A stronger and more prosperous China serves not only the welfare of its 1.25 billion people but also peace, stability, and prosperity in the world at large. More and more Americans realize this. But there are still a small number of people who seem to entertain a Cold War nostalgia and insist on finding an enemy for the United States. They see China, a large and populous country with a rapidly growing economy and differing political system, as a convenient target. But they cannot be more wrong.
China has an ancient tradition of valuing peace and good-neighborliness.
The government pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, cherishes friendship, and desires cooperation, realizing that only in a long-term, peaceful environment can the country concentrate on and achieve economic development. Even when China becomes stronger in the future, it will continue to refrain from seeking hegemony. This commitment is enshrined in China's Constitution. As a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council, China has actively performed its solemn duties of maintaining world peace and security, despite enormous difficulties at home. It will take China many more years of hard work before it can achieve a per capita GDP comparable to that of an average developed nation.