The outgoing 2006 has been the first year for the Chinese government to implement its "harmonious world-oriented" diplomacy. When Chinese President Hu Jintao set forth the foreign policy goal for a harmonious world in October 2005, world public opinion was in favor of it but with a sense of perplexity, not knowing how to put it into practice. China's diplomatic practice in 2006, however, indicates that China, by taking into account of both its national interests and the interests of other countries, can do it to the best of its ability.

With qualitative changes having occurred in its economic strength since the turn of the 21st century, China became the third global trade power in 2004, the No. 1 foreign exchange reserve nation in 2006, and one of the twin engines that drive the world economy forward. In term of three essential factors for the national strength, namely, economy, military and politics, only China's economic strength reached the top global criteria. Hence, China assumed its most eminent responsibility economically in 2006. At the Beijing Summit & Third Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the Chinese government undertook eight makpr measures to support African nations, and various aid initiatives to Africa in three years exceeded 10 billion US dollars. In 2006, the number of aid items and the total sum of the money the Chinese government had provided for natural disaster-ridden countries have far exceeded that in the past, and also provided emergency aid to disaster victims in a few developed nations. Meanwhile, China and the United States held their first-ever strategic economic dialogue to stem the economic friction between them from being politicalized and to ensure the stability and sustained growth of the global economy.

The influence of China's political strength, which cannot match the global impact of China's economic might, is concentrated mainly in the country's adjacent areas, which constitute the main area China assumes its political responsibility. For Central Asia, China hosted the Summit of the member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and started up the drafting of cooperation codes in various spheres within the SCO framework so as to lay a legal guarantee for long-term good-neighborly and friendly cooperation. For Southeast Asia, China presided over the China-ASEAN Memorial Summit and raised an all-round cooperation proposal in the strategic, economic, security and culture spheres, which were subsequently accepted by leaders of those countries attending the meeting. Toward Northeast Asia, China has striven to mediate between the U.S. and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and enables the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue to resume after one-year hiatus. With regard to South Asia, President Hu Jintao reached consensus for strategic cooperation with India during his India trip and decided to institutionalize a high-level bilateral dialogue mechanism. For the overall stability of the East Asia region, the Chinese government received the visit by Japanese new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and availed the sliding Sino-Japanese ties which have been deteriorating for years, of a renewed opportunity for improvement.

The impact of China's military strength still underplays its economic and political strength, though it has been developed to some extent in recent years. Due to its relatively weak military strength, China assumes less responsibility militarily than its economic and political responsibilities. But this does not imply China's apathy or unwillingness to share more responsibilities. This year, China has sent more peacekeepers to join the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, and a military observer it dispatched sacrificed his life at his post; it conducted anti-terrorist joint military drills or exercises with other member nations of the SCO organization, and held joint maritime search and rescue operations with the U.S. and India; the Chinese navy paid goodwill visits to a number of nations; and China conducted more military exchanges with other nations. And China shall take up more international security obligations along with the growth of its military strength.

With more and greater responsibilities China bears in the global economy, politics and military affairs, a growing number of countries worldwide now enjoy the aid it has provided for them economically, politically and in the military field. Meanwhile, China's own national interests have also been materialized on a broader scale with its positive image and international status increasing globally.

By the People's Daily on line, and the author Yan Xuetong, director general of the Institute of International Studies of prestigious Tsingha University in Beijing.