• The CPC requires 88 million members to transcribe by hand the Party's constitution.

The CPC requires 88 million members to transcribe by hand the Party's constitution. (Photo : Getty Images)

The celebration of a new year brings not only new opportunities, but new challenges as well. For China, the Year of the Rooster is a step closer towards the dream of creating "quan mian xiao kang" by the year 2020.

China aims to achieve a "moderately prosperous society in an all-around way" under the country's 13th Five-Year Plan. The year will be significant and very challenging for the ruling Communist Party of China, which was also founded in the Year of the Rooster (1921).

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On the long list of items under the CPC's plan, poverty relief is high on the agenda of the government. The government proposes support for poor villages to develop signature products and services.

Guidelines were also issued to enhance collaboration between the developed eastern regions and underdeveloped western regions, in the hopes of meeting poverty reduction targets.

The government will continue to implement supply-side structural reforms this year, which includes cutting excess capacity, implementing agricultural reforms, boosting the real economy and nurturing new growth.

Political reforms will also be implemented this year, with the establishment of a national supervisory commission and a creation of a law on national supervision. Despite efforts to build a clean Party, the crackdown on corruption has gained "crushing momentum," netting both "tigers" and "flies" with no signs of letting up in the near future.

On foreign relations, China will be pushing through with its commitment to encourage globalization and cooperation despite the hurdles ahead.

The country will be hosting big events such as the Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing in May, and the ninth BRICS leaders' summit in southeast China's coastal city of Xiamen in September.

The Year of the Rooster will also be a test on the country's relations with the U.S., now under the new Trump administration. Despite the seemingly rising tension between the two countries, China will still go with the general trend of cooperation, which is the only right choice for both countries.

"If things go well for China and the Chinese people, the chances are it's going to go well for a lot of other people around the planet," said Michael Moller, head of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

While these may seem like overwhelming tasks ahead, China and its people will continue to focus on working for a better future.