Xi seeks new outlook on foreign affairs

Chinese President Xi Jinping looked forward to a more enabling international environment for China's peaceful development as he delivered an address at a conference held here on Friday and Saturday.

At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs, Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, underscored the importance of holding high the banner of peace, development and win-win cooperation, pursuing China's overall domestic and international interests and its development and security priorities in a balanced way, focusing on the overriding goal of peaceful development and national renewal, upholding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, fostering a more enabling international environment for peaceful development and maintaining and sustaining the important period of strategic opportunity for China's development.

These efforts will ensure the realization of the "two centenary goals"(doubling the 2010 GDP and per capita income of urban and rural residents and finishing the building of a society of initial prosperity in all respects when the CPC celebrates its centenary and turning China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious when the People's Republic of China marks its centenary) and the Chinese dream of the great renewal of the Chinese nation, Xi said.

The conference was presided over by Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council. Attending the conference were: Zhang Dejiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; Yu Zhengsheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee; Wang Qishan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection of the CPC Central Committee and Zhang Gaoli, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

Convened by the central Party leadership to advance China's diplomacy under new conditions, this important meeting aims to, following the guidance of the Deng Xiaoping theory, the important thought of the "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development, fully implement the decisions of the 18th CPC National Congress and the Third and Fourth Plenums of the 18th CPC Central Committee, gain a full understanding of the changing international developments and China's external environment, lay down the guidelines, basic principles, strategic goals and major mission of China's diplomacy in the new era and endeavor to make new advances in China's foreign relations.

In his address, Xi Jinping pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the central Party leadership, bearing in mind China's domestic and international interests, has maintained continuity and consistency of China's foreign policy, strengthened overall planning and taken bold initiatives, thus achieving notable progress.

"Keeping in mind new tasks that should be carried out under new conditions, we have worked hard to creatively pursue China's diplomacy in both theory and practice, highlight the global significance of the Chinese dream and enrich the strategic thinking of peaceful development," Xi said.

"We have advocated the building of a new type of international relations underpinned by win-win cooperation, put forward and followed a policy of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests and championed a new vision featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security," he said.

"We have endeavored to build a new model of major-country relations, put forward and practised a neighborhood policy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness as well as the guideline on China's relations with Africa featuring sincerity, delivering outcomes, affinity and good faith," he added.

Xi said these accomplishments would not have been possible without the dedication of comrades engaging in China's foreign affairs, especially those stationed overseas. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Xi Jinping paid high tribute and extended sincere greetings to all those working on the diplomatic front.

Xi Jinping made an incisive analysis of the evolving global developments and changing international architecture. He stressed that "to have a keen grasp of global developments and follow the underlying trend of the times is a crucially important and constant task that requires our abiding attention."

China must keep abreast with the global development if it is to achieve its development, Xi said. "It is important to have a global perspective and deep understanding of the underlying trend of the times, make sound, accurate and thorough assessment of the changing international environment and dissect complex phemomena to uncover the essence and, in particular, gain a deep appreciation of the long-term trend."

"We should be fully mindful of the complexity of the evolving international architecture, and we should also recognize that the growing trend toward a multi-polar world will not change," Xi said.

"We should be fully aware that the global economic adjustment will not be smooth sailing; but we also need to recognize that economic globalization will not stop," he said.

"We should be fully alert to the grave nature of international tensions and struggle; but we also need to recognize that peace and development, the underlying trend of our times, will remain unchanged. We should be keenly aware of the protracted nature of contest over the international order; on the other hand, we need to recognize that the direction of reform of the international system will remain unchanged," said the Chinese leader.

"We should fully recognize the uncertainty in China's neighboring environment, but we should also realize that the general trend of prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region will not change," he added.