As a new comer striving for modernization, China is in urgent need of drawing experience from international practice, which is an intrinsic, long-term and objective need for a peaceful rise. On the other hand, during such a process of peaceful rise and bringing modernized lives to its 1.3 billion people, China must rely on itself to address and resolve its problems. That is, China's modernization must bear its unique characteristics.

Regarding the question of energy, for example, the people are actively marching on a China-style road of energy saving. Currently the American per capita annual consumption of oil is 25 barrels, while that for China is no more than a barrel and a half. If the Chinese, regardless of their conditions, should pursue an "American dream", the nation's desperate energy demands will doubtlessly bring heavy burden and endless trouble to the Chinese people themselves and the humankind as well.

Another example is that China will march along its own road of urbanization concerning the transfer of superfluous rural labor force. China has a labor force of more than 500 million in the countryside, and 200 million of them need to be transferred to cities in the coming two decades. On this question, the Chinese simply cannot dream the "European dream". In the modern history, Europe has seen altogether over 60 million people go to every corner of the world and set up colonies that changed the world map. Chinese in the first half of the 21st century can only tackle this world-class problem by coordinating urban and rural development within its land and guiding ordered flow of abundant rural labors between the countryside and cities without losing their lands.

Still another example lies in labor force training. China must build up a society in which everybody learns, a society features ever-improving vocational trainings for the vast rural population. We must guarantee that hundreds of millions rural people, the young in particular, receive job trainings and have the knowledge and skill needed to enter the workforce or to start a business. In balancing regional development, we will keep the vitality of eastern costal areas while making all-out efforts to develop the northeastern, central and western regions.

In a word, in learning international experience, China must stick to its own road, taking into considerations both domestic conditions and external environments. This can be achieved through four "not-to-follows":

First, not to follow the brutal act of launching wars to loot resources of other countries; second, not to follow the Cold War mentality which eagerly exports one's own ideology and values; third, not to follow the predatory operation of consuming large amounts of unrenewable resources during the course of industrialization; fourth, not to follow the expansion pattern of massive emigration and establishment of overseas colonies.

The Chinese nation once underwent untold sufferings during the past century, from which we drew a bitter lesson: we must refrain from doing anything that is beneficial to ourselves but harmful to others, or harmful to both ourselves and others. That is what we say "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

The Chinese road to peaceful rise is a great innovation of the society in the first half of the new century. Such an arduous historical task demands all-out efforts of the vast people and the leadership as well in the coming decades. We have to muster all our energy to this single task, so we have no strength left to ever think of threatening others.

This comment by Zheng Bijian is carried on the first page of People's Daily Overseas Edition, July 18, 2005, and is translated by People's Daily Online