Chinese President Hu Jintao delivers his New Year Address, broadcast through China Radio International (CRI), China National Radio (CNR) and China Central Television (CCTV), in Beijing, ahead of the New Year's Day 2007.   Jan. 1 - Chinese President Hu Jintao called for peaceful development and social harmony in his New Year Address broadcast on Sunday to domestic and overseas audience via state TV and radio stations.

 

"Here, I'm very glad to extend my New Year wishes to Chinese of all ethnic groups, to compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, to overseas Chinese and to people all over the world," Hu said.

 

In the address, broadcast by China Radio International, China National Radio and China Central Television, Hu talked about domestic economic and social development in 2007 and policies toward Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

 

"2007 is an important year in building a socialist harmonious society under the guidance of the scientific development concept," Hu said, adding the government will strive to give impetus to the shift in economic restructuring and in the mode of economic growth.

 

He said the government will exert more efforts in addressing social problems concerning people's life and stick to energy efficiency and environmental protection.

 

Internationally, Hu said, problems such as terrorism, transnational crimes, environmental pollution, natural disasters and fatal infectious diseases have become more and more serious, regional conflicts have never ceased and the gap between the rich and poor has been further enlarged.

 

He reiterated that the Chinese people are willing to join with peoples of all nations in the world to promote multilateralism, advance the development of economic globalization toward common prosperity, advocate democracy in international relations and respect the diversity of the world.

 

He mentioned in particular that China will do its best to help developing countries accelerate development and help people suffering from war, poverty, illnesses and natural calamities in the world.

 

The year of 2006 marks the start of China's 11th Five-Year Plan(2006-2010) for economic and social development, and people of all ethnic groups in China have worked with one heart and one mind to push forward the economic, political, social and cultural development, Hu said.

 

In the past year, social undertakings of all sorts made steady progress and people's livelihood improved step by step, Hu said.

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