Xi Jinping led the other newly-elected members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led the other newly-elected members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau to meet the press Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People.

"We have just held the first plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and elected a new central leadership," Xi said citing that the 18th CPC National Congress "came to a successful conclusion."

In modern times, however, China endured untold hardships and sufferings, and its very survival hung in the balance. Countless Chinese patriots rose up one after another and fought for the renewal of the Chinese nation, but all ended in failure, Xi said.

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has made great sacrifices and forged ahead against all odds. It has rallied and led the Chinese people in transforming the poor and backward old China into an increasingly prosperous and powerful new China, thus opening a completely new horizon for the great renewal of the Chinese nation, he said.

"To fulfill our responsibility, we will rally and lead the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups in China in making continued efforts to free up our minds, carry out reform and opening up, further release and develop the productive forces, work hard to resolve the difficulties the people face in both work and life, and unwaveringly pursue common prosperity," Xi stated.

"Just as China needs to learn more about the world, so does the world need to learn more about China," Xi added, hoping that the press continue efforts to deepen mutual understanding between China and the world.