Maintain a global vision, forge ahead with greater resolve and write a new chapter in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, addresses a symposium on the international situation and China's foreign relations in 2022 via video link on Dec. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Address by H.E. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of The People’s Republic of China

At the Symposium on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations

Beijing, 25 December 2022

Dear Experts and Friends,

It’s a pleasure to meet you all again and join you in review and preview of the international situation and China’s foreign relations. As the world is undergoing historic changes of profound and far-reaching impact, we need more than ever a vision to guide our way forward, a viable way to address our challenges, and greater strength to build consensus. I am more than pleased to have this opportunity to share with you my perspective on these issues and I look forward to benefiting from your insights.

For both the world and China, the outgoing 2022 is critical in bridging the past and the future.

Around the world, the trends of transformation and turbulence are both evolving continuously and the tendencies toward unity and division are both surging and contending with each other.

Like a giant ship, human society sailed through the raging waves of the once-in-a-century pandemic. It also had to brave for the hurricanes of geopolitical conflicts, whirlpools of bloc confrontation, undercurrents of surging inflation, and cold waves of energy crunch. The journey has been choppy and tumultuous.

That said, crisis begets change, giving birth to hopes. Most of the developing countries have acted with greater purpose in standing together in solidarity and strengthening mutual cooperation, and they have responded to the many unprecedented changes with greater confidence.

In the new global context, any attempt of conflict, confrontation, containment and decoupling runs against the prevailing trend of our times and is doomed to fail; peace, development, cooperation and win-win represent the popular will of the people and are an international trend.

In China, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united the whole Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and led us in rising to challenges of high winds and choppy waters in the global environment and pressing ahead with formidable tasks in advancing reform, promoting development, and maintaining stability at home. It has led us in overcoming all difficulties, addressing both domestic and international imperatives, making coordinated progress in COVID-19 response and in economic and social development, and scoring new, great successes in the cause of the Party and the country.

The most important event of the year is the 20th CPC National Congress held in October, which maps out a grand blueprint for building a modern socialist country in all respects and for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. The Congress also offers China’s solutions to the problems facing all humanity, providing much-needed certainty and stability to a world rocked by changes and turmoil.

Dear Friends,

Over the year, China has met challenges head-on and advanced its diplomatic agenda with greater resolve. Under the personal guidance of President Xi Jinping and the effective planning of the CPC Central Committee, China’s head-of-state diplomacy has played a guiding role. Our diplomatic work has focused on ensuring the success of the 20th CPC National Congress as our top priority and on building a community with a shared future for mankind as our vision. We have adapted to changes, addressed adversities and broken new ground. We have conducted major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in an all-round way, making new contribution to upholding world peace and promoting common development.

First, our head-of-state diplomacy has been immensely successful with one significant event after another and has set the pace for China’s overall diplomatic work. This can be highlighted as one home-ground event, two major initiatives, and three important visits.

The home-ground event is the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With the concerted efforts of China and the international community, the Games were a resounding success. The opening ceremony brought together 31 heads of state, government, and international organizations from five continents who joined us in the celebration of the Games. The international community has experienced a China that is more confident, striving, open and inclusive. The Beijing rendezvous on ice and snow marked a new milestone in the endeavor of the peoples across the world to embrace new hopes and pursue a shared future together.

The two major initiatives are the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI). In April this year, President Xi Jinping unveiled the GSI at the Boao Forum for Asia, offering a Chinese proposal for addressing global security challenges and achieving durable peace and security in the world. The international community responded to the GSI favorably. In a matter of six months, over 70 countries have expressed endorsement and support of the initiative.

As the chair of the first High-level Dialogue on Global Development held in June on the margins of a BRICS Summit, President Xi Jinping announced 32 major measures China would take to implement the GDI; an open-ended pool of GDI projects and the Global Development Promotion Center were created. To date, more than 100 countries and a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, have committed support to the GDI; close to 70 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI.

