President Hu Jintao has
called on Chinese diplomats to better serve the country's goal to
comprehensively build a more affluent society. Also general
secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China,
Hu made the remarks at a five-day meeting on diplomatic work that
ended in Beijing on Sunday.
Other top leaders including Wu Bangguo,
Wen
Jiabao, Jia Qinglin,
Zeng
Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng,
Li
Changchun and Luo Gan also
attended the meeting along with representatives of Chinese
diplomatic envoys.
Hu reviewed China's work in international relations since last
the envoys' meeting in 1998, and analyzed the current international
situation. He said that the country would continue to implement and
develop the guiding principles formulated during its reform and
opening of the past two decades.
Peace and development remain the themes of the times, said
Hu.
Multi-polarization and economic globalization have been
advancing despite some twists and turns along the path, while
science and technology have been developing at an amazing speed.
This has brought change and some new features to the global
situation and international relations that deserve close attention,
according to Hu.
He stressed the fundamental interests of the country and people,
saying, "We must always give top priority to safeguarding
the national sovereignty and security."
China will pursue its independent foreign policy of peace and
continue to handle state-to-state relations in line with the Five
Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. It will seek the common
interests of all parties and cooperate with all countries on the
basis of equality and mutual benefit.
The country will continue to safeguard world peace and to
promote common development and democracy in international
relations. At the same time, it will support various methods of
development, protect cultural diversity, implement new security
concepts, and help to establish a just and rational new
international political and economic order.
To this end, China will promote the steady growth of relations
with major countries. It will build friendships and partnerships
with neighbors in the pursuit of security and prosperity, both on a
bilateral basis and in the context of regional cooperation.
The nation will strengthen unity and cooperation with developing
countries and support their just and rational appeals in
international affairs. China can play a constructive role in such
fields as politics, economy, society, disarmament and arms control,
safeguarding the principles of the United Nations Charter and the
recognized norms of international relations. The country will
support every consensus that represents the law of human
development and conforms to the common interests of all
countries.
Hu also called for efforts to strengthen diplomatic work in the
economic and cultural fields, to protect China's rights and
interests overseas, and to build a contingent of diplomatic
professionals.
Premier Wen Jiabao also spoke at the meeting, stressing that
diplomacy should serve the country's major strategies for economic
development. Efforts to strengthen cooperation and exchanges should
be redoubled
(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2004)