CHINA'S PEACEFUL DEVELOPMENT

China adheres to the road of peaceful development. It will take full advantage of the good opportunity that world peace affords to develop and strengthen itself, and at the same time safeguard world peace with its development.

China's development will be mainly based on its own strength and selfreliance, the vast domestic market, rich human resources, abundant accumulation of capital as well as the systematic innovation triggered by reform.

China's development could not be achieved without the rest of the world. China adheres to its opening-up policy and develops economic and trade exchanges with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit so as to realize common prosperity.

China's development will require a very long time. Though China's GDP already ranks sixth and its total import and export trade volume ranks fourth in the world, China's per capita GDP is only a little over US$1,000, ranking behind the hundredth in the world. It requires long-term and unremitting efforts of probably several generations for China to realize its goal to rise.

China's rise will definitely bring positive impact on the peace, stability and development of Asia and the world. It will not create obstacles or threats to anybody. China unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence and advocates a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination. It does not seek hegemony now, nor will it seek hegemony even after it becomes powerful in the future.

CHINA'S POLICY OF GOOD-NEIGHBOURLINESS AND FRIENDSHIP

China's development requires a sound peripheral environment.

China persists in building a good neighbourly relationship and partnership with its neighbours. It has formulated a basic framework of developing relations with its neighbouring countries in the new century by the establishment of various types of partnership.

The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to confidence-building measures with neighbouring countries and has worked hard for their adoption. It has energetically advocated the conclusion of border treaties or agreements through talks and consultations with the parties concerned, so as to safeguard equal security for all parties, and for regional peace and stability.