Highlights of press conference on China's foreign policy and diplomatic relations

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations in Beijing, May 24, 2020. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn]

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the press on the sidelines of the 3rd session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at 3 pm Sunday afternoon. He took questions regarding China's foreign policy and diplomatic relations via video link.

The press conference provided simultaneous interpretation services in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese.

Here are the highlights:

On the COVID-19 pandemic

The most important lesson that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that people’s lives and health are closely connected with each other's and that all countries are in the same global village, Wang said.

Wang said all countries should transcend their differences and work together to overcome the novel coronavirus, instead of political manipulation, seeking benefits at others’ expense or ignoring science. 

On China-US relations

A political virus that is trying to attack and slander China regardless of basic facts is spreading in the United States, Wang said.

Wang said the US has made up so many lies and brewed so many plots about China that they can be compiled into a collection.

Given that the COVID-19 has taken so many lives around the world, Wang urged China and the US to learn from each other and share their experience on combating the virus to help the anti-epidemic efforts in both countries. 

On globalization

Globalization, multilateralism and global governance should be championed and optimized in the post COVID-19 pandemic world, Wang said.

Wang said the development of human history is punctuated with triumph against major disasters. "So long as we make the right choices and follow the right path, we will embrace a bright future," he said.

"We need to mitigate the unbalanced regional developmental issues and inequality created by globalization," he said. "But the issue of globalization needs to be solved with globalization."