Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said in Beijing on Wednesday that peace and development remain the major themes of the world.
Tang made the remarks at a press conference of the Fifth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC).
Minister Tang said that the "September 11" terrorist attacks on the United States have not changed the basic pattern and development trends of the world.
He said that at present and in years to come, the general world situation will be peaceful but with local wars and conflicts, global relaxation with local tensions, and overall stability with regional disturbances.
(China Daily March 6, 2002)