Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that history has made clear time after time that the noble cause of world peace and development will never be deterred.

Eventually, progress will override backwardness, science will win over ignorance and justice over evil, Jiang said at a midnight celebration marking the coming new century and millennium.

"Facing the new century and the new millennium, far-sighted statesmen in all countries should think from a historical perspective when they ask themselves: What should the future world be like and what contribution should be made to realizing such a world?" he said.

He said he hopes that in the future, all states and ethnic groups will co-exist in peace and harmony and cooperate in a friendly manner with each other for common development, shaping a reasonable and just international new political and economic order, and realizing lasting peace and universal prosperity so that the people of all countries can build and enjoy a happy life according to their own desires.

He also stressed that the world is marching toward multi- polarization, which is the inevitable trend in historical development and also the common will of all the people in the world.

He said that the Chinese people are ready to work with the people of all other countries to fight against hegemony and power politics, push forward the process of multi-polarization and create a glorious future for the world.

Over the past millennium, great changes have taken place in human history. Ancient civilization developed into modern civilization. Feudal society became capitalist, and in some countries a completely new socialist system has emerged, he said.

Jiang said that the human economic activities have entered an industrial era and are now shifting to a time marked by swift development of high and new technologies. Man has accumulated vast material and ideological wealth which is beyond comparison with that of the previous millennia.

Over the past millennium, all the achievements in human civilization in terms of social changes and scientific and technological progress have been made by weeding out the old ways to allow the new ways to come through, he said.

Outstanding inventions and extensive exchanges between people of various countries have converged to form a mighty force to advance the progress made in history. The desire for peace and development has become the trend of the times in the world today, he stressed.