President Xi Jinping’s New Year address for 2025 has ignited a wave of confidence and determination across China. In his nearly 11-minute speech broadcast on Tuesday via China Media Group and online platforms, Xi emphasized the importance of confidence in China’s economy and building a better life for all.
Reviewing the achievements of 2024, Xi announced that China’s economy has rebounded, with the GDP expected to surpass 130 trillion yuan (approximately $18.08 trillion). He highlighted the nation’s strides in fostering new productive forces and cultivating innovative business sectors. Notably, China produced over 10 million new energy vehicles in a single year for the first time.
“As an industrial worker, I’m incredibly proud of our rapid progress in the new energy vehicle industry,” said Wang Yun, an employee at electric vehicle manufacturer Voyah. “In 2025, I plan to keep working with passion, creating high-quality cars for our customers and contributing more to society.”
Looking ahead, Xi outlined plans to complete the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), implement proactive policies, prioritize high-quality development, and enhance self-reliance in science and technology. He acknowledged challenges such as global uncertainties and the need to transition from old growth drivers to new ones but urged the nation to remain confident. “We can prevail with our hard work,” Xi stated. “We must be confident.”
Entrepreneurs like Hu Kefei, founder of Zhejiang GBI Intelligent Equipment—a leading drone company—found the address inspiring. “President Xi’s analysis of the current economic challenges boosts our morale and strengthens our confidence,” Hu said. He pledged to enhance his company’s competitiveness and overcome challenges to advance in the low-altitude economy.
At the grassroots level, officials like Chen Ze, deputy director of the Economic Development Office in Zhongguan Town, Zhejiang Province, view the address as both motivational and practical guidance. “With greater enthusiasm and more effective measures, we’ll continue to optimize the business environment, stimulate market vitality, and promote high-quality economic development,” Chen remarked.
President Xi also reflected on his visits across China in 2024, from Tianshui in Gansu Province to Aojiao Village in Fujian Province. His mention of the “big, red Huaniu apples in Tianshui” resonated with local farmers.
“We’re thrilled that President Xi mentioned our apples,” said apple farmer Wu Zhengquan. “This year, we had great quality and high yields. In the new year, we’ll focus on refined management to grow our brand and increase our income.”
China expert Robert Lawrence Kuhn noted that Xi’s focus on his domestic tours highlights his commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people. “He states explicitly, ‘The concerns of the people about jobs and incomes, elderly and child care, education and medical services are always on my mind.’ It’s perhaps his most personal and revealing comment,” Kuhn observed.
As China steers into 2025, the optimism sparked by President Xi’s address is driving citizens—from industrial workers to entrepreneurs—to contribute to the nation’s growth and prosperity.
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President Xi's New Year address boosts confidence, inspires efforts
cgtn.com
