President Hu Jintao concluded his US visit yesterday by stressing the values of Chinese civilization in economic and social development and "putting people first."

In a major speech at prestigious Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, Hu explained China's "people-oriented" approach, highlighting values such as social harmony and peaceful development.

The theme of Chinese culture and civilization was central to his speech at the Ivy League institution.

Hu emphasized that China was adopting its own course of development.

Hu said China's scientific development is aimed at meeting the needs of 21st century "in line with its national conditions and the requirement of the times."

Emphasizing Chinese civilization and culture, Hu said: "The Chinese civilization has always given prominence to social harmony, unity and mutual assistance."

Hu also mentioned such values as putting people first and seeking self-improvement.

"We are pursuing today a people-oriented approach toward development," he said.

The Chinese nation has grown after surviving numerous setbacks and adversity, due to its spirit of self-improvement, reform and innovation, he said.

He also said China will put greater emphasis on addressing issues affecting people's livelihood, overcoming imbalances in development, and resolving key problems that have occurred in the course of development.

The president said China would pursue a new path to industrialization, featuring high technology, good economic returns, low resource-consumption, low environmental pollution and the full use of human resources. Yale has been a forerunner in promoting exchanges with China and Hu invited 100 faculty and students to visit China, saying the younger generation is a source of vitality and creativity.

Hu used an old Chinese saying: "As with the Yangtze River, where the waves behind drive on those before, so a new generation always excels the last one."

Over the past 20 years, Yale has accepted over 4,000 Chinese students and undertaken more than 80 cooperation projects in culture, science and technology, and education with China.

Last summer, Yale sent the first group of students to China for internships and some became the first foreign interns to work with China's Palace Museum, Hu said.

The Yale visit was the last stop in Hu's trip to the US. He will embark on the next leg of his five-nation tour, taking him to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya.