Editor's note: This 100-episode podcast explains how China really works. Exploring Xi Jinping Thought and how the Chinese president's approach has shaped the governance of China, the podcast decodes the country's growth story to help you truly understand its success and challenges.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people have gone through trials and tribulations. These experiences have taught us that peace is precious and development must be valued. With confidence and pride, the Chinese people will be steadfast in upholding our country's sovereignty, security and development interests. We will also work with other nations to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and make a new and greater contribution to the noble cause of peace and development for all humanity.

In 2020, we will achieve moderate prosperity in all respects throughout the country. This is a society to be enjoyed by each and every one of us. On the march towards common prosperity, no one will be left behind. We will mobilize the whole Party and the whole country in the resolute push to deliver on our pledge – eradicating poverty in China. The aspiration of the people to live a better life must always be the focus of our efforts. We must remain committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, strive to guarantee and improve living standards, make steady progress towards enhancing our people's sense of gain, happiness and security, and realize common prosperity for all our people. I have no doubt that our people's lives will further improve year after year.

In 2021, we will mark the centenary of the CPC. For the Party that champions the cause of lasting prosperity of the Chinese nation, this centenary sees us in the prime of life. As the world's largest political party, the CPC must behave in a way commensurate with its status. History makes it abundantly clear that our Party is equally capable of leading the people to spearhead a great social revolution and engaging in significant self-reform. We, as its members, must always be youthful in spirit, and forever be the servant of the people, the vanguard of the times, and the backbone of our nation. Exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party is a journey to which there is no end. We should never entertain the idea of slowing our pace or halting our step for a break; rather, we must continue to rid ourselves of any contaminant that erodes the Party's fabric, make great efforts to foster a healthy political environment of integrity, and, with waves of positive energy throughout our Party, generate a mighty nationwide force driving China's development and progress.

The people are the creators of history. It is to them that we owe all our achievements. As long as we keep close ties with the people and rely on them, we can and will have boundless strength to forge ahead whatever the circumstances.

(Source: Extract from Xi Jinping's speech at the press conference by members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee, October 25, 2017)

This episode is presented by Luo Laiming.