China to maintain peace in Asia

China to maintain peace in Asia

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): China yesterday promised to make "unswerving" and "unremitting" efforts to maintain peace and stability in Asia and the world at large, which remains wary of Beijing's role as an emerging superpower.

"Our goal is to enable our people to live a fairly comfortable life by the end of the century and to catch up with an average developed country by the middle of the next century," visiting Chinese President Jiang Zemin said.

"To this end, China very much needs a surrounding and international environment of long-term peace and stability," Jiang said.

Jiang, who arrived here yesterday for a four-day visit, said at a state banquet hosted by Malaysian King Tuanku Jaafar Tuanku Abdul Rahman that both China and Malaysia faced "the task of safeguarding peace and developing economy."

"China stands ready to work together with Malaysia and other Asian countries to bring a peaceful, stable, prosperous and growing Asia into the 21st century," said Jiang.

The president's visit to Malaysia is part of a four-nation tour, which includes Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.