State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answers questions about the country’s foreign
policy and external relations at a press conference on Sunday during the fourth session of the
13th National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature.
The press conference, which begins at 3 pm, is virtual at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing,
in line with COVID-19 containment measures.
Here are some highlights:
On ‘head-of-State diplomacy’
The biggest highlight in China’s foreign relations has been “head-of-State diplomacy”, Wang
Yi said.
Through innovative “cloud diplomacy”, President Xi Jinping has championed solidarity in the
world’s fight against COVID-19, and pointed the way forward for the international community
to jointly fight the virus, Wang said.
On the COVID-19 pandemic
China will continue working with other countries in unremitting efforts to completely defeat
the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang Yi said.
China has carried out its largest emergency humanitarian action since the founding of the
People’s Republic of China in 1949, making contributions to the anti-coronavirus efforts of the
world, Wang Yi said.
On China-Russia relations
In the face of the once-in-a-century pandemic, China and Russia have stood shoulder to
shoulder and worked closely to combat “both the coronavirus and the political virus,” Wang
said.
China and Russia should be each other’s strategic support, development opportunity, and global
partner. This is both an experience gained from history and an imperative under the current
circumstances, Wang said.
On CPC leadership
Facts have proved that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the biggest political
advantage of Chinese diplomacy and that leadership will offer fundamental support for China’s
diplomatic agenda to keep securing more victories, Wang Yi said.
Wang said that China’s diplomacy is a people-oriented diplomacy led by the CPC, and the Party
set the direction for China’s diplomatic agenda.
The original inspiration and mission of the CPC – to seek happiness for the Chinese people and
rejuvenation for the Chinese nation — determines the responsibility of China’s diplomacy, he
said.
On China-Africa relations
Helping African countries contain the COVID-19 pandemic and bring their economies back on
track is the top priority of the China-Africa cooperation, State Councilor and Foreign Minister
Wang Yi said.
China will always support developing countries, Wang Yi said.
China has started to provide COVID-19 vaccines to 35 African countries and the African Union
Commission, Wang Yi said.
On ‘patriots administering Hong Kong’
Any country in the world will take allegiance to the motherland as a basic political ethic that
must be observed by public officials or those who run for public posts, and so does Hong Kong,
he said.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. One cannot talk about loving Hong
Kong without loving its motherland, he said, adding that love for the country and for Hong
Kong is completely consistent.
Hong Kong enjoyed no democracy during colonial rule. Since its return to the motherland 24
years ago, no one is more concerned about Hong Kong’s democratic development and wishes
Hong Kong to remain prosperous and stable than the central government, he said.
On China-US relations
Wang said it is normal for China and the US, two countries with different social systems, to
have differences and disagreements. “What matters most is to manage them effectively through
candid communication to prevent strategic miscalculation and avoid conflict and
confrontation.”
Wang said China hopes the US can remove its unreasonable restriction on bilateral cooperation
as soon as possible, and refrain from artificially creating new ones.
“We are willing to work with the US and set China-US relations on a new path of healthy and
steady development,” he said.
On Taiwan question
The two sides of the Taiwan Strait must be and will surely be reunified, which is the trend of
history and the collective will of the entire Chinese nation, Wang said, adding the one-China
principle is the political foundation of the China-US relationship, a red line that should not be
crossed.
On the Taiwan question, there is no room for compromise or concession from the Chinese
government, he said.
“We would hope to see a clear departure from the previous administration’s dangerous practice
of ‘pushing the red line’ and ‘playing with fire’, and we hope that the Taiwan question will be
handled prudently and properly,” Wang said.
China stresses UN’s core status
The UN is not a club for big or rich countries. All countries enjoy equal sovereignty and no
country is in a position to dictate international affairs, Wang said.
He also urged efforts to enhance the representativeness and say of developing countries in the
UN to better reflect the common aspiration of most countries.
China, EU not systemic rivals
The China-Europe relationship is equal and open, and not targeting any third party or controlled
by anyone else, Wang Yi said on Sunday.
China never intends to divide relations between Europe and the United States, Wang said,
adding that the country is glad to see the European Union uphold multilateralism and remain
devoted to coordination and cooperation among major countries.
China opposes ‘vaccine nationalism’
China opposes “vaccine nationalism,” rejects any “vaccine divide” or any attempt to politicize
vaccine cooperation, Wang said.
More than 60 countries have authorized the use of Chinese vaccines.
China has provided and is providing COVID-19 vaccine aid free of charge to 69 developing
countries in urgent need, while exporting vaccines to 43 countries.
On China-Arab relations
China will work with Arab states in solidarity, pursue common progress and make good
preparations for a China-Arab States Summit, Wang Yi said on Sunday.
In the past year, relations between China and the Arab States have continued to make progress
amid various challenges, Wang said, adding their joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic
has set a good example for international cooperation.
