Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has underlined the need to put the people's lives first and stick to the dynamic zero-COVID strategy with scientific and targeted measures, in order to speedily curb the spread of the virus nationwide.

Xi made the remark on Thursday while presiding over a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. During the meeting, the top CPC leadership analyzed the current COVID-19 situation in the country and urged stringent measures to respond to the virus.

While addressing the meeting, Xi highlighted the measures the nation has taken to effectively control the virus since it started implementing the regular epidemic prevention and control policy, saying that the nation's COVID-19 response strategy has, to a maximum extent, protected people's lives, safety and health.

The fact that the country takes the lead in the world in economic development and pandemic response fully demonstrates the nation's strength and capability in the prevention and control of the disease as well as the marked advantages of the CPC's leadership and the socialist system, Xi said.