President Xi Jinping called on Wednesday for diligence and hard work by people across the country to achieve national rejuvenation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese at a reception in Beijing on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

This year's Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Friday.

Addressing the event, Xi spoke highly of the country's progress in 2017 in such areas as improving people's lives, advancing the rule of law, strict governance of the CPC and reducing poverty.

"Time is the most objective witness," Xi said while lauding achievements made last year. Those advances were obtained through the diligence and hard work of all Chinese people, he said.

The president highlighted the importance of diligence and hard work to complete the creation of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Those who bring happiness to the majority are the happiest, Xi quoted Karl Marx as saying, adding that the CPC will continue in its goal of bringing happiness to all Chinese people.