Xi calls for firm confidence in national rejuvenation

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on the nation to forge ahead with firm confidence and solid steps to achieve the great national rejuvenation. Xi made the remarks at a reception held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. National Day falls on October 1. The nation's economy has pressed ahead under pressure, showing "strong resilience and vitality", Xi said. He also warned in his speech that China faced "complex international and domestic situations" that demanded "accelerating the building of a new pattern of development". "We must adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace... to inject more certainty and positive energy into a world intertwined with changes and turmoil," he added. (Xinhua and agencies) Edited by Aaron Tam