BERLIN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrick Genscher said China's economic growth is not a threat but an opportunity, and that peaceful rise of China as an economic and political power is possible, local reports said Wednesday.

    "The Chinese leaders do not consist of adventurers but of very responsible people," said Genscher in an interview with the German weekly, Focus, in the wake of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's brief visit to China on Sunday.

    China has in the past not been an aggressive nation and will not be one today, he said.

    "The Chinese investment in defense is moderate in terms of per capita compared with other countries," said Genscher, who has visited China many times between 1974 and 1992.

    "The 21st century will be the global era of multi-polarization. Not only the U.S. and China but also EU, ASEAN, and other global entities from many nations will have a greater voice, creating a new democratic order," he said.

    "China's economic growth is not a threat but an opportunity for the West to invest more in science and research," he said.

    "More can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation than through confrontation," he added. Enditem