Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang have met with more than 300 foreign political leaders since March this year.

In his speech at the 2013 China and World forum in Beijing, Wang Yi described China’s diplomatic effort for the year as “extraordinary”. "China's diplomacy has developed broader horizons and a more aggressive stance on the global stage," he said.

According to Wang, in the eight months since China's 'Two Congresses' were held last March, the Chinese president and Premier have visited 22 countries on four continents, including Asia, Europe, Africa and America, and met with more than 300 foreign political leaders. China has reached nearly 800 cooperative agreements with those countries. Heads of State and Government of 64 foreign countries have come to visit China this year.

At the seminar, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin said that after 40 years of effort, China has established relationships with 3076 sister cities and provinces all over the world. Zhao Shaohua, vice chairman of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee , said the NPC has developed exchanges and contacts with 178 countries at government level.

Chinese diplomatic achievements in 2013

Sino-Russian relations at the highest level

In March this year, after President Xi Jinping took office, he chose Russia for his first state visit. Since then Chinese and Russian heads of state have met five times. Cooperation between the two countries has risen to a new level. China has upgraded its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, which is seen as one of the highest level and most promising strategic partnerships in Chinese diplomacy.