Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefs the media: Highlights

Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, answers questions about the country's foreign policy and diplomatic relations at a press conference on Thursday during the the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Here are some highlights:

China to firmly be force for peace, stability, progress

Faced with the complex and volatile international environment, China will firmly be a force for peace, stability and progress in the world, Wang Yi said Thursday.

Currently, the world landscape is undergoing profound changes, and human society is facing multiple challenges, Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress.

China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, Wang said.

Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, China will strive to safeguard world peace and development as it pursues its own development, and it will make greater contributions to world peace and development through its own development, he noted.

Peaceful coexistence bottom line of China-U.S. relations

Peaceful coexistence is the bottom line of China-U.S. relations, and the consequences of a conflict between the two major countries are unimaginable, Wang Yi said.

The United States should take an objective and rational view of China's development, and match its words with actions to honor the commitments on China-U.S. relations, said Wang.

Improvements in China-U.S. ties since summit in San Francisco last November, but challenges remain, said Wang.

China, Russia forging new major country relations

Hegemony finds no support and division is doomed to fail, Wang told the press conference.

Major countries should not seek confrontation, and the Cold War should not be allowed to come back, he said.

Russia's natural gas is powering numerous Chinese households, and Chinese-made automobiles are running on Russian roads, proving the strong resilience and broad prospects of China-Russia mutually beneficial cooperation, Wang said.

China announces visa-free policy for 6 European countries

China will adopt a visa-free policy for Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg on a trial basis, starting March 14, Wang Yi said Thursday.

"We hope more countries will also offer Chinese citizens visa facilitation and work with us to build fast-track networks for cross-border travels and encourage speedy resumption of international passenger flights," Wang told the press conference.

China advocates equal, orderly multi-polar world

China advocates an equal and orderly multi-polar world, and promotes inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, said Wang Yi.

Wang said certain or a few powers should not monopolize international affairs, and countries should not be categorized according to their "strength."

"Those with the bigger fist should not have the final say. And it is definitely unacceptable that certain countries must be at the table while some others can only be on the menu," he said.

Palestine-Israel conflict a tragedy, disgrace

It's "a tragedy for humanity and a disgrace for civilization" that the humanitarian disaster caused by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict fails to end, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, urging the international community to act for an immediate ceasefire.

The ongoing conflict and the murdering of civilians cannot be justified by any excuses, Wang said. 

China addresses hotspot issues through the Chinese way

Wang Yi said that China has found the Chinese way to address hotspot issues featuring commitments to non-interference in internal affairs, to political settlement, to objectivity and impartiality, and a commitment to addressing both symptoms and root causes.

"We learn from international practices and draw wisdom from Chinese culture," Wang said.

One-China principle is a prevailing international consensus

There will be a family photo of the whole international community in which all members uphold the one-China principle, which is only a matter of time, said Wang Yi.

Noting China will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity, Wang said the bottom line is also quite clear that China will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the motherland.

Waters of South China Sea should be kept calm

Differences regarding the South China Sea should be properly managed and resolved through dialogue and consultation between states directly involved, while peace at sea should be jointly upheld by China and ASEAN members, Wang Yi said.

Despite the turbulence in the world, peace and stability in South China Sea have been maintained thanks to the collective efforts of China and ASEAN members, which does not come by easily and should be cherished, he told the news conference. 

Wang Yi warns against creating AI barriers

Wang Yi warned against practices of "building a small yard with high fence" in artificial intelligence, saying that doing so would be a new historic mistake that hinders the technological development of various nations.

Wang said Beijing upholds a positive and open attitude toward cooperation with other countries in artificial intelligence, adding that cooperation between major countries over AI is more than important. 

Wang Yi reiterates support to Africa

China will continue to support Africa in its self-driven development and faster modernization, and hopes that all sides will pay more attention to, and increase input for Africa's development, as China has done, Wang Yi said.

China and Africa are "brothers treating each other with sincerity and sharing a common future", Wang said.