BEIJING, Oct. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China’s determination to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests of the Chinese nation is unshakable and rock solid, and on the new journey in the future, China’s diplomacy will continue to carry forward the fighting spirit and improve the ability to fight, said a senior Chinese diplomat at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Thursday.

The press center for the 20th CPC National Congress held a press conference on the topic “Under the Guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, Forge Ahead and Strive to Break New Ground for Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics” in Beijing, with Shen Beili, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both in attendance.

Chinese analysts said strengthening China’s ability to fight on the diplomatic front means it understands the country faces an unprecedented threat from the outside world

Guiding thought

Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the latest theoretical outcome of the Marxism of contemporary China in foreign-related work. It embodies the best of the Chinese culture and ethos in our times. It is a fundamental philosophy and guide to action for China’s diplomacy in the new era, Ma said.

In the past ten years, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy has guided China’s diplomacy to new success. China has taken historic strides in its relations with the world and made historic contributions to the international community, Ma remarked.

Shen outlined the CPC’s international exchanges and communications with other countries’ political parties and civil organizations. The CPC will not point fingers at the internal affairs of political parties in other nations, nor will the Party seek to export the Chinese model or require other nations or parties to emulate its practice, Shen noted, stressing that “the CPC will not accept the sanctimonious preaching or blindly borrow the political systems of other nations.”

Shen noted that it is important for political parties of different nations to seek common ground while reserving their differences and step up mutual learning, which is instrumental to promoting progress in human civilization.

Shen said political parties, whether they are the ruling party or not, should treat each other as equals, respect each other and refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs, regardless of their history, number of members or strength.

Fighting spirit

Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi at its core, we maintain the strategic focus and carry forward the fighting spirit, safeguarding the country’s dignity and core interests and taking the initiative in taking the right of development and security of our country in our hands, Ma said.

We have also exposed lies through presenting the truth and thwarted some political attempts to contain China by using Xinjiang affairs and we have steadily advanced the negotiation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in safeguarding the overall stability of the region. 

Ma said that over the past 10 years, the number of countries that had established diplomatic relations with China has increased from 172 to 181, while 149 countries and 32 international organizations have decided to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

China, in the past decade, has established diplomatic ties with nine countries that used to be so-called “diplomatic allies” of the Taiwan authority, he said.

While answering a question from the Global Times at the press conference on Thursday about how Chinese diplomacy will reflect “fighting spirit”, a term that has been frequently seen in recent key documents on Chinese diplomacy, in the future, Ma said, “Having the courage and ability to carry on the fight is a fine tradition and distinct characteristic of Chinese diplomacy,” and China “opposes any type of hegemony and power politics. We have unshakable and rock-solid determination to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.”

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Thursday that with China getting closer or entering the center of the international arena in the past 10 years, the “counter-acting force” released by the hegemony that resists such change will increase, and this is why the fighting spirit is becoming increasingly important for China’s foreign affairs.

Biggest threat

Ma said, “In the new journey, Chinese diplomacy will keep carrying forward its fighting spirit and improve the ability to carry on the fight, and will always stand at the forefront of safeguarding the national interests and dignity.”

Wang said, in the future, Chinese diplomacy will be more proactive and take more decisive actions to shape the international environment and unite countries worldwide as much as possible to oppose hegemony. The international community, especially the developing countries, is also expecting the international order to be fairer and have more justice, and this is also the will of the Chinese people.”

Responding to a question about the upcoming G20 summit in Bali from an Indonesian journalist at the press conference, Ma reaffirmed China’s support for Indonesia in holding such a significant international event, and with regard to whether Chinese leaders will attend the summit, Ma said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will release the information in due course.