Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during the general debate of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 27, 2013. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)  UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 27 (Xinhua)

 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday elaborated on China's development concept and foreign policy in a speech at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

China will stay firmly on the path of peaceful development, said Wang, noting that "China pursues peaceful development and calls on all other countries to embark on the same path."

"We are committed to working with others to establish a new type of international relations based on win-win cooperation and seek peaceful resolution of international and regional disputes," he said.

With regard to China's disputes with some countries over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Wang said Beijing sincerely hopes "to properly resolve them through negotiation and consultation with countries directly involved."

"Those disputes that cannot be resolved now should be shelved for future resolution," the foreign minister proposed.

"On the other hand, we will, in whatever circumstances, firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and resolutely uphold China's legitimate and lawful rights and interests," he added.

In his speech, Wang stressed that China remains committed to reform, opening-up and sustainable development.

"In pursuit of progress while maintaining stability, the Chinese government has taken a macroeconomic policy that addresses both immediate and long-term needs and adopted a series of innovative policy measures with a view to ensuring steady growth, adjusting economic structure and promoting reform," he said.

China's economy is being upgraded, said Wang, adding that this will give stronger impetus to the world economy and bring more tangible benefits to other countries.

Meanwhile, China will firmly promote reform of the global governance system with the United Nations at its core, said Wang.

"It is our consistent position that the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations form the cornerstone of current international relations and provide safeguards for world peace and stability," he said.

China looks forward to a United Nations that plays a bigger role in international affairs, said Wang.

China will firmly fulfil its due international responsibilities and obligations, he said.

"Although it remains a developing country facing a daunting task of development, China, as the second biggest economy and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is fully aware of its responsibilities and expectations placed on it by the international community," he said.

China will involve itself more actively in international affairs and work closely with other countries to meet various global challenges, he said.

"We will voice China's views, offer China's vision, propose China's solutions, play China's due role and provide more public goods to the international community," he said.

China, he added, "will vigorously advocate the right vision of striking a balance between upholding justice and pursuing interests and endeavor to build a community of common destiny with other developing countries."

"In our exchanges and cooperation with other developing countries, we will uphold justice and place it above interests, and give sincere assistance to other developing countries to the best of our ability," he added.

China, he said, will play a more proactive and constructive role in addressing international and regional hot issues to promote peace and dialogue, defuse conflicts and uphold world peace and stability.

Also in his speech, Wang expounded China's positions on Syria, the Iranian nuclear issue, the Korean Peninsula situation, the Palestinian issue, climate change and other issues.