A senior Chinese diplomat on Tuesday highlighted that a better China will mean a better world, and China will stay as determined as ever to build world peace, contribute to global prosperity, and uphold the international order.

Speaking at a workshop, Yu Jianhua, head of the Chinese Mission to the UN at Geneva, said that no matter how much progress China makes in development, China will not threaten anyone else, attempt to overturn the existing international system, or seek spheres of influence.

"A stronger China will mean greater chances for peace," Yu said, explaining that although much progress has been made in recent years, China's top priority remains development.

In 2017, he said, China's per capita GDP was only 8,643 U.S. dollars, trailing behind 70 countries. More than 30 million Chinese are living in poverty in rural areas. China's urbanization rate is only 57 percent, much lower than the 70 percent of developed countries.

"China will stay committed to development and will not threaten others or seek hegemony and expansion," the diplomat told the workshop, sponsored by the Chinese Mission to mark the issuing of the English edition of second volume of Chinese President Xi Jinping's book on governance.

"A stronger China will bring more development opportunities," Yu added, saying that President Xi has made clear China's determination to openness, which means that China will ease market access, create more attractive financial environment, better protect property rights, and take the initiative to increase imports.

"China wants to share with other countries the opportunities arising from its own development and welcomes others to ride on its development," he said.

For the Chinese diplomat, a stronger China will also generate more opportunities for cooperation, and China will develop friendship and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence.

"China is one of the first countries to make forging partnership a guiding principle in handling state-to-state interactions. Following this principle, China has established partnerships of various forms with more than 90 countries and regional organizations," Yu noted.