China to open wider, share development opportunities: Premier

BEIJING - China will open wider to create and share development opportunities with other countries, Premier Li Keqiang said here Saturday.

Li made the remarks one day ahead of China's National Day on Oct 1, when addressing a reception at the Great Hall of the People.

President Xi Jinping, together with other senior leaders including Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, as well as some 1,200 people from home and abroad attended the reception.

China will make new contributions to global governance and the promotion of world peace and development, said Li.

Li summarized the major events in 2017 and highlighted the improvement in economic structure, drop in overcapacity and booming entrepreneurial and innovation activities.

"All these are testimony to the great vitality, potential and resilience of the Chinese economy," said Li.

Looking forward, he said China will work to maintain steady and sound economic development, strive for greater social progress and deliver an ever better life to the people.

"We will ensure that people's essential needs are well met, and that our people will have fewer worries and complaints and lead a more fulfilling and happier life," Li said.

Li also reiterated the "one country, two systems" policy in Hong Kong and Macao affairs.

Regarding ties across the Taiwan Strait, Li said the Chinese mainland will continue to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus as the political foundation, and firmly oppose "Taiwan independence."

"[We will] work with our compatriots on Taiwan and all those who support the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations to move toward the complete reunification of the motherland," said Li.