China's diplomacy serves economy and the upcoming financial summit in London will be a success, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday told a press conference on the sidelines of the Second Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC).

The NPC session, together with the Second Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has aroused the attention of overseas media that are keeping a close watch at the two ongoing political events held annually.

In an article titled "Chinese foreign policy to focus on economic objectivity this year," Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao quoted the foreign minister as saying that the principal line of China's diplomacy in 2009 is to drive its economy to develop in a steady and relatively fast way and that by participating in various global summits, China is to promote a more just and rational international order.

The Strait Times, also a Singaporean newspaper, paid special attention to Yang's remarks on Sino-US relations, quoting the Chinese foreign minister as saying the Sino-US ties are getting off a "good start" under the new Obama administration and China is ready to work with the US and other countries to tackle the global economic crisis.

Malaysia's China Press said China has developed a win-win and mutually beneficiary cooperation with African countries, and the relations between China and other Asian countries are of mutual benefit both politically and economically.

Nanyang Siang Pau of Malaysia devoted a whole edition to China's ongoing two political conferences, citing Yang's words that the main task of China's diplomacy in 2009 is to promote economic cooperation and trade between China and other countries, while Sin Chew Media said China is willing to join efforts with the rest of the world to battle the financial crisis.

The G20 summit of major developed and developing countries is scheduled to start on April 2 in London.

Concerning it, Reuters said on Saturday that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi expressed the will that China wants the summit to make progress against global financial turmoil.

It quoted Yang as saying: "The pressing task now is that all countries must work together to make the upcoming financial summit in London a success."

"We believe the summit should play a role in boosting confidence, strengthening coordination on macroeconomic policies, stabilizing financial markets, (and) undertaking necessary reforms in the global financial system and regulatory regime," Yang said.

Over the same topic, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Yang said China is looking to next month's meeting of world leaders in London to boost confidence and global coordination in dealing with the world financial crisis.

"In this regard we are willing to work with the United States and other countries in the world to weather the storm and make joint efforts to tackle the difficulties brought by the financial crisis," Yang was cited by the AP as saying.

Meanwhile, overseas media and scholars are also closely watching China's economic stimulus measures, with confidence that it will succeed.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report delivered at the opening of the NPC session showed that Chinese leaders are taking a practical and realistic approach in an active and pragmatic manner, helping other countries get a true picture of China, William C. Kirby, director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

China's stable economic growth not only helps maintain social stability at home, but also sends a positive signal to the world, boosting people's confidence to tide over the economic woes, Kirby said.

He said China's economy is facing daunting challenge, and more efforts are needed to keep the roughly 8 percent economic growth.

German daily Die Welt said in an article on Saturday that experts believed Beijing's economic stimulus plan will succeed, adding that great potential could be tapped in China's rural areas, where a large population would create a new momentum for economic growth.

The Japan Times Online said China's rapid economic growth is not only needed in maintaining social stability, but is also the expectation of other countries.

If China can take the lead in combating the economic crisis, its international status would be raised, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2009)