FAITH IN CHINA

Two weeks after his November election, Xi showed his confidence in leading the country while visiting the National Museum of China along with other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi Jinping (2nd R, front), general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission (CMC), views "The Road Toward Renewal" exhibition along with other members of the Standing Committee of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee including Li Keqiang (3rd R, front), Zhang Dejiang (4th R, front), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R, back), Liu Yunshan (1st R, front), Wang Qishan (1st L, front) and Zhang Gaoli (2nd L, front) at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2012.

"We will surely complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects when the CPC celebrates its centenary, and turn China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious when the PRC marks its centennial," Xi said.

"I firmly believe that the great dream of the renewal of the Chinese nation will come true," Xi said in front of an exhibition depicting the country's struggles over the past 170 years.

Rising from a CPC branch secretary in a village brigade, Xi fostered his experience in performing duties, dealing with domestic issues and handling foreign and defense affairs while serving higher positions.

An enterprising man, Xi knows how global and national conditions have changed and which challenges are facing the nation. His confidence in coming up with the idea of the "Chinese dream," as well as his determination, is impressive.

"Our system will be improved and the superiority of our socialist system will be fully demonstrated through a brighter future," Xi said. "We should have firm confidence in our path, in our theories and in our system."

"The selection of path is a life-or-death issue for the future of the CPC," he told the new leadership. "We should unswervingly uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics."

He called for the new leadership to enhance their study and practice of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the construction of a moderately prosperous society, improve the people's livelihoods, strengthen Party-building and deepen reform and opening up.

Emphasizing the importance of the rule of law in building a moderately prosperous society, Xi called on CPC members to take the lead to ensure the implementation of the Constitution and act in accordance with the law.

"The people should be able to enjoy justice and fairness in every legal case," Xi said.

"To forge iron, one's own self must be strong," Xi said. "Our job is to work with all CPC members to supervise our own conduct through strict disciplines and effectively solve major problems within the Party."

Extravagance risks the collapse of a political party, Xi said, warning that corruption has become a life-or-death challenge facing the CPC and the nation.

After becoming the general secretary, Xi promised to crack down on corruption, "restrict power by the cage of regulations" and make cadres be respectful of law and refrain from wrongdoing.

He also vowed to go after both "flies" and "tigers," which imply corrupt low-level functionaries and big powers respectively.

A number of suspected corrupt officials have been investigated or prosecuted over the past four months.

Being the general secretary, Xi conducted his first inspection tour to southern Guangdong Province, a pioneer in China's reform and opening up more than three decades ago.

Many interpreted the move as a strong sign to continue the country's reform and opening-up drive.

To bring the "Chinese dream" to fruition, the country needs to continue its reform and opening-up drive, a point Xi reiterated during his trip to Guangdong and in group studies conducted for the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

"We'll never stop reform and opening up," Xi said. "We must waste no time in deepening reforms in key areas."

Some of the reforms China needs to carry out include transforming government functions and streamlining the administrative system.

At the second plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held in February, Xi stressed that the government should figure out what it should do and not do in changing its functions.

Different roles and responsibilities of the government, the market and the society should be clearly defined, but the service of the government to the people should never change, Xi said.

Sustainable, high-quality economic growth is also imperative for the "Chinese dream," as China is now the world's second-largest economy.

"Future growth must be tangible and not exaggerated," Xi said. "It should be sustainable with good performance and good quality."

He urged accelerating the adjustment of China's economic structure and the transformation of its mode of economic development, adding that the country must implement an innovation-driven strategy for future development that focuses on growth quality and performance.

As chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, Xi said a strong military is needed for the great renewal of the Chinese nation. He has demonstrated his strategic thinking on how to consolidate national defense and build strong armed forces.

For the past four months, Xi has inspected the army, navy, air force, second artillery corps and armed police, boarding warships and combat vehicles.

During an inspection tour to the Guangzhou Military Theater of Operations in December, Xi emphasized that soldiers must be loyal to the CPC and abide by the law.

"The armed forces need to be ready to assemble at the first call of the CPC and be capable of fighting and winning any battle," Xi said while inspecting the Lanzhou Military Area.

While vowing to never allow the country's national sovereignty, security and development interests to be infringed upon, Xi reiterated that China will always remain a staunch force in upholding world peace, as the nation suffered from wars in the past.

"We will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion," he said.

When he met CY Leung and Chui Sai On, chief executives of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, respectively, last year, Xi said he expects contributions from compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

During his February meeting with Lien Chan, honorary chairman of the Kuomintang, Xi stressed the CPC's confidence in carrying forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

The new leadership has full confidence in overcoming difficulties and bringing new prospects for the cross-Strait relations, he said.

"We sincerely hope Taiwan can develop along with the mainland and compatriots from both sides of the Strait can join hands in realizing the 'Chinese dream,'" he said.

Xi is anything but an unfamiliar name to the rest of the world, as he appeared on the international stage multiple times in recent years.

Since the 1980s, he has visited more than 60 countries and regions to gain experience and seek cooperative opportunities.

After he was elected vice president in 2008, Xi visited more than 40 countries and regions and became increasingly skilled in handling complicated international issues.

Shortly after he served as the top CPC leader last year, Xi met with foreign experts working in China and sought their views and suggestions on China's development.

"China is ready to learn from the achievements of all other cultures," he said.

Since November last year, Xi has met delegations from the United States, Russia, the Republic of Korea and Japan, and representatives from the United Nations, the African Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

His confident and pragmatic approach has made him well-known among foreign diplomats.

He reassured the world of China's peaceful development with his ideas regarding win-win cooperation and mutual benefit.

Since China and the world share common interests, the "Chinese dream" cannot be realized without peace and development in the world, Xi said.

A prosperous and stable world community offers opportunities to China, while China's development presents great opportunities to the world, he said.

He called for other countries also to engage in peaceful development in order to develop peaceful coexistence.

"No country should assume that we will trade our core interests for benefits, nor will we swallow the 'bitter fruit' of harming our sovereignty, security or development interests," he said.