Hey there! Did you know that China is planning to bring more smiles to its people in the New Year? 😊 On New Year’s Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a special message to everyone from his office in Beijing.
He called the past year, 2024, an ‘extraordinary year’! During that time, China made big steps forward to make life better for its people. President Xi said he’s always thinking about things that matter to everyone, like jobs, schools, hospitals, and taking care of kids and older people.
Throughout 2024, President Xi traveled around China to meet regular people and learn about their lives. He asked them about their jobs, homes, and how their kids and grandparents are doing. The government spent a lot of money—70% of its spending!—on things to help people live better lives.
They started fixing up over 50,000 old neighborhoods to make them nicer places to live. Millions of people got to trade in old stuff for new things with a big program to help them buy better goods. And by making it cheaper to pay for houses, 50 million families (that’s around 150 million people!) got help with their mortgage payments.
People in China also earned more money. In the first nine months of 2024, the average person had about 30,941 yuan (that’s around $4,178), which is 5.2% more than before!
Because there are more older people now (more than one out of every five people is over 60), the government did things to help them too. They spent 300 million yuan on programs to make sure older people have meals, and they set up 358,000 new beds for people who need care at home.
President Xi said, “Of all the jobs in front of us, the most important is to ensure a happy life for our people.”
Working with Other Countries 🌍
China also wants to be a good friend to other countries! President Xi said that China is working hard to make the world a better place by helping countries cooperate and get along.
In 2024, China made new friends and did business with over 150 countries! People from 54 countries can now visit China for up to 240 hours without needing a visa ahead of time. That’s like six whole days!
China helped out countries in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. They shared ideas about technology, trade, farming, protecting the environment, and more. They also worked together to help solve world problems and make peace where there was trouble.
President Xi promised, “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.”
Isn’t it great when countries work together to make the world a happier place? 😊
Reference(s):
Ringing in 2025, China vows to bring more smiles to its people
cgtn.com
