President Xi Jinping reiterated China's adherence to the path of peaceful development and its vow to never seek hegemony on Saturday, adding it will assume more international responsibilities and participate more in international affairs and system reforms.

Xi made the remarks in Beijing, when he met the foreign participants of a meeting of the 21st Century Council, a top global think tank.

He said China is a constructive agent in promoting world peace and development, and will continue to learn from advanced development concepts and other countries' experiences to harmoniously develop with other nations.

"Understanding China" was the theme of the conference, which lasted from Friday to Sunday. It is intended to discover how China will develop in the coming decade and discuss its development road and global governance role.

Xi said the meeting enhanced mutual understanding between China and the world. The nation has made remarkable achievements in development but remains the largest developing country.

He noted China's development has a long way to go. Solving development problems and improving people's livelihoods remain the country's top priorities.

China's economic growth is steadily improving. In the first half of this year, China's GDP increased 7.6 percent compared with the same periods last year. An in the third quarter this year, the growth was 7.8 percent compared with last year.

Xi said China is experiencing the transformation of its development mode and economic structural adjustment. He is confident there are sufficient factors to support China's sustainable and healthy economic development.

Premier Li Keqiang attended the opening ceremony of the conference on Friday afternoon.

Li said China will expand its opening up, deepen comprehensive reform and create a peaceful and stable international environment. He expects the 21st Century Council to play a bigger role in strengthening cooperation between China and the world.

More than 40 council members gathered in Beijing, including former heads of state, top intellectuals and business leaders. The council arranges two-day discussions on China's policies, economy, diplomacy and defense.

The council said in a media release: "With its growing overall strength, China is playing an increasingly important role in restructuring the international political and economic order. Better understanding between China and the rest of the world is not a choice but a necessity."

State Councilor Yang Jiechi addressed China's diplomacy at Saturday morning's conference meeting.

"China's diplomacy is at a new historical starting point, and China will firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and strive for new progress in win-win cooperation with other countries," Yang said.

He noted reform is gaining global momentum as international cooperation is deepening.

The global system is at a critical evolutionary point, while China stands at the juncture of national renewal, he said. The country is linked to the world system.

Yang said: "Development and changes at home and abroad have put forward new and higher requirements for China's diplomacy, which now stands at a new historical starting point. Over the past year, President Xi and other Chinese leaders have made a good beginning on the diplomatic front through a series of successful major diplomatic initiatives."

China will actively converge its interests with others'; respect all countries' independent social-system and development-path choices; engage a more active opening-up strategy in economic cooperation; and promote regional and global security cooperation, featuring equality, transparency, openness and inclusiveness, he said.

Yang said the nation hopes to work with the United States to enrich the new major-country relationship model, which stresses non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Meanwhile, the country will upgrade its strategic coordination with Russia, tap cooperation potential with the European Union and enhance cooperation with other emerging economies and regional powers, he said.

Yang said China's neighboring countries have always been a priority on its diplomatic agenda.

"Developing countries are the foundation of the conduct of our diplomacy," he said.

Yang said China will place justice above all else in its cooperation with developing countries to help them grow faster.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

zhaoyanrong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/03/2013 page1)