Fellow Deputies,

China is a unified country with many ethnic groups, all of which are equal members of the Chinese nation. We need to fully and faithfully implement the Party's policies concerning ethnic groups, uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and promote ethnic unity, progress, common prosperity and development.

We will conscientiously carry out the central leadership's policies and measures for supporting the development of ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas. We will support the growth of ethnic groups with small populations and continue to implement programs to boost development of border regions and improve the lives of people there. We will protect and develop the fine cultural traditions of ethnic minorities.

We are the people of all of the ethnic groups in the big family of the Chinese nation. We live in peace and harmony, work together for a common cause, develop in harmony and share mutual affinity. We will definitely enjoy more peace, happiness, and prosperity as well as greater development.

We will comprehensively implement the Party's basic policy on religion, promote harmonious relations among religions, and give full rein to the positive role of religious leaders and believers in promoting economic and social development.

We will promote unity with overseas Chinese nationals, foreign citizens of Chinese descent, overseas Chinese nationals who have returned to China and relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who live in China. We will give full play to their distinctive role in carrying out China's modernization, advancing its peaceful reunification, and promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and strengthen the close bond of all Chinese at home and overseas.

Fellow Deputies,

Last year, we made solid progress in strengthening national defense and the armed forces, and the armed forces and armed police force now are full of new vigor and have enhanced their capabilities. This year, with the Party's goal of strengthening the armed forces under the new conditions in mind, we will comprehensively enhance the revolutionary nature of the Chinese armed forces, further modernize them and upgrade their performance, and continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age.

We will carry out coordinated planning for military preparedness in all scenarios and areas, strengthen and improve the political beliefs of the armed forces, speed up the comprehensive development of modern logistics, and strengthen research on national defense and the development of new- and high-technology weapons and equipment.

We will run the armed forces with strict discipline and in accordance with the law. We will deepen reform of national defense and the armed forces, strengthen military strategic guidance, and improve the system of modern military power. We will strengthen national defense mobilization and the reserve forces, place war preparations on a regular footing, and enhance border, coastal and air defenses. We will deepen the integration of military and civilian sectors.

We will speed up the building of a modern armed police force. The armed forces must resolutely carry out their mission of providing disaster relief, countering terrorism, maintaining stability, keeping peace, providing escort and handling emergencies, and actively participate in and support economic development.

Governments at all levels should continue to concern themselves with and support strengthening national defense and the armed forces, forge closer ties between the people and the army, and build unbreakable unity between the government and the armed forces and between the people and the armed forces.