Foreign Minister Wang Yi told diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations in China on Wednesday that the country is ready to work with all countries to cement the foundations of peace and security and pool strength for friendship and cooperation.
Addressing a New Year reception hosted by the ministry at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Wang also expressed China's willingness to join hands with other countries to follow the right path of multilateralism and build a future of development and prosperity.
The event was attended by more than 400 people from diplomatic missions stationed in China, international organizations as well as Chinese government departments.
Looking back on the past year, Wang said the Chinese people have opened the door to share development opportunities with people across the world and embraced global friends with open arms, thus constantly injecting valuable stability and positive energy into the world.
"More countries and peoples have come to realize that we as humanity are in it together come rain or shine and the future of the global village lies in our own hands," he said, noting that it has been proved that decoupling and supply chains disruption would lead to nowhere.
Speaking of the China-Russia relationship, Wang said China will take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2024 as an opportunity to further strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
"We will uphold our comprehensive strategic partnership with the European Union and work for the solid and sustained progress of China-EU relations," he said.
Wang also said China will deepen friendship, mutual trust and converge interests with its neighbors and join hands with fellow developing countries to pursue greater development and revitalization.
"We will actively implement the Global Civilization Initiative to promote mutual understanding and affinity between people of different countries," he said.
As for the China-US relationship, which has been halted from deteriorating further, Wang said China will steer clear of distractions and focus on implementing the common understandings reached between the two heads of state at their summit in San Francisco in November to strive for a healthy and sustainable China-US relationship and explore the right way for the two countries to get along.
Noting that the year of 2024 is crucial for the advancement of Chinese modernization in all aspects, Wang said that building a community with a shared future for mankind is the noble goal China is pursuing in its major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for the new era.
"We will work closely with the international community for the common good of humanity and make the world a better place for all," he said.
Martin Mpana, ambassador of Cameroon to China and dean of the foreign diplomatic corps in China, sent best wishes to the Chinese people for a happy New Year on behalf of the diplomatic corps.
He said countries around the world look forward to making joint efforts, under the guidance of the three global initiatives proposed by China, to make the world safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous.