In the new global context, any attempt of conflict, confrontation, containment and decoupling runs against the prevailing trend of the times and is doomed to fail; peace, development, cooperation and win-win represent the popular will of the people and are an international trend, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday during a symposium on the international situation and China’s foreign relations.
Reviewing China’s diplomatic work in 2022, Wang said the country has conducted major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in an all-round way, making a new contribution to upholding world peace and promoting common development.
First, head-of-state diplomacy has been immensely successful with one significant event after another and has set the pace for China’s overall diplomatic work. This can be highlighted as one home-ground event, two major initiatives, and three important visits.
The home-ground event is the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With the concerted efforts of China and the international community, the Games were a resounding success. The two major initiatives are the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).
And the three major visits refer to those made by President Xi Jinping from September to December, the first of its kind since the outbreak of COVID-19, including the meeting of the council of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Samarkand, the G20 Summit in Bali and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok, and the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh.
Second, China has continued to reject bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition and maintained strategic stability in relations with other major countries.
Speaking of China-US relations, Wang said that China firmly rejected the US’ erroneous China policy and has been exploring the right way for the two countries to get along with each other.
What has happened proves time and again that China and the US cannot decouple or sever supply chains, Wang stressed. Under new circumstances, the common interests between China and the US have increased, not decreased. No conflict, no confrontation and peaceful coexistence are in the common interests of both countries; deepening economic integration and benefiting more from each other’s development are also in the common interests of both.
Wang also mentioned that over the past year, China and Russia have firmly supported each other in upholding respective core interests, and political and strategic mutual trust has been further consolidated.
The China-Russia relationship, which is based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, remains rock-solid. Such relationship is free from interference or any attempt to sow discord between the two countries and is immune from changes in the international environment, Wang said.
Besides, Wang said that China has continued to pursue friendship and cooperation with Europe, and stay committed to the healthy development of China-Europe relations. China and Europe are working together on the global stage to practice true multilateralism, and meet global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity. Such cooperation is of important significance to the world, and offers a source of inspiration to humanity.
On the basis of mutual respect and equality, China will work continuously with the European side to properly handle differences and disagreements, strengthen strategic communication and results-oriented cooperation, and jointly act as an anchor of stability for the Eurasian continent and serve as a new powerhouse of development and prosperity.
Third, China has followed an open regionalism to build a stable and prosperous Asian home together. Facing attempts by some country to bring bloc confrontation to Asia and disrupt peace and stability in the region, China has stayed committed to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship.
The China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, launched with a strong start, is gaining a robust momentum, according to Wang. China and Central Asian countries have celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and agreed to set up a meeting mechanism at the head-of-state level and build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. And China has continued to actively seek solutions with Chinese characteristics to hot-spot issues.
Fourth, China has promoted solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries based on sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and pooled synergy in seeking strength through unity.
China has stood in solidarity with other developing countries amid an evolving international environment, global volatility, and multiple crises, and worked together to uphold international justice and promote common interests, Wang noted, adding that China-Africa cooperation has been elevated across the board, China-Arab relations have taken historic strides forward, China and Latin America and the Caribbean have deepened strategic consensus, and China’s relations with Pacific Island countries have made ground-breaking progress.
Fifth, China has played a constructive role in addressing global challenges and exhibited a strong sense of responsibility and mission as a major country.
Whenever a developing country encountered difficulties, China has reached out to them with a helping hand and shown empathy, Wang said. In the face of common challenges for humanity, China has never failed to take on responsibility and has always come up with our own proposals.
Sixth, China has not been intimidated by any hegemonic power or its bullying, and has acted resolutely to safeguard China’s core interests and national dignity.
The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests. It is the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and a red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations, Wang stressed. As countries that stand in solidarity with China on the Taiwan question represent over 80 percent of the global population, it is a strong indication of unequivocal commitment of the international community to the one-China principle.
Seventh, China has created new momentum in opening-up and external cooperation, which affords great opportunities for world economic recovery.
China signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with another five countries this year, making the Belt and Road family a big gathering of 150 countries and 32 international organizations. This marks a new height in international economic cooperation, and serves as a new engine driving the development of all countries, Wang said.
Eighth, China has acted on the commitment of serving the people through diplomacy, and worked with all hearts, minds and strength to protect the interests of Chinese nationals abroad.
Wang said that the country has promptly responded to a series of emergencies around the world, issued timely safety alerts, evacuated Chinese from high-risk areas, and spared no effort in rescuing Chinese hostages.
With concrete actions on the ground, China has shown every one of our compatriots overseas that however far you are away from home, the motherland will always come to take you home in times of need.
In 2023, Wang said that China will better serve head-of-state diplomacy and central tasks, expand all-round diplomacy in a coordinated manner, continue to look for the widest possible convergence of interests in global governance, actively serve high-quality development and opening-up, build a stronger line of defense to protect our national interests and focus on strengthening international communication capacity and make China’s voice heard loud and clear around the world.
(Global Times)
