Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a Spring Festival reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping extended greetings to Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese on Sunday, ahead of the Spring Festival.

"In the past year... we have made efforts and achieved a lot," he said while addressing a festival reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended the greetings on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Party and state leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the reception, with Li Keqiang presiding.

In the speech, Xi noted that Chinese people had a hard but fulfilling year.

The Chinese economy remained steady while making progress, with new steps taken in reform and opening-up, he said.

The country actively pushed forward campaigns to defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty alleviation and prevent and control pollution, with poverty alleviation projects achieving remarkable outcomes, he said.

Defense and military reforms extended to a deeper level, major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics opened a new chapter and Party governance further improved, he said. "Chinese society has been stable, and the people have enjoyed a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security."

Xi spoke of the need in the new year to adhere to the new development philosophy, advance high-quality development, continue the earnest fight in the "three critical battles" against risks, poverty and pollution and take coordinated steps to ensure steady growth, advance reform, make structural adjustments, improve living standards and guard against risks.

Xi called for efforts to create a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security in people, promote sustained and sound economic growth and maintain law and order to lay a crucial foundation for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China with great achievements.

After working so hard for a whole year, it is time for family members to gather for New Year's Eve dinner and stay up all night to usher in the new year, Xi said.

Xi spoke of the need to enhance people's love for the family and the country, nurture and practice core socialist values, promote the spirits of patriotism, collectivism and socialism and advocate combining the love for family with the love for the country so that every individual and every family can make contributions to the big family of the Chinese nation.

Having become an aging society, China should make great efforts to ensure the elderly are well respected, taken care of, and supported, and promote programs for the elderly so that they can all enjoy a happy life, Xi said.

He called for hard work to bring a happy life for the Chinese people and a great future for the Chinese nation as well as further efforts to work with the people of countries across the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Video reporters: Yang Mu, Ding Xiaoxi, Jiang Zhiqiang; Video editors: Zhu Cong, Zhu Jianhui)