In the first year of the 21st Century, China achieved great progress in the cause of socialist modernization construction, says the editorial.

During 2001, also the first year of the country's Tenth Five-Year Plan Period (2001-2005), the country saw prosperity in the sectors of both social and economic development.

The year's significant events included the celebrations in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), says the editorial.

The editorial says in the year 2001 China witnessed Beijing's victory in its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, China's entry into the World Trade Organization and the ninth informal meeting of APEC member economies' leaders in Shanghai.

The editorial lists economic development, social stability, improvement of the people's living standards, reform in the rural areas, technology upgrading, and further promotion of reform and opening-up as the major tasks in the new year.

It is necessary to handle the new situations and issues in a proper way, in order to create a stable economic and social environment for promoting all-round reform and development, the editorial says, calling for outstanding achievements to welcome the 16th CPC National Congress, which is scheduled to be convened in 2002.

"Let us hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and rally around the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at the core to achieve national revitalization and prosperity," the editorial concludes.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2001)