People's happiness matters most

Combo photo taken on July 15, 2020 shows villagers' smiles in Shenshan Village of Jinggangshan, east China's Jiangxi Province. Local authorities have been supporting poverty alleviation industries and rural tourism to help increase villagers' income. The village was lifted out of poverty in 2017. (Xinhua/Peng Zhaozhi)

For millennia, Chinese statesmen, scholars, and intellectuals have discussed the primary issue in governing the country, or the "matter of the most fundamental importance to the country."

Conclusions have ranged from rituals, military affairs to bringing in sound policies and talented officials. For President Xi Jinping, the answer is simple -- happy lives for the people.

During an inspection tour of the southern province of Hainan last week, he visited the home of Wang Bohe, a villager from the Li ethnic group, and took part in the tea leaf frying process in his tea workshop.

These home visits have occurred many times during Xi's domestic inspection tours.

In 2013, Xi visited a Miao ethnic minority village nestled in the mountains of Hunan Province. There, he walked into Shi Qiwen's home and asked about food and crops of the household.

When he was a young man, Xi spent seven years in Shaanxi's Liangjiahe, a poor village at the time. After witnessing the hardship of people's lives in the barren mountains, Xi resolved to become a public servant and do some good for the people.

"I am aware of the people's biggest concerns, such as education, employment, income, social security, healthcare, old-age security, housing and the environment," Xi has said. As the country's leader, he urges officials at all levels to constantly hold in their hearts the interests and concerns of the people, and regard the benefit of the people as their highest career accomplishment.

"You are so busy with your work but still make time to see us. We are so grateful," Wang Deli, a resident of a rural mountainous village in Guangxi, said when he received Xi in his home in the spring of 2021.

"That is exactly what I am busy with," Xi replied. "People's happy lives -- that is the matter of the most fundamental importance to the country." ■