(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-13 22:14

HANGZHOU -- China needs to "free itself from conservative ideas" if it wants to further open the country to the world, a gathering of foreign affairs officials concluded at meeting held in East China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday.

Officials in charge of foreign affairs at both the provincial and municipal levels agreed on future policies to open up their respective regions wider to the world.

"We need to free ourselves from conservative ideas, seek new ways to expand economically and have culture exchanges with other cities and regions in the world," said a statement issued at the meeting.

The officials agreed that foreign affairs departments at local levels were facing great challenges which also offer great opportunities. They discussed the ways to implement the guidelines of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in their foreign affairs work, the statement said.

Opening wider to the world will contribute to China's drive to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, realize peaceful development and create a harmonious world, it said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also addressed the meeting on China's foreign policies and international relations.