Chinese President Hu Jintao says China's economic and social development will keep good momentum in 2004. He stresses all forces must be combined. 
 
Speaking at a tea party to greet the New Year in Beijing, Hu Jintao says 2003 was a year in which China's efforts to develop a prosperous society gained a solid foundation. He says, in 2004, the Communist Party of China should make multi-faceted development its top priority. The Party should stick to the "govern for the people" policy, should be for the people and continue to be down to earth, honest and upright. The president continued to add that financial assistance to farmers and the creation of employment and reemployment opportunities are also a top priority for the year ahead. He also says China should continue to show concern for the well-being of its citizens and speed up the construction of social security system to help reduce poverty.

He stresses that in order to realize the grand object of building a properous society in an all-round way, all forces must be combined, a united front needs to be established, and all positive forces must be fully deployed to infuse China with a new energy.
 
(CRI January 2, 2004)