China is committed to path of peaceful development

The following are State Councilor Dai Bingguo's remarks on the White Paper on China's Peaceful Development at a symposium in Beijing on Thursday:

The White Paper titled "China's Peaceful Development" has been released on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century. I believe this is highly significant for China and the world. Today, China's future and destiny is more than ever closely linked with that of the world. The Chinese government, in releasing this White Paper, once again solemnly declares to the whole country and the world that peaceful development is a strategic choice China has made. It is a way that will lead China to modernization and prosperity. It is the only path through which China can contribute to enduring peace and common prosperity of the world. China will be firm, persistent and unwavering in following this path. In a sense, this White Paper is both a paper of declaration and a guideline of action for China's peaceful development.

Let me use this opportunity to share with you some of my observations on China's peaceful development:

First, China's peaceful development is not water without source, or tree without root. Rather, it is based on China's long and profound historical and cultural tradition. Even someone remotely familiar with China's history would know that behind today's China is a history of over 5,000 years. The Chinese civilization is known to the world for being enduring, inclusive and open. The concept of valuing harmony and peace is deeply embedded in the minds of every generation of Chinese. It has become an important value and philosophy underpinning the conduct of personal relationships, the relationship between man and nature and between nations. The Chinese people, after suffering tremendously from foreign aggression and colonialism in modern times, and having eventually regained independence and liberation, would by no means bring the same suffering to people of other countries.