Security-wise, it has been urged that countries do not infringe upon or interfere in each other's internal affairs. Respecting each other's right to handle security affairs independently, they should refrain from sabotaging legitimate governments or threatening other countries with violence. The domination of developed countries should end, paving the way for multilateral and cooperative security measures, which would make countries actively respond to traditional and non-traditional global and regional security challenges to help maintain world peace.

Culturally, it has been proposed that all countries communicate with and learn from each other, and protect and promote cultural diversity and uniqueness. It's important that all countries have an open attitude toward different cultures, and end the developed countries' control over the international media.

And ecologically, the expectation is that countries will help each other and work together to cope with climate change. The hope is that they would build a world where people and nature coexist in harmony, and economic development takes the eco-friendly path to build a greener, better world together.

China and the world are in the same boat. Chinese people and their counterparts in other countries both aspire for common prosperity. And Chinese people's dream is to make greater contributions to the development of humankind, as China is committed to maintaining world peace, promoting common prosperity and building a harmonious world order.

The author is director of the Center for China Studies, Tsinghua University.

(China Daily 01/04/2014 page5)