BEIJING, December 31 (INP): China's GDP is expected to edge close to 100 trillion yuan, said President Xi Jinping.
In his New Year speech on Tuesday, he announced that per capita figure is nearing 10,000 U.S. dollars.
Xi praised China's good economic performance in the past year, adding that significant breakthroughs had been achieved in the three tough battles.
Coordinated regional development further accelerated and about 340 impoverished counties and more than 10 million people have been lifted out of poverty, the president said.
Xi also mentioned several significant achievements during 2019, such as China's lunar probe Chang'e-4 landing on the far side of the Moon, the launch of the Long March-5 Y3 rocket and the opening of Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Xi cited several examples of progress, from reform of Party and government institutions to the establishment of Free Trade Zones, from tax cuts of more than 2 trillion yuan to lower costs for medicine and cheaper and faster internet connections.
"New changes are taking place and everywhere and the country is taking on a fresh look," Xi said.
In his speech, he also announced that "The people's army will always serve as a great wall of steel that guards our country." China's commitment to peaceful development path, he added.
President Xi reaffirmed that China would unswervingly walk along the road of peaceful development and remain a builder of world peace for the creation of a beautiful future for mankind.
He also hailed China's major diplomatic achievements over the past 12 months.
"We have friends in every corner of the world," he declared.
China is willing to join hands with people of all countries in the world to jointly build the "Belt and Road Initiative" and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi stressed.
