Xi promises to continue China’s economic reforms, global prominence in 2018

Beijing, Dec 31 (IANS) China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to continue domestic economic reforms and maintain the country's international prominence in 2018.

In his annual end-of-year televised message, Xi Jinping spoke about a prosperous China, both economically and technologically, a country that is a good global citizen and one that seeks to solve problems affecting people, Efe news agency reported.

"China will strongly defend the authority and status of the United Nations and actively fulfil its responsibilities," he said.

Xi said that being a responsible global power meant China must speak clearly and defend world peace and international order.

He also said his country would keep up the fight against global climate change and that in 2018 the country would continue its process of economic reforms.

These would include China's announcement of an almost complete opening up of its financial sector for the next few years.

Xi recalled that the decisions announced in the XIX Communist Party Congress, which serve as a guideline for development in the next three decades, will begin to be applied in 2018 as well.

He added that by 2020 China will have achieved the historic accomplishment of having lifted its entire population from extreme poverty and hailed the important technological successes achieved by the country in 2017, such as the first flight of a large sized Chinese passenger plane, the launching of the first Chinese manufactured aircraft carrier and the country's first quantum computer.

However, Xi also recognized that despite these achievements, efforts to improve people's welfare have not always been satisfactory and better work is required in this regard.