What is the most important in diplomacy is continuity and
without continuity there would be no innovation, said Chinese
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing at a press conference Saturday on the
sideline of the annual session of China's top legislature.
Li made the remarks in response to a question on whether China
will change its long-term diplomatic principle of keeping a low
profile and awaiting for the opportune moment to accomplish
something big by giving up the principle of keeping a low profile
to stress, instead, accomplishing something big.
Li said he believed that one important thing in diplomacy is to
seek truth from facts and keep up with the times. "Only by so
doing, can we correctly size up the situation and take effective
measures to secure what is good to our country and people," he
said, adding that it is our consistent tradition to fix our stand
based on what is right and what is wrong.
Peace and development remains the main theme of our era, the
foreign minister said. But the world is not tranquil, often
challenged by unexpected non-traditional threats. We have to learn
to take up these challenges," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2004)
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