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China affirms relevance of Panchsheel

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, JUNE 8. China today affirmed the enduring relevance of the five principles of peaceful coexistence to the global political order. The principles, enunciated primarily as a Sino-Indian initiative 50 years ago, have often figured prominently in international political discourse.

Ahead of the prospective celebration of the 50th anniversary of the formulation of "Panchsheel'', the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, said in Beijing today that the five principles were, indeed, of "practical significance'' to the present period in world affairs.

At a press conference in Beijing, he said these norms, which had served as "important rules'' for international relations in the past five decades, were "important'' even today for "resolving'' inter-state issues and "regulating'' the interactions among various countries.

Mr. Liu announced that China and India would jointly celebrate the golden jubilee and that a seminar, heralding the event, would be held in Beijing. Myanmar had joined India and China in 1954 to propound the five norms: mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states; non-aggression on a mutual basis among nations; non-interference in each other's internal affairs; equality and mutual benefit and, above all, peaceful coexistence.

Mr. Liu noted that the proposed celebrations were designed to focus on efforts for "further implementation'' of the five principles during the current "process of establishing a new international political and economic system''.

Beijing has, in tune with its advocacy of the five principles over time, announced recently that "peaceful ascendance'' on the global stage was China's new goal in the present circumstances.

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