Library:The governance of China/Chapter 11: Peaceful Development

Chapter 11: Peaceful Development, Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Volume I.

Strengthen the Foundation for Pursuing Peaceful Development

January 28, 2013
Main points of the speech at the third group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee which Xi presided over.

To pursue peaceful development in keeping with the development trend of the times and China's fundamental interests is a strategic choice made by our Party. We should, under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, enhance our strategic thinking and confidence, and better balance China's overall domestic and international interests. We should pursue mutually beneficial development featuring openness and cooperation, develop China by securing a peaceful international environment and, at the same time, uphold and promote world peace through our own development. We should continuously improve China's overall national strength, make sure that the people share the benefits of peaceful development, and consolidate the material and social foundations for pursuing peaceful development.

The Chinese nation loves peace. To abolish war and achieve peace has been the most pressing and profound aspiration of the Chinese people since the advent of modern times. Pursuing peaceful development is what the fine traditional Chinese culture calls for, and it is a natural choice made by the Chinese people who have suffered so much in modern times. With the agonizing sufferings inflicted by war etched in our memory, we Chinese cherish peace and stability. What we abhor is turbulence, what we want is stability and what we hope to see is world peace.

Our pursuit of peaceful development was not an easy-going process. Rather, this pursuit was made possible thanks to the CPC's arduous quest and endeavors since the founding of the PRC in 1949 and, in particular, to the introduction of the reform and opening-up initiative in 1978. Our Party has always upheld peace and never wavered in this commitment. Over the years, we have put forward and adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and adopted and followed an independent foreign policy of peace. And we have made a solemn pledge to the whole world that we will never seek hegemony or commit any act of expansion, and that China is and will remain a staunch force for upholding world peace. We remain true to these commitments and we remain firm in honoring them.

The CPC put forward at its 18th National Congress the Two Centenary Goals. We have also put forward the goal of achieving the Chinese Dream – the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To realize these goals, we need a peaceful international environment. Neither China nor the rest of the world can develop without peace, nor can they enjoy lasting peace without development. We must seize the opportunity and run our own affairs well so as to make our country stronger and more prosperous, and our people lead a better life. This will enable us to pursue peaceful development by relying on our growing strength.

"The tide of history is mighty. Those who follow it will prosper, while those who resist it will perish." Looking back on history, we can see that those who launched aggression or sought expansion by force all ended in failure. This is a law of history. A prosperous and stable world provides China with opportunities, and China's development also offers an opportunity for the world as a whole. Whether we will succeed in our pursuit of peaceful development to a large extent hinges on whether we can turn opportunities in the rest of the world into China's opportunities and China's opportunities into those for the rest of the world so that China and other countries can engage in sound interactions and make mutually beneficial progress. We must act in keeping with China's national conditions and stick to our own path. At the same time, we should acquire a global vision. In this way, we can both promote China's domestic development and open the country wider to the outside world and advance both China's development and the development of the world as a whole, as well as the interests of both the Chinese people and other peoples. In this way, we can continuously expand mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, be actively involved in international affairs, address global challenges together with other countries, and contribute our share to global development.

While pursuing peaceful development, we will never sacrifice our legitimate rights and interests or China's core interests. No foreign country should expect China to trade off its core interests or swallow bitter fruit that undermines China's sovereignty, security or development interests. China is pursuing peaceful development, and so are other countries. This is the sure way for all the countries in the world to seek common development and peaceful coexistence. We should let the world learn more about China's strategy of pursuing peaceful development and let the international community view China's development for what it is and treat it accordingly. China will never seek development at the expense of any other country's interests, nor will it shift its problems onto others. We will actively pursue peaceful and common development, uphold the multilateral trading system and participate in global economic governance.

Work Together for Mutually Beneficial Cooperation

June 19, 2013 and May 19, 2014
Main points of talks with Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the UN.

I

As well as its many important missions, the United Nations (UN) carries the expectations of the peoples of all countries. The world is undergoing dramatic and complex changes, and it requires the joint efforts of all UN member states to address global issues and challenges. The UN should grasp the theme of peace and development, uphold fairness and justice, and speak and act justly. The time of the zero-sum mentality is past, so we should work together for mutually beneficial cooperation instead. The UN should contribute to this.

China has set forth the Two Centenary Goals as a grand blueprint for its future development. China needs the UN and the UN needs China. China values the UN and will support it.

China's permanent membership of the UN Security Council entails not only power but also responsibility that it is ready to shoulder. China will continue to work for the peaceful resolution of international disputes and support the UN in achieving its Millennium Development Goals. China is willing to work with all parties in addressing climate change and other problems, and to do whatever it can for world peace and human progress.

