BEIJING - The public on Sunday strongly echoed Chinese President Hu Jintao's New Year address broadcast on Saturday, vowing to make great efforts for rejuvenation of the nation, a better future.

In his speech titled "Jointly Improve World Peace and Development," Hu said that China will continue to develop friendly exchanges with other countries and positively participate in international cooperation on global issues.

The country will continue to balance maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth with adjusting its economic structures and managing inflation expectations, Hu said in the speech.

Proud of country's achievements

"We have been encouraged by President Hu's address, said Wang Laihua, head of the public opinions research institute of Tianjin Social Sciences Academy.

"His address summarized the achievements that we have made in the first year of the 12th Five-Year Plan, which raised people's expectation for prosperity, happiness," said Wang.

Hu said in the address that in the face of complicated international situations and arduous tasks in maintaining domestic reform, development and stability in 2011, Chinese people united and continued to push forward the opening up and reform drive and the socialist modernization construction, while maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth and making progress in building a well-off society in an all-around way.

Zhu Jianfang, chief economist of CITIC Securities, said that the country's macroeconomic control has made positive achievements in the last year, as the prices of properties and commodity have been effectively controlled.

A photo released on Dec 31, 2011 shows Chinese President Hu Jintao delivering a New Year address, titled "Jointly Improve World Peace and Development", to domestic and overseas audiences via state TV and radio broadcasters. [Photo/Xinhua]

"We feel reassured after hearing Hu's speech," said Wen Jun, who has come to south China's Guangzhou for business from Hong Kong for 16 years, referring to Hu's speech saying that China will stick to the guidelines of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," "Macao people governing Macao," and a high degree of autonomy in maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.

Transformation of economic development pattern a hot topic

Hu in his speech urged the acceleration of the transformation of the country's economic development pattern and structural adjustments while making more efforts in ensuring people's livelihood, a topic that are widely discussed in the public.

Hu added the country will continue to balance maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth with adjusting its economic structures and managing inflation expectations.

Zhu Jimin, board chairman of the Shougang Group, one of the country's largest steal companies, said that the past year witnessed all-round development and optimization of the company, after it was moved out of Beijing for pollution concerns.

"We have engaged in and benefited from transforming economic development pattern, which has lifted us into top-500 of the world's biggest enterprises," said Zhu.

"Although we have lost some GDP after shutting down heavy-polluting plants, the better environment has attracted a great deal of investment," said Wu Daofan, head of Bishan County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, adding that the county will achieve growth both in economy and the index of residents' welfare.

Promoting world peace, development and cooperation

Qu Xing, head of China Institute of International Studies, said that Hu's New Year speech summarized the world's current situations, how China dealt with crises and international cooperation.

The speech has also forecast international situations in the new year, and again explained China's foreign policies.

China will stick to peace, development and cooperation, adhere to independent foreign policy and the principle of mutual benefit when opening itself up, maintain world peace and promote common development, Hu said.

Qin Yaqing, executive vice president of China Foreign Affairs University, and Feng Zhongping, head of European studies institute in China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that Hu's remarks of China's foreign policies showed the country is a responsible country that shoulders its responsibilities in global issues.

Peace is in the interests of all nations in the world, and development is the call of the times, the two scholars said.