Chinese are celebrating their New Year beginning Sunday with a promise to maintain the country's economic growth in order to guarantee better standards of living for themselves.

Chinese heads congratulated people on the occasion, which coincides with the two weeks long Spring Festival.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao stated, “We are going to work harder during the New Year to effectively solve the problems concerning people's livelihood, try hard to create more job opportunities, and continue to enhance the income level of rural and urban residents, in order to let people do their best in their proper place.”

President Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee,  led a function on Friday to mark the starting of the Lunar New Year called as the 'Year of Tiger'. Over 4,000 people attended the event.

Hu greeted Chinese people across the country and overseas.

In his sppech, PM said, “Priority should be given to persistence in taking economic development as the central task, forcefully promoting reform and opening up, transforming the growth pattern, accelerating the economic structure adjustment, and doing a better job responding to the international financial crisis, in order to keep steady and relatively fast economic development.”

2009 was a "surprising and inspiring" year for the country, in which, facing an unprecedented international financial crisis, the country took up definite steps with buoyancy and serenity, promptly reversing the downward economic movement and taking the lead in the worldwide economic recovery.

In 2010, China will face up a more complex situation, both at home and overseas, the premier said. (With Input from Agencies)