Highlights of Wang’s news conference on nation’s foreign policy
COVID19 pandemic
The coronavirus is a challenge to all mankind as it respects no borders and does not distinguish between races. The most important lesson that can be learned from the COVID19 pandemic is that people’s lives and health are closely connected and that all countries are in the same global village.
All countries should transcend their differences and work together to overcome COVID19, instead of political manipulation, seeking benefits at others’ expense or ignoring science.
Globalization
Globalization, multilateralism and global governance should be championed and optimized in the post COVID19 pandemic world. Attempts to refuse globalization and renew protectionism have no future.
We need to mitigate unbalanced regional development issues and the widened gap between the rich and poor. Globalization issues need to be solved through globalization.
ChinaRussia ties
China and Russia have supported and defended each other against groundless attacks and slander by certain countries since the novel coronavirus outbreak began. They have forged an impregnable fortress against the “political virus”.
Global aid
China never seeks any geopolitical goals and economic interests in providing antiepidemic assistance, nor does it attach any political strings to the assistance.
ChinaEU ties
China and the European Union should not be ideological competitors, but allround strategic partners. ChinaEU interactions are mutually beneficial, not a competition where one side loses and the other side wins.
China’s diplomacy in 2020
China has not paused its diplomacy for a moment despite COVID19. It has engaged in “cloud diplomacy” in the form of phone calls, exchanges of correspondence and videoconferences.
China, Japan and ROK cooperation to fight epidemic
China, Japan and the Republic of Korea should continue their cooperation to contain the COVID19 outbreak and work together to resume their business operations and ensure stable supply chains. The three countries have been working closely to control the outbreak. Their people have been looking out for and helping each other to overcome COVID19, setting an example for the world in fighting the pandemic.
ChinaAfrica ties
China will work with G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative to ease the debt burden of African countries and continue helping the continent combat COVID19. China will channel antiepidemic materials as much as possible to African and other developing countries, consider sending a new group of medical experts to the continent and accelerate the construction of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
ChinaASEAN ties
China stands ready to further improve the level of economic integration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with joint efforts to enable the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership this year. China will continue to see ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and support the central role of the trade bloc in East Asian cooperation.
Belt and Road Initiative
China’s confidence and determination to join hands with other countries in advancing the Belt and Road remain unchanged despite COVID19. Looking into the future, the joint building of the initiative will be conducted on a more solid foundation, with more vitality and broader prospects after the pandemic.
Korean Peninsula
Enhancing mutual trust and breaking the impasse on the Korean
Peninsula require concrete actions. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has taken positive measures to promote deescalation of tension and denuclearization on the peninsula, but it is regrettable that such moves meet no substantial response from the United States, which is the main reason for the ongoing stalemate of their dialogue.
Taiwan question
China urges the United States not to challenge the country’s bottom line and not to miscalculate the firm determination of the 1.4 billion Chinese to safeguard the country’s unification. Reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Straits is the trend of history. No individual or force can stop it from happening.
South China Sea
It is totally ungrounded to assume that China is expanding its presence in the South China Sea during the COVID19 pandemic. Ships and aircraft carrying critical supplies are navigating in and over the South China Sea. A few countries outside the region flex their muscles by sending military aircraft and vessels to the South China Sea; their illintentioned and despicable moves are meant to undermine the hardwon stability in the region.
Helping overseas Chinese
The Foreign Ministry and its embassies and consulates have conducted a special campaign worldwide to help overseas Chinese nationals fight COVID19. The ministry has worked with more than 20 teams of medical specialists to provide guidance for overseas Chinese, and it has sent over 1 million health kits to Chinese students studying abroad.
Afghanistan’s peacebuilding, economic development
China will keep playing a positive and constructive role in facilitating peace and economic development in Afghanistan. There is also a need for stronger counterterrorism efforts in the region and to improve international ties between Afghanistan with neighboring countries, so more support and collaborations can be mustered to facilitate Afghanistan’s peacebuilding process.
Restarting Hubei province’s international exchange
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will create more opportunities for Hubei province, the country’s area hit hardest by the COVID19 pandemic, to restart international exchanges and bolster international cooperation. It will host a special global promotional event at an appropriate time to introduce the province and its capital, Wuhan, to garner more global understanding and support for them following the outbreak.