Being the general secretary, Xi conducted his first inspection tour to southern Guangdong Province, a pioneer in China's reform and opening up more than three decades ago.
Many interpreted the move as a strong sign to continue the country's reform and opening-up drive.
To bring the "Chinese dream" to fruition, the country needs to continue its reform and opening-up drive, a point Xi reiterated during his trip to Guangdong and in group studies conducted for the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
"We'll never stop reform and opening up," Xi said. "We must waste no time in deepening reforms in key areas."
Some of the reforms China needs to carry out include transforming government functions and streamlining the administrative system.
At the second plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held in February, Xi stressed that the government should figure out what it should do and not do in changing its functions.
Different roles and responsibilities of the government, the market and the society should be clearly defined, but the service of the government to the people should never change, Xi said.
Sustainable, high-quality economic growth is also imperative for the "Chinese dream," as China is now the world's second-largest economy.
"Future growth must be tangible and not exaggerated," Xi said. "It should be sustainable with good performance and good quality."
He urged accelerating the adjustment of China's economic structure and the transformation of its mode of economic development, adding that the country must implement an innovation-driven strategy for future development that focuses on growth quality and performance.
习近平第一次赴外地考察，就选择了广东。外界解读，习近平来到中国改革开放中得风气之先的地方，是要向世界发出继续推进改革开放的强烈信号。习近平说：“改革开放是实现中国梦的关键一招。”
在广东重走邓小平２０年前的考察之路时，在中共中央政治局第二次集体学习时，习近平反复强调要坚定不移推进改革开放——改革不停顿，开放不止步；敢于啃硬骨头，敢于涉险滩；改革开放只有进行时没有完成时；必须以更大的政治勇气和智慧，不失时机深化重要领域改革。
转变政府职能是深化行政体制改革的核心。习近平在中共十八届二中全会上深刻指出，转变 政府职能实质上要解决的是政府应该做什么、不应该做什么，重点是政府、市场、社会的关系，即哪些事应该由市场、社会、政府各自分担，哪些事应该由三者共同 承担。他还着重强调，不论政府职能怎么转，为人民服务的宗旨都不能变。中共十八届二中全会通过了关于国务院机构改革和职能转变的方案，在完善行政体制机制 上迈出了重要一步。
改革的目的是为了更好更快发展。在推动发展问题上，习近平特别强调：“增长必须是实实 在在和没有水分的增长，是有效益、有质量、可持续的增长。”经过改革开放３０多年的发展，中国经济总量已跃居全球第二。对于未来的经济发展，习近平指出， 必须加快调整经济结构、转变经济发展方式。必须以提高经济增长的质量和效益为中心，大力实施创新驱动发展战略。全国政协十二届一次会议期间，他特地参加科 协、科技界委员联组会议。他在讨论时强调，在日趋激烈的全球综合国力竞争中，要发挥科技创新的支撑引领作用，大力实施创新驱动发展战略。