International ties

China's peaceful, confident role

(peopledaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-03-16 14:45

It is reasonably difficult for some people to accept the fact that a county that had remained impoverished and backwards for so long could become the world's second largest economy within such a short period and confidently enter the center of the world arena.

In the eyes of some people, competition mostly means the law of the jungle and severe collisions in terms of strategy. Some powers have even concluded based on their own experience that China will inevitably seek hegemony after it becomes a great power. Some countries still observe the world using the cold-war mentality and habitually set opponents.

But competition will not necessarily lead to confrontations in today's world. The key lies in whether the countries can have an open and tolerant attitude to the competition, allowing each country to unleash their individual advantages through competition. Cooperation is not equal to collective actions, and the key lies in whether a country can put itself into other countries' shoes and respect their different situations and policy choices.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chinese leaders have reiterated that China will never seek hegemony, and the core of China's foreign policy will always be adherence to the road of peaceful development.

China has not abandoned its basic principles in handling international affairs although it is more confident today. While fully safeguarding its national dignity and core interests, China is also making its best efforts to keep friendly relations with neighboring countries, to cooperate with strategic partners, to properly resolve territorial disputes through dialogue and negotiations, and to promote regional and world peace and stability.

China's principle in participating in global governance is active integration instead of creating a separate framework, equal treatment for one another instead of bullying the weak, and win-win cooperation instead of making gains at others' expense.

With the entire world as its witness, China is walking confidently and steadily to the center of the international stage.