China pledges to build peace

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BEIJING, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- China will help build world peace and prosperity, its Foreign Minister said ahead of the 60th anniversary of the country becoming the People's Republic.

"In the last six decades, we have insisted on an independent foreign policy of peace, coordinated domestic and foreign situations and served the core task of the (Communist) Party and the state," Yang Jiechi told the official Xinhua news agency in an interview.

The PRC was founded Oct. 1, 1949, under the Communist Party of China. At the time less than 20 countries recognized it, but since then China has established diplomatic relations with 171 countries.

Yang said China's relations have grown with major powers including the United States, Russia, the European Union and Japan. Its cooperation also has grown with emerging powers, including Brazil and India, Yang said.

"Our relations with neighboring countries are a priority and we have never changed the primary policy of friendly relations with neighboring countries," he said.

"The cornerstone of China's diplomacy is to preserve unity and promote mutually beneficial cooperation with developing countries."