(June 19, 2013)

II

The year 2015 will mark the 70th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War (1941-1945) and the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945). It will also mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN. The world community should avail itself of this important opportunity to reiterate its commitment to multilateralism, safeguard the principles set forth in the UN Charter and commit itself to strengthening the role of the UN.

The world community should make concerted efforts to promote world peace and development.

First, seeking political solutions is the right path to address the seemingly endless sequence of international flashpoints. "Just when you press the gourd into the water, there floats the gourd ladle." These issues must be tackled properly and reasonably. Exerting pressure won't work, and external military intervention will make things worse. Both the UN and the rest of the international community should adhere to political solutions to all conflicts.

Second, the world community should adhere to the goal of common development. The UN should play its political and coordinating role, and exploit its moral advantage. It should formulate its post-2015 Development Agenda with poverty alleviation at its core to achieve sustainable growth. China wishes every success for the UN Climate Summit in September.

Third, the UN should play a leading role in international affairs. Regarding the fight against terrorism, the UN should play a bigger role by promoting clear-cut criteria of right and wrong so as to advance the fight against terrorism of all forms. It should also serve as the main channel in protecting cyber security, advocate rules, sovereignty and transparency in this regard, respect the concerns of different countries over information safety, and achieve common management. China will continue to firmly support the UN.

(May 19, 2014)

Follow a Sensible, Coordinated and Balanced Approach to Nuclear Security

March 24, 2014
Speech at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Your Excellency Prime Minister Mark Rutte,

Dear colleagues,

Today, we are meeting here at The Hague for an important discussion on ways to enhance nuclear security. First of all, I wish to express heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Rutte and the Dutch government for the active efforts and considerate arrangements they have made for this summit.

During the 20th century, the discovery of the atom and the subsequent development and utilization of nuclear energy gave new impetus to the progress of humanity and greatly enhanced our ability to understand and shape the world. Yet the development of nuclear energy has its associated risks and challenges. To make better use of nuclear energy and achieve greater progress, mankind must be able to respond to various nuclear security challenges and ensure the safety of nuclear materials and facilities.

Dear colleagues,

Enhancing nuclear security is a never-ending process. As long as we continue to tap nuclear energy, we must maintain our efforts in enhancing nuclear security. From Washington DC in 2010 to Seoul in 2012 and to The Hague today, the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) has the great responsibility of building international consensus in this regard and deepening nuclear security efforts. We must take a sensible, coordinated and balanced approach to nuclear security and keep it on the track of sound and sustainable development.

First, we should place equal emphasis on development and security, and develop nuclear energy on the premise of security. The peaceful use of nuclear energy is important for ensuring energy security and tackling climate change. Like Prometheus who gave fire to humanity, the peaceful use of nuclear energy has sparked a flame of hope and opened up a bright future for mankind. But without effective safeguards for nuclear safety and without an adequate response to the potential security risks of nuclear materials and facilities, such a bright future will be overshadowed by dark clouds or even by nuclear disaster. Therefore, we must strictly abide by the principle of making safety the top priority if we are to keep the flame of hope for nuclear energy development burning.

We must follow the approach of enhancing security for the sake of development and promoting development by upholding security, and bring the goals of development and security in alignment with each other. We must convince the governments and nuclear power companies of all countries that developing nuclear energy at the expense of security can neither be sustainable nor bring real development. Only by adopting credible steps and safeguards can we keep risks under effective control and develop nuclear energy in a sustainable way.

Second, we should place equal emphasis on rights and obligations, and push forward the international nuclear security process on the basis of respecting the rights and interests of all countries. Nothing can be accomplished without norms and standards. All countries should earnestly fulfill their obligations under international legal instruments relating to nuclear security, fully implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, consolidate and strengthen the existing legal framework governing nuclear security, and provide institutional support and universally accepted guidelines for international efforts to enhance nuclear security. China hopes that more countries will consider ratifying the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its amendment, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

Countries differ in national conditions and in the status of their nuclear power development, and the nuclear security challenges they face also vary from one to another. As the saying goes, you need different keys to open different locks. While stressing the importance of countries honoring their international obligations, we should respect their right to adopt nuclear security policies and measures best suited to their specific conditions as well as their right to protect sensitive nuclear security information. We should adopt a fair and pragmatic attitude, and advance the international nuclear security process in an active yet prudent manner.

