China will remain on a path of peaceful development, yet it will "never give up" legitimate rights or sacrifice core interests, Party chief Xi Jinping said.

China will adhere to an "open, cooperative and win-win" development model, Xi said at a group study session held on Monday with members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

However, "no country should presume that we will engage in trade involving our core interests or that we will swallow the 'bitter fruit' of harming our sovereignty, security or development interests," Xi said.