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.

Photos: China's new top Party leaders meet the press 

Profile: The 18th Central Committee of CPC

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.

"I am very glad to meet friends from the news media here today," Xi said, citing that the 18th CPC National Congress "came to a successful conclusion."

"During the past several days, you have extensively covered the congress and let the world hear China's voice. On behalf of the Secretariat of the congress, I wish to express our sincere thanks to you for your professionalism, dedication and hard work," Xi said.

"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.

"I was elected General Secretary of the Party Central Committee by the plenary session. Now, I wish to introduce to you the other six newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau," he said.

"They are: Comrade Li Keqiang, Comrade Zhang Dejiang, Comrade Yu Zhengsheng, Comrade Liu Yunshan, Comrade Wang Qishan, and Comrade Zhang Gaoli. Comrade Li Keqiang was a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th Party Central Committee, and all the others were members of the Political Bureau of the 17th Party Central Committee. I believe their names are familiar to you," Xi said.

"On behalf of the members of the newly elected central leadership, I wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all other members of the Party for the great trust they have placed in us. We will strive to be worthy of their trust and fulfill our mission," Xi said.

"We are greatly encouraged by both the trust all the comrades of the Party have placed in us and the great expectation the people of all ethnic groups in China have of us, and we are keenly aware that this is also an important responsibility for us," he said.

"We have taken on this important responsibility for our nation. Ours is a great nation. Throughout five thousand years and more of evolution as a civilization, the Chinese nation has made indelible contribution to the progress of human civilization," he said.

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.