BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhuanet) -- President Xi Jinping is Germany on the third stop of his European tour. He’s the first Chinese head to visit the country in eight years. In a speech in Berlin, the president hailed the fruitful achievements brought by improved China-Germany relations. He also called for deepening mutual understanding, half of his speech explained China’s commitment to peaceful development.
"China made a solemn declaration to the world long ago, that it is committed to pursuing peaceful development," he said.
A declaration made once again by the Chinese president, in a city that had been conquered and divided, and is now a symbol of reconciliation. Xi Jinping’s message was that the world’s second largest economy is no threat to world peace.
"They portray China as some kind of monster that will someday suck the soul out of the world. This portrayal could not be more ridiculous, yet regrettably, some people never get tired of repeating it. It shows that prejudice is indeed hard to overcome," he said.
China has mapped out its route to development for the next ten years. In a key policy meeting last November, the leadership reaffirmed that developing the domestic economy and promoting public welfare requires a peaceful international environment.
Xi Jinping says China is a peace-loving nation, and its pursuit of peace is rooted in its national character formed through generations.
"China was for a long time one of the most powerful countries in the world, yet it never engaged in colonialism or aggression," he said.
It’s the national character of a country ravaged by war, turmoil and foreign aggression for over a century.
"To the ordinary Chinese, it was a period of ordeal. Japan’s war of aggression against China caused more than 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties. These atrocities are still fresh in our memories," he said.
A journalist asked how China would promote peaceful development with a defense budget that rises every year. The president said it’s to ensure peace at home.
"We will not repeat the historical tragedy China suffered after the Opium War, when Western powers forced China into slavery and colonialism. We need necessary development in national defense to serve the purpose of self-defense," he said.
Regarding territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Xi says China will not provoke trouble, but it does not fear trouble provoked by others. He made it clear that China stands firm on safeguarding national interests when it comes to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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