Third, we should place equal emphasis on independent and collaborative efforts, and seek universal nuclear security through mutually beneficial cooperation. Nuclear security is first and foremost a national goal, and the primary responsibility must be borne by national governments. They must understand and fulfill their responsibilities, develop a stronger awareness of nuclear security, foster a nuclear security culture, strengthen institutions, and enhance technological capacity. This is the responsible thing to do not only for their own sake but also for the good of the world as a whole.

Nuclear security is also a global endeavor. The amount of water a barrel can hold is determined by its shortest stave. The loss of nuclear material in one country can be a threat to the whole world. A concerted, global effort is therefore required to achieve universal nuclear security. We must bring more countries into the international nuclear security process and try to turn it into a global undertaking, so that all will contribute to and benefit from it. We should strengthen exchanges to learn from each other and share experiences, and improve coordination between the relevant multilateral mechanisms and initiatives. Although the starting line may be different for different countries, we should make sure that no one falls behind in this common endeavor.

Fourth, we should place equal emphasis on treating symptoms and addressing causes, and advance the nuclear security endeavor in all respects with the goal of removing the associated risks at the root. The issue of nuclear security has many dimensions, from exercising sound and effective management to developing advanced and secure nuclear energy technologies and to dealing with nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation. To eliminate the potential risks of nuclear security and nuclear proliferation in a direct and effective way, we must improve relevant policies and measures, develop modern, low-risk nuclear energy technologies, maintain balanced supply and demand of nuclear materials, strengthen non-proliferation efforts and export control, and step up international cooperation against nuclear terrorism.

But more importantly, we must tackle the root causes. We need to foster a peaceful and stable international environment, encourage harmonious and friendly relations between countries, and conduct exchanges among different civilizations in an amicable and open-minded manner. This is the only way to tackle the root causes of nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation, and to achieve lasting security and development of nuclear energy.

Dear colleagues,

China gives top priority to nuclear security in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and manages nuclear materials and facilities in accordance with the highest standards. China has maintained a good record of nuclear security in the past 50 years and more.

According to Dutch philosopher Erasmus, prevention is better than cure. The horrific nuclear accidents of the past few years have rung the alarm bell for all of us, and we must do whatever we can to prevent a recurrence of past tragedies.

As a precautionary step, China has tightened nuclear security measures across the board. We have made great efforts to improve our technology and emergency response, and conducted comprehensive security checks on nuclear facilities across the country to make sure that all nuclear materials and facilities are placed under effective safeguards. We have adopted and implemented a medium- and long-term program on nuclear security and improved the relevant legal framework, and we are in the process of drafting national regulations with a view to putting our nuclear security endeavors on an institutional and legal footing.

China is actively promoting international cooperation on nuclear security, beginning with the Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security, a joint project between China and the United States. Construction of the Center is well under way. It will contribute to technical exchanges and cooperation on nuclear security in the region and beyond. China has also launched a number of cooperation projects with Russia and Kazakhstan to combat illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. China supports the efforts to reduce to a minimum the use of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) when economically and technologically feasible, and is helping Ghana convert an HEU-fueled research reactor to one using low-enrichment uranium within the IAEA framework. China has also made contributions to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund, and helped enhance the nuclear security capability of Asia Pacific countries through hosting training sessions and a variety of other ways.

Dear colleagues,

Where light inches forward, darkness retreats. The more we do to enhance nuclear security, the fewer opportunities we will offer to terrorists. To achieve lasting nuclear security, China will continue its efforts in the following areas:

First, China will stay firmly committed to strengthening its own nuclear security capability. We will continue to enhance the government's regulatory capacity, increase investments in relevant technological development and human resources, and foster and develop a nuclear security culture.

Second, China will stay firmly committed to building an international nuclear security system. We will work with other countries to build an international nuclear security system featuring fairness and mutually beneficial cooperation, and encourage countries to share the fruits of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Third, China will stay firmly committed to supporting international cooperation on nuclear security. We stand ready to share technology, experience, resources and platforms to promote regional and international nuclear security cooperation. China supports the IAEA's leading role and encourages it to help developing countries build their nuclear security capacity. China will continue to take an active part in nuclear security activities, and invite the IAEA to conduct an International Physical Protection Advisory Service.

Fourth, China will stay firmly committed to upholding regional and global peace and stability. We will continue to pursue peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation, handle differences and disputes through equality-based dialogue and friendly consultations, and work with all other countries to remove the root causes of nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

Dear colleagues,

To strengthen nuclear security is our shared commitment and common responsibility. Let us work together so that the people of the whole world will have more confidence in lasting nuclear security and the benefits nuclear energy brings them.

