Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets the Press

Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets the Press

On 8 March 2017, the Fifth Session of the 12th National People's Congress held a press conference, where Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered questions from domestic and foreign media on China's foreign policy and external relations.

CCTV & CGTN: Some people believe that the era of Western domination is coming to an end; it is China and the other emerging economies that hold the key to the future. How does China view the shifting balance of power in the world? Later this year, China will host the BRICS Leaders Meeting. What do you hope to accomplish?

Wang Yi: The BRICS countries are representative of the emerging economies. Over the years, the fortunes of the BRICS may have risen or fallen and BRICS each face their own set of challenges. However, as President Xi Jinping has put it, the BRICS are like five fingers, each with its own strength; when the BRICS come together, we form a fist that can punch. As long as we stay united, the BRICS will not lose its luster; rather, it will shine more brightly than ever.

This year, BRICS will enter into its second decade. As the Chairman this year, China will work with other BRICS countries to review experience, plan the future, usher in the second "golden decade" of BRICS cooperation and provide BRICS' input for world peace and development. We hope to accomplish four things this year.

First, in terms of political and security cooperation, we will make full use of the meeting of national security advisers, build consensus for holding a stand-alone foreign ministers' meeting and demonstrate the strength of BRICS cooperation to the world.

Second, in terms of practical cooperation, we will fully implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership, enhance policy coordination at the macro level and the complementarity of our development strategies, announce a number of solid initiatives and add more substance to BRICS cooperation.

Third, in terms of people-to-people exchange, we will implement the agreements of our leaders and hold BRICS cultural festival, film festival, sports meet and so on to expand all areas of people-to-people exchange and build stronger public support for BRICS cooperation.

Finally, in terms of South-South cooperation, we will explore the modality of "BRICS plus". By holding outreach dialogues with other major developing countries and organizations of developing countries, we hope to establish a more extensive partnership, widen the BRICS' circle of friends and turn the BRICS into the most impactful platform for South-South cooperation.

China News Service: The promotional events held by the Foreign Ministry to present Chinese provinces to the world have been warmly welcomed. In the last few years, the Foreign Ministry has done a lot to serve domestic and local development. Could you talk about it?

Wang Yi: China is still a developing country, so Chinese diplomats are duty-bound to serve domestic development.

In the past few years, we have made great efforts to present the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, thereby helping the world gain a fuller understanding of China and have greater confidence in working with China. We have actively pursued cooperation on production capacity and signed relevant agreements with over 30 countries, thereby facilitating economic and industrial transformation and upgrading at home. We have secured the inclusion of the RMB in the IMF's SDR basket and established the BRICS New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, thereby greatly expanding China's institutional rights in global economic governance. The Foreign Ministry has launched promotional events for Chinese provinces. Over the past year, we have held such events for six western and central provinces and autonomous regions. These events help the provinces to discuss cooperation with foreign partners without going abroad. They also help foreign diplomats in China to have a better knowledge of local opportunities without traveling outside Beijing. Every day, our missions around the world send back information and serve as bridges for business cooperation between China and other countries. Since the G20 Summit last year, Zhejiang Province and the city of Hangzhou have taken on a new look and made new progress in their economic and social development. People say that hosting the summit has given the city a major lift, and eventually it's the local residents who have benefited the most.

Development is of paramount importance, and serving development is our paramount task. The Foreign Ministry will continue to work with various localities and government departments to do a better job in this regard.

Link: http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1444204.shtml