While peace and development remains the current theme, large-scale wars are unlikely to break out, which makes it possible for China to strive for a long-term peaceful international environment and favorable regional environment. Development is the key. It is not only the basis for China to solve various domestic challenges, but also a solid foundation for it to strengthen capabilities in dealing with foreign affairs. The competition among countries is based on national strength.

Road of peaceful development

China will hold firmly to the road of peaceful development. It is an inevitable choice not only based on the country's national reality, but also its cultural tradition and the development trend of the present world. Eventually, China's unswerving perseverance in taking the road of peaceful development is determined by its socialist state system and its goal aimed at a complete realization of socialist modernization. And what is the essence of peaceful development? That is to strive for a peaceful international environment for China's development, and in turn to further promote world peace through its own development. Peaceful development is China's longstanding state policy concerning both domestic affairs and diplomatic strategy.

Internally, China will fundamentally rely on itself to solve various problems in development. China will make unremitting efforts to expand domestic demand so as to stimulate economic growth and meet the ever-increasing material and cultural needs of the people. As the most populous nation in the world, China's vast land, abundant natural resources and huge market potential have provided a solid foundation to attain further development. In the meantime, it is also facing temporary difficulties and bottlenecks due to limited resources and energy at home, and other environmental problems. Past experience, however, has proved that China has successfully embarked on a road of peaceful development compatible with its real conditions for a sustainable development. On this road, China will continuously adopt the outlook on scientific development to construct a resource-saving and environment-friendly society. Meanwhile, China will deepen its reform and be open wider to the outside world to gradually remove those institutional obstacles and barriers to maintain a strong momentum in development toward modernization. China's development will make new contributions to the common prosperity of the region and the world.

Internationally, China has consistently followed an independent foreign policy of peace and will always adhere to the principle of peace, development and cooperation on the world stage. The fundamental goal of an independent foreign policy is to safeguard China's national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Sticking to this policy, the country will determine its stand and policy in the light of the merits and demerits of the matter when judging international affairs. It will not use ideology and/or social system as criteria to define friends or foes and will never force others to follow its value or enter into an alliance with any country or country bloc. China will not interfere in the internal affairs of any other country and won't allow others to interfere in our own affairs. Finally, China doesn't seek hegemony and is in opposition to any hegemonism or power politics.

China will follow through its independent foreign policy of peace as a major diplomatic strategy, and develop friendly relations with other countries in strict line with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Despite the differences in size and economic capacity or national strength, China will treat them equally. The Chinese people are dedicated to moving the world political and economic order toward fairness and impartiality under which equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit are advocated for common development and utmost harmonious world establishment. To achieve this goal, China has adopted a win-win trading policy and pursued a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and resists any armament race or military expansion.