From Chinese Press

China to further contribute to the world

(People's Daily Online)
Updated: 2010-05-19 09:23

Whether China has shouldered its responsibility is not supposed to be judged by a few persons or countries. In fact, China has long spared no efforts to shoulder international responsibility and make contributions to the world's development.

"China's responsibility to the world" has recently become a hot topic in the world. Some politicians and media groups in developed countries have asked China to make greater contributions in solving global problems such as climatic change and the rebalance of the world economy, as did those in certain developing countries. This reflects China's growing strength and the world's rising expectations of China, but it also gives people a misleading impression that China has not shouldered or is unwilling to shoulder international responsibility.

In fact, China has long spared no efforts to shoulder international responsibility and make contributions to the world's development. The country's constitution also states that education in internationalism should always be strengthened. As early as 1956, Mao Zedong said, "China should make greater contributions to the good of all mankind." China has shouldered increasingly more responsibility in global affairs since its founding in 1949.

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For decades, China has selflessly sent considerable overseas assistance even when the country itself was not rich. China has altogether dispatched more than 10,000 people to join UN peacekeeping forces, the most among the five permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States). China is the world's only nuclear country that has publicly declared its commitment to no-first-use of nuclear weapons. China also promised not to devalue the RMB during the Asian financial crisis in 1997, playing a decisive role in helping other Asian countries survive the crisis.

Moreover, China has also played an important role in pulling the whole world out of the severe global financial crisis in 2008. Haiti has no diplomatic relations with China, but China sent rescue and medical teams immediately after a powerful earthquake hit Haiti. There are still lots of similar examples which show that China has undoubtedly made significant contributions to world peace and development.

Whether China has shouldered its responsibility is not supposed to be judged by a few persons or countries. China strongly objected to the wars in Kosovo and Iraq, and advocated peaceful solutions through dialogues. As it turned out, war is always a constant source of further troubles. Most countries have realized and recognized China's constructive role after the UN Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen. China adopts stances on all international issues based on the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and the people all over the world, as well as the rights or wrongs of the matter itself. This is how China truly shoulders its responsibility to the world.

China should and could make greater contributions to the world. No country can cope with the emerging global issues alone. The international coordination and cooperation have become the trend of the times. Just as what Peter Mandelson, the former EU Trade Commissioner, had said, the world is entering a necessary "internationalist era." In order to seek development, China and even the entire world should advocate an open mind and policy orientation of keeping the balance between countries' interests and assuming greater international responsibility.

With further development, China will make more contributions to solve development problems and promote the common development of the world. It will actively participate in global public affairs including international humanitarian assistance, international peacekeeping operations and coping with natural disasters and climate change. Furthermore, China will promote and provide more volunteers to bring their smiles and services to the other parts of the world, and provide both abundant material products and spiritual wealth to mankind. The more China develops, the more it will contribute to the world.

In the future, China will certainly assume more international responsibility, which is not only the expectation of the international community but also in accordance with China's interests. This is China's deep understanding of the world's development trend and also is a solemn commitment China has made to the world.