Highlights of Xi's speech at closing meeting of 14th NPC session

President Xi Jinping delivered a speech Monday morning at the closing meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's national legislature.

Here are the highlights.

Xi says people's trust is biggest motivation for him to forge ahead

"I will faithfully fulfill my responsibilities bestowed by the Constitution, with the nation's needs as my mission and the people's interests my yardstick," he said.

Xi pledged to perform his duty scrupulously, do his utmost, and prove worthy of the trust of all NPC deputies and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. 

Xi stresses contributing to building great country, national rejuvenation

From this day forward to the mid-21st century, the central task of the entire Communist Party of China (CPC) and all Chinese people will be to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, he said.

"The relay baton of building a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation has been historically passed on to our generation," he said. 

Xi stresses unswervingly advancing high-quality development

The country should fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts and accelerate efforts to create a new pattern of development, he said.

He called for fully implementing the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy and the innovation-driven development strategy. 

Xi emphasizes putting people first on new journey

It is a must to put the people first on the new journey of building China into a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation, he said.

The people are the decisive force in building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, he said. 

Xi stresses better coordinating development, security

"Security is the bedrock of development, while stability is a prerequisite for prosperity," he said.

Xi underscored the need to pursue a holistic approach to national security, improve the national security system, strengthen China's capacity for safeguarding national security, enhance public safety governance, improve the social governance system, and safeguard China's new development pattern with a new security architecture. 

Xi stresses advancing "one country, two systems," national reunification

He stressed the need to fully, faithfully and resolutely implement the policy of "one country, two systems," under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong and the people of Macao administer Macao, both with a high degree of autonomy.

He stressed adhering to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, actively promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, resolutely opposing external interference and "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, and firmly advancing the process of national reunification. 

Xi stresses building human community with shared future

China's development benefits the world and China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, he said.

"We will be dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, stand firmly on the right side of history, practice true multilateralism, and uphold the shared values of humanity," he said. 

Xi stresses upholding leadership of CPC

It is important to stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party like the CPC faces, he said.

He underlined the importance of always having the courage to carry out self-reform, conducting full and rigorous Party self-governance unceasingly, and fighting corruption resolutely.