BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed staying on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics at a gathering commemorating the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.

All the theories and practice of the Communist Party of China in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up are based on the theme of upholding and advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

There is no textbook of golden rules to follow for reform and development in China, a country with over 5,000 years of civilization and more than 1.3 billion people, Xi said.

"No one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done," he said.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics provides a broad pathway for China to advance with the times and steer the course of development today, Xi said.

"We will resolutely reform what should and can be reformed, and make no change where there should not and can not be any reform," he said.