Chinese President Hu Jintao expressed hope for lasting peace and common prosperity in the world in a speech to the Federal Parliament of Australia in Canberra Friday.

After a brief review of the diplomatic relations between China and Australia, the president underscored the significance of a smooth conduct of state-to-state relations and bilateral and multilateral cooperation in ensuring a peaceful and prosperous world.

Hu said differences are unavoidable in a world of diverse civilizations, social systems and development models. Nevertheless, people should learn to "respect each other and seek common ground while putting aside differences and endeavor to expand areas of agreement."

He pointed out that every nation is entitled to choose its political system and path of political development, which should by all means be respected.

"By mutual respect politically, we mean that the political system and path of political development chosen by the people of each country should be respected," he said.

"Democracy is the common pursuit of mankind, and all countries must earnestly protect the democratic rights of the people," he stressed.

The Chinese president noted that China embarked on the road of reform and opening up more than 20 years ago, and moved "steadfastly" to promote political restructuring and "vigorously" build democratic politics under socialism.

He expressed the Chinese government's determination to continue its efforts for democratic construction, the rule of law and political restructuring.

On the role of economy in state-to-state relations, Hu said countries should "complement and benefit one another, deepen their cooperation and achieve common development."

Referring to economic globalization, Hu said "no country could expect to achieve economic development without going for effective economic and technological cooperation with other countries and actively participating in international division of labor."

The president pledged that China would open wider to the outside world in more areas and with a higher level of sophistication.

"China enjoys a vast market, abundant labor, social and political stability and a vibrant momentum for development. A stronger and more developed China will bring growth opportunities and tangible benefits to other countries in the world," Hu added.

He also called on the international community to step up exchanges in the field of culture.

Hu urged efforts to maintain the diversity in the world, calling it a basic characteristic of human society and the key condition for a lively and dynamic world.

"Every nation, every culture, must have some strong points of its own, and all should respect one another, draw on each other's strength to make up for its own weakness and strive to achieve common progress," he said.

He cited China, which boasts a civilization of 5,000 years, as an example, noting that the Chinese culture "has flourished not only through mutual emulation and assimilation among its various ethnic groups but also from interactions and mutual learning with other countries."

Stressing that his country is "all the more eager to draw on the useful achievements of all civilizations," Hu said: "We stand ready to step up cultural exchanges with the rest of the world in a joint promotion of cultural prosperity."

China and Australia should "continue to expand our cultural exchanges, giving fuller play to culture's role as the bridge and bond in the building of friendship between the two countries and two peoples," he said.

In his speech, Hu drew attention to the increasing uncertainties undermining world peace and development, including traditional and non-traditional threats to security.

"In security, they (countries) should strengthen mutual trust, cooperate on an equal footing and endeavor to maintain peace," he said.

He said China advocates a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation and strives to resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and cooperation.

"We believe in democracy in international relations. The affairs of the world should be handled through consultation on the equal footing by all counties.

The president asked the international community to reaffirm its commitment to multilateralism and give full play to the important role of the United Nations and its Security Council in maintaining world peace and security.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2003)