China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion

As the world's second largest economy and a top player on the international stage, will China break the traditional pattern that a major power is bound to seek hegemony and avoid the Thucydides Trap? With similar questions in mind, more than 1,700 foreign reporters from 100 countries are gathering in Beijing to cover the ongoing 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and to find out the country's direction in the next decade.

China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion. The report to the 18th CPC National Congress has again sent a clear message to the world that China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, and there is no need to worry about China's rise. Such new or key terms in the report as "mankind as a whole," increasing the common interests of the human race, a win-win opening strategy, an independent and peaceful foreign policy, "promoting the democratization of international relations," and "being a responsible major power" reflect China's great determination to promote world peace and development.

Who will feed China? Will China seek hegemony? Various "China threat" theories have mushroomed after the "sleeping lion" woke up. At the same time, more and more people are talking about China's contributions and opportunities.

Since the launch of the reform and opening-up policy, China has created an economic miracle in a peaceful manner, and maintained overall stability in the process of social transformation, which contributed greatly to the well-being of Chinese and all other people in the world. Just as British scholar Barry Buzan noted, it has been proved over the past 30 years that China's peaceful rise is not only achievable, but also opens a new path for the rise of great powers.

British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote in the 1930s that the modern world badly needed traditional Chinese ethic principles, and amiability came first among such principles. The world would be full of happiness and auspiciousness if it adopted such ethics. From carrying forward the traditional principle of "cherishing peace" to proposing the diplomatic strategy of building a harmonious world, China has not only become a major engine for global economic growth, but also introduced to the world the concept of "harmony without sameness."

Peaceful devilment does not mean development without principles, and must not sacrifice China's core interests. China will continue to safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and interests, and never succumb to any outside pressure. The country does not make trouble, and is not afraid of any trouble. It will hit back hard at any outside provocation in order to maintain international fairness and justice and promote world peace and development.

At a time when the world remains unstable, China has injected positive energy and confidence into the noisy and impetuous world with a solemn commitment to peaceful development.