China marks 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up with greater resolve

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend a grand gathering to celebrate the40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec.18,2018.

President Xi JInping greets Chinese and foreigners who were awarded for their outstanding contributions to China’s reform and opening up along with their family members after a celebration marking the40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up ended in Beijing yesterday. One hundred Chinese and10 foreigners were awarded.XinhuaPresident Xi JInping greets Chinese and foreigners who were awarded for their outstanding contributions to China’s reform and opening up along with their family members after a celebration marking the40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up ended in Beijing yesterday. One hundred Chinese and10 foreigners were awarded.Xinhua

China held a grand gathering in Beijing yesterday to celebrate the40th anniversary of the country’s reform and opening up, a great revolution that has changed the destiny of the Chinese nation and influenced the world.

Addressing the meeting, President Xi Jinping described the reform and opening up as“a great reawakening” of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The celebration started with all participants rising to sing the national anthem.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, read a decision to award personnel for their outstanding contributions to the reform and opening up.

The people are“the creators of the great wonder of reform and opening up” and“the source of power” to drive the campaign started40 years ago, Wang said.

The award recipients were100 Chinese and10 foreigners. Chinese leaders presented the medals to those who were present at the event.

Describing the reform and opening up as“a great revolution in the history of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation,” Xi said a quantum leap has been made in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

In40 years, China lifted740 million people out of poverty. It has built the world’s largest social security system, with the basic old-age pension covering more than900 million people and medical insurance covering over1.3 billion people.

China’s share of global GDP rose from1.8 percent to15.2 percent, generating more than30 percent of global growth for years.

The nation must uphold the CPC leadership over all endeavors, adhere to the people-oriented approach, uphold Marxism as its guiding ideology, stay on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continue to put development as the top priority, promote joint efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind, exercise full and rigorous governance over the Party, and strike a balance between reform, development and stability, Xi said.

Xi stressed that the decisive role of the market in resource allocation should be put into full play while the role of the government will be better leveraged, and the vitality of various market entities will be stimulated.

By staying committed to advancing reform and opening up and seeing that Chinese people realize their aspirations for a better life, Xi said that new and even greater wonders of the Chinese nation would be made in the new era.

“We will create new and even greater wonders that will truly impress the world,” he said.