Xi hails hard work, dedication of 'countless unsung heroes'

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday hailed people's hard work and dedication over the past year, calling them unsung heroes.

The year of 2021 has recorded many memorable Chinese voices, Chinese moments and Chinese stories, said Xi in his New Year address to ring in 2022.

These included youthful vows of "pledging to the Party to make my country strong"; affectionate expression of "pure, true love saved for the motherland"; the Zhurong rover probing Mars, the Xihe satellite chasing the sun, and the Tianhe space station core module traveling among the stars; athletes outdoing themselves to excel on the sports field; the whole nation staying united in solid COVID-19 response; people in disaster-stricken areas standing together to rebuild their homes; members of the People's Liberation Army and Armed Police devoted to building a strong military and protecting our country, Xi said.

"The hard work and dedication of countless unsung heroes have all added to the great momentum of China's march forward in the new era," said Xi.