Thank you!

Exchanges and Mutual Learning Make Civilizations Richer and More Colorful

March 27, 2014
Part of the speech at the UNESCO Headquarters.

Civilizations become richer and more colorful through exchanges and mutual learning, which form an important driver for human progress and global peace and development.

To promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations we must adopt a correct approach with some important principles. They, in my view, contain the following:

First, civilizations come in different colors, and such diversity has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable. Just as the sunlight has seven colors, our world is a place of dazzling colors. A civilization is the collective memory of a country or a nation. Throughout history, mankind has created and developed many colorful civilizations, from the earliest days of primitive hunting to the period of agriculture, and from booming industrial revolution to the information society. Together, they present a magnificent genetic map of the exciting march of human civilizations.

"A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden." If there were only one kind of flower in the world, people would find it boring no matter how beautiful it was. Be it Chinese civilization or other civilizations in the world, they are all fruits of human progress.

I have visited the Louvre Museum in France and the Palace Museum in China, both of which house millions of art treasures. They are attractive because they present the richness of diverse civilizations. Exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations must not be built on the exclusive praise or belittling of one particular civilization. As early as over 2,000 years ago, the Chinese people came to recognize that "it is natural for things to be different." Greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can further enrich the colors of various civilizations and the cultural life of people and open up still greater alternatives in the future.

Second, civilizations are equal, and such equality has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations possible. All human civilizations are equal in value, and they all have their respective strengths and weaknesses. No civilization is perfect on the planet. Nor is it devoid of merit. No single civilization can be judged superior to another.

I have visited many places in the world. What interested me most during the trips was to learn about differing civilizations across the five continents, what makes them different and unique, how their people think about the world and life and what they hold dear. I have visited Chichen Itza, a window on the ancient Maya civilization, and the Central Asian city of Samarkand, an icon of the ancient Islamic civilization. It is my keenly felt conviction that an attitude of equality and modesty is required if one wants to truly understand various civilizations. Taking a condescending attitude towards a civilization cannot help anyone to appreciate its essence, and may risk antagonizing it. Both history and reality show that pride and prejudice are the biggest obstacles to exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Third, civilizations are inclusive, and such inclusiveness has given exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations the impetus to move forward. The ocean is vast because it refuses no rivers. All civilizations are crystallizations of mankind's diligence and wisdom. Every civilization is unique. Copying other civilizations blindly or mechanically is like cutting one's toes to fit one's shoes – impossible and highly detrimental. All achievements of civilizations deserve our respect and must be cherished.

History proves that only by interacting with and learning from others can a civilization enjoy full vitality. If all civilizations are inclusive, the so-called "clash of civilizations" can be avoided and the harmony of civilizations will become reality; as a Chinese saying goes, "Radish or cabbage, each to his own delight."

Having gone through over 5,000 years of vicissitudes, the Chinese civilization has always kept to its original root. As an icon, it contains the most profound pursuits of the Chinese nation and provides it with abundant nourishment for existence and development. Deriving from Chinese soil, it has come to its present form through constant exchanges with and learning from other civilizations.

In the 2nd century BC, China started the Silk Road leading to the Western Regions. In 138 BC and 119 BC, Envoy Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) made two trips to those regions, disseminating Chinese culture and bringing into China grapes, alfalfa, pomegranates, flax, sesame and other products.

During the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25), China's merchant fleets sailed as far as India and Sri Lanka where they traded China's silk for colored glaze, pearls and other products.

The Tang Dynasty (618-907) saw dynamic interactions between China and other countries. Historical records reveal that China exchanged envoys with more than 70 countries, and Chang'an, the capital of Tang, bustled with envoys, merchants and students from other countries. Exchanges of such a magnitude helped spread Chinese culture to the rest of the world and introduce other cultures and products to China.

During the early 15th century, Zheng He, a famous navigator of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), made seven expeditions to the Western Seas, reaching many Southeast Asian countries and even Kenya on the eastern coast of Africa, leaving behind many stories of friendly exchanges between China and countries along the route.

During the late Ming and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the Chinese people began to access modern science and technology through the introduction of European knowledge in the realms of astronomy, medicine, mathematics, geometry and geography, which helped broaden the horizon of Chinese people. Thereafter, exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other civilizations became more frequent. Naturally, there were conflicts, frictions, bewilderment and denial, but the more dominant features of the period were learning, digestion, integration and innovation.

