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Embark on a New Journey of China's Diplomacy

2013-12-16 13:59

16 December 2013

Chairman Li Zhaoxing,
Diplomatic Envoys,
Dear Friends,

Good morning!

The theme of today's symposium is new starting point, new thinking and new practice. These phrases have accurately and vividly captured the main features of China's diplomacy this year. I will be happy to review with you China's diplomacy in the past year. We can exchange ideas, sum up experience and build more consensus, so as to make China's diplomacy more successful.

The year 2013 has been an extraordinary year in the international situation. The Syrian issue, which has caught much attention, was pulled back from the brink of war to the track of political settlement. The two processes of destruction of chemical weapons and negotiations on a political transition plan are mutually reinforcing. The Iranian nuclear issue, after 10 years of hard negotiations, finally saw its first agreement reached, which was the first step toward a peaceful solution. The situation on the Korean Peninsula turned from touch-and-go tension to a state of relative relaxation and all parties are busy exploring ways to restart the Six-Party Talks. Not long ago, the WTO clinched its first trade agreement in its 18-year history, injecting new vitality to the global trading regime. A new wave of scientific and technological, industrial and energy revolutions is getting ready amid intensive global economic adjustment.

The year 2013 has also been an extraordinary year in China's development. Under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary, the 1.3 billion Chinese people have, with solidarity and great enthusiasm, started a historic journey towards meeting the two centenary goals, i.e., to finish building a society of initial prosperity in all respects by 2021 when the Communist Party of China celebrates its centenary and to turn China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious by 2049 when the People's Republic of China marks its centenary. The Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee sounded the clarion call for comprehensive deepening of reform in China. The Chinese economy, having withstood severe challenges, has made sound and steady progress. With its healthy development and bright prospects, the Chinese economy has increasingly become an important engine for world economic recovery.

Above all, the year 2013 has certainly been an extraordinary year for China's diplomacy. Carrying forward New China's diplomatic traditions and principles, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary has planned ahead and blazed new trails. It has courageously fulfilled its responsibilities and acted with innovation. As a result, China's diplomacy has had a good start. China's international standing has been further enhanced and its strategic influence strengthened. Under the new conditions, China is conducting its diplomacy across the world with a broader vision and more enterprising spirit.

In the past year, many new concepts have been introduced in China's diplomacy. Commitment to the Chinese dream of national renewal has clearly defined the fundamental pursuit of China's diplomacy in the new situation. A more substantive presentation of the theory of peaceful development has elaborated on China's determination, path and principles of peaceful development. The building of a new model of major-country relations has sent a positive signal of win-win cooperation between China and the United States. The concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness has fleshed out the basic principles of our neighborhood diplomacy. The right approach to upholding principles and pursuing interests has increased the moral appeal of China's diplomacy.

In the past year, many new initiatives have been put forward in China's diplomacy. A series of major cooperation initiatives include the economic belt along the Silk Road, the maritime Silk Road for the 21st century, an upgraded China-ASEAN FTA, an Asian infrastructure investment bank, the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar) Economic Corridor and the China-Pakistan economic corridor. These initiatives are in line with the trend of the times and serve the common interests of countries concerned. As such, they represent the direction of regional cooperation and are well received in the region and beyond.

In the past year, new horizons have been opened up in China's diplomacy. In a short span of eight months since the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have visited 22 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, hosted 64 foreign heads of state or government in China and met with more than 300 foreign dignitaries. China has reached nearly 800 cooperation agreements with other countries. All these have given a strong boost to China's relations with other countries in the world.

In 2013, China's sincere efforts on the diplomatic front have been rewarded with friendship and achievements. Reviewing our work in the past year, I believe major achievements have been made in the following six areas.

Firstly, the China-Russia Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership of Coordination has been elevated to a new stage. Russia was the first leg of General Secretary Xi Jinping's first overseas visit in March as China's President. The two presidents signed a joint statement that carried much weight. In the statement, the two countries explicitly committed to staunchly supporting each other's development and revitalization, the right of independently choosing development path and social and political system and upholding such core interests as sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. It set up a fine example of mutual trust and cooperation between major countries. The two sides signed a large number of cooperation agreements which were known as agreements of the century, demonstrating the strategic and special nature of the China-Russia relations. Since last March, the two presidents of China and Russia have had five meetings, cooperation in economy, energy, culture, military and other areas as well as people-to-people and sub-national exchanges have been raised to a higher level, and international strategic coordination and cooperation between the two countries have scaled new heights. The China-Russia ties are a strategic relationship of the highest level and with the most substantive contents in China's foreign relations.

Secondly, China and the US have entered a new era of jointly building a new model of major-country relations. Historically, it seemed unavoidable for major countries, especially emerging powers and established powers, to engage in competition and eventually slip into confrontation or even conflicts. But in a rapidly globalizing world of the 21st century, China does not believe in or subscribe to such fatalism. We are fully confident in breaking this so-called "pattern" by working together with the US. In June this year, President Xi Jinping, upon invitation, had a meeting with President Obama at Annenberg Estate, California. They reached important agreement on building a new model of major-country relations. President Xi characterized this new model of major-country relationship with three defining features: no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation. No conflict or confrontation is the necessary prerequisite. It would enable both sides to abandon bearish expectations on their relations and foster confidence in their prospects. Mutual respect is the basic principle. If this principle is not followed, the two countries will not be able to seek common ground while shelving differences, accumulate consensus while addressing differences, and live with each other in harmony. Win-win cooperation is the only way forward. If China and the US fail to continue and enhance their cooperation, they won't achieve win-win results, which will not only benefit the two countries, but also the world at large. In 2013, President Xi and President Obama met twice. This year also saw Vice President Biden's visit to China, the successful conclusion of the fifth round of Strategic and Economi