He noted that Spring Festival is a traditional festival of the Chinese nation and also a happy moment for family reunions. "My biggest wish is that everybody spends a happy festival," he added.

Xi urged Party committees and governments at various levels to make earnest efforts to ensure adequate power, gas and heating supplies, provide people with abundant food and strengthen supervision over food safety.

During the Spring Festival holiday, efforts must be made to implement the various epidemic prevention and control measures formulated in line with COVID response situation in the new stage, guard against emergencies and accidents and ensure that people around the country enjoy a happy, safe and harmonious festival, he said.

Speaking on epidemic control, Xi said that over the past three years, China has carried out a rigorous COVID response policy, which has proved to be the correct choice, and the nation withstood the attacks of various rounds of virus mutations and reduced the rate of critically ill patients and the death rate caused by COVID infections.

As COVID response has entered a new phase and the situation remains grave, Xi called for further increasing medical resources, raising the capacity for providing medical services, increasing medicine supplies, particularly making all-out efforts to treat critically ill patients, and ensuring the normal order of medical services.

Looking back, Xi said that the past year was extraordinary and momentous. People on all fronts around the country have worked in unity to prevail over various difficulties and challenges, and made contributions and achieved new progress. "Everyone deserves credit!" he said.

This year is the beginning of fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. Xi expressed his hope that in the new year, all the Chinese people will firm up their confidence and work hard together to make greater achievements.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn