(Beijing, January 29, 2014)

Comrades and friends:

At a time of not only family reunion, but also saying goodbye to the past and welcoming the New Year, we are gathered here to celebrate the Year of the Horse and the coming spring. On behalf of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China and the State Council, I'd like to extend to you our best wishes and greetings for the new year to the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and our compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, as well to those in Taiwan, and all overseas Chinese communities living in different countries and regions of the world.

The Chinese Spring Festival is a grand tradition that boasts the longest history, the most festive atmosphere and the biggest influence of all holidays in China. Relatives gather together for this moment, people traveling away from home also return. All families are reunited, and old people are well respected. We can feel our blood connections, friendship, and also our connections to our hometowns. This deep, cultural memory bonds families to one another and to the country and can never be forgotten or destroyed. As families all across the country reunite, they each reflect the cohesiveness of the Chinese nation.

The year that has just passed was quite unusual. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping acting as General Secretary, people from all of China's ethnic groups carried forward our cause into the future while keeping pace with the times. New achievements were made in the development of our economy, politics, society, culture, ecological civilization and building of the Party. In the face of complicated situations at home and abroad, we met challenges without rushing and tried our best to overcome the difficulties before us. The main targets and tasks of the year's economic and social development plans were successfully met and fulfilled. The economy has taken a turn for the better while maintaining stability. Commodity prices keep stable, the pace for economic structural adjustment is speeding up, the creation of urban jobs hit a new high, and rural and urban people's living conditions continue to improve. Encouraging achievements have been made in both the reform and opening up and the drive for modernization.

This year is the Year of the Horse on the lunar calendar. As the old saying goes "the years of the Horse and the Ox are good times for cultivating land." We will follow and implement the principles and arrangements made at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and at the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 18th CPC Central Committee. We will comprehensively deepen reform, promote steady economic growth, continue to develop the economy and improve people's livelihood and promote social equality and justice, so as to push every cause of the country to a higher level and to present a new look!

In the New Year, reforms should be given the priority. We need to further break the obstacles that restrict development. By this, we mean to promote productivity and people's livelihood by continuously deepening reform, to explore new areas for further development by opening the country further up to the outside world, to promote economic development modes and adjust economic structures through innovation, so that we will see stable economic development with even higher quality and efficiency. We must always consider the issues related to lives of the people as priorities, and make unremitting efforts to solve difficult problems concerning housing, health care, social security, education, food security, air pollution treatment. We will try to create a good environment for people to find jobs or start their own businesses, as well as strengthen the basic social security network. Reform and development will help to promote social justice and equality, improve democracy, make the legal system more effective as well as allow corruption to be more severely punished and to push civilization further forward. The people will then lead a more comfortable and hopeful life.

The Chinese nation, which is both old and young, is confronted with hard-won opportunities for development. Despite all kinds of difficulties, risks and challenges on the way forward, we are filled with confidence and will move forward with perseverance.

Let us unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary; hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development. Let us work hard together, with one heart and one mind, for the building of a moderately prosperous society and of a modern socialist country featuring democracy, civilization and harmony, as well as for the dream of the great revitalization of the Chinese nation.

I wish all of you a good health, a happy family reunion, and good luck in the Year of the Horse!