Committed to peaceful development:

China seeks stronger ties with US

US: Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo said here on Thursday that China is committed to peaceful development and seeks to enhance relations with the United States.

"Development is the key to China's success in overcoming difficulties and is China's top priority," Wu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said in a speech delivered at a dinner hosted by American friendly organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on US-China Relations.

He noted that China's development is a contribution to the world. Wu said China's development is inextricably linked to the common interests of humanity, presenting development opportunities to all other countries and strengthening the forces for world peace and common development.

"We are committed to peaceful development," he said.

"We will develop ourselves by upholding world peace and maintain world peace through developing ourselves.

This is the strategy the Chinese government and people have opted for in keeping with the trend of times and our own fundamental interests.

It is our own abiding pursuit rather than a stopgap," Wu said.

The top legislator stressed that China is against the practice of using differences in perception as an excuse and freedom of religion and speech as a cover to support separatist forces for "Taiwan independence", "Tibet independence" and other separatist agendas and meddle in China's internal affairs.

Respecting each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respecting and accommodating each other's core interests constitute the political foundation for China to establish and develop relations with other countries and international organizations, he said. WASHINGTON, Friday, Xinhua