Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Wednesday reaffirmed China's commitment to peaceful development and stressed that China is steadfast on its policy of reform and opening-up to the outside world.

"The whole world wants to know in what direction China is heading" after the Beijing Olympic Games, Wen said in a speech delivered at the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly.

"Let me tell you in unequivocal terms that China will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, unswervingly pursue reform and opening-up, and continue to adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace," said the Chinese premier.

"This is in the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and　the people of all other countries. It is also in keeping with the trend of the world," he said.

Wen said the success of the Beijing Olympic Games has greatly inspired the Chinese people and given them even more confidence and strength to achieve modernization of the country.

However, the premier pointed out that China is still a "developing country, where productivity remains low and further development is constrained by the shortage of resources and energy and environmental consequences."

To achieve the goal of modernization and build a strong, prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious country, China will stick to the reform and opening-up policy, he said.

"It is a choice of vital importance to the development of China today, and it is also a strategy that will shape China's future," Wen said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2008)