Past five years truly momentous, extraordinary: Xi

Special: 20th CPC National Congress

The five years since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have been truly momentous and extraordinary, Xi Jinping said on Sunday.

The Party Central Committee has pursued a strategy of national rejuvenation amid global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century, with major strategic plans made for advancing the cause of the Party and the country, Xi said in a report at the opening session of the 20th CPC National Congress.

The Party Central Committee has brought together the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people and led them in effectively responding to grave, intricate international developments and a series of immense risks and challenges, he said.

"With great effort and determination, we have steadily advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era," Xi said.

-- We have continued to strengthen the overall leadership of the Party and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.

-- We have devoted great energy to finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

-- We have fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy on all fronts, focused on promoting high-quality development, and worked to create a new pattern of development.

-- We have pursued reform at a swift and steady pace, made solid progress in developing whole-process people's democracy, and advanced law-based governance across all fields of endeavor.

-- We have actively developed advanced socialist culture.

-- We have ensured and improved public wellbeing as a matter of priority and pooled resources to wage a critical battle against poverty.

-- We have made a big push to enhance ecological conservation.

-- We have worked with firm resolve to safeguard national security, fended off and defused major risks, and ensured social stability.

-- We have devoted great energy to modernizing our national defense and the armed forces.

-- We have conducted major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on all fronts.

-- We have made sweeping efforts to advance the great new project of Party building.

-- We celebrated the centenary of the CPC and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We adopted the third resolution concerning the Party's history, and organized Party-wide activities to study Party history.

-- We called upon all Party members to study and apply the great founding spirit of the Party.

-- In responding to the sudden attack of COVID-19, we put the people and their lives above all else and tenaciously pursued a dynamic zero-COVID policy. We have protected the people's health and safety to the greatest extent possible and made tremendously encouraging achievements in both epidemic response and economic and social development.

-- In the face of turbulent developments in Hong Kong, the central government exercised its overall jurisdiction over the special administrative region as prescribed by China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It was ensured that Hong Kong is governed by patriots. Order has been restored in Hong Kong, marking a major turn for the better in the region.

-- In response to separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence" and gross provocations of external interference in Taiwan affairs, we have resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference, demonstrating our resolve and ability to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to oppose "Taiwan independence."

-- Confronted with drastic changes in the international landscape, we have maintained firm strategic resolve and shown a fighting spirit. Throughout these endeavors, we have safeguarded China's dignity and core interests and kept ourselves well-positioned for pursuing development and ensuring security.

"Over the past five years, our Party has rallied the people and led them in solving a great number of problems that had long gone unsolved, securing many accomplishments that hold major future significance, and achieving impressive advances in the cause of the Party and the country," Xi said.

(Updated)