Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday during a speech at the University of Cambridge that the argument that a big power is bound to seek hegemony does not apply to China.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is delivering a speech at the University of Cambridge in London On February 2, 2009. [Xinhua Photo]

"Seeking hegemony goes against China's cultural tradition as well as the will of the Chinese people," Wen said, adding that China's development does not harm or threaten anyone.

The premier pledged that China will be a peace-loving country, a country that is eager to learn from and cooperate with others and committed to building a harmonious world.

Wen cited the example of the well-known Chinese navigator Zheng He, who reached more than 30 countries in the 15th century, describing him as a true messenger of love and friendship.

There currently are 300 million Chinese people learning English and more than one million Chinese students studying in foreign countries such as Britain.

Wen urged the world's countries to learn from the cultures of one another and be more tolerant of those different from their own.

China, while trying to absorb foreign cultures and renew itself in the process, will remain open and receptive in pursuing a prosperous and harmonious future, Wen said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2009)