As the traditional Spring Festival draws nearer, Chinese leaders, including Hu Jintao, have called on former leaders of the state and the Communist Party of China to extend New Year greetings.

These veteran leaders included former President and Party chief Jiang Zemin, former top legislators Li Peng, Wan Li and Qiao Shi, and former Premier Zhu Rongji.

The former leaders thanked Hu Jintao and other leaders for the visits and passed on their best wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in the country.

They also expressed hope that the whole Party and all the people fully implement the scientific concept of development and devote themselves to the establishment of a moderately prosperous and harmonious socialist society.

The Spring Festival, or China's lunar new year which falls on Feb. 18, is the country's most important annual event for family reunion.

Source: Xinhua