Major-country diplomacy to grow network of friends

Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a news conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations during the first session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 7, 2023. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn]

China's major-country diplomacy has pressed the "acceleration button" this year as the COVID-19 situation improves and the country resumes exchanges with the rest of the world, Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday.

In particular, China will host two major diplomatic events this year — the first China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Qin said at a news conference on the sidelines of the ongoing annual two sessions.

On building the country's extensive partnerships, Qin said China will pursue coordination and sound interaction with major countries, seek friendship and cooperation with other countries, and promote a new type of international relations.

"China has a growing network of friends, made more and more new friends, and strengthened ties with old ones," he added.

Beijing will set openness and development as its objectives, and will facilitate high-quality development and high-standard opening-up, he said.

"We will reject 'decoupling', and oppose severing industrial and supply chains and imposing unilateral sanctions. We will uphold an open and inclusive world economy, and will generate new opportunities for the world with our new development," he said.

China "will take multilateralism as the way forward", promote greater democracy in international relations and make global governance more just and equitable, he said.

Vowing that Chinese diplomats will further defend the country's interests, Qin said Beijing firmly opposes any form of hegemony and power politics, Cold War mentality, bloc-based confrontation, and acts intended to contain and hold back other countries' development.

Su Xiaohui, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, said the message Beijing wants to deliver via Qin's news conference is clear, as the foreign minister touched upon interactions among major countries and China's push to build a new type of international relations.

Qin's remarks show that China's diplomacy subscribes to its principles in a faithful, consistent manner, she said. "We have a sober mind and cool head over the existing issues and problems in the world, and we have drawn lines that should not be crossed," she said.

When asked to expand on China's view on global governance, Qin said "developing countries are entitled to greater representation and a louder voice in international affairs".

"China will keep in mind the interests of the world and take an active part in global governance," he said.

"Global governance should be promoted in accordance with the law and the principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter; equity and justice must be upheld, while hegemonism and selfish interests must be rejected; solidarity must be defended, while division and confrontation must be abandoned," he added.

Qin noted that over the past 10 years, President Xi Jinping has put forward a host of major initiatives and proposals, and the core message is that countries are interdependent, mankind has a shared future, and the international community should unite and cooperate.