We have paid great attention to improving people’s lives. On the whole, our people now live moderately prosperous lives. The past 30 years saw the fastest increase in the income of people both in the cities and the countryside. The people have benefited a great deal from the reform and opening up policy. The average annual disposable income of city and town residents rose from 343 yuan in 1978 to 13,786 yuan in 2007, an increase of 6.5 times. The average annual income of farmers rose from 134 yuan in 1978 to 4,140 yuan in 2007, an increase of 6.3 times. The poor population in rural areas went down from 250 million in 1978 to 14 million in 2007. The average per-capita living space for both city residents and farmers has multiplied. People are richer, have better food and clothes, live in larger homes and enjoy better transportation services. The economy of shortage that had plagued us for a long time before reform and opening up has been fundamentally changed.

Our people’s right to run the country is better protected as we are promoting socialist democracy. Political reform is deepening. The system of people’s congresses, the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the system of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities and the system of grass-root self-governance have all continued to improve. A legal system with Chinese characteristics is taking shape. The rule of law is being effectively practiced. Major progress has been made in building a socialist legal system. Citizens’ participation in politics is expanding. Human rights are being improved in all aspects. The Patriotic United Front is expanding. There is greater harmony among different political parties, ethnic groups, religions, social strata and between Chinese on the mainland and overseas.

We have paid great attention to developing an advanced socialist culture in order to meet growing public demand. We have made significant progress in constructing a socialist core value system, and achieved success in building Marxist ideological theory. We have instituted campaigns for advanced spiritual civilization and public morality, and boosted efforts to provide moral and ethical education for young people. The cultural sector has been developing vigorously and the cultural industry is experiencing unprecedented prosperity. China’s soft power is growing and the Chinese people are becoming better educated. The cohesiveness of the Chinese nation is strengthening conspicuously.

We have paid great attention to developing public welfare, and succeeded in developing and consolidating social harmony and stability. Free and compulsory nine-year education in urban and rural areas has been realized. The general scale of higher education and total enrolment in middle and elementary schools rank first in the world, while the quality of educational institutions is steadily improving. The scale of employment is gradually expanding and the vigor of job creation in the whole society is conspicuously gaining strength. The building of a social security system is accelerating, thus a social security umbrella covering every urban and rural citizen is gradually taking shape. The public healthcare system and basic medical service system are being improved and a reformed cooperative healthcare system in rural areas has expanded to reach nearly every part of the country. Social management is gradually improving and thus social stability is well maintained.

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