While developing productive forces and immensely increasing material wealth, China must gradually secure fairness and social justice, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in an article released on Monday.

He called them "two interrelated and mutually beneficial tasks" that will run through various stages of socialism over a long period.

In the article, which focuses on historical tasks in the primary stage of socialism and China's foreign policy, Wen explained how without sustained rapid growth of productive forces, it's impossible to finally secure fairness and social justice that lies within the essence of socialism. This essence is to "emancipate and develop productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and eventually realize common prosperity", Wen quoted the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as saying.

Wen believes that "China is and will remain to be in the primary stage of socialism for a long time," and will continue to be a developing country as it works towards maturity. He explained that China's socialist market economic system, as well as the democratic and legal system, are imperfect and there still exist social injustice and corruption.

Wen said that China must encourage reform and innovation in its drive to become more open and modernized. In order to do so, the country must "boldly" absorb and borrow from all world civilizations advanced management methods that reflect a modern society.

He emphasized that China is determined to pursue peace, with the country's economy developing mainly on its own strengths, including its large population, vast land, rich resources, and huge market potential. Years of hard work have paved a road toward sustainable development, as the country moves toward becoming an energy-saving and environment-friendly society, Wen added.

China will hold high the banner of peace, development, and cooperation and observe an independent foreign policy of peace, Wen said.

Peaceful development has never been about expediency, but is a consistent and long-term foreign policy and strategy of China, he explained. The essence of the peaceful development road is to strive for a peaceful international environment for China's development and meanwhile boost world peace through China's development.

Wen feels that in order to win respect from the international community, China must rely not only on improved economic, scientific, and technological strengths and better living conditions of the people, but also the national character, the country's democracy and legal system, and the country's cultural and ideological advances and moral strength.

While economic development has been China's central task for years, the country never wavered in its dedication to enhancing its political and cultural system and building a harmonious society to establish the image of a responsible nation, Wen said. He stressed that China is also a nation that respects cultural diversity, and various cultures should learn from each other to enrich human civilization.

Wen said that China will develop democracy in its own way. The socialist system is not contradictive to democracy, and a highly developed democracy and a complete legal system are inherent requirements of the socialist system and an important benchmark of a mature socialist system.

The country has the full capacity to establish a democratic nation governed by laws within the framework of socialist system, Wen said.

He pledged to develop democracy, improve the legal system, and continue to push forward political system reform.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)