The three major visits refer to those made by President Xi Jinping from September to December, the first of its kind since the COVID-19 outbreak. They include the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Samarkand, the G20 Summit in Bali and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok, and the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh.

In the period before and after the 20th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping attended five multilateral summits and held bilateral meetings with leaders of more than 40 countries, creating three peaks for head-of-state diplomacy this year and making a good start to the work of the CPC’s new collective central leadership in China’s foreign affairs.

Second, we have continued to reject bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition, and maintained strategic stability in relations with other major countries. Major countries need to lead by example in making the world a better place. How they engage one another bears on the future of humanity. Taking on its responsibilities for the world and for history, China has worked relentlessly for a major-country relationship that features peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development.

We have firmly rejected the United States’ erroneous China policy and have been exploring the right way for the two countries to get along with each other. As the United States has stubbornly continued to see China as its primary competitor and engage in blatant blockade, suppression and provocation against China, China-US relations were plunged into serious difficulties. In response, China has taken resolute actions to counter such power politics and bullying while pointing the right way forward through open and candid communication.

President Xi Jinping has had two phone calls with President Joe Biden at the request of the latter. The two presidents also had a face-to-face meeting in Bali, the first of its kind in three years. President Xi Jinping analyzed the essence of China-US relations and drew China’s bottom line and red line. He also stressed the need to abandon the zero-sum mentality where one’s gain and rise mean the other’s loss and decline, to define China-US interactions by dialogue and win-win cooperation, not confrontation and zero-sum competition, and to bring China-US relations back on the right track of healthy and stable development under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

The candid and in-depth communication between the two presidents was constructive and strategic. It is clear from these talks that the two leaders both attach importance to the global significance of China-US relations, and emphasize the importance of exploring and establishing the guiding principles of China-US relations. They both hope the bilateral ties will stop sliding and return to stability as quickly as possible, and both agree to effectively manage differences and advance practical cooperation.

President Biden reaffirmed his “five-noes” statement, and further indicated that the US does not support “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”, does not seek to use the Taiwan question as a tool to contain China, and has no intention to seek “decoupling” from China, to halt China’s economic development or to contain China.

What has happened proves time and again that China and the United States cannot decouple or sever supply chains. Under new circumstances, the common interests between China and the United States have increased, not decreased. No conflict, no confrontation and peaceful coexistence are in the common interests of both countries; deepening economic integration and benefiting more from each other’s development are also in the common interests of both; and boosting the global economy, tackling climate change, and resolving regional hot-spot issues remain the common interests.

Playing up competition does all harm and no good, and seeking cooperation is a necessity not a choice. China urges the US side to honor its commitments, turn President Biden’s positive statements into action, stop containing and suppressing China, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and cultivate a favorable atmosphere for communication and cooperation between the two sides. We call on the US side to change its course, establish an objective and sensible perception of China, follow a positive and pragmatic China policy, and work with us to put in place the pillars and a solid foundation for the healthy and stable growth of China-US relations.

We have deepened good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation with Russia, and made China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination more mature and resilient. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin met in Beijing for a “rendezvous with Winter Olympics”, and held an important meeting in Samarkand, providing strategic guidance for China-Russia relations to move ahead under new circumstances.

Over the past year, China and Russia have firmly supported each other in upholding respective core interests, and our political and strategic mutual trust has been further consolidated. Our bilateral trade is approaching the US$200 billion target at a faster pace. Major investment projects are well underway. The scale of local currency settlement further expands. The Heihe highway bridge and Tongjiang railway bridge are open to traffic. Landmark progress has been secured in cross-border connectivity, and both countries have a stronger drive to develop mutually beneficial cooperation.

As some country is seeking to revive the Cold War mentality and fabricating the false narrative of democracy versus authoritarianism, China and Russia have stood in solidarity with other countries to steadfastly push for multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations, and steadfastly oppose hegemony and reject a new Cold War.

