the backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, the article says.