Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year address Thursday evening, calling on people all over the globe to join hands and stand together to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and build a better world.

Xi said that he spoke with many new and old international friends this year and attended many online meetings, adding that the most discussed topic was how to make a concerted effort to combat the pandemic.

He said that after a year of hardships, the world understands the importance of building a community with a shared future for mankind more than ever.