'A good neighbor, a good friend'
The Chinese Government pursues an independent foreign policy of peace.
In the 21st century, while sticking to its objectives of world peace and common development, China has put forward some new thinking and propositions in diplomatic practice, enriching its independent foreign policy of peace, and dedicated to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Asia.
Committed to building good neighborly relationships and partnerships and implementing the policy of creating an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, China has played an important role in maintaining regional peace and promoting common development in Asia.
China has proved itself to be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of the surrounding countries.
In the wake of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the Chinese Government and people responded swiftly in expressing sympathy with the governments and people of the afflicted countries and providing the largest-ever foreign relief program since the founding of New China.
With respect to the Korean nuclear issue, China has acted in the overall interests and worked tirelessly in putting together first the Three-Party Talks and then Six-Party Talks, thus keeping tension in the Peninsula from escalating and contributing constructively to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
China's development has become a significant part of Asian rejuvenation.
Since 1996, China has contributed up to 44 per cent of Asian economic growth. In 2004, China's trade with the rest of Asia stood at US$665.03 billion, accounting for 57.6% of the country's total foreign trade. Making the best of China's development by expanding the cooperation with it has become the unanimous choice of other Asian countries.
China has worked hard to promote South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue, exploring new areas and new ways of mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries.
We continue to provide assistance within its capacity to developing countries. China has provided tariff breaks to the least developed countries in Asia and Africa, and cancelled the debt owed by 38 developing countries there in the amount of RMB13.778 billion (Rs 78.786 billion).
China has facilitated the launch of the China-Africa and China-Arab cooperation forums.
Ensuring stability and expansion in the relations with developed countries in the interest of greater strategic stability in the world.
China has established partnerships of various forms with the world's major countries, while striving to expand common ground with them, properly handling differences and working together to safeguard and promote world peace and prosperity.
Image: Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flank Russian President Vladimir Putin during their trilateral meeting at the G8 Summit, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, outside St Petersburg, 17 July 2006.
Photograph:ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images
Also See: The India-China War, 40 Years On