By He Yin, People’s Daily

Following a path of peaceful development is a distinctive feature and essential choice of Chinese modernization.

Breaking away from the traditional pattern in which rising powers have always sought to dominate, China is benefiting both itself and the whole world through its development.

China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, it will strive to safeguard world peace and development as it pursues its own development, and it will make greater contributions to world peace and development through its own development.

Chinese civilization, with a history of over 5,000 years, 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 Chinese people.

From the middle of the 19th century, China had long been troubled by foreign aggression and frequent warfare, which brought deep sufferings to Chinese people. Having experienced bitter sufferings in the past, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese people know the value of peace and development, and see it as their sacred duty to promote the peaceful development of the world.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that China remains firmly committed to peaceful development. No matter how the international landscape may evolve and how strong it may become, China will never pursue hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence.

Besides, China is the only country in the world that has pledged to “keep to a path of peaceful development” in its Constitution., which also indicates the country’s firm determination to follow a path of peaceful development.

China does not subscribe to the outdated logic that “a strong country is bound to seek hegemony.” Some countries, while pursuing modernization, invaded, colonized and plundered others, bringing miseries to the people in developing countries. There are still a few Western countries seeking hegemony and power politics even today, severely threatening world peace and stability.

Chinese modernization never involves military expansion or colonial plunder, but champions the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, advocates win-win cooperation with the world and builds a community with a shared future for mankind.

For 70-plus years since the founding of the People’s Republic, China has never provoked a conflict, occupied one inch of foreign soil, started a proxy war, or joined any military bloc.

Keith Bennett, vice chair of the 48 Group Club, noted that China is not developing by exploiting any other country. It is developing itself and modernizing itself, and at the same time helping other countries to develop and modernize, he added.

Development always remains the top priority of China, the world’s largest developing country. Chinese modernization is independent and self-propelled, and at the same time absorbs Western experiences in modernization in China’s opening up drive. It strives for national development by integrating internal impetus and peaceful exploitation of external resources.

China adheres to the path of peaceful, open, cooperative and common development, and will offer as much assistance as it can for other developing countries. Meanwhile, the country will unswervingly safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests. China has never bullied, oppressed, or subjugated the people of any other country, and will never allow any foreign force to bully, oppress, or subjugate Chinese people.

Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation. Peace and development are faced with severe challenges. China will remain firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, and commit to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has become a global public good welcomed by many countries and an open international cooperation platform. The country’s Global Development Initiative has received support from more than 100 countries and many international organizations, including the UN. China also works to implement the Global Security Initiative and has released “The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper.”

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said a strong and friendly China will bring positive impact on the region and the world, and can help small and medium-sized countries achieve common development.

Eduardo Regalado, senior researcher at Cuba’s International Policy Research Center., noted that China’s commitment to peaceful development not only creates a sound international environment for its own modernization, but also makes important contributions to human progress.

China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order no matter how the international environment may change. It will work with people from all countries in the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind and make greater contributions to world peace and development.