China won't seek hegemony, FM tells UN

English>>Foreign Affairs

Editor's Pick

China won't seek hegemony, FM tells UN

By ZHANG YUWEI (China Daily) 08:36, September 29, 2013

Email|Print|Comments

twitter

facebook

Sina Microblog

Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the General Debate during the 68th UN General Assembly in New York on Friday. [Paulo Filgueiras / UN Photo]

In his first speech at the United Nations' annual debate on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized China's development strategies and foreign policies on pressing international issues, including Syria and Iran.

Wang elaborated on China's development plan, which will "stay firmly on the path of peaceful development".

"As China has enjoyed fast development over the years, some people are concerned that China may repeat the beaten track that a country will inevitably become arrogant and seek hegemony when it grows in strength and becomes powerful. And various versions of the ‘China threat' have surfaced," Wang said.

He made the remarks at the first session of the annual General Assembly he had attended since he assumed his post in March.

"However, what happened in the past cannot be applied indiscriminately to today's China," he added.

Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, said: "Wang explained China's view of the modern world and its role in it — that US hegemony is over and that we have moved toward a multipolar world."

Wang said the world's second-largest economy will remain committed to "reform, opening up and sustainable development".

He explained China is "deepening economic structural adjustment and accelerating the shift of the growth model".

He said: "In pursuit of progress (made) while maintaining stability, the Chinese government has taken a macro-economic policy that addresses both immediate and long-term needs, and adopted a series of innovative policy measures with a view to ensuring steady growth, adjusting economic structure and promoting reform."

Berkeley College lecturer Ryan Allen said Wang's speech illustrated an important message on the leadership's vision.

"As China becomes more involved in the development of other nations through aid or other types of investment, there will be a greater sense of fear of the unknown," Allen said.

"Wang Yi's message was clear: China is not like past imperial powers."