Full Text of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Speech on China's Diplomacy in 2014(6)

With respect to the question of Ukraine, China has maintained an objective and impartial position, worked actively to promote peace through dialogue, and displayed the image as a responsible major country. We made a three-point proposal designed to promote a political solution at the start of the crisis, and we encouraged all along efforts to seek a political solution that accommodates the legitimate interests and concerns of all parties. China's position has been well received by the relevant parties.

We are committed to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula and solving the issue through dialogue and negotiation. By working vigorously on the relevant parties on the various occasions and through various channels, we have tried hard to create the conditions for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and to bring the Korean nuclear issue back to a dialogue process that is sustainable, irreversible and result-oriented.

We have put forth a five-point peace proposal for settling the Palestine-Israel conflict. Having sent our Special Envoy on Middle East Affairs to the region four times on a shuttle mission of mediation, received visit to China by the Special Envoy of the Palestinian President, and provided emergency humanitarian assistance in cash to the Gaza people in the name of the Chinese Government and the Chinese Red Cross Society, China has contributed its share to easing tensions between Palestine and Israel and safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East.

We have got actively involved in addressing the Syrian issue by urging the convening of the Geneva II Conference on Syria, making a five-point proposition for a political settlement and encouraging all parties in Syria to seek a middle way that suits Syria's national conditions and accommodates the interests of all parties. We have also made a great deal of efforts to secure the passage of Security Council resolutions on Syria's humanitarian situation by consensus.

We have worked hard to solve the conflict in South Sudan. By receiving the government and opposition delegations from South Sudan successively and appointing a special envoy on intensive shuttle diplomacy, China has worked on the conflicting parties in a balanced and in-depth way and played a substantive role in stabilizing the situation in South Sudan.

We have been committed to dialogue, consultation and peacefully solving the disputes concerning sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests with some neighboring countries. While firmly safeguarding our sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, we have actively advocated a "dual track" approach in addressing the South China Sea issue, namely, the relevant disputes should be resolved peacefully through friendly negotiations by the countries directly concerned while peace and stability in the South China Sea be jointly maintained by China and the ASEAN countries. This approach has won understanding and support from most countries in this region.

At the recent Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs, President Xi Jinping pointed out that China must develop a distinctive diplomatic approach befitting its role as a major country, so that China's diplomacy will show salient Chinese features, Chinese style and Chinese confidence. China's diplomacy has already stood on a new historical starting point and its relations with the outside world are displaying brand new chapters. The vision, practice, contribution and role of China as I elaborated above have all demonstrated the Chinese features.

The word "features", highlighting the major-country diplomacy as China pursues, underscores China's determination to achieve national greatness through ways different from traditional powers. The Chinese features, first and foremost, support unequivocally the social system and development path widely endorsed by the Chinese people and uphold unswervingly the leadership of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is where the foundation of China's diplomacy lies.

Secondly, the Chinese features embody the upholding of the independent foreign policy of peace, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and other fine traditions in China's diplomacy. At the same time, we need to keep abreast of the times and continue to work for their improvement, enrichment and development.

Thirdly, the Chinese features include the adherence to such principles as standing for reason and justice and acting in equal-footed way. These principles reflect both the proud traditions of the Chinese civilization and the intrinsic requirements of China's socialist system, more effectively safeguard the overall interests of developing countries and help promote democracy in international relations.

Fourthly, the Chinese features require that we make serving domestic development, reform and opening-up our top priority. China is the world's second largest economy, but it is also a typical developing country, which makes it different from other major countries. Therefore, China's diplomacy must be brought to serve the country's domestic development by fostering a more stable and more friendly external environment.

Comrades, the major-country diplomacy with Chinese features is an unprecedented undertaking. It has become all the more valuable just because of its difficult and challenging nature. To persevere in the major-country diplomacy with Chinese features is what the central Party leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary asked of us, and it is also the glorious mission history has bestowed on this generation of ours. I hope that all of us will pool our strengths and wisdom together and make unremitting efforts to this end.