Oct. 1 marks China's 72nd National Day. Chinese President Xi Jinping has, on various occasions, stressed that China adheres to peaceful development and will never seek hegemony on its journey to national rejuvenation.

"Seventy years are but a fleeting moment in human history. Yet for the Chinese people, for our nation, these have been 70 epochal years of great change," Xi said two years ago at the reception to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

"The Chinese nation has realized a tremendous transformation: it has stood up, grown rich and is becoming stronger; it has come to embrace the brilliant prospects of national rejuvenation," he added.

On the path to the rejuvenation, China has espoused peaceful development. On Sept. 21, in his statement delivered via video at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Xi said China has never and will never invade or bully others, or seek hegemony.

"The Chinese people have always celebrated and striven to pursue the vision of peace, amity and harmony," said Xi.

In a speech via video at the third Paris Peace Forum on Nov. 12, 2020, Xi said China is committed to the path of peaceful development, noting that it follows an independent foreign policy of peace.

He also stressed the need to adhere to peaceful coexistence, as well as the need to respect other countries' right to development and their independent choice of development paths and models.

On April 20, while delivering a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021, Xi said China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or a sphere of influence no matter how strong it may grow, adding that nor will China ever engage in an arms race.

China will stay on the path of peaceful development and pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, said Xi on Oct. 1, 2019 in a speech delivered at a grand rally in central Beijing to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the PRC.

"We will continue to work with people from all countries to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind," he said.