The China-Russia relationship, which is based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, remains rock-solid. Such relationship is free from interference or any attempt to sow discord between the two countries, and is immune from changes in the international environment.

We have continued to pursue friendship and cooperation with Europe, and stay committed to the healthy development of China-Europe relations. China-Europe cooperation bears on the stability of the global landscape and the prosperity of the Eurasian continent. Friendship is the keynote of China’s Europe policy, and cooperation its overarching goal. We are happy to see stronger European strategic autonomy. We support European integration. And we expect the EU to play a greater role in international affairs.

Over the past year, President Xi Jinping had over 20 phone calls and meetings with European leaders, and received German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President of the European Council Charles Michel in China. Two-way trade and investment between China and Europe has bucked the trend and continued to grow. A host of major projects have been completed successively. These are full evidence that China and Europe are each other’s partners, not rivals, and we are each other’s opportunities, not threats.

China and Europe are working together on the global stage to practice true multilateralism, and meet global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity. Such cooperation is of important significance to the world, and offers a source of inspiration to humanity.

On the basis of mutual respect and equality, we will work continuously with the European side to properly handle differences and disagreements, strengthen strategic communication and results-oriented cooperation, and jointly act as an anchor of stability for the Eurasian continent and serve as a new powerhouse of development and prosperity.

Third, we have followed an open regionalism to build a stable and prosperous Asian home together. Facing attempts by some country to bring bloc confrontation to Asia and disrupt peace and stability in the region, we have stayed committed to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship. China supports countries in the region in distancing from the geopolitical trap. Together we have made solidarity and cooperation a salient feature of the Asian region. Solid strides have been made in building a community with a shared future in the neighborhood.

The China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, launched with a strong start, is gaining a robust momentum. The two sides have agreed on a plan of action to advance the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. Historic progress has been made in building a China-Indonesia and China-Thailand community with a shared future. Lancang-Mekong countries are committed to setting a “golden example” for regional cooperation. APEC has resumed dialogue on the FTAAP agenda. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is implemented with high quality. The China-Laos-Thailand Connectivity Development Corridor Outlook will soon be turned into reality. The dividends of regional integration are being unleashed at a faster pace. China-ASEAN cooperation stays at the forefront of the times. The two sides are working together to foster a secure environment and create impetus for growth, and are taking solid steps to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together.

China and Central Asian countries have celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and agreed to set up a meeting mechanism at the head-of-state level and build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. We have reached important consensus with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on building a community with a shared future on the bilateral level. New progress has been made in the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, and new impetus injected to the development of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Countries in the region have jointly fought external attempts to instigate color revolution, and combating the forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, effectively maintaining peace and stability in the region. The SCO has completed a new round of its membership expansion, the largest of its kind since its inception. This provides a stronger safeguard for peace and development of the Eurasian continent.

China and Japan have had a joint commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations. Leaders of the two countries held their first face-to-face meeting in three years, and reached important consensus on promoting the stability and growth of the bilateral ties. The two countries need to take history as a mirror, treat each other with sincerity, and engage each other with trust. It is important to avoid backpedaling and flip-flopping, be far-sighted and forward-looking, and steer the course of the bilateral relations from a strategic perspective.

China and India have maintained communication through the diplomatic and military-to-military channels, and both countries are committed to upholding stability in the border areas. We stand ready to work with India in the direction toward steady and sound growth of China-India relations.

China and Pakistan have continued to firmly support each other, uphold the invaluable all-weather strategic partnership, and consolidate the iron-clad friendship.

China-ROK relations have gone through a smooth transition and moved forward on the basis of the 30 years of diplomatic relations.

China and Mongolia have strengthened the synergy between their development strategies, and stayed committed to jointly advancing modernization as well as common development and prosperity.

China has continued to actively seek solutions with Chinese characteristics to hot-spot issues. We have hosted a successful Foreign Ministers’ Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan and the first “Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan Plus Afghanistan” Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue. The Tunxi Initiative issued highlights the participants’ commitment to inclusiveness and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

We have firmly safeguarded peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, and called on the main parties involved to take and address reasonable concerns seriously.

