Your Excellency Ambassador Yuchengco,

Hon. President Luistro,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It's my great pleasure and honor to attend the Conference on China's Peaceful Emergence in East Asia jointly organized by Yuchengco Center and De La Salle University, and to deliver my welcome remarks. May I now take this opportunity to extend my warm congratulations on the opening of this conference and also warm welcome to all our distinguished guests present.

China's peaceful emergence is a topic frequently discussed by world politicians and scholars in recent years. Many have expressed their views in numerous articles or at symposiums. Chinese leaders have also elaborated my government's position on the same subject on many occasions. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Philippine diplomatic relations, and Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to pay a state visit to this country. Therefore, I believe it is significant, timely and helpful for the Center and the University to hold this symposium on the topic which is of great interest to all of us.

As the largest developing nation in the world, China has over the past two decades enjoyed fast and continuous economic growth and played an increasingly important role in East Asia and Asia Pacific region. Many scholars use the term peaceful rise or peaceful emergence to define this phenomenon. I personally would prefer the term peaceful development, for it can describe more accurately the present situation in China and its development strategy.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China's development differs fundamentally from the rise of other major powers in history because China has chosen a road of peaceful development. Let me share with our friends some of my views :

First, the Chinese nation has always treasured the ancient philosophy of "peace is more precious than anything else", and "seek harmony while keep your differences". And it is our solemn commitment not to seek hegemony. As we suffered bitterly from foreign invasions and oppression in the past, we shall " never impose onto others what ourselves do not desire".

Secondly, to develop the national economy of a large country like China, we naturally cannot rely entirely on foreign countries. We have to strive for sustainable economic development by mainly relying on our huge domestic market, rich human resources, mechanism innovation and technological revolution.

Thirdly, China is a big country with a large population, relatively low productivity, and disparity of economic growth in different places. China is facing increasingly serious problems of growing population, limited resources, and imbalance between environmental protection and eco-social development. To catch up with developed countries, China will have to make hard efforts for many generations to come and thus need a long term, peaceful and stable external environment for that purpose.

Fourthly, China's development is inseparable from the rest of the world. China and the world came ever closer to each other when China entered WTO and ranked the world's third largest trading nation with a total foreign trade volume of over $1.1 trillion last year. China will remain open to the outside world and seek win-win results by further deepening economic and technological cooperation with other countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Facts have proven that China's peaceful development is conducive to peace and development of our region. China has and will continue to exert positive impact on the regional development.

---China's peaceful development is creating more important opportunities for East Asia. In the first half of 1990s, China's contribution to East Asia economic growth was only 10%, and now its contribution rose to 44%. China has become the largest export market for the rest of East Asia, importing $297 billion from the region in 2004. China's direct investment in East Asia countries and regions is also growing by 20% annually.

---China's peaceful development has promoted peace and stability of East Asia. Chinese government participated actively in solving contentious issues in neighboring area. We have hosted three rounds of six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, thus contributing to peace and stability on the Korea peninsular. Last year, Chinese and Filipino companies signed Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking on Certain Areas in the South China Sea, exploring new ways to jointly develop the disputed areas, which again is conducive to the stability of the region.

---China's peaceful development is also giving a new momentum to the regional cooperation. My country has been participating actively in various mechanisms of regional cooperation, enthusiastically promoting East Asia economic integration, initiating more security dialogues with our neighbors, and strengthening coordination with other countries in the process of developing regional cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen:

The bilateral relations between China and Philippines have been developing smoothly and actively, and now we are entering a stage of comprehensive development. Over the past 30 years of our diplomatic relations, China has been seeking peaceful development and mutually-beneficial cooperation by pursuing the independent foreign policy of peace and common development. China shall continue to pursue the policy of maintaining amicable relations with our neighboring countries, to promote the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, and to enhance the goodwill exchanges and cooperation with other East Asian countries, so as to seek together a common and peaceful development.

Many of you present here today are renowned statesmen and learned scholars. I hope and believe that your discussions and valuable insights on this subject will help many better understand the peaceful development of China, and contribute more to promoting the relations between China and the rest of East Asia as well as to a better future for Asia's prosperity and stability.

Finally, I wish the conference a complete success.

Thank you all!