BEIJING -- It is a must to put the people first on the new journey of building China into a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation, President Xi Jinping said Monday.

Addressing the closing meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, Xi said the people are the decisive force in building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.

Xi urged efforts to actively develop whole-process people's democracy, and to uphold the unity of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance.

He said a people-centered philosophy of development must be implemented so that the gains of modernization will benefit all people fairly, and that more notable and substantive progress will be made in promoting prosperity for all.

Xi also stressed strengthening and expanding the great unity of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and the great unity of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad.

"By doing so, we will mobilize all favorable factors and form a mighty force that will facilitate the building of a great modern socialist country and the advancement of national rejuvenation," Xi said.