Buddhism originated in ancient India. After it was brought to China, the religion went through an extended period of integrated development with the indigenous Confucianism and Taoism, and finally became Buddhism with Chinese features, thus greatly impacting the religious beliefs, philosophy, literature, art, etiquette and customs of China. Xuan Zang, an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty, who endured untold sufferings as he went on a pilgrimage to ancient India for Buddhist scriptures, gave full expression to the determination and fortitude of the Chinese people to learn from other cultures. I am sure you have heard of the Chinese mythological classical novel Journey to the Westbased on his stories.

The Chinese people enriched Buddhism and developed some special Buddhist thoughts in the light of Chinese culture, and helped it spread from China to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and beyond.

Over the last 2,000 years religions such as Buddhism, Islam and Christianity have been introduced into China, nurturing the country's music, painting and literature. China's freehand oil painting, for instance, is an innovative combination of its own traditional painting and Western oil painting, and the works by Xu Beihong and other master painters have been widely acclaimed. China's Four Great Inventions – papermaking, gunpowder, printing and the compass, brought drastic changes to the whole world, including the European Renaissance. Its philosophy, literature, medicine, silk, porcelain and tea have been shared by the West and become part of its people's life. The book Travels of Marco Polo provoked widespread interest in China.

I think some of you might be familiar with the terracotta warriors and horses of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), one of the eight wonders in the world. After his visit to the site, President Chirac of France remarked that a visit to Egypt would not be complete without seeing the pyramids, and that a visit to China would not be complete without seeing the terracotta warriors and horses.

In 1987 this national treasure was listed as one of UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage Sites. Many Chinese legacies are ranked as World Cultural Heritage Sites, and World Intangible Cultural Heritage Sites and are listed on the Memory of the World Register. Here, I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to UNESCO for its contribution to the preservation and dissemination of Chinese civilization.

Today, we live in a world with different cultures, ethnic groups, skin colors, religions and social systems, and all people on the planet have become members of an intimate community of shared future.

The Chinese people have long come to appreciate the concept of "harmony without uniformity." Zuoqiu Ming, a Chinese historian who lived 2,500 years ago, recorded a few lines by Yan Zi, prime minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) in Zuo's Chronicles (Zuo Zhuan): "Harmony is like cooking thick soup. You need water, fire, vinegar, meat sauce, salt and plum to go with the fish or meat. It is the same with music. Only by combining the texture, length, rhythm, mood, tone, pitch and style adequately and executing them properly can you produce an excellent melody. Who can tolerate soup with nothing but water in it? Who can tolerate the same tone played again and again with one instrument?"

On the planet, there are more than 200 countries and regions inhabited by over 2,500 ethnic groups with a multitude of religions. Can we imagine a world with only one lifestyle, one language, one kind of music and one style of costume?

Victor Hugo once said that there was a prospect greater than the sea – the sky; there was a prospect greater than the sky – the human soul. Indeed, we need a mind that is broader than the sky as we approach different civilizations, which serve as water, moistening everything silently. We should encourage different civilizations to respect each other and live in harmony, so as to turn exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations into a bridge promoting friendship between peoples around the world, an engine driving human society, and a bond cementing world peace. We should draw wisdom and nourishment and seek spiritual support and psychological consolation from various civilizations, and work together to face down the challenges around the globe.

In 1987, 20 exquisite pieces of colored glaze were brought to light from an underground tomb of Famen Temple in Shaanxi, China. They proved to be Byzantine and Islamic relics brought to China during the Tang Dynasty. Marveling at these exotic relics, I was struck by the thought that we should appreciate their cultural significance rather than simply admiring their exquisiteness, and bring their inherent spirit to life instead of merely appreciating the artistic presentation of life in the past.

China's Commitment to Peaceful Development

March 28, 2014
Part of the speech at the Körber Foundation, Berlin, Germany.

Mutual understanding is the foundation of state-to-state relations. Deeper mutual understanding will cement and broaden the foundation of our exchanges and cooperation.

Thanks to over 30 years of rapid growth through reform and opening up, China's GDP now ranks second in the world. As China continues to grow, some people start to worry. Some take a dark view of China and assume that it will inevitably become a threat as it develops further. They even portray China as being the terrifying Mephisto who will someday suck the soul of the world. Such absurdity couldn't be more ridiculous, yet some people, regrettably, never tire of preaching it. This shows that prejudice is indeed hard to overcome.

A review of human history shows that what keeps people apart are not mountains, rivers or oceans, but lack of mutual understanding. As Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz once observed, only the sharing of our talents will light the lamp of wisdom.

