2013 New Year Message by H.E. Hu Jintao
President of the People's Republic of China

31 December 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Comrades and Friends,

The New Year's bell is about to ring and 2013 is around the corner. I am delighted to extend my New Year wishes through China Radio International, China National Radio and China Central Television to the people of all ethnic groups in China, to our 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 2012 has been a fruitful year for China's reform, opening-up and modernization endeavors. The Chinese people have prevailed over various difficulties and challenges through united efforts. The country has achieved steady progress in economic and social development and made new headway in various undertakings. The people's living standards have kept improving. China has continued with its pursuit of all-round diplomacy, strengthened exchanges and cooperation with all other countries, taken an active part in resolving international and regional hot-spot issues, and made new contribution to world peace and development.

The year 2012 has been an important and significant year for China's development. The recent 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the First Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee have sketched out a blueprint for completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and deepening reform and opening-up, and achieved a smooth transition of the CPC central leadership. The Chinese people of all ethnic groups are rallying closely around the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, and forging ahead with one heart and one mind to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

In 2013, the Chinese government and people will continue to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will continue to pursue development in a scientific way and give priority to shifting the growth model. We will keep to the general approach of seeking progress while maintaining stability, advance reform, opening-up and socialist modernization drive across the board, and ensure a good start for attaining the goals set out by the 18th CPC National Congress. We will unwaveringly implement the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong", "Macao people administering Macao" and a high degree of autonomy. We will deepen exchanges and cooperation to promote long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. We will continue to promote peaceful development of cross-Straits relations to bring benefits to compatriots on both sides of the Straits and uphold the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.

The international situation continues to undergo profound and complex changes. Peace, development and win-win cooperation are the shared aspirations of people across the world, and countries are becoming increasingly interdependent. At the same time, the global financial crisis has produced a far-reaching impact. The slow growth of the world economy is expected to continue. Some countries and regions experience turbulence and volatility, and the world is still far from being peaceful and stable.

Mankind has only one earth to live on and countries have only one world to share. World peace and development can only prevail when people of all countries work in unity. The Chinese people are a staunch force for world peace and development. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, it will never shake the firm resolve of the Chinese people to pursue peaceful development. China will continue to actively enhance its friendship and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, work for the proper settlement of international and regional hot-spot issues through peaceful means, contribute to strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy, and play the role of a responsible major country.

I am convinced that as long as we meet the aspirations of the people of all countries and follow the trend of world development, as long as we pool our efforts together, we will surely be able to score new progress in advancing the noble cause of world peace and development and improve the well-being of people across the world.

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