WELLINGTON - China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin reiterated on Tuesday that China will "unswervingly follow" the path of peaceful development in a speech delivered at the Contemporary China Research Center of Victoria University of Wellington.

"The path of peaceful development is a long-term strategic choice China has made in light of its basic national conditions and based on cool analysis and a scientific reading of the international situation." Jia said, adding no matter what changes may take place in the world, China will always stick to the independent foreign policy of peace and follow the path of peaceful development.

China will seek development through maintaining peace and promote world peace through its development, Jia said.

He said China will unswervingly work for steady and relatively fast economic growth. "Development is of paramount importance for China. It holds the key to all problems in China," Jia noted.

China will promote steady growth, keep price levels in check, readjust economic structure, improve people's well-being, continue reforms and promote harmony in line with the requirements of Scientific Outlook on Development and accelerate the transformation of the pattern of economic development, he said.

Jia reaffirmed that China will unswervingly expand opening-up, saying "China has already opened its door to the outside world and will not shut it down."

China will implement a more proactive opening-up policy, further expand economic and technical cooperation with other countries, work for balanced growth in foreign trade, encourage Chinese companies to engage in orderly overseas investment operation and cooperation and create a fair and transparent market environment, Jia said.

He also said China will unswervingly promote common prosperity of the world, noting China's contribution to world economic growth has exceeded 10 percent.

China will continue to seek and expand common interests with other countries, increase cooperation with the international community in joint efforts to respond to risks and challenges, share development opportunities and promote durable peace and common prosperity of the world, Jia said.

The speech, themed "Deepen All-round Cooperation and Usher in a Brighter Future", were made to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-New Zealand ties.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, arrived in Wellington on Monday on a four-day visit.