Let me take this opportunity to share with you China's reform and development, focusing on its commitment to peaceful development. I hope this will help your understanding of our country.

Long ago, China made the solemn declaration to the world that it is committed to pursuing peaceful development. It has developed itself by upholding world peace and maintained world peace through development. Pursuing peaceful development is China's response to international concern about the direction it is taking. Moreover, it demonstrates the Chinese people's confidence in and commitment to achieving its development goals. Such confidence and commitment is rooted in the rich heritage of Chinese civilization, in our understanding of conditions for achieving its goals, and in our keen appreciation of the general trend of global development.

The Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation. And the most profound pursuit of a nation has its origin in the national character formed through generations. The Chinese nation, with 5,000 years of civilization, has always cherished peace. The pursuit of peace, amity and harmony is an integral part of the Chinese character which runs deep in the blood of the Chinese people. This can be evidenced by axioms from ancient China such as: "A warlike state, however big it may be, will eventually perish"; "peace is of paramount importance"; "seek harmony without uniformity"; "replace weapons of war with gifts of jade and silk"; "bring prosperity to the nation and security to the people"; "foster friendship with neighbors"; and "achieve universal peace." These axioms have been passed down from generation to generation. China was long one of the most powerful countries in the world. Yet it never engaged in colonialism or aggression. The pursuit of peaceful development represents the peace-loving cultural tradition of the Chinese nation over the past centuries, a tradition that we have inherited and carried forward.

China has set the following goals for its future development: By 2020, it will double its 2010 GDP and per capita income of urban and rural residents and realize a moderately prosperous society in all respects; and by the mid-21st century, it will have turned itself into a modern socialist country, prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious. We refer to this goal as the Chinese Dream of the great renewal of the Chinese nation. We will accelerate China's overall prosperity and raise the happiness index for our 1.3 billion Chinese people as long as we are on the right path. Yet, it will not be easy to make this happen for every individual. Consider the difference between eight people sharing one meal and 80 or even 800 people sharing the same meal. No matter how big the meal is, the individual share differs dramatically for diners different in number. We are keenly aware that China will remain the world's largest developing country for a long time and that to improve life for its 1.3 billion people calls for strenuous efforts. Two things will enable China to focus on development: a harmonious and stable domestic environment and a peaceful and stable international environment.

History is the best teacher. It faithfully records the journey that every country has gone through and offers guidance for its future development. In the 100 years from the Opium War in 1840 to the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, China was ravaged by wars, turmoil and foreign aggression. To the average Chinese, it was a period of ordeal too bitter to recall. The war of aggression against China waged by Japanese militarism alone inflicted over 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties. These atrocities remain fresh in our memory. We Chinese have long held the belief expressed in the maxim "Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you." China needs peace as much as human beings need air and plants need sunshine. Only by pursuing peaceful development and working together with all other countries to uphold world peace can China realize its goal and make greater contributions to the world as a whole.

Dr Sun Yat-sen, the pioneer of China's democratic revolution, had this to say: "The trend of the world is surging forward. Those who follow the trend will prosper, whilst those who go against it will perish." History shows that a country, for its prosperity, must recognize and follow the underlying trend of the changing world. Otherwise, it will be abandoned by history. What is the trend of today's world? The answer is unequivocal. It is the trend of peace, development, cooperation and mutually beneficial progress. China does not subscribe to the outdated logic that a country will invariably seek hegemony when it grows strong. Are colonialism and hegemonism viable today? Absolutely not. They can inevitably lead to a dead end, and those who stick to this beaten track will only hit a stone wall. Peaceful development is the only alternative. That is why China is committed to peaceful development.

Facts speak louder than words. Over the past few decades China has consistently followed an independent foreign policy of peace and made it crystal clear that China's foreign policy is aimed at maintaining world peace and promoting common development. China has stated on numerous occasions that it opposes hegemonism and power politics in all forms, does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and will never seek hegemony or expansion. This is our guiding principle for China's political system, and for each step we take. Moreover, China will firmly uphold its sovereignty, security and development interests. No country should expect China to swallow any bitter fruit that undermines its sovereignty, security or development interests.

In short, China's pursuit of peaceful development is not an act of expediency, still less diplomatic rhetoric. Rather, it is the conclusion drawn from an objective assessment of China's history, its present and future. It showcases confidence in thinking and readiness for practice. As peaceful development benefits both China and the world as a whole, we cannot think of any reason why we should not pursue this approach that has proven so effective.