China unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. The fundamental goals of this policy are to preserve China's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, create a favorable international environment for its reform and opening up and modernization construction, maintain world peace and propel common development. The main content of this policy includes:

1. China has all along adhered to the principle of independence.

2. China opposes hegemonism and preserves world peace.

3. China actively facilitates the establishment of a new international political and economic order that is fair and rational.

4. China is ready to establish and develop friendly relations of cooperation with all the countries on the basis of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

5. China pursues a policy of all-dimensional opening up to the outside. It is ready to develop, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, extensive trade relations, economic and technological cooperation and scientific and cultural exchanges with countries and regions of the world so as to promote common prosperity.

6. China takes an active part in multilateral diplomatic activities and is a staunch force in preserving world peace and facilitating common development.

As a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations (UN), China actively participates in the political solution of the problems of regional hot spots. China's peacekeepers have joined UN peacekeeping operations. China supports the reform of the UN and a continued important role of the UN and other multilateral organs in international affairs. China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and has made important contributions to international anti-terrorist cooperation.

China devotes itself actively to pushing forward the cause of international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. To date, China has joined all the treaties related to international arms control and non-proliferation. With regard to non-proliferation, China has all along scrupulously abided by its international obligations and, thanks to its active efforts in enacting laws on non-proliferation, set up a relatively perfect export control system for non-proliferation.

The Chinese Government has attached importance to human rights and made unremitting efforts in this regard. China has joined 18 human rights conventions, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

China remains ready, together with the international community, to enhance cooperation to address the global problems facing mankind including worsening environment, resources scarcity, unemployment, fast population growth, narcotics spreading, AIDS and rampant transnational crimes.

By the end of 2002, China had established diplomatic relations with 165 countries, of which ties with the East Timor and Nauru were established respectively on May 20 and July 21, 2002.