China's efforts to pursue a peaceful development road is in compliance with the country's national conditions and is in the interests of the Chinese people, said a Chinese expert on international strategy in his article.

In the article issued recently by Xiong Guangkai, chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS), pointed out that China has made remarkable achievements in its development since its reform and opening up.

China's GDP has grown from 147.3 billion U.S. dollars in 1978 to 1,649.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2004, with an average of 9.4 percent of annual growth rate, the article said.

China's economy maintained a good momentum in 2005 with a worth of 1,289.7 billion U.S. dollars of GDP reached in the first three quarters this year, up 9.4 percent year-on-year, it said.

But judging from its domestic situation, China, as the biggest developing country in the world, is still and will be in the primary stage of socialism, Xiong noted in his article.

China's GDP per capita is only 1,200 U.S. dollars. There are about 26 million rural residents living in poverty and 21 million urban residents are guaranteed a minimum standard of living. Besides, nearly 24 million people are in need of jobs every year.

"It's in the fundamental interest of the Chinese people to keep making economic and social progress and improving their living standards," the article said.