Premier Wen Jiabao said China does not seek hegemony now, nor will it seek hegemony even if it becomes powerful in the future. He elaborated on relations with several foreign countries and regions at a press conference in Beijing yesterday.

　　The premier said China has a history of 5,000 years with both glorious achievements and humiliating suffering, and the rise of China has been the dream of generations of Chinese. China will take full advantage of the opportunity of world peace to develop itself and at the same time safeguard that peace with its development, said Wen.

　　China's peaceful rise will be based on its own strength and self reliance, as well as the vast domestic market, abundant human and natural resources. China's rise could not be achieved without the rest of the world, said Wen.

　　China's rise, which would require a lot of time and probably efforts of several generations, will not stand in the way of any other country, nor pose a threat to any other country, nor at the cost of any other country, Wen said.

　　The premier described Russia as a "friendly neighbor" sharing a common boundary line of 4,300 kilometers and said "the two countries should be friends forever and never fight again."

　　Although there were some ups and downs in Sino-Russian cooperation in constructing oil pipelines, the premier still believed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people will strengthen cooperation with China in "exploring and developing" energy resources such as oil and natural gas, and constructing oil pipelines.

　　According to Wen, Chinese and Russian economies are "complementary" and a series of measures have been taken to enhance economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

　　Wen cited Sino-Japanese relations as "generally good." But he noted that Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where top war criminals are enshrined, have tremendously harmed the feelings of the people in China and Asian at large.

　　China lost more than 20 million lives during the Japanese aggression against China, according to the premier.

　　Wen urged Japanese leaders to abide by the three political documents concerning Sino-Japanese ties signed between the two governments, learn lessons earnestly from history, look forward into the future and do not do things detrimental to the feelings of the Chinese people.

　　Wen also voiced his delight in seeing the healthy momentum that has emerged in India-Pakistan relationship and hopes for lasting peace and stability in South Asia.

　　Sino-Indian friendship has a history of more than 2,000 years whereas conflicts between them lasted for only two years, said Wen.

　　As long as China and India adhere to the principle of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and understanding, the two countries could tackle the problems left over by history and maintain lasting friendship and cooperation, he said.

　　(Xinhua)