July 7 was a shocking day for Britain. Terrorists triggered three explosions on London underground trains and one on a bus, causing severe civilian casualties. 

These terror attacks also sent shockwaves across China, bringing back bitter memories of the September 11 attacks in the United States four years ago and the March 11 bombings in Spain last year.

The Chinese government and the Chinese people have strongly condemned such barbaric acts and have conveyed our condolences to the victims and their families.

So far the British authorities have been unable to pin down the culprits. Anti-terrorist experts suggest that an organization inspired by or linked to al-Qaeda was involved.

No matter who carries out any terrorist attack and for whatever reason, the Chinese stance on terrorism has been clear all along. We oppose terrorism in any form. Anyone who, with whatever motive, engages in terrorist acts and harms civilians should be condemned.

Before this incident, international terrorism had been in the back of people's minds for most of this year. Some believed international terrorist organizations had suffered setbacks and were incapable of striking back on a large scale. The London bombings again sounded the alarm that these forces are still strong and organizations intact.

What should the international community do to change this situation, and what should governments do to protect their people from harm wrought by terrorists? There are several matters that deserve our attention.

First, we must realize that international terrorism is targeted not just at one country or one type of country, but at innocent people throughout the world. On July 7, we all felt that we were Londoners in our hearts. As a G8 statement made clear, this was not just an assault against one country, but against all countries civilized people in any place on earth.

Second, while nobody in the world should succumb to terrorism, we should, at the same time, reflect on the origins of terrorism. Why does terrorism hold any appeal? How can we root it out?

A metropolis like London, with its vast public transport network, has difficulty completely guarding against terrorist incidents. This is a common challenge for governments all over the world.

What followed September 11 has proven that war cannot solve all problems in a short time.

To eradicate terrorism, a new international order one that is fairer and more unequivocal must be established so that, through narrowing the North-South gap, terrorism can be cut down at its roots.

Third, nations must cooperate in intelligence gathering and security to combat terrorism.

The Chinese government has reiterated that China is willing to join the international community in this fight. German Chancellor Schroeder recently called for a united front to thwart this "threat towards humanity." Other countries should respond and, through the United Nations, formulate concrete guidelines that strike against terrorism in a concerted manner.

Our fight against terrorism, which is what we are all facing today, will be a protracted one.

(China Daily July 12, 2005)