Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong said in Beijing on June 9 that China will firmly follow the path of peaceful development and the basic national policy of opening up and make concerted efforts with other countries to promote peace and development in the world.

"We will pursue win-win results and common prosperity in our economic and technological exchanges and cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit," Zeng said while delivering a speech at the World Mayors' Forum and the 2005 Council Meeting of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) opened here Thursday.

Zeng said with the acceleration of economic globalization, the economic ties among countries have been increasingly close and to strengthen economic and technological cooperation and realize common development have become the requirements of the times.

"China's development is closely related with the rest of the world and the world's prosperity cannot be achieved without China, " he said, adding that China's sustainable development has provided important opportunities for the economic and social development of the rest of the world, especially the neighboring countries.

Nearly 400 representatives including approximately 100 mayors from 38 countries and regions attended the forum to discuss topics ranging from crisis management, disaster prevention to the role of local governments in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Zeng said the Chinese government fully supports the UN Millennium Declaration and has integrated the MDGs into its master plans of economic and social development.

He said the Chinese people are concentrating their efforts on economic development and building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.

"In this process, we are building a socialist society that is democratic and law-based, fair and just, trustworthy and friendly, full of vigor and vitality, secure and orderly, and in which man and nature are in harmony," he said.

It has been the first time for UCLG, the largest world organization of local governments, which was founded in May 2004, to convene its world council meeting and theme forum in China.

UCLG has more than 1,000 member cities in more than 120 countries, representing about half the population of the world.

Source: Xinhua