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Foreign Minister Wang Yi takes questions at a press conference on the sidelines of the national legislature annual session in Beijing on March 8, 2017.[Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily] |
Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. Here are some highlights.
To define China's diplomacy
The country's diplomacy has achieved great deal and opened new chapters since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and three key words - vision, initiative and consistency can be used to sum up the characteristics of China's diplomacy, said Wang. [More]
China-US relations
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China and the United States are having fruitful communication on realizing exchanges between their presidents and at other levels, and expanding all areas of cooperation.
The foreign minister also said the two countries should rise above their differences in social systems and zero-sum mentality.
Wang also cited a Chinese saying that "when turning 30, one should be able to stand firm; when entering 40, one should no longer have any doubts" to express prospects for the 38-year-old China-US relationship. [More]
THAAD
China called the deployment of THAAD a "wrong move" and urged the Republic of Korea to halt its deployment before the country "ends up hurting itself and others," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the ROK, and "China treasures the outcomes that our two people have built together over the past years," Wang said. "The ROK should join China in preserving the mutual beneficial cooperation between the two sides." [More]
China-Japan relations
Japan should stick to the path of peace instead of "trying to reverse the course of history", Wang warned.
This year marks not only the 45th anniversary of normalized relations between China and Japan, but also the 80th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge incident, Wang said.
"Eighty years ago Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China, inflicting horrendous suffering on the people of China and other Asian countries and pushing itself into the dark abyss," Wang said. "Forty-five years ago Japanese leaders drew the right lesson from history to improve relations with neighbors, thereby realizing fast development at home." [More]
One-China policy
The one-China policy is a fact recognized by the world and no one can block the eventual reunification of China, Wang said.
"There is only one China in the world. And this is a fact recognized by the international community and a major principle enshrined in a series of international documents, including UN resolutions," Wang told reporters.
He said there is no basis in the international law for the Taiwan region to establish or maintain the so-called diplomatic relations with any country since such relations have "no legitimacy and future."
"The Taiwan authorities should clearly recognize this major trend: no one and no force can block the eventual and complete reunification of China," Wang said. [More]
Korean Peninsula situation
Solving the Korean Peninsula issue through talks "deserves another chance", and China will continue to switch the issue "back to the track of seeking a negotiated settlement", Wang said.
He said China wants DPRK to stop its nuclear and missile programs, while the US and the ROK should halt their large-scale military exercises, and parties involved should go back to the negotiating table. [More]
BRICS
China hopes to accomplish four things during the BRICS leaders meeting to be held in Xiamen, China, this September, according to Wang.
"BRICS is entering its second decade, and China, the holder of the presidency, will work with other BRICS countries to review its experience, plan the future, ushering the second golden decade of BRICS cooperation and provide BRICS’ help for world peace and development," said Wang. [More]
China-EU relations
The European Union (EU) was the first and the fastest-growing regional organization since the end of Second World War, Wang said.
"We believe that the challenge confronted by the EU is perhaps an opportunity to become mature. China will keep supporting Europe's integrating process, " Wang added.
"We look forward to seeing a more united, stable and prosperous EU."
China-Russia-US relations
Wang said on Wednesday that the China-Russia-US relationship in the new era should not be a seesaw game, and the three countries should work with each other rather than against each other.
According to Wang, President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will have multiple face-to-face meetings this year, and these will take bilateral ties to new heights. [More]
Diplomacy benefits domestic sphere
China has signed a series of agreements with over 30 countries on the cooperation of production capacity to facilitate industrial transformation and upgrading at home, he told reporters.
"The foreign ministry has launched promotional events for Chinese provinces over the past year and the events helped the regions discuss cooperation with their foreign partners without going abroad," he said. [More]
Global responsibility
"As we treat all countries, large and small, as equal partners, we don't believe some countries should lead other countries," he said.
Instead, Wang said, large countries that have more resources and capabilities should shoulder more responsibilities and make greater contribution. [More]
Consular service
Wang quoted the story of a Chinese survivor from the Jan 28 Malaysian shipwreck, saying how she encouraged other passengers by reassuring them that they would be rescued when the Chinese embassy learned about the situation.
"At the moment of life and death, our people pinned their hopes on the embassy and this helped them preservere," Wang said. "Our people have great trust in Chinese diplomats. This is an enormous responsibility, and we would never betray their trust, or spare any effort to meet our responsibility." [More]
South China Sea
Wang said that the China-ASEAN joint working group has made visible progress in consultation at the end of February and produced the first draft of a Code of Conduct (COC) framework for the South China Sea.
"If someone should try to make waves and stir a trouble at this moment, then he will have no support other than meet the common opposition of the entire region," he said, noting that China will never allow the hard-won stability to be disrupted once again. [More]
Philippines
The two sides have agreed to establish bilateral consultation on the South China Sea Issue, and to set up a cooperative mechanism between coast guards. [More]
China and Middle East
"First, we need to maintain international consensus on fighting terrorism. Second, we need to adhere to the right goal of seeking a political settlement of the regional issues. Third, we must put the UN in the driver's seat of the Middle East peace process." [More]
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