We have supported ASEAN mediation over the issue of Myanmar in the ASEAN Way and its implementation of the five-point consensus.

We have leveraged the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to call on the relevant parties to steer clear of obstacles, speed up consultations, and reach agreement on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) at an earlier date, which hopefully will provide strong underpinning for long-term stability and security in the South China Sea.

Fourth, we have promoted solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries based on sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and pooled synergy in seeking strength through unity. China has stood in solidarity with other developing countries amid an evolving international environment, global volatility, and multiple crises, and worked together to uphold international justice and promote common interests.

We have written a new chapter in BRICS cooperation. As BRICS chair, China hosted the 14th BRICS Summit and a High-level Dialogue on Global Development. Both events were a great success. The China Year of BRICS achieved remarkable results. Some 160 high-level events in various areas were held throughout the year. The BRICS countries have projected a resounding voice for global equity and justice, and injected strong BRICS impetus into global economic recovery and development.

BRICS has steadily expanded its membership and held its first BRICS Plus foreign ministers’ meeting. Over 70 countries and international organizations were invited to attend BRICS Plus events of various kinds. A dozen of countries have expressly indicated their willingness to join the BRICS family. BRICS cooperation has become a most influential platform for South-South cooperation. A host of emerging markets are taking great strides to catch up in terms of global governance, turning from followers to forerunners.

We forged a new paradigm of equality, sincerity and mutual assistance among developing countries. China-Africa cooperation has been elevated across the board. We have acted on the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests to accelerate the implementation of the nine programs of China-Africa cooperation, and supported Africa’s self-sustained development. We have donated vaccines and provided food assistance to Africa to meet its pressing needs. We have come up with an Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa to find ways to address their deep-seated challenges. We have taken the lead in publicly supporting the inclusion of the African Union in G20 and have continued to encourage Africa to play a bigger global role.

China-Arab relations have taken historic strides forward. President Xi Jinping attended the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit, and conducted China’s highest-level diplomatic engagement with the Arab world on the largest-scale since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. China and Arab states have reached consensus on building a closer China-Arab community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping announced eight initiatives for cooperation between the Chinese and Arab sides. China and the GCC have established a strategic partnership, which is growing closer. As two significant forces and major civilizations, China and the Arab world have joined hands and supported each other in advancing our respective national rejuvenation endeavors and promoting regional peace and development.

China and Latin America and the Caribbean have deepened strategic consensus. China and Argentina celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. China and Cuba have launched a joint endeavor to build a community with a shared future. China has also worked with other countries in the region to increase experience sharing on state governance, strengthen synergy between development strategies, and expand results-oriented cooperation.

China’s relations with Pacific Island countries have made ground-breaking progress. My latest visit to the region covered each and every Pacific Island country that has diplomatic ties with China. It was the first time of its kind in our diplomatic history. China has built six cooperation platforms tailored to their development needs and people’s expectations and designed to support their climate action, poverty reduction, agriculture, disaster prevention, application of Juncao technology, and emergency supplies.

Fifth, we have played a constructive role in addressing global challenges and exhibited a strong sense of responsibility and mission as a major country. With regard to the Ukraine crisis, we have consistently upheld the fundamental principles of objectivity and impartiality, without favoring one side or the other, or adding fuel to the fire, still less seeking selfish gains from the situation. We have kept to the right direction of promoting peace talks, searched for a solution that addresses both symptoms and root causes of the issue, and stood firm as an anchor of peace instead of fanning the flame of the conflict.

Following the outbreak of the crisis, President Xi Jinping put forward four points about what must be done and four things the international community must do together. He emphasized that conflicts and wars produce no winner, there is no simple solution to a complex issue, and confrontation between major countries must be avoided. China has been playing a constructive role in its own way to promote peace talks and help ease the humanitarian crises.

