President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for unity among the 1.4 billion Chinese people to overcome hard tasks and difficulties, and highlighted the importance of unity with Taiwan compatriots.

Xi acknowledged the existence of different views and concerns of different people, but said "what matters is that we build consensus through communication and consultation."

"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one and the same family," he said in his New Year Address. "I sincerely hope that our compatriots on both sides of the Strait will work together with a unity of purpose to jointly foster lasting prosperity of the Chinese nation."

(Cover image via CFP)