On multilateralism
Building small circles in the name of multilateralism is in fact “group politics,” multilateralism
with one’s own interests taking precedence is still unilateral thinking, and “selective
multilateralism” is not the right choice.
True multilateralism means openness and inclusiveness instead of closeness and exclusion. It
means equal-footed consultation instead of supremacy over others, Wang said.
China’s WTO accession
Wang said the past two decades have taught China four important lessons: We must stay
committed to the fundamental policy of opening-up; we must stay committed to the principle
of win-win cooperation; we must stay committed to the right direction of economic
globalization; and we must stay committed to the central role of the WTO.
“China has injected energy into economic globalization, and facilitated the optimization of
global industry chains and resources,” he said.
On China-Japan relations
China and Japan should remain focused without being distracted by any single event to make
the bilateral relations more mature and stable.
China and Japan should support each other in hosting the upcoming Olympic Games this year
and next year.
China hopes the Japanese society would truly embrace an objective and rational perception of
China, so as to solidify public support for long-term progress in China-Japan relations.
‘Xinjiang genocide’ claim a thorough lie
The so-called claim of genocide in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is
preposterous, which is a rumor fabricated with ulterior motives and a thorough lie, Wang Yi
said on Sunday.
Some western politicians chose to believe in the lies cooked up by a few instead of listening to
the voice of 25 million Xinjiang residents of various ethnic groups, Wang said, adding that they
chose to dance with the clumsy dramas by a few anti-China forces instead of acknowledging
the progress in Xinjiang.
On China-ASEAN relations
Wang said that China stands ready to develop an even closer community with a shared future
with ASEAN as the two sides celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral
dialogue relations this year.
China will continue to prioritize efforts to meet vaccine demand from ASEAN and further
consolidate mutual beneficial cooperation and see that China’s new development paradigm is
better align with the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, he said.
On the Belt and Road Initiative
China’s commitment in supporting the Belt and Road Initiative has not changed, and the country
will continue to work with stakeholders to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation,
Wang Yi said.
COVID-19 may have changed the world, but the need for Belt and Road cooperation has not
subsided, he said.
“As we pursue a new development paradigm, we will explore better pathways for Belt and Road cooperation and offer greater opportunities to BRI partners,” he added.
On new development stage
China will create a better business environment, pursue opening-up at a higher level, and work
with various countries to accelerate the building of an open world economy, Wang Yi said.
China in the new development stage is like an express train with greater driving force and load
capacity accelerating towards a new goal, he said.
On China-India relations
China stands in a firm position to solve border disputes through dialogue and consultations and
at the same time is determined to safeguard its own sovereign interests, Wang Yi said.
Border issues are not the whole of China-India relationship, Wang said, noting that what
happened again proves that initiating confrontation will not solve the problem, and that
returning to peaceful negation is the right way forward.
On climate change
Even though China and the US and the European Union are in different stages of development
and face different challenges, they share the same mission in coping with climate change, he
said.
Wang urged enhanced communication and coordination between the three sides and that they
play a leading role in the international community, he said, adding that China welcomes the US’
return to the Paris Agreement and expects that the US will shoulder its responsibility and make
its due contribution, he added.
On Iran nuclear issue
China hopes the United States will show sincerity on the Iran nuclear issue, take actions as
quickly as possible, including removing unjustified unilateral sanctions and lifting the “longarm jurisdiction” on third-party entities and individuals, Wang Yi said.
At the same time, he said, Iran should resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal and
shoulder its responsibility of nuclear non-proliferation, Wang said.
On South China Sea
The only intention of some Western countries, including the United States, is to stir up troubles
in the South China Sea in the name of so-called free navigation and undermine peace in the
South China Sea and disturb regional stability, Wang said.
He called on China and ASEAN countries to continue to remove distractions and press ahead
with Code of Conduct consultations and continue with the full and effective implementation of
the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
On Myanmar tensions
Relevant parties in Myanmar should maintain calm and exercise restraint, address their
differences through dialogue and consultation within the constitutional and legal framework,
and continue to advance the democratic transition, Wang Yi said.
“The immediate priority is to prevent further bloodshed and conflict, and ease and cool down
the situation as soon as possible,” Wang said.
On China and Latin America
China is providing COVID-19 vaccines to 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries, Wang
Yi said on Sunday.
“China and Latin American and Caribbean countries have stood alongside and supported each
other in COVID-19 response and economic recovery,” he said. “Our cooperation best illustrates
the saying, that ‘a bosom friend afar brings a distant land near’.”
On objective coverage of China
China hopes to see and welcome more journalists in the mold of Edgar Snow in this new era
among foreign journalists, said Wang Yi.
Wang said he hopes that foreign journalists will not apply any filter to their camera, whether
one of beauty or gloomy, when reporting on China.
“Truthful, objective and fair stories will always appeal to people and can stand the scrutiny of
history,” he said. “However the world changes, the media should stand by their professional
ethnics.”