UNITED NATIONS -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday that China is "an anchor for world peace."

Wang made the remarks at the General Debate of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

China is a country with a population of over 1.3 billion, and maintaining its long-term stability is China's biggest contribution to the cause of world peace, he said.

China has no genes for invasion and the country was never engaged in aggression or colonization, Wang said.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping has said, China will never seek hegemony, expansion or a sphere of influence no matter how strong its economy grows, he said, adding that China will always vote for the side of peace at the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, Wang said China is an engine for growth and prosperity as well as a propeller for multilateralism.

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held successfully in May and more than 270 cooperation projects or agreements were signed during the summit, Wang noted.
"We will build the Belt and Road into a road of peace, prosperity, opening-up as well as innovation, and one that connects different civilizations," he said.

This project of the century will provide a new model for the promotion of world peace and development, and will inject fresh impetus into achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said the minister.

The country will host the China International Import Expo starting from next year to accelerate the pace of opening-up and power global growth, he added.

Wang stressed that China, with continuous growth, will bring more dividends of peace, development and governance to the world.

No matter how the international situation changes, China will stick to the path of multilateralism, and the country will assume the responsibility given by the United Nations and fulfill its due international obligations, Wang said.

China has always linked its dream with the common dream of the whole world, and helps with common development, Wang said, adding that China is willing to work with other countries to build a better future for mankind.