Looking back in the first year of the 21st century, we saw China emerging progressively from the horizon of the world, growing vigorously on a solid and sound ground. After several generations’successive struggle and hard work, especially after twenty years’reform and opening to the outside world, China now is standing on the international stage as a newly growing image, elated and independent.

　　On this very stage, China had really made remarkable achievement in the first year of the new century. Taking the time when the China-made spaceship“Shenzhou II”catapultedsintosthe space and returned onto the earth safely as its start point, the Chinese crossed the line when she became a formal member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). We can safely say that we spent a busy year with important and exhilarated affairs flowing in succession.

　　As for the international relations, China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and will continue to work for establishing and maintaining a fairer and more rational new international political and economic order. China will seek justice whenever it is needed and has promised to further the relationship with all the other developing countries as good neighbors, good friends and good partners.

　　In October, 2001, the 9th Informal APEC Economic Leaders’Meeting was held in Shanghai. All the presenting leaders gathered to discuss the future development, reiterated the promise of Bogor Declaration and the importance of economic and technological cooperation, and forwarded a new thought to boom the utilizing of human resources, which brought new vitality to the future development of APEC and boosted a new round of global multilateral trade negotiations.

　　Just like those colorful fireworks shone over the Huangpu River, the successful 9th Informal APEC Economic Leaders’Meeting highlighted Shanghai and even ignited the whole China.

　　In the very same year, Beijing succeeded in the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. And with the bang of the hammer in Doha, China became a WTO member on December 11. The 15-year-long pursuing demonstrated China’s determination and confidence to continue the policy of reform and opening to the outside world and to participate actively in economic globalization.

　　If the regain of the seat in the General Assembly of UN in 1971 could be tokenized that China became one of the important members on world political stage, China’s entrysintosWTO proclaimed China’s importance on world economic stage. Up to now, China has completed the historic progress from the opening to outside world to merging with the world. China is marchingsintosthe world of the new century in an all round way: no matter on political and economic stages or in sports and culture fields.

　　Keeping all these in our minds, we are proud of the great achievements of our country. A hundred year’s pursuit was no longer a dream when Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranchi declared that the 2008 Olympic Games was awarded to Beijing in the World Trade Center in Moscow; and towering among the nations worldwide was no longer a wild wish when President Jiang Zemin met the 19 leaders of APEC in traditional Chinese costumes at Shanghai Science and Technology Exhibition Center. We can’t help thinking of our forefathers, who enteredsintosthe 20th century with tears on their cheeks and humiliation in their minds one hundred year ago; but today, we marchedsintosthe new century, filled with pride and jubilation.

　　While at present, the world is still far from tranquil and, China is still a developing country, so there must be turns and twists in future development. We clearly realize the urgency and importance of enhancing modernization and improving the comprehensive capability. There is still a long way to go to enrich our country and rejuvenate our nation. We must work hard to make our country strong and there is no excuse to be self-conceited or to sleep on the past achievements; no hurdle can stop our great nation from developing quickly.

　　The year 2001 can be served as a testimony that China will make unremitting contributions to the whole world through its own peaceful development and construction.