Whenever a developing country encountered difficulties, China has reached out to them with a helping hand and shown empathy. China has implemented the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in all respects and contributed the largest deferral amount under the G20 Common Framework. We have proposed a G20 Action Plan on Digital Innovation and Cooperation, which is designed to narrow the North-South digital divide and improve the capability of sustainable development of developing countries.

In the face of common challenges for humanity, we have never failed to take on our responsibility and have always come up with our own proposals.

In response to the rising challenges to global security, China has worked actively for a joint statement of leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states on preventing nuclear wars, which was issued as a result.

In response to the raging global food and energy crises, China has called for building a global partnership for economic recovery and put forward the International Cooperation Initiative on Global Food Security.

In response to climate change, China has steadfastly pursued green, low-carbon and sustainable development, and actively fostered a fair and equitable system of global climate governance for win-win cooperation. This is a clear demonstration of China’s readiness to shoulder its responsibility as a major country and play an exemplary role.

Sixth, we have not been intimidated by any hegemonic power or its bullying, and have acted resolutely to safeguard China’s core interests and national dignity. The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests. It is the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and a red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.

In response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s provocative visit to the Taiwan region of China in disregard of China’s stern warnings, we have taken firm and resolute measures, which have strongly deterred anti-China elements in the United States and the “Taiwan independence” forces, and fully demonstrated our iron will in safeguarding national sovereignty and security.

Over 170 countries and international organizations have expressed support and recognition of the one-China principle. Governments, political parties and parliaments of more than 100 countries and multiple international organizations have made public statements to demonstrate their understanding and support of China’s measures to uphold national sovereignty. As countries that stand in solidarity with China on the Taiwan question represent over 80 percent of the global population, it is a strong indication of unequivocal commitment of the international community to the one-China principle.

In response to the attempts of a few countries to smear China by means of concocted stories about Xinjiang and human rights issues, we have debunked lies and false narratives by presenting the facts. We have invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and many international representatives to Xinjiang. We have foiled the repeated anti-China attempts of the United States and its Western allies at the United Nations. The support for China’s justified position from over 100 countries has been overwhelming. A lot of developing countries highlight it as not only China’s victory, but also the victory of all developing countries, and the victory of international fairness and justice.

We have also exposed the false narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism”, making clear their real intention is to stoke confrontation between countries, divide the international community, and interfere in other countries’ internal affairs in the name of so-called “democracy”. We have explained to the world how and why our whole-process people’s democracy works in China, upheld the true democratic spirit, promoted a right perception of democracy in a bid to distinguish right from wrong and truth from falsehood. The world does not accept any monopoly on the definition of democracy, and the calls against drawing ideological faultlines are getting stronger.

Seventh, we have created new momentum in opening-up and external cooperation, which affords great opportunities for world economic recovery. Despite growing risks in the world economy and surging undercurrents of protectionism, China has opened its door even wider to the world and never stopped deepening its external cooperation.

Over the year, we have opened our arms wider to embrace the world. From the World Economic Forum to the China International Import Expo (CIIE), President Xi Jinping has sent a strong message of promoting economic globalization and announced new steps to expand higher-standard opening-up.

The fifth CIIE has attracted enthusiastic participation, and new achievements were made in the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair and the China International Consumer Products Expo. To invest in China is to invest in the future — this has become a view widely shared by people around the world.

With the negative list for foreign investment further shortened, the Hainan Free Trade Port setting sail, and the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor moving forward at a faster pace, a new structure of all-round opening-up that coordinates the coastal and inland areas and connects the eastern and western regions is taking shape.

Over the year, we have achieved swift and steady progress in advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and delivered successful outcomes. In the first 11 months of this year, China’s trade with Belt and Road partners grew by 20.4 percent despite the downward trends elsewhere. The China-Europe Railway Express completed a record number of services, showing strong resilience.

