UNITED NATIONS, Sept 27 (Reuter) - China, bidding to calm fears in Asia that Beijing may be moving toward a more aggressive foreign policy, said on Wednesday it remained committed to peace and would attack no one.

But Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, speaking at the U.N. General Assembly, also warned world nations to stay out of China's internal affairs and in particular not to meddle with its policy on Taiwan.

Recent territorial arguments over the Spratly Islands and growing tensions ith Taiwan have heightened concern about China's future course in Asian ountries. China is a nuclear power and has a permanent seat on the U.N. Scurity Council.

For the United States and other Western countries, human rights and China's attitude toward Tibet remain an area of tension -- as was shown during the recent U.N. conference on women in Beijing.

"The Chinese people treasure their hard-won independence and freedom and will never commit aggression or intervention against others," Qian told the assembly.

"China is opposed to hegemonism and power politics of whatever manifestation and will never seek hegemony for itself," he said.

"Even when China grows stronger, it will continue to firmly pursue its independent foreign policy of peace ... A stable and prosperous China is a positive factor making for peace and development in Asia and the world at arge."

A top U.S. policymaker on East Asia, Winston Lord, said earlier this year that China might turn into a Soviet-style adversary in the next century, meriting a new policy of "containment" to check its influence and ambitions.

"Some people are publicly clamouring for 'containment' of other countries, which shows the Cold War mentality still refuses to quit the stage of history," Qian said.

"But it will ultimately be discarded by history." He said no country had the right to impose its social system or values on another -- a clear reference to international criticism of China's human rights record.

"The internal affairs of a country should be managed by its own people," he said.

As for Taiwan, Beijing considers it to be part of China and has long reserved the right to use force in retaking the island, held by China's nationalist rulers after they lost a civil war to the Communists in 1949.

Relations between them plunged sharply after Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui made a landmark private visit to the United States in June, which infuriated Beijing.

Both governments say they want reunification, but on very different terms. Following Lee's U.S. trip, China conducted two missile tests in the sea near Taiwan in July and August, triggering widespread fear on the island.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China," Qian said. "Any attempt to obstruct the peaceful reunification and split Taiwan from China is doomed to failure. Should anyone try to do so, he would end up by lifting the stone only to drop it on his own toes."

U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher was due to meet Qian in New York for bilateral talks, including discussion of a possible summit between the two major powers now that relations are showing signs of gradual improvement.