BEIJING - Hu Jintao said Thursday that China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace.

"China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit and strive to uphold world peace and promote common development," Hu said in a keynote report at the opening of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

China calls for promoting equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutually beneficial cooperation in international relations and making joint efforts to uphold international fairness and justice, he said.