A large number of signature projects made important advances: the first high-speed railway in ASEAN made its trial run; the first expressway in Cambodia is now up and running; the China-Laos railway, which had already been put into operation, has delivered remarkable performance; and the Budapest-Belgrade railway and the Pelješac Bridge in Croatia have effectively improved local transportation.

China signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with another five countries this year, making the Belt and Road family a big gathering of 150 countries and 32 international organizations. This marks a new height in international economic cooperation, and serves as a new engine driving the development of all countries.

Eighth, we have acted on the commitment of serving the people through diplomacy, and worked with all our hearts, minds and strength to protect the interests of Chinese nationals abroad. We in the diplomatic service have always put the people front and center and put actions behind the purpose of whole-heartedly serving the people.

Ever since the turn of events in Ukraine, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have been highly concerned about the safety and security of Chinese nationals in Ukraine. President Xi Jinping has taken up the matter personally on a number of occasions and demanded an all-out effort to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its consular emergency response mechanism at the first instance and carried out emergency evacuation, ensuring the safe transfer of over 5,200 Chinese nationals amid the on-going warfare.

We have promptly responded to a series of emergencies around the world, issued timely safety alerts, evacuated Chinese from high-risk areas, and spared no effort in rescuing Chinese hostages.

With concrete actions on the ground, we have shown every one of our compatriots overseas that however far you are away from home, the motherland will always come to take you home in times of need.

We have rolled out an upgraded Spring Sprout program around the world to vaccinate over 4.6 million Chinese nationals living and working in 180 countries. We have continued to deliver Spring Festival kits and health kits, and arranged to bring home Chinese citizens who were stranded abroad and in dire need of help.

We have continued to improve consular services, and launched the building of a consular information system to make services at our diplomatic and consular missions readily accessible at fingertips. Our consular protection hotline 12308 has operated 24/7, and handled nearly 500,000 calls throughout the year. No matter where our overseas compatriots are, consular protection will always be there for them. We will never stop serving the people through diplomatic work. The care and love of the motherland will always be around.

Dear Friends,

Breaking waves in the changing landscape and forging ahead in a volatile world, China’s diplomacy has scored historic achievements. In retrospect, the most fundamental political underpinning is the stewardship of General Secretary Xi Jinping, and his sensible, strategic judgement, decisions and directions at every critical moment; the most important theoretical achievement is the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, which provides the guideline for China’s work of foreign affairs to break new ground in the new era; and the most valuable practical experience is the blazing of a new path of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, which demonstrates China’s strong sense of mission and responsibility as a major-country.

As we look to the future, the report to the 20th CPC National Congress has pointed the direction, provided the basic policy and made strategic plans for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects:

We will stay committed to our original aspiration and founding mission, and dedicate ourselves to pursuing human progress and world harmony. We will have a deep reflection on the future of humanity, devote ourselves to achieving rejuvenation and lasting greatness for the Chinese nation, commit ourselves to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity, and contribute to the grand cause of the continuation and transformation of the international system.

We will stay committed to a Chinese path to modernization, not only creating a new form of human advancement, but also providing new choices for developing countries. We will firmly support developing countries in exploring development paths suited to their national conditions and embarking on a fast track toward modernization at an early date.

We will stay committed to peaceful development, never seek hegemony or expansion, oppose hegemonism and power politics of all forms and manifestations, defend the legitimate rights of our people and people of all countries to pursue peace and development, and make China’s contribution to addressing deficits in development and security.

We will stay committed to a global vision and to the noble cause of common good. We will follow the right approach in advancing the cause, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and work for building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.

We will stay committed to high-standard opening-up, pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up, adhere to the right course of economic globalization, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and the building of an open world economy, and create new opportunities for the world with China’s own development.

We will stay committed to independence, seek partnership and dialogue instead of alliance and confrontation, decide our position on issues based on their own merits, pursue mutual respect, trust and benefit with all countries, and deepen and expand global partnerships featuring equality, openness and cooperation.

