On December 20, People's Daily reported on
its interview with Li
Zhaoxing, in which the foreign minister reviewed the
achievements of China's diplomacy this year and discussed its
diplomatic blueprint for the 11th Five-Year Guideline period
(2006-10).
Despite the threat of terrorism and occurrences of
tsunami, hurricane, earthquake and bird flu, overall international
tension eased off this year, Li said, and cooperation, peace and
development have become a common understanding between more and
more countries.
The world is moving toward multipolarity, he said,
leading to keener global competition. Meanwhile, deepening
globalization has enhanced the interdependence among different
economies.
In general, the world economy is accelerating, he
said, though accompanied by increasing risks and challenges. How to
maintain stable, balanced and sustainable growth is an issue of
great importance facing the whole world at present, and much should
be done to tackle the problems brought about by globalization to
developing countries particularly.
Concerning China's diplomacy, Li said friendly
relations with surrounding nations this year have been further
strengthened as reflected in substantive cooperation with ASEAN and
other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
member countries.
Also, the 13th South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) summit decided last month to accord China
observer status. In the six-party
talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue China continued to
play a constructive role and in September the negotiations made a
breakthrough with the adoption of a common statement in
Beijing.
According to Li, this year President Hu Jintao
and US President George W. Bush have met on many occasions and
agreed to promote exchanges and cooperation and build a
constructive relationship.
China and Russia launched a national security
consultation mechanism in February. During Hu's July visit to
Moscow, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Joint
Statement on the International Order of the 21st Century. One month
later, the two armed forces successfully carried out a large-scale
maneuver, Li said, pushing the strategic partnership of
coordination to a new high.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. The
visits by EU foreign ministers in May and EU Commission President
José Manuel Barroso in July have given impetus to the development
of an all-round strategic partnership, Li said.
In relations with developing countries, China
continues to push forward cooperation with African and Arabian
nations under the frameworks of Sino-African Cooperation Forum and
Sino-Arabian Cooperation Forum, he said, while trying to strengthen
ties with Latin American regional organizations. When attending the
Asia-Africa Summit as well as the 50th anniversary of the Bandung
Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia in April, Hu proposed to establish
a new type of Asian-African strategic partnership.
This year, China conducted an active multilateral
diplomacy on a global scale through cooperation and dialogue, Li
said. Its heads of state attended a series of significant
international activities such as the celebration ceremony of the
60th anniversary of the victory of Russia's Great Patriotic War,
the informal leaders' dialogue between the G8 and developing
countries, the UN's 60th anniversary summit, the 13th APEC Economic
Leaders' Meeting, the 2nd World Conference of Speakers of
Parliaments and the 7th summit meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan and
South Korea (10+3).
In economy, China has made efforts to mitigate
frictions with its major trading partners and for the first time
hosted the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank
governors in October, Li said. More and more countries have begun
to recognize China's full market economy status.
This year saw China safeguarding sovereignty and
national security. Li said China thwarted Taiwan's 13th consecutive
attempt to apply for membership of the UN and 9th attempt to
participate in the World Health Assembly.
He said the Anti-Secession
Law ratified by the National People's Congress (NPC)
in March has won wide understanding and support in the world, and
Grenada and Senegal resumed diplomatic relations with China in
January and October respectively.
Throughout the year, China also handled more than
20,000 cases related to abduction, robbery and unfair treatment of
overseas Chinese, Li said.
Peace, development and cooperation are the main
principles of China's peaceful rise, Li said. While realizing its
own development, China will as always work for world peace.
In October the 5th Plenary Session of the 16th
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (
CPC) examined and approved proposals for formulating the 11th
Five-Year Guideline for National Economy and Social Development.
During the 11th Five-Year Guideline period, diplomatic work will
focus on creating a peaceful and favorable environment for China's
modernization, Li said.
In the spirit of mutual benefit and "win-win"
cooperation, China will make greater contributions to the
establishment of a new international order of lasting peace and
common prosperity, he said.
(China.org.cn by Shao Da, December 22, 2005)