Reaching Doorsteps of the People, President Xi Jinping Says: Everything We Do Is for the People’s Happiness
Beijing — On the first day of the Chinese New Year, the festive spirit in central Beijing rises to a new height. In particular, in the historic Longfusi commercial area, bright red lanterns sway gently in the breeze, vendors’ calls echo through the bustling New Year fair, and the aroma of holiday delicacies fills the air.
With a history of nearly 600 years, Longfusi is a cultural landmark of Beijing. Once famous for hosting one of the city’s most important temple fairs, the area has re-emerged as a major Spring Festival attraction following urban renewal. Families gather here to shop for New Year goods, revisit traditions, and revive cultural practices linked to old Beijing.
It was at this very site that President Xi Jinping visited on February 5, as residents were busy making their final preparations for the Spring Festival. Stalls adorned with traditional paper cuttings, clay figurines, and handmade crafts added vibrancy to the festive atmosphere. Walking through the market, President Xi examined local specialties, spoke with vendors about their businesses, and exchanged holiday greetings.
Having grown up in Beijing, Xi recalled visiting Longfusi during his childhood. On this occasion, he purchased festive foods popular among local residents as well as traditional cultural products. Surrounded by children, he inquired about their studies, school life, and aspirations. “Test scores are not the whole measure of life; well-rounded personal development is what truly matters for adapting to society,” he said, encouraging children to spend more time outdoors and maintain good physical fitness.
After watching a lively drum performance in the square with local residents, he extended Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese people at home and abroad. However, the visit was not merely about sharing holiday cheer. Noting that the Spring Festival is a cherished time for family reunions, he instructed local authorities to pay close attention to supply management, market stability, and public safety so that people could enjoy a joyful holiday.
Since assuming China’s top leadership in 2013, the Spring Festival has become an occasion for President Xi to engage directly with the public. From urban neighborhoods to remote villages, he has consistently shown concern for everyday issues such as winter heating, healthcare access, income growth, and children’s education. “No issue concerning the people is too small,” he said in his 2026 New Year message. “When the happy hum of daily life fills every home, the big family of our nation will grow ever stronger.”
This year, he placed particular emphasis on the well-being of the elderly. China is entering a stage of rapid population aging, with nearly one in five people aged 60 or above. Before visiting Longfusi, Xi toured a nursing home housing more than 110 seniors with an average age of 88. Learning about their medical services, rehabilitation programs, and recreational activities, he stated, “Caring for the elderly is a shared responsibility of the whole society,” urging continued efforts to improve service quality.
The neighborhood also reflects China’s broader push for urban upgrading, with barrier-free facilities and age-friendly infrastructure improvements. At a nearby seniors’ canteen, Xi met delivery workers who were having discounted meals before the busy rush hour. He asked about their work, income, and plans to return home for the holiday.
Across China, around 84 million people are engaged in new forms of employment linked to the platform economy, most of them under the age of 35. Last year, China’s courier sector delivered nearly 200 billion parcels, highlighting the crucial role of online consumption in the economy. “The smooth functioning of cities depends on hardworking people like you,” Xi told the delivery workers, urging authorities to provide better services and support for them.
Guided by the principle of putting the people at the center, President Xi has advanced initiatives ranging from poverty alleviation to common prosperity. Through an eight-year campaign, nearly 100 million rural residents were lifted out of poverty, enabling China to eliminate absolute poverty by 2021. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), urban employment increased by more than 12 million annually on average, per capita disposable income rose to 43,377 yuan, and life expectancy reached 79 years.
China is now preparing for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), a crucial phase in its journey toward basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035. The new plan places “putting the people first” as a core guiding principle to ensure that the gains of modernization benefit all more fully and fairly.
Speaking at a grand reception to welcome the Year of the Horse, President Xi called for a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan and reminded officials and Party members: “Our Party was born for the people and has prospered because of the people. Everything we do is for the happiness of the people.”
From the lively streets of Longfusi to nursing homes and workers’ canteens, the visit was more than a ceremonial appearance. It conveyed a governing philosophy rooted in social responsibility and attentiveness to people’s daily lives—where, amid the festive atmosphere, the central message remained clear: the people’s happiness comes first.
