CHINA NOT INTERESTED IN HEGEMONY

Chinese premier rejects allegation of China, U.S.
monopolizing world affairs in future

PRAGUE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on
Wednesday dismissed as groundless the view that China and
the United States -- or the so-called Group of Two (G2) --
will monopolize world affairs in the future.

"Some say that world affairs will be managed solely by
China and the United States. I think that view is baseless
and wrong," Wen told reporters at the end of a China-EU
summit.

"It is impossible for a couple of countries or a group of
big powers to resolve all global issues. Multipolarization
and multilateralism represent the larger trend and the will
of people."

China is committed to an independent foreign policy of
peace and pursues a win-win strategy of opening up, said
Wen. "It stands ready to develop friendly relations and
cooperation with all countries and it will never seek
hegemony."

Wen said China remains a developing country despite
remarkable achievements and that its modernization will
take a long time and the efforts of several generations.

On China-EU relations, Wen said the relationship was, is
and will be based on mutual respect and equality.

"In conducting strategic cooperation between China and the
European Union, the most important thing is to stick to the
principles of mutual respect and non-interference in each
other's internal affairs, accommodating each other's major
concerns, properly handling the sensitive issues and
working to ensure that our bilateral relationship will not
be adversely affected by individual incidents," he said.

"The China-EU relationship is a strategic and comprehensive
one that is advanced with the changing times. These are the
most important features of this bilateral relationship. It
is important to remain committed to this basic
characterization of the relationship when international
political and economic situation continues to undergo
profound changes," he said.

Wen said China wants to be a good friend and partner of
Europe. China has full confidence in its own future, in the
development of the EU and in future relations between China
and the EU, he said.

"The Chinese believe that word must be honored, an action
must produce results, a person without credibility cannot
establish himself and credibility is essential to the
exchanges between countries," said Wen.

"In my view, this should also be the principle that needs
to be observed in developing China-EU relations," he added.