Splendor always stays and becomes even newer, editorial

The following is a translation of the full text of PD editorial published today on the front page of this newspaper to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which carries the long-cherished wishes for peace and expectations for development of the people of various countries throughout the world, has traversed an unusual course over the past 50 years. The long process of years has witnessed its outstanding contribution to the establishment of a new-type international relationship as well as its firm steps of keeping pace with the times.

In June 1954, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence), as the norms for handling China's relations with India and with Myanmar, was written respectively into the Sino-Indian and Sino-Myanmar (Burma) joint statements. Thereafter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence commonly initiated by China, India and Myanmar was accepted by the Bandung Conference held in the following year, by multilateral international conferences of other developing countries as well as by the non-aligned movement. Its basic content has been contained in some declarations passed by the United Nations (UN), becoming the publicly recognized norms for establishing and developing friendly and cooperative relations between countries.

The advancement and application of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are honored as a great beginning in the history of international relations. It summarizes the essence of new-type state-to-state relations and embodies the development tide of the times and the common interests of various countries and peoples around the world.

A review of history shows that the basic tenets of modern international law born during the bourgeois revolutionary period of the West had, to some extent, supported the then international order, but the principle of sovereignty and the spirit of equality it reflected did not include the vast numbers of colonial and semi-colonial countries, therefore, these tenets had their fundamental limitations.

Since the beginning of modern history, the existence of power politics is the basic reality of world history, the history of big powers scrambling for hegemony has repeatedly told the same story: Big powers rose by relying on aggressive wars, they grabbed resources by engaging in foreign expansion, which finally led to radical change in the international pattern and world order, and even triggered world war. After World War II, along with the surging national liberation movement,Third World countries which newly won independence mounted on to the international political stage. In order to maintain national independence and develop the national economy,they demanded,on the basis of independence and equality,establishing a fair,reasonable new-type international relationship.The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence precisely reflects this demand and wish. Just as Comrade Deng Xiaoping once pointed out£º In handling relations between countries, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is the best method, other methods, such as the "big family" method, the "group politics" method and the method of "sphere of influence" all will bring about contradictions and intensify the international situation.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has withstood the tests of changes in the international situation over the past 50 years,its strong vitality has been proved by the development course of international relationship. It represents the need for establishing a fair and reasonable international new order and reflects the interests of most countries and people of the world. Today, in a diversified world featuring the interdependence of various countries, the connotations of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are keeping abreast of the times and are being constantly substantiated and enriched along with the development of the times. In light of the current situation with regard to international relations, the connotations of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are reflected mainly in the following propositions: uphold equality of state sovereignty, respect the diversity of the world, promote the common development of the world, maintain world peace and security and give play to the role of the UN and other mechanisms.

The fact that China has become an active initiator and loyal pursuer of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has its profound historical and cultural necessity. Firstly, China's 5,000-yer-old history has cultivated a kind of "peace" culture characterized by absorbing anything and everything and being full of magnanimity. The Chinese have, since ancient times, "treasured harmony", stressed "harmony despite difference"; encouraged complementing and learning from each other; they understand the teaching that "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you". Influenced by this idea of seeking "peace", the Chinese people have formed the historical tradition of upholding peace and opposing violence and war.

Secondly, since the dawn of modern history, the Chinese nation, which had been subjected to the bullying and oppression of powers and had experienced a hundred years of struggle to save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival, is well aware how important it is to maintain the hard-won peaceful environment. Therefore, New China made the choice of peace for its diplomacy from the very beginning and chose to follow the path of never seeking hegemony, it firmly and unshakably safeguards world peace. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is taken as the foundation for the independent foreign policy of peace which China has long been pursuing and which has long been written into China's Constitution and is expressed in the communiqu¨¦s on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and more than 160 countries.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence indicates China's conviction in adhering to the road of peaceful development: i.e., striving for a peaceful international environment to develop itself and safeguard world peace with its own development, That is what is meant by peace being the base of development, while development being the foundation of peace. In the years of China's reform and opening up drives, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has been further carried forward. China has won a relatively peaceful and stable international environment in accordance with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and has made many friends worldwide. Increasing and deepening Sino-foreign cooperation has not only injected vigor into China's economic construction, but also has provided opportunities for the common development and prosperity of the world. More and more people in the world have come to realize that the road of peaceful development taken by China is a good example showing that humankind can handle inter-state conflicts by peaceful means and realize mutual benefit and win-win result.

China's conviction of pursuing a peaceful cause is firm and unshakable whether in the past, at present or in the future. Just as President Hu Jintao has repeatedly stressed that China will firmly and unshakably hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, firmly and unshakably pursue the independent foreign policy of peace, firmly and unshakably follow the road of peace and development, and persist in developing friendly relations with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and make unremitting efforts for enhancing China's friendship with the people of various countries and for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between China and various countries.

It can be believed that on this piece of land where peace culture is deeply rooted, China will, in pursuing its foreign policy, continue to faithfully stand together with all peace-loving countries in the world, devote its efforts to the cause of safeguarding world peace and promoting the common development of various countries; honestly disseminate and inherit the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, so that this scientific idea concerning international relations will always shine forth its splendor and become even newer as time passes by.

By People's Daily Online