On April 3, 2006, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, who was paying a state visit to Australia, delivered a speech in Canberra, stressing that China will follow the road to peaceful development and devote itself to promoting world peace and prosperity.
In the welcome banquet hosted by Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, Premier Wen delivered an important speech titled Follow the Road to Peaceful Development and Promote World Peace and Prosperity.
Having introduced the remarkable achievements made by China since reform and opening up, Wen said that with the enhancement of China's overall national strength, the international community is generally concerned of what development path China will follow, what responsibilities China will undertake, and whether China can become a stabilizing force for world peace and prosperity.
Wen responded that China is following a road to peaceful development. China will unswervingly follow the road to peaceful development, which is determined by China's history, culture, tradition, self-development needs and current international development trend. Following the road to peaceful development is a serious choice and solemn commitment of the Chinese government and people rather than a temporary move.
Wen pointed out that China is playing its role with its real actions in the following ten areas:
I. China gives top priority to developing social productivity and improving people's material and cultural life and is dedicated to promoting the progress of mankind.
II. China is following a road of scientific development based upon the summary of its practical experiences.
III. China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and will determine its position according to the rights and wrongs of a matter.
IV. China resolutely safeguards world peace and is a participant, vindicator and builder of international systems.
V. China adheres to building a good-neighborly relationship and partnership with the neighboring countries and aims at becoming a good neighbor and partner of neighboring countries.
VI. China calls for peaceful resolution of disputes and aims at playing constructive roles in dealing with hotspot issues.
VII. China actively participates in international cooperation on anti-terrorism and anti-proliferation and strives to safeguard global security and strategic stability.
VIII. China sincerely fulfills its WTO commitments and is devoted to building a fair and free international trade system.
IX. China sincerely implemented Millennium Development Goals and offered sincere and generous assistance to developing nations.
X. China pursues a defensive national defense policy and strives to promote the cause of international disarmament and arms control
Wen noted that China sincerely wishes to make greater contributions to world peace and prosperity. To this end, China has to speed up development first. Only through development, can China solve its own problems. Only through development, can China undertake greater responsibilities. Although China has made tremendous progress, China is still a developing country confronted with tough development tasks. There is still a long way to go to realize modernization. It requires the unremitting efforts of several and even dozens of generations.
Wen stressed that peaceful development is a common cause of mankind and building a harmonious world is a common aspiration of people in all countries. It requires the joint efforts of the international community to achieve the harmony among people, the harmony between mankind and nature, and the peaceful co-existence between nations. We would like to join hands with the international community including Australia to build a harmonious world featuring lasing peace and common prosperity.
With regard to China-Australia relations, Wen added that there is no fundamental conflict between China and Australia. On the contrary, our two countries enjoy wide-ranging common interests. It is in the fundamental interest of both countries and peoples to build up a long-term, stable, friendly and cooperative relationship. China views China-Australia relationship from a strategic perspective and is willing to become a good friend and partner of Australia.
Prime Minister Howard and Kim Beazley, Leader of the Australian Labor Party, also addressed the banquet, highly commenting upon the positive and constructive roles China played in international affairs. They pointed out that China's development benefits the whole world and Australia is willing to strengthen the friendly and cooperative ties with China.
There were over 500 representatives attending the banquet, including Paul Calvert, President of the Senate, David Hawker, Speaker of the House of Representatives, other members of the Cabinet, representatives from all circles and diplomatic envoys stationed in Australia.