Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed social and economic development achievements in 2022 and said China is a country where dreams become reality in his New Year address delivered Saturday evening in Beijing to ring in 2023.

From the COVID-19 response and economic growth to the mission into space and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the president touched upon various topics reviewing the country's achievements in 2022 and expressed his wishes for the coming year.

China's GDP is expected to exceed 120 trillion yuan (about $17 trillion) in 2022, and the economy has remained the second largest in the world, Xi said. China has secured a bumper harvest for 19 years in a row despite a global food crisis. It has introduced tax and fee cuts to ease the burden on businesses to help stabilize the economy and weather the COVID-19.

The country has entered a new phase of COVID-19 response, Xi said. China announced a new 10-point plan to ease COVID-19 restrictions in December, allowing asymptomatic and mild COVID patients to quarantine at home and dropping testing for people travelling domestically. China will also eliminate the mandatory quarantine requirement for overseas arrivals from January 8, 2023.

The achievements Xi noted also included the success of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the launch of Shenzhou-13, Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 spacecraft, the launch of China's third aircraft carrier Fujian, the delivery of China's first large passenger aircraft C919, and full operation of the Baihetan hydropower station.

"China," "world," "young people," "development" and "peace" were among the most frequently mentioned words and phrases from Xi's New Year address.

"Today's China is a country closely linked with the world," Xi said, adding that the country works hard to contribute its wisdom and solutions to the cause of peace and development for all humanity.

"Going forward, China will be a country that has great expectations of its younger generation," Xi added. A nation will prosper only when its young people thrive, and Chinese young people must step forward and take on their responsibilities, according to the Chinese president.

"China is a country where dreams become reality." Xi said none of the achievements would have been possible without the sweat and toil of the numerous Chinese people. "China will be a country that performs miracles through hard work," he added.

Text by Yao Nian

Data editors: Zhao Hong, Sun Yiwen, Yao Nian

Graphics designer: Mukesh Mohanan