The Communist Party of China (CPC) will generate waves of positive energy which can build into a mighty and nationwide force driving China’s development and progress, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on Wednesday.

Xi made the remarks as he led other members of the Standing Committee of the 19th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau to meet the press at the Great Hall of the People.

“We must continue to rid ourselves of any virus that erodes the Party’s fabric, make great efforts to foster a healthy political environment of integrity, and generate waves of positive energy throughout our Party,” Xi said.

The CPC will mark its centenary in 2021.

“For a party which fights for the eternal wellbeing of the Chinese nation, the centenary only ushers in the prime of life,” Xi said. “As the world’s largest political party, the CPC must behave in a way commensurate with this status.”

“Its history makes it abundantly clear that the CPC is capable of not only spearheading a great social revolution, but also imposing a great reform on itself,” he said. “We, as its members, must always have a youthful spirit, and forever be the servants of the people, the vanguard of the times and the backbone of our nation.”

“Exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party is a journey to which there is no end. We should never entertain the idea of taking a breather or halting our steps,” he said.

Xi stressed the significant role of the people.

“The people are the creators of history. It is to them that we owe all our achievements,” he said. “As long as we firmly align ourselves with the people and rely on them, we can and will have boundless energy to forge ahead, come rain or shine.”

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Wednesday that the coming five years will see several important junctures and signposts.

“As I look ahead to the next five years, I see several important junctures and signposts,” Xi made the remarks while leading other members of the Standing Committee of the 19th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau to meet the press.

Stating that the coming five years between the 19th and the 20th Party Congress is the period in which the timeframes of the Two Centenary Goals will converge, Xi said that “not only must we deliver the first centenary goal, we must also embark on the journey toward the second centenary goal.”

“With decades of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. In this new context, we must get a new look and, more importantly, make new accomplishments,” he said.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), presented the Party’s new central leadership when meeting the press Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People.

“I was re-elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. I see this as not just approval of my work, but also encouragement that will spur me on,” Xi told journalists.

He presented the other six newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee: Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.

Li Keqiang served on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, while all the others were members of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, Xi said.

“Here, on behalf of the newly elected central leadership, I wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all other members of the Party for the trust they have placed in us,” he said.

“We will work diligently to meet our duty, fulfill our mission and be worthy of their trust,” Xi said.

Xi Jinping was elected general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee for the second term at the first plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee on Wednesday.

Members of the newly elected Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee are Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.

The Yangtze River’s ecological environment is getting better — and to prove it 12 fish species have reappeared in the river’s mouth.

They include the spotted maigre and the Chinese long-snout catfish.

From 2012, more than 30 monitoring spots were set up in the Chinese Sturgeon Nature Conservation Area at Chongming Island near the estuary of Yangtze River, but the 12 species were not observed until the past year.

Six species such as the spotted maigre have been frequently found in the conservation area in the past year, and the other six species, such as the long-snout catfish are also seen in the area, though not as frequently.

Yangtze River’s estuary, the passage for fish to travel between the river water and East China Sea, plays a key role in the fishery development along the huge river.

This is why the conservation area was set up at Chongming Island.

In 2012, the conservation area’s management office set up an artificial fish shelter in the reservation area. The shelter comprises 2.5-meter-long bamboo poles with holes. The bamboos are set in the riverbed and the holes allow sand to flow in to stabilize the bamboos in the water.

Moss grows on the poles, providing a source of food of fish, and loose sand at the bottom can attract creatures that enjoy swimming in sand. The poles also serve as a shelter for young fish and shrimps when under attack from aggressive fish.

Over the past five years, more than 330,000 bamboo poles have been set up in the river, and the shelter now covers an area of 13,000 square kilometers.

Officials said the shelter has made a significant contribution to improve the eco-diversity of the Yangtze River.