Putting the people first

Since President Xi Jinping visited them, a number of places have displayed heartening changes, indicating the country is moving forward on the path to prosperity and the building of a beautiful environment. The changes that have occurred reflect Xi’s efforts to lead the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and are manifestations of his determination to push through the necessary reforms to promote economic development and social transformation over the past five years.

“People in trouble are the ones I care about the most”, Xi has said. And he likes to meet and talk to people at the grassroots to learn more about their problems and concerns. To promote poverty alleviation, he has visited 14 regions in China with large populations of impoverished people, talking with local villagers on specific issues such as food, housing, transport, and their children’s education. That Xi has extended his consideration and concern in this way to people across the country who are on the lowest rungs of the social ladder, in particular those living in difficult circumstances, is an affirmation of his “people-first” philosophy and his belief that “people’s pursuit of a better life is the goal of our struggle”.

His concerns for people’s well-being and the implementation of his strategic thought encapsulated in the Four Comprehensives have brought people a tangible sense of gain.

Xi’s “from the masses, and to the masses” working style is the hallmark of his approach to China’s modernization drive. His vow that “reform will never stop” and the strategic concepts of the Four Comprehensives, the establishment of the Xiongan New Area, and the push for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region all fully demonstrate Xi’s determination to resolve the thorny issues China faces and his resolve to overcome the difficulties the country has failed to overcome up to now.