Editor's note: Xia Lu is an associate professor at the School of Marxism Studies and a research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategies, Renmin University of China. Gao Lei is an associate professor and research fellow at the Collaboration Center for Theories and Practice of Open Economy, Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Opening-up, Center for Globalization and China's Modernization, University of International Business and Economics. The article reflects the authors' opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on January 26, visited villages in Shanxi Province before the Spring Festival. These areas are in a typically dry hinterland in northern China that suffered serious damages from last year's floods. President Xi went directly to rural residents' homes, the basic and primary level of the society, carefully checking how they were doing in their daily lives.

Xi's concerns covered the villagers' recovery from floods last summer, their well-being since the poverty alleviation campaign, the running of the heating system in rural areas, and their preparations for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year. This is a strong signal that no matter in what time and situation, the CPC Central Committee always sticks to people-centered development, putting people's livelihood as the priority of their policy portfolio.

Less than a month ago, in his New Year speech for 2022, Xi emphasized his concerns about ordinary people's livelihoods, especially those living in rural regions. "The myriad of things we attend to all boil down to matters concerning every household." Golden expressions like this soon trend on the internet, and are liked and shared by Chinese social media users, showing their praise and support for the Party's people-centered ideas and related practices.

In his July 1 speech to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC last year, Xi also called on all Party members and officials at all levels to appreciate and understand the significance of "the country's most fundamental interests", a term from traditional Chinese classics serving as the criterion of good governance throughout the ancient times.

Though the times have changed, the most fundamental interests of China remain unaltered and it has been bestowed new meanings through the CPC's endeavor to rejuvenate the Chinese nation – seeking happiness for the people wholeheartedly.

By carefully studying the Party's history in the past century, one can realize that the concerns of the Chinese people are what the CPC Central Committee always cares about, and the aspirations of the Chinese people are what the Party has always been striving for.

As the current senior leaders like President Xi have experienced in field trips to different places during different periods, they are precisely aware of what poverty feels like and they know exactly what poverty reduction means to the rural residents. That's why since the 18th National Congress, the CPC leadership has made achieving poverty alleviation one of the top three tasks.

The realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and elimination of extreme poverty is what the CPC has delivered to the Chinese people, which also makes a contribution to the world.

Three days from the Chinese Lunar New Year – the Year of the Tiger. In traditional Chinese culture, the image of tiger is not that scary, but as an adorable figure, a symbol of strength and courage and being expressed in one of the Chinese old idioms like "as dynamic as a tiger."

As in Xi's greetings to local residents during his routine visits to different places ahead of the biggest holiday in China in recent years, Spring Festival means a lot to the Chinese people, especially to those who study and work away from their hometown. For them, the holiday is not simply a long vacation during which one can relax, but also a starting point to move forward.

President Xi's inspection in Shanxi Province exemplifies the CPC's people-centered philosophy, consolidates the fruitful results of poverty elimination and promotes rural vitalization in China.

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