Building an all-round "Xiaokang", or a relatively prosperous, society is the historical mission of the workers and the Communist Party of China and all the Chinese people in the new century, as well as the theme of the country's workers movement during the new period, said President Hu Jintao in Beijing Sunday.

Hu, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks when talking with the newly elected leaders of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and some delegates of the 14th National Trade Union Congress.

Speaking highly of the major contributions made by the working class in revolution, construction and reform, Hu said the working class always leads the development of advanced productive forces and production relations and is good at keeping pace with the current of social progress to go on developing its advanced character.

With the progress of reform and opening-up as well as socialist modernization, the pioneering position of the Chinese working class will be further enhanced, and their position as a national leading class will be surely consolidated, he added.

The Chinese working class, including intellectuals, is always the fundamental force pushing forward the development of China's advanced productive forces and social progress, and firm forces promoting the people's fundamental interests and safeguarding social stability, he said.

The principle of relying on the working class wholeheartedly and the exertion of their activity, initiatives and creativity are vital for the grandiose goal of building an all-round "Xiaokang" society, he said, expressing the hope that the workers will continue to work hard, make more substantial achievements and treat correctly the interest adjustment in the reform process.

Trade unions at all levels, guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the "Three Represents" and the guidelines of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), should serve their workers wholeheartedly, proceed in all cases from the interests of workers and help workers in need to solve problems, he said.

He called for the enhancement of trade union work in non-publicly owned economic sectors and effective maintenance of legitimate interests of farmer-turned workers in cities.

The CPC committee at all levels should further improve its leadership over trade unions, and support trade unions to work creatively in accordance laws and their charters, said Hu, who prohibited violation of workers' legal interests including reducing salaries without any adequate reasons, extending working hours willfully and disregarding production safety.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2003)