Chinese President Hu Jintao (
"It is an important year in building a socialist harmonious society," Hu said in a nationally televised speech on Sunday.
"Harmonious society" is the official phrase for efforts to spread China's newfound prosperity more evenly, as the leadership faces growing protests in the countryside over job losses, corruption and a porous social safety net.
"The government will exert more efforts in addressing social problems concerning people's lives, and will also save resources and protect the environment," Hu said while standing behind a podium with the national flag to his side.
He said there was a need to push forward economic restructuring in order to achieve fast yet sustainable growth.
Hu repeated the standard statements on seeking peaceful reunification with Taiwan, while avoiding his hardline comments of a year ago warning those who wanted an independent Taiwan.
He said China would "never give up efforts on promoting peaceful reunification, never change the policy of pinning hope on Taiwan people and never compromise on opposing Taiwan independence secessionist activities."
Hu said China would work with other countries to combat problems such as terrorism, environmental pollution, natural disasters and fatal infectious diseases.
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