Xi wishes a good beginning in 2016

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers his New Year speech in Beijing, Dec 31, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping looked forward to 2016 in a speech that called for confidence and hardwork for a good beginning in the home stretch of building a "well-off society in an all-round way."

In his New Year speech, Xi said that a meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in late October set out a promising and encouraging blueprint for development over the next five years.

Xi added that lifting tens of millions of rural people out of poverty was his top concern, and called for joint efforts to achieve this goal.

"We should care for all people facing difficulties (...) making them feel warm from the bottom of their hearts," Xi said.

It is the third New Year speech Xi has given since 2013.