In 2025, it is calculated that China will begin to dominate the world economy. With the deepening of reform and opening-up, and with more efforts made to become deeply involved in economic globalization, China is becoming more closely connected with the rest of the world. Under these circumstances, getting to know more about China and its development has become the order of the day for the rest of the world.

China, as the largest developing country in the world, and the Chinese miracle of opening up to the outside world in economy, science and technology, combined with the improvement of living standards for its people, have become an inspiration for many developing countries. It gives them hope that they can succeed, too.

China has taken part in multidirectional, multilevel and wide-ranging mutual beneficial cooperation patterns all over the world. It takes an active part in the multilateral and regional economic cooperation organizations and activities. China and the other members of the BRICS group make up 40 percent of the world's population and have over a quarter of the world's landmass.

China's political influence and impact, as well as its credibility and reputation is growing along with economic growth. China, as a founding member of the UN and permanent member of the UN Security Council also plays an important and constructive role in "preventive diplomacy" and in UN negotiations processes over hot issues and world conflicts.

China often talks about the goal of a harmonious world. Yet, in the contemporary world we live in, burdened with contradictions and conflicts, the very idea of achieving "harmony" sounds like a wonderful dream, an ancient fairy tale or some unreachable ideal. But even if it seems, today, almost as an impossible goal, if one of the leading countries in the world, with the largest population on earth, and which could simply strengthen its position with power politics, takes such a pacifist approach, this changes things.

China cherishes the ancient striving of its ancestors for a harmonious planet and believes in harmonizing millions of people. This certainly cannot be left unnoticed. It makes us think seriously about the civilizational values of the contemporary world and whether international relations be improved by implementing such a simple yet, very ambitious principle as harmony.

China strongly believes in the UN Charter and the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.

China has also become the world's third country, after the US and the Russian Federation, to master the technologies required for space walks. At this stage of its development China is a peaceful giant. But when it becomes a dominant factor in the world at large, will this continue?

At that point the traditional values of Chinese society and its ancient philosophy will be challenged and put to the ultimate test. In the history of civilization, other countries were unable to resist tendencies towards world supremacy, once they became dominant. Will the largest developing country resist the "supremacy syndrome" which so many countries before it at that point of development were unable to resist  and  devotedly  maintain its concept of a harmonious planet?

The author is a counselor with the department of Asian, Australian and Pacific affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn