UN General Assembly
2004

than two decades of reform and opening up, China has now entered a new stage of development aimed at building a moderately prosperous society all-round. However, China is still a developing country, and a large population and inadequate economic development remain its basic national conditions. It has a long way to go before achieving its development goals. The Chinese Government will always place development at the top of its agenda. The fact that China — a large, developing country with 1.3 billion people — runs its own affairs well is in itself a major contribution to peace and to the development of humanity. 11 China desires peace, development and cooperation, and strives to win peace and development through cooperation. It is working to promote democracy in international relations, diversity in its modes of development and richness in the world’s civilizations. It advocates a new security concept and facilitates the establishment of a fair and equitable new international order. China will pursue with determination an independent foreign policy of peace, adhere to the five principles for Peaceful Coexistence, and engage in