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‘Sovereignty and security - China’s primary foreign policy aims’


The Fifth Session of the Eleventh National People’s Congress held a press conference in the Great Hall of the People on March 6, 2012. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi answered questions from Chinese and foreign press on China’s foreign policy and external relations.



Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

Foreign Minister Yang: Premier Wen Jiabao has outlined China's foreign policy and foreign relations in his Report on the Work of the government. Now I'm ready to take your questions.

CCTV and CNTV: Much has changed in the international situation over the past ten years, and China's diplomacy has encountered many challenges and tests. How do you see China's diplomatic work over the past ten years? Moreover, we have seen confrontation and conflicts between some countries. Under such circumstances, what do you think are the new challenges confronting China's diplomacy and how do you see China's diplomacy this year?

Foreign Minister Yang: I think it is very meaningful that we start today's questions and answers from reviewing China's diplomatic work over the past ten years, as a review of the past offers one insight into the future.

The past ten years have been a decade when the world has undergone major development, major changes and major adjustments. It has also been a decade when China's diplomacy has forged ahead and made abundant results. Over the past ten years, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, China's diplomacy has firmly served the overall interests of China's development. We have properly handled thorny issues and worked actively to open up new prospects for China's diplomatic work. China's diplomacy has fostered a sound external environment for China's economic and social development.

In my view, China's diplomatic work over the past ten years can be summed up as follows:

First, serve overall interests. To safeguard China's sovereignty and security has always been the overarching objective of all of China's diplomatic endeavours. Over the past ten years, China's diplomacy actively served the domestic economic and social development. We effectively protected the lawful rights and interests of overseas Chinese nationals and companies, and defended China's sovereignty, security and development interests.

Second, pursue cooperation. We enhanced friendly relations and cooperation with other countries in the world and regional and international organizations. We intensified exchanges with them in the political, economic and cultural fields and through both bilateral and multilateral channels. We opened up new dimensions for pursuing win-win cooperation.

Third, advance reform. We actively participated in global governance and helped move the international system and international architecture in a direction that serves the interests of developing countries. We worked to raise the representation and influence of China and developing countries as a whole in international affairs.

Fourth, enhance China's image. Through such platforms as overseas visits by Chinese leaders, receiving visits to China by foreign leaders, the Beijing Olympic Games and Shanghai World Expo, we engaged in dynamic public and cultural diplomacy, endeavoured to enhance the friendship between Chinese people and people of other countries, and showed to the rest of the world a China that is culturally-advanced, democratic, open and making continuous progress.

Fifth, make contribution to the world. We worked actively to uphold world peace and promote common development. China has played a constructive role in helping resolve regional and international hotspot issues, and China has become an important engine driving world economic growth.

Our world today is undergoing profound and complex changes. The trend of our time towards peace, development and cooperation has gathered momentum. At the same time, the underlying impact of the international financial crisis is still with us. The world economic recovery lacks momentum, and global challenges such as climate change and energy and food security are still prominent. All these developments will exert major impact on the international situation and China's diplomatic work in the time to come.

This year, we will continue to advance our all-dimensional diplomacy at multiple tiers and in a wide range of fields. We will continue to take into account both the domestic and international situations, make continuous innovation in our diplomatic practices and theories, and make active contribution to the successful opening of the 18th National Congress of the CPC and full implementation of the 12th Five-Year Plan.

The priories of China's diplomatic work this year are as follows:

First, serve China's domestic development. We will properly handle the external risks and challenges, and create more favourable conditions for China's economic and social development to serve the primary goal of shifting China's growth model at a faster pace.

Second, uphold peace. We will continue to firmly defend China's sovereignty and security, stand for handling and resolving regional and international issues, in particular, those hotspot ones through dialogue, consultation and negotiation, and play a responsible role as a big country.

Third, promote cooperation. We will enhance our friendly relations and cooperation with other countries and regional and international organizations. We will work with them to deepen common interests, meet global challenges and safeguard world peace and promote common development.

RIA Novosti: Minister Yang, how do you comment on the presidential election in Russia? What considerations does the Chinese side have for the further development of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination? This year, China will be the rotating president of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and play host to the 2012 SCO summit. Can you tell us some of China's considerations about the summit? And what expectations does the Chinese side have for the future development of the SCO?

Foreign Minister Yang: We have noted that the presidential election of Russia was smoothly held on March 4th. President Hu Jintao has sent a message of congratulations to President Putin. We wish the people of the Russian Federation even greater achievements in their cause of national prosperity and revitalization.

The Chinese government is prepared to work closely with the Russian side to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries and enhance practical cooperation between the two sides in all fields.

As far as the China-Russia relationship this year is concerned, it can be summed up as 'one central task’ and ‘five priorities’.

The one central task is to fully implement the plan for the development of China-Russia relations in the next ten years. The five priorities are: First, ensure the success of high-level contacts and mutual visits this year. Second, increase mutual political support.

Third, intensify practical cooperation between the two countries in such fields as economy and trade, energy, science and technology, infrastructure as well as at the local level. Fourth, step up cultural and people-to-people exchanges. In particular, we need to work together to ensure the success of the Year of Russian Tourism in China. And fifth, enhance cooperation in regional and international affairs. We are confident that with the joint efforts of the two countries, the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination will achieve even greater results.

This year is the year of good-neighborly relations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It is also the first year for the development of the SCO in its second decade.

China will play host to the SCO summit this year. The theme of the summit this year is to deepen good-neighbourly relations and plan the future of the SCO.

There are three main items on the agenda of the summit. The first is to discuss measures for enhancing friendly relations and cooperation under the SCO framework, and formulate a strategy on the development of the organization in the next ten years. Second, plan the next stage of practical cooperation of the SCO, in particular the establishment of institutional safeguards for the financing of multilateral cooperation.

Third, there will be an exchange of views on regional and international situations, with a focus on improving the SCO measures in coping with situations that pose threats to regional peace, stability and security.

We believe that the SCO summit this year will help build on past progress and open up new prospects for the future development of the organization.

With respect to the future of the SCO, I believe all the parties concerned will make better use of the advantage of geographical proximity and work together to enhance cooperation for regional security and stability and strengthen regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges so as to bring more benefits to their people.

To be continued

Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China

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