President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

On New Year's eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his 2025 New Year message through China Media Group and the Internet.

The following is the full text of the message:

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen, greetings to everybody! Time flies fast, and the new year will be with us shortly. I extend my best wishes to you all from Beijing.

In 2024, we have together journeyed through the four seasons. Together, we have experienced winds and rains and seen rainbows. Those touching and unforgettable moments have been like still frames showing how extraordinary a year we have had.

We have proactively responded to the impacts of the changing environment at home and abroad. We have adopted a full range of policies to make solid gains in pursuing high-quality development. China's economy has rebounded and is on an upward trajectory, with its GDP for the year expected to pass the 130 trillion yuan mark. Grain output has surpassed 700 million tons, and China's bowls are now filled with more Chinese grain. Coordinated development across regions has gained stronger momentum, and mutually reinforcing advances have been made in both new urbanization and rural revitalization. Green and low-carbon development has been further enhanced. Indeed, a more beautiful China is unfolding before us.

We have fostered new quality productive forces in light of actual conditions. New business sectors, forms and models have kept emerging. For the first time, China has produced more than 10 million new energy vehicles in a year. Breakthroughs have been made in integrated circuit, artificial intelligence, quantum communications and many other fields. Also for the first time, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe collected samples from the far side of the moon. The Mengxiang drilling vessel explored the mystery of the deep ocean. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link now connects the two cities across the sea. The Antarctic Qinling Station is now in operation on the frozen continent. All this epitomizes the lofty spirit and dreams of the Chinese people to explore stars and oceans.

This year, I have visited many places across the country and seen how our people enjoy their enriching lives. I saw the big, red Huaniu apples in Tianshui, Gansu and the fishing boats in Aojiao Village, Fujian loaded with their catches. I watched the millenium-old "Eastern Smile" in the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, and I learned more about good-neighborliness passed from generation to generation in Liuchixiang Alley. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle in Tianjin's Ancient Culture Street, and I saw how the people in Yinchuan's mixed-ethnic residential communities live together as one family. The concerns of the people about jobs and incomes, elderly and child care, education and medical services are always on my mind. This year, basic pension has been raised, and mortgage rates have dropped. Cross-province direct settlement of medical bills has been expanded, making it easier for people to seek medical treatment across the country. And consumer goods trade-in programs have improved people's lives... All these are real benefits to our people.

In the Paris Olympics, Chinese athletes raced to the top and achieved their best performance in Olympic Games held overseas, fully demonstrating the vigor and confidence of young Chinese. The PLA Navy and Air Force celebrated their 75th birthdays, and our servicemen and women are full of drive. When floods, typhoons and other natural disasters struck, members of the Communist Party of China and officials stepped forward to lead disaster relief efforts, and our people were of one mind and reached out to each other. People in all fields -- workers, builders and entrepreneurs, among others -- are working hard to fulfill their dreams. I presented awards to recipients of national medals and honorary titles. The honor belongs to them; it also belongs to every hard-working person who has lived up to their responsibilities.

In a world of both transformation and turbulence, China, as a responsible major country, is actively promoting global governance reform and deepening solidarity and cooperation among the Global South. We are making deeper and more substantive advances in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was a full success. We put forward China's vision at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, APEC, G20 and other bilateral and multilateral forums. We have contributed greatly to the maintenance of world peace and stability.

We celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China. With deep affection, we looked back at the sea change that has taken place across China since the birth of the People's Republic. Nurtured by our 5,000-plus years of continuous civilization, our country, China, is engraved not only on the bottom of the ancient bronze ritual wine vessel of He Zun, but also in the heart of every Chinese. At its Third Plenary Session, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sounded a clarion call for further deepening all-round reform. We will march forward in great strides to advance reform and opening up as the trend of our times. We will surely embrace even broader prospects in pursuing Chinese modernization in the course of reform and opening up.

In 2025, we will fully complete the 14th Five-Year Plan. We will implement more proactive and effective policies, pursue high-quality development as a top priority, promote greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and maintain sound momentum in economic and social development. The Chinese economy now faces some new conditions, including challenges of uncertainties in the external environment and pressure of transformation from old growth drivers into new ones. But we can prevail with our hard work. As always, we grow in the wind and rain, and we get stronger through hard times. We must be confident.

Of all the jobs in front of us, the most important is to ensure a happy life for our people. Every family hopes that their children can have a good education, their seniors can enjoy good elderly services, and their youngsters can have more and better opportunities. These simple wishes are our people's aspirations for a better life. We should work together to steadily improve social undertakings and governance, build a harmonious and inclusive atmosphere, and settle real issues, big or small, for our people. We must bring more smiles to our people and greater warmth to their hearts.

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, I visited the city again, and I was gratified to see the new progress and changes there. We will unswervingly implement the policy of One Country, Two Systems to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao. We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same family. No one can ever sever the bond of kinship between us, and no one can ever stop China's reunification, a trend of the times.

As changes unseen in a century accelerate across the world, it is important to rise above estrangement and conflict with a broad vision, and care for the future of humanity with great passion. China will work with all countries to promote friendship and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among different cultures, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We must jointly create a better future for the world.

Dreams and wishes may be far, but they can be fulfilled with dedicated pursuit. On the new journey of Chinese modernization, everyone is a key actor, every effort counts, and every ray of light shines.

Splendor adorns our motherland, and starlight graces every home. Let us greet the new year with hope. May our great country enjoy harmony and prosperity! May all your dreams come true! May you all have a new year of happiness and peace!

President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

President Xi delivers 2025 New Year Address

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has described the swift changes in Syria as a surprise to all parties, including former President Bashar al-Assad, while cautioning external powers against interfering in the country's internal affairs.

The remarks follow a dramatic turn of events on Dec. 8 last year when Syrian rebel forces captured the capital, Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia.

In the wake of these events, Araghchi visited China from Dec. 27 to 28, where he held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), which aired on Friday, Araghchi shared his insights on the recent upheaval and outlined Iran's perspective on Syria's future.

"We had known for a few months that the Syrian opposition was organizing forces and planning new military actions. We shared this intelligence with the Syrian government, and, as far as we know, Russia also provided similar information. In any case, we were aware of the potential developments in Syria. However, the situation unfolded so rapidly, and the Syrian army offered no resistance -- something that no one, not even Bashar al-Assad himself, had anticipated," Araghchi said.

He emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in helping Syria maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while stressing that Syria's future must be decided by its own people.

"Countries in the region must unite and help Syria establish a broad, inclusive government that represents all ethnic groups and factions. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be preserved. Syria should not become a gathering place or safe haven for terrorists, nor should it pose a threat to its neighbors and other countries in the region. This principle is shared by all countries in the region regarding the current situation in Syria. External powers should not interfere in Syria's internal affairs. The future of Syria must be decided by its own people, as they are the true masters of the country and its destiny. Our role is to assist them once they make the right decisions. We hope to see a peaceful, stable Syria, one that is friendly to its neighbors," Araghchi said.

Further elaborating on Iran's position, Araghchi stated that Iran is waiting for Syria to stabilize and announce its new foreign policies.

"We are waiting for the Syrian transitional government to announce its policies toward other countries in the region and beyond, and for the government to stabilize itself. What we are looking at is not superficial changes or slogans, but tangible actions. Our engagement with the Syrian transitional government will depend on its actions. Iran is acting with complete goodwill, and we hope for Syria's stability. We'd like to help Syria achieve stability and ensure the safety of all its communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs, and Kurds," said the Foreign Minister.

Swift changes in Syria took everyone by surprise: Iranian FM