Beijing, Nov 5 (IANS): China is "able to interfere in other countries' internal affairs whenever necessary", a state-run daily said Monday while cautioning against this way of thinking.

An article "Should China continue to pursue the principle of non-interference?" in the People's Daily said that the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs is one of the core principles of the United Nations Charter, and one of the most important factors of China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The Chinese government has always adhered to this principle.

The daily, however, added that "some people say that we were afraid of being interfered by other counties because of our weakness and poverty in the past, but now, we have got strong, what shall we fear for?"

"We are able to interfere in other countries' internal affairs whenever necessary," it stressed.

The daily cautioned that this way of thinking not only violates the essence of the United Nations Charter, but also goes against "our standard of conduct under societal attribute, which is likely to make China rank among the countries of power politics".

It said that several years ago, when the US media "released trial balloons to publicize the notion of `Group of Two' (G2), some developing countries gave out strong reactions. In their opinion, China, once an ally, is now to `jointly rule over' them with the United States".

After the Cold War, America attempted to establish "a peaceful world ruled by the United States" and promoted its "responsibility to protect" under its value, by propagandizing "the theory of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs is out of date" and putting forward the theory of "human rights above sovereignty", and implementing "new interventionism", the daily said.

It cited the example of the Kosovo War and the Libyan War.

"Under the name to `protect civilians', it actually resulted in a large number of casualties," said the Chinese daily.