The nation will adhere to a "mutual benefit and win-win" strategy in its exchanges with the rest of the world.

According to a three-day central meeting on foreign affairs work which ended yesterday in Beijing, China will transform the growth mode of foreign trade, expand the ratio of services trade, co-ordinate imports and exports, take concrete steps to protect intellectual property rights, and accelerate the signing of free trade pacts with other countries and regions.

President Hu Jintao at the three-day meeting on foreign affairs. [Xinhua]

Senior leaders, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, attended the meeting.

Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, proposed ways of strengthening and improving work related to foreign affairs. Wen spelt out priorities for foreign affairs now and in the years to come.

The meeting pointed out that China urgently needs to improve the quality of foreign affairs work because it now has "unprecedented close links" with the international community in economic, political, cultural and security fields and the link between domestic and foreign affairs is more pronounced.

It stressed foreign affairs work should centre on the primary task of development, uphold the banner of "peace, development and co-operation," adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace, "unswervingly" pursue the path of peaceful development and be multi-dimensional.

It asked foreign affairs officials to create a sound internal environment and favourable external conditions for China's reform, opening-up and modernization and contribute to pushing forward the building of a harmonious world of abiding peace and common prosperity.

The conference emphasized the increasingly important role foreign affairs is playing in the country's modernization drive.

It called on related departments to monitor the changes in the international situation and improve their ability in handling foreign affairs.

China must stick to the road of peaceful development and seize the opportunities provided by the current international situation to safeguard its national sovereignty and security; and contribute to lasting peace and common prosperity in the world, the meeting was told.

It also set forth several major tasks.

The country should use its economic growth to promote global peace, which conforms to the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and the world.

The country must spread its culture abroad to let the world better understand the country.

Foreign affairs work must be people-oriented to serve the public.

As China's national strength improves, more and more Chinese are going abroad for business, study or tourism; and the legitimate interests and rights of the people, including compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, must be protected, according to the meeting.

China should increase assistance to developing countries to improve people's living standards there, the meeting said.

Xinhua

(China Daily 08/24/2006 page1)