We will stay committed to dialogue between civilizations, respect the diversity and equality of civilizations, and advocate exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. We will promote the common values of humanity, and turn democracy and freedom from the political tools manipulated by a few people into the values shared by all mankind.

We will stay committed to our fighting spirit, which is for the purpose of upholding principles and promoting justice. China’s core interests must not be undermined, its sovereignty and territorial integrity must not be infringed upon, and the cause of national reunification and rejuvenation must not be disrupted — this is a matter of pride and confidence for us as Chinese and is also a great sense of integrity of the Chinese nation.

Dear Friends,

The year 2023 marks the beginning of full implementation of the guiding principles laid down at the 20th CPC National Congress and a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects. The new journey is one of glory and dream, but there are also major tests along the way.

We will rally even more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position in both the Party Central Committee and the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will strengthen our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We will enhance confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in both the Party Central Committee and the Party as a whole as well as the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership. We will fully implement the policies set by the 20th CPC National Congress, and break new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. To this end:

First, we will better serve head-of-state diplomacy and central tasks. Next year, head-of-state diplomacy will reach a new climax, and many highlights are expected in home-ground diplomacy. We will seize the momentum following the 20th CPC National Congress, spare no effort in strengthening overall planning and providing good services, and create new prospects for the cause of the Party and the country on the new journey in the new era. We will bear in mind the country’s most fundamental interests, and make sure our work conforms with the central tasks of the Party and the country. We will accurately understand and wisely respond to changes, and take action to make changes. We will do our best to prevent and defuse major external risks and challenges.

Second, we will expand all-round diplomacy in a coordinated manner. We will deepen strategic mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Russia, and cement China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

We will follow through on the common understandings reached between the Chinese and US Presidents, strive to recalibrate China-US relationship, and bring it back on the right course.

We will engage in closer high-level exchanges and strategic communication with Europe and promote the sound and steady growth of China-Europe relations.

We will stay committed to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendship and partnership in our neighborhood, and deepen friendship, mutual trust and convergence of interests with our neighbors.

We will uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries, and safeguard and expand the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Third, we will continue to look for the widest possible convergence of interests in global governance. We will hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and vigorously advocate the common values of humanity. Through building a new type of international relations and based on the implementation of the GDI and the GSI, we will firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and build more consensus, pool greater strength and take more actions for the cause of global development and security.

Fourth, we will actively serve high-quality development and opening-up. Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. All parties are looking forward to the convening of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation where we can jointly take stock of the achievements and draw up a blueprint to make this “belt of development” that benefits the world more prosperous and broaden this “road to happiness” that benefits humanity.

The significant achievements and latest developments in COVID control have ushered in a new stage in the pandemic response. Given the situation, we consider it necessary to further facilitate the flow of personnel between China and other countries, ensure stable and smooth industrial and supply chains, and foster new drivers for global development.

Fifth, we will build a stronger line of defense to protect our national interests. We will unequivocally oppose all acts of hegemony, bullying and highhandedness, reject all unilateral protectionist moves, firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, resolutely fight all forces that attempt to hold back and even halt the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and hold the strategic initiative of national development and security firmly in our own hands.

Sixth, we will focus on strengthening our international communication capacity and make our voice heard loud and clear. We will communicate the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress to the world, and tell engaging stories of the CPC, of Chinese modernization, and of building a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to steadily increase the world’s understanding and recognition of the Chinese path, visions and system. We will adapt to the new developments in digitalization and omnimedia, to spread truth to more places and leave no room for lies.

Dear Friends,

The best way to celebrate our history is to write a new page for the future. The best way to embrace the future is to create an even brighter future.

On the new journey ahead, we in the diplomatic service will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of progress of human civilizations. We will maintain a global vision, forge ahead with greater resolve, and write a new chapter and secure new successes in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics from a broader perspective and through stronger actions.

Thank you.