New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping during the high-level meeting on the 2023 Foreign policy outcomes held in Beijing said, "We will safeguard security and effectively uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests with a firm will and an indomitable fighting spirit." Xi delivered an important speech at the central conference on work relating to foreign affairs held in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday, an official press release issued at the end of the meeting said.
According to the high-level meeting, China has gained more strategic autonomy and emerged as a responsible major country with enhanced international influence under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. In his important address, Xi Jinping presented a systematic review of the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, gave a profound exposition on the international environment and historical mission of China’s external work on the new journey, and made comprehensive plans for China’s external work for the present and coming periods.
Presiding over the conference, Li Qiang emphasised the importance of ensuring sound external work on the new journey under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and set out requirements for studying and implementing the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important address.
“We have opened up new prospects in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and gained much more strategic autonomy and initiative in our diplomacy,” the meeting said about China’s diplomatic progress in the outgoing year. “China has become a responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavours, and greater moral appeal,” the statement from the Chinese foreign ministry said.
While the details of Xi’s address were not revealed, he was reported to have reviewed China’s diplomatic relations with various countries, including with the US, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the raging Middle East conflict, and frozen ties with India over the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh. It was made clear at the conference that since the 18th CPC National Congress, historic achievements have been secured and historic changes have taken place in China’s external work on the great journey of advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
In his speech, Xi systematically reviewed the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, the press release said. He elaborated on the international environment and historical mission of China’s external work in the new journey and made comprehensive plans for China’s external work at present and in the future.
According to the conference, in the decade of the new era, China has seen high winds and choppy waters and overcome various difficulties and challenges in China’s external work. “We have opened up new prospects in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and gained much more strategic autonomy and initiative in our diplomacy. China has become a responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavors, and greater moral appeal”, it said.
It was pointed out at the conference that a range of valuable experiences has been gained in the new era of Chinese diplomacy. It is imperative to uphold principles. ”On major issues concerning the future of humanity and the direction of the world, we must take a clear and firm position, hold the international moral high ground, and unite and rally the overwhelming majority in our world. It is imperative to shoulder China’s responsibility as a major country”, it noted.
It was highlighted at the conference that looking ahead, China faces new strategic opportunities in its development. On the new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage where much more can be accomplished. “We must focus on the central task of the CPC and the country, seek progress while maintaining stability, break new ground while upholding fundamental principles, and firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security, and development interest challenges and achieve prosperity for all, and usher in a bright future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress for our world. It is pertinent to note that Xi Jinping's first two terms focussed on beefing up the military with massive defense outlays and aggressive diplomacy with his trillion dollars ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) – the mega infrastructure development project which also earned the tag of “debt diplomacy.
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