UNITED NATIONS - "The world is undergoing major and profound changes," and "countries have never been so interconnected and interdependent as they are today," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said here Thursday.

China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi addresses the 67th United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, September 27, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The Chinese foreign minister made the statement as he was taking the floor at the general debate of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, which entered its third day here Thursday.

"The trend towards multi-polarity, economic globalization and the application of information technology are gaining momentum," Yang said.

"Countries have never been so interconnected and interdependent as they are today; emerging markets and developing countries have never had such strong influence, and cross-civilization dialogue and exchanges are flourishing as never before."

"To promote peace, development and cooperation has become the shared aspiration of people across the world and the common pursuit of the international community," he said. "On the other hand, the world is still far from being peaceful. The underlying impact of the international financial crisis and the European debt crisis remains strong."

"Destabilizing factors and uncertainties affecting global growth have increased," he said. "Regional turbulence persists, hotspot issues keep emerging and traditional and non-traditional security issues are entwined. The international security environment is highly complex."

"Facing both unprecedented opportunities and challenges, we must not allow the outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum game theory to stand in our way," he said. "We should act like passengers who stick together in a boat when crossing a torrential river and seek win-win progress through cooperation. This is the only option for countries around the world."

"To ensure one's own security, a country should respect and accommodate the security of other countries," he said. "To realize one's own development, a country should actively promote common development; and in pursuing one's own interests, a country should take into account the interests of other countries."

"Only by promoting common security and development for all of its members can the international community effectively address complex and multiple security threats and global challenges, resolve increasingly serious difficulties facing development and ensure durable peace and sustainable development of the world," the Chinese foreign minister said.