The three-day 30th G8 Summit Meeting opened today in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, Britain. Chinese President Hu Jintao is to attend the meeting on invitation. It is the general view of overseas media and analysts: Although China is not a member of the G8, this country, whose economy is developing rapidly, is changing the world economic order; without China's participation, discussions on the world economy would be devoid of any significance.

Mounting possibilities for G8 to accept China

Reuters issued a commentary about this, saying that when leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) are meeting in Scotland, Chinese President Hu Jintao will become a star. Whether or not the 30-year-old G8 can meet the challenge of the 21st century is no longer a topic of pure academic debate. The reason why Hu Jintao is invited to attend the annual summit of the G8 is because other countries no longer can neglect this country with a population of 1.3 billion.

The commentary says, the pens and lighters produced by one Chinese city alone can meet the demands in most world markets. The computers produced by another Chinese city enjoy a very big share in the world cyber market. An economist with the London Economics Institute said: Hu Jintao's presence in the meeting may imply an ever-bigger possibility for the G8 to accept China as a member state.

Reuters also cited a trust corporation's estimation: By 2050, China would become the world's second largest economic entity next only to the United States, while India would be ranked third by the time. In a report, Reuters said: The G8 takes up 65 percent of the output of today's world. However, the rapid economic and population growth implies that the parity will be broken.

Several years ago, the commentary says, diplomats of the G8 laughed away the idea about acceptance of China as a full member of their club. But today some developing countries are playing an important role in promoting world economic growth. On the eve of the G8 Summit Meeting, President George W. Bush indicated: I feel especially interested in discussing the energy issue with China.

China attends the summit in a firm posture

Some media commented that this time China was invited to attend the G8 plus five summit talks: This is the second time that China attends the eight-nation summit following the first one two years ago; this time China attends the G8 Summit with greater equality and in a firmer attitude.

A Jiji Press commentary says: China, as a big country, continuously deepens its self-confidence, and will not submit to external pressure even when the revaluation of the Renminbi (RMB), human rights and other issues are discussed, which China does not want them to be mentioned. In reality, G9, (G8+China) has come into the line of China's vision.

Observers are closely following the subtle change in China's attitude toward the G8 Summit in a short span of the past two years: In the past, China consistently described the G8 Summit satirically as "a money club". Two years ago when it attended the G8 Summit held in Evian, France, China said this was due to France's kind invitation and for the purpose of participating in the special talks among developing countries. At that time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry officials also indicated "China is not qualified to join the G8". China has always adopted a prudent attitude toward accession to the G8.

But at the recent Summit, Li Hui, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that G8 is playing an increasingly important role and China pays great attention to relations with G8. Intensified long-term cooperative relations between China and the G8 conforms to the interests of both sides, China hopes to carry out dialogs and cooperation with G8 on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Beginning from last year, China has strengthened ties with developed nations in banking and financial fields through participating in the conference of G7 finance ministers and governors of central banks.

This year China has undertaken a series of international conferences in the economic field. A diplomatic official in Beijing pointed out: "This is because China holds that it is more beneficial to take the initiative to explain our own views to the international community, compared with passively avoiding external pressure."

The Jiji Press said, recently, the most pronounced behavior of China is saying "NO" diplomatically. The most typical examples illustrating this point are: China opposes Japan to become permanent member of the UN Security Council, opposes Japanese Prime Minister's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine and opposes US exertion of pressure on the issue of the RMB, as well as textiles trade frictions with Europe. China's domestic opinion generally holds that Chinese nationals should enhance their "big-nation consciousness", and carry out equal diplomatic activities in a firmer attitude toward the G8.

By People's Daily Online