China's progress in advancing youth development is uplifting and heartening, said Chinese young people who attended a plenary session of the All-China Youth Federation and a congress of the All-China Students' Federation, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday.

The representatives said they are deeply inspired by the congratulatory letter sent by President Xi Jinping to the opening of the gatherings, and will keep showing the nation and the world the vigorous and upward spirit of the new generation of Chinese youth.

In the letter, Xi called on young people to maintain firm ideals and convictions, foster a sense of responsibility to the country and shoulder their historic mission.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, underscored that young people have a great role to play as China strives to become a strong country and realize national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Cheng Zekun, a representative from the All-China Students' Federation, said he felt strongly supported upon hearing the letter.

Now focusing his research on nanomaterials, Cheng — who is also chairman of the Graduate Union of Tsinghua University — said he is aware of the great responsibility he bears and he will work diligently to deepen his research to apply the materials in scenarios such as extreme thermal protection and hemorrhaging control. He said he aims to enhance the materials' function to meet advanced international standards.

Wang Yi, a member of the All-China Youth Federation, said that firm ideals and convictions are needed for people devoted to technological research and he felt honored but also felt great responsibility.

Wang, who is deputy director of the gas hydrate research center at the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangdong province, pledged to integrate personal ideals with the nation's goal of becoming a strong maritime country and an energy power house.

He noted that young science and technology professionals should have the courage to innovate, tackle core technical challenges such as deep-sea resource exploration, and embrace opportunities brought about by the new wave of industrial and technological revolution.

"It's necessary to acquire cutting-edge technologies in artificial intelligence and big data to advance the smart and green development of marine resources," he added.

Youth representatives from other sectors, including sports, media, vocational education and healthcare, have also expressed their strong desire to make contributions to the nation's development and inspire younger generations.

Beijing Winter Olympic freestyle skiing champion Xu Mengtao, who is also a member of the All-China Youth Federation, said that firm belief is a guiding light to young people's growth. "Every move in freestyle skiing requires endless training and only the most tenacious finally win," she said, adding that as a youth in the new era, she will bear responsibility and motivate more young people to strive for their future success.

The All-China Youth Federation and the All-China Students' Federation are part of the mass organization guided by the CPC that represents people from different sectors of society. The two-day gatherings summarized the work of the two federations over the past five years, and analyzed and decided on work plans for the next five years.

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