Innovations in China's diplomatic theory and practice under new conditions(5)

4. Proposing stronger top-level designing and strategic planning in diplomatic work including the bottom line thinking with a view to resolutely upholding China's core interests.

Comrade Xi Jinping has repeatedly called for stronger top-level designing and medium to long-term strategic planning for China's diplomatic work. The Party Central Committee, demonstrating a long-term and broad vision and bearing in mind the underlying trend and major events, has stepped up such efforts by integrating China's relations with the world's major countries, its neighbors and other developing countries and multilateral diplomacy through a series of major initiatives. This has promoted an all-round growth of China's relations with various parties, meeting our target of a good start and solid layout in our diplomatic work and setting the stage for the medium and long-term pursuit of our objectives.

The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary attaches great importance to the details of implementing China's foreign policy. It calls for the need to follow new trend in strategic planning, to make timely policy adjustments in light of shifting international developments and the changing external environment, and to properly address new issues and problems in our diplomatic work. We must keep in mind the bottom line, working for the best but preparing for the worst. Comrade Xi Jinping has stressed that while firmly committed to peaceful development, we definitely must not forsake our legitimate interests or compromise our core national interests. No country should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that undermines our sovereignty, security and development interests. In our diplomatic work, we will not dodge disputes or problems as there may be. Rather, we will endeavor to properly handle the differences and problems with relevant countries, while working to promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields to expand common interests and maintain good relations with neighboring countries and peace and stability in the region as a whole.

5. Putting forth the need for enhanced coordination in diplomatic work to ensure unified central leadership over the operations.

To better coordinate the country's domestic and international agenda, the Party Central Committee attaches great importance to a holistic management of foreign affairs. It calls for balanced considerations, overall planning, unified command and coordinated implementation. It requires the central and local governments, non-governmental organizations and all foreign-related agencies to work together to form synergy, with each performing their respective functions. We should fully motivate all the parties involved and spark their creativity, and at the same time subject their activities to the unified management guided by national interests. Efforts should be made to ensure the smooth exercise of leadership by the Party Central Committee in decision-making, management and specific handling of foreign-related affairs so as to realize its strategic intentions in diplomatic work. In the past six months, by strengthening institution-building, sorting out relevant systems and mechanisms and formulating clear-cut regulations, the Party Central Committee has succeeded in improving the management of foreign-related work with stronger and better coordinated operations.