In a press conference that lasted about one and a half hours, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered 21 questions, covering a wide range of issues related to China's foreign policy and foreign relations. On China's relationship with Europe, Wang said Europe's labeling of China as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival” at the same time is like reaching a traffic light and finding the red, yellow and green lights all on at the same time. “How can one drive on?,” he asked. As long as China and Europe engage in mutually beneficial cooperation, no attempt to create bloc confrontation will succeed, and as long as China and Europe stay committed to openness and mutual benefit, deglobalization will not prevail, said the Chinese Foreign Minister. “The traffic light analogy illustrates the underlying issues plaguing Europe's foreign policy, highlighting internal contradictions and conflicting interests that hinder a cohesive approach. This metaphor underscores the challenges faced by European countries, while their own political correctness contradicts their practical interests,” Yang Xiyu, Senior Research Fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times. Minister Wang Yi said China and Europe should be “defenders of multilateralism”, adding that cooperation should define their relationship. “The correct positioning of China-EU relations should be that of partnership, the mainstream tone should be cooperation, the key value should be independence, and the development prospects should be win-win.”
On China-U.S. relations, Wang said that since the meeting between the leaders of the two countries in San Francisco in November 2023, there has been some improvement, but the U.S. side's incorrect perceptions of China continue, and the commitments made by the U.S. have not been truly fulfilled. The U.S. is constantly thinking of new ways to suppress China, and the list of unilateral sanctions is continuously expanding, reaching an unimaginable level of scapegoating, according to Wang. The Foreign Minister also elaborated on China's relationship with Russia. Wang said that China and Russia have forged a new paradigm of major-country relations that differs entirely from the obsolete Cold War approach, noting that China is willing to work with Russia to further cultivate new momentum for cooperation. China supports the holding of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and that ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans, said Wang. On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he said that a two-state solution is the only way to break the vicious cycle, and that the failure to end the humanitarian disaster caused by the conflict today in the 21st century is a tragedy for humanity and a disgrace for civilization.
The Chinese Foreign Minister also explained in detail China's contribution and role in pushing forward the development of the Global South. Wang noted that the Global South is no longer the “silent majority,” but a key force for reforming the international order and a source of profound hope as the world undergoes changes unseen in the last century. China was, is and will always be a steadfast member of the Global South. We go through thick and thin and head toward a shared future together with countries of the Global South, and we will always be a crucial force for the development and prosperity of the Global South, said Wang.
The Foreign Minister also said that China wants to sign more high-standard free trade agreements (FTAs), expand global free trade areas and networks, and maintain the stability and smooth operation of global industrial chains, supply chains, and data chains. “We will also work together to host multilateral international cooperation platforms such as expos for trade in services, consumer goods, and supply chains to optimize the market-oriented, legalized, and internationalized business environment, bringing more stable and long-term benefits to investors and partners from various countries,” Wang said. “China contributed one third of global growth in 2023 with a 5.2% increase in GDP. China remains strong as an engine for growth. The next China is still China,” Wang said.
China's door is opening wider – China's overall tariff level has been reduced to a level roughly equivalent to that of developed countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO); the negative list for foreign investment access has been reduced to below 31 items; manufacturing access has been fully opened and the opening-up of the service industry is accelerating; and foreign investment returns continue to rank among the best in the world, Wang added. “Those who spread pessimistic views on China will only harm themselves, and those who misjudge China will result in missed opportunities,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted, as reported by the Global Times and the China Daily.
