In assisting other developing countries, the Chinese President said, Beijing will increase its support for nations hit hardest by the global financial crisis. This will be done, Hu said, by earnestly implementing relevant financing plans, intensifying trade and investment cooperation and helping raise their capacity to resist risks and achieve sustainable development.

"President Hu's speech addressed the world's doubt about China's development," said Zhou Qipeng, an international relations expert at China Foreign Affairs University. "China's development is an opportunity, not a challenge; a contribution, not a threat, to the world."

New concept of security

At the UN Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament held on September 24, Hu outlined China's stance on nuclear issues, and advocated Beijing's "new concept of security."

It was the first meeting the UN Security Council ever held to address these issues. All five permanent Security Council members, as well as nine non-permanent members, sent their heads of states or governments to the summit.

Hu reiterated China's firm commitment to a nuclear strategy of self-defense. "We have adhered to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstance," he said, "and made the unequivocal commitment that we will unconditionally not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones."

"To realize a safer world for all, we must first and foremost remove the threat of nuclear war," Hu said.

He suggested solutions leading to a safer world: Overall peace and stability; peaceful resolution of international disputes; poverty eradication; and the removal of the root causes of conflict and instability.

Further success, he added, may be found in fully respecting and accommodating the legitimate and reasonable security concerns of all countries, and ensuring security for all through win-win cooperation.

Hu also underlined the importance of diplomatic understanding and mutual trust, while urging countries to adhere to a multilateral approach to ensure that the UN plays a leading role in international security cooperation.

"President Hu's statement highlighted China's new concept of security," noted Jin Canrong, Deputy Dean of the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China.

Some countries insist on absolute security for themselves and tend to put their own security interests above the security of other countries, Jin said.

Unlike the old concept, he said, China's new concept of security stresses that security is not a zero-sum game, and there is no isolated or absolute security.

On September 24, the UN Security Council also adopted Resolution 1887 underscoring the goal of "seeking a safer world for all and creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons."

This will be done, read the resolution, "in a way that promotes international stability, and based on the principle of undiminished security for all."

Such unanimity is in accordance with not only China's new concept of security and nuclear strategy, but also the nation's aspirations for world peace and stability.

China's Proposal

Chinese President Hu Jintao made a five-point proposal for building a better and safer world through nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament when addressing the UN Security Council nuclear summit on September 24 at UN headquarters in New York:

—maintain global strategic balance and stability and vigorously advance nuclear disarmament;

—abandon the nuclear deterrence policy based on first use of nuclear weapons and take credible steps to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons;

—consolidate the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons;

—fully respect the right of all countries to peaceful use of nuclear energy and carry out active international cooperation; and

—take strong measures to enhance nuclear security and reduce nuclear risks.

(Source: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)