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Speakers:

Mr. Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)

Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs

Chairperson:

Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Date:

Sept. 29, 2022

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Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 36th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on China's diplomacy in the new era. We have invited Mr. Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), and Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs. They will also take your questions.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Guo for his introduction.

Guo Yezhou:

Friends from the media, it is a great pleasure to brief you on the Party's external work in the new era over the past decade.

The CPC's external work is a cause of the whole Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on major theoretical and practical issues regarding the Party's external work, including its definition, purpose, content, methods and actors, providing fundamental principles and guidance for the Party's external work in the new era. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, historic achievements have been made in the Party's external work featuring high-quality development. The international prestige of General Secretary Xi Jinping has been continually growing, the global influence of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has increased steadily, the Party's international circle of friends has kept expanding, and historic changes have taken place in the relationship between the CPC and the world.

Over the past decade, we have been committed to serving the major diplomatic agenda of General Secretary Xi Jinping and taken concrete actions to support the "two establishments" (the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era) and to ensure the "two upholds" (upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership).

Global events involving political parties have been held, including the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, and the CPC and World Political Parties Summit. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered keynote speeches, charting the course for the trend of the times and human progress. Leaders of foreign political parties said the speeches helped them see the future of both China and the world. We have made every effort to facilitate top-level exchanges between General Secretary Xi Jinping and leaders of other socialist countries including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Vietnam, Laos and Cuba. Such exchanges have played a leading role in the development of China's relations with these countries. We have held a series of events, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Political Parties Forum, the SCO People's Forum, and the BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organizations Forum. These have proven to be successful practices in serving General Secretary Xi Jinping's major diplomatic agenda, improving relevant cooperation mechanisms, and boosting the momentum of cooperation.

Over the past decade, we have been committed to telling the CPC's stories thoroughly and innovatively. We have organized thematic briefings following the 18th and 19th CPC national congresses and the plenary sessions of the 18th and 19th CPC central committees. Dozens of delegations have been sent to nearly 100 countries and regions at their invitation and communicated face-to-face with more than 10,000 political party leaders and prominent figures during over 500 briefings. In response to the interest of foreign political parties, we have offered in-depth introductions to the four volumes of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." Many political party leaders have regarded the books as important sources of references for their work and asked for a set of the books for each senior official in their parties. In collaboration with CPC committees of relevant provinces and equivalent administrative units, we have held 14 briefings under the theme of "Stories of CPC — Achievements in Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" to elaborate on the new practices and progress in the CPC's state governance. We have invited more than 600 foreign guests to experience firsthand the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at city- and county-levels and activities of Party organizations at the primary level. We have also livestreamed the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at the county-level and villagers' congresses for viewers around the world. International participants have commented that the meetings are truly results-oriented and represent down-to-earth forms of democracy.

Over the past 10 years, we continued to make courageous and efficient efforts that brought great results and safeguarded national sovereignty, security, and development interests with firm resolve. The Party's external work has been conducted conscientiously and responsibly, especially when involving the core interests and major concerns of China. Plenty of foreign political parties, non-governmental organizations, and people with vision, highly agreeing with China's relative stances, have formed a potent voice being spoken in defense of justice. As the CPC celebrated its centenary, more than 600 political parties and political organizations sent us more than 1,500 congratulatory messages or letters to mark the grand event together. We innovated an approach for boosting exchanges through the involvement of political parties. Leading officials of local Party committees have led nearly 100 batches of Party delegations for overseas trips, facilitating pragmatic external cooperation and the construction of the new development paradigm.

Over the past 10 years, we continued to expand the international circle of friends of the Party through genuine communication and exchanges. We maintained contact with more than 600 political parties and political organizations and proactively participated in multilateral dialogues between political parties within the region and beyond. We made efforts to create a new pattern of international relations by promoting a new model of relationship between political parties, and strived to improve the global partnership network through a cemented global partnership network of political parties. Some political party leaders revisited the IDCPC after assuming the office of a country's president, prime minister, or other important positions, saying it felt like reuniting with siblings or returning home. We carried out political party diplomacy, public diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy at the same time. By hosting dialogues for mutual learning among civilizations and international academic exchanges, we enabled China's social organizations and think tanks to communicate with a wider world.

Over the past 10 years, we strived to build a community with a shared future for mankind through collective will, effort, and wisdom. The CPC has always seen the development of China as part of the development of the entire human society and closely linked the destiny of the country with the destiny of the world. We willingly sent out letters to foreign political party leaders to explain China's practice in COVID-19 prevention and control and the lessons learned, and provided solutions to the prevention and control and the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. We also provided medical supplies and technical assistance as best as we could to foreign political parties and political dignitaries as well as international organizations of political parties when they needed them. We built a mutual consultation mechanism for political parties from Belt and Road Initiative signatories and established and perfected the Silk Road Think Tank Association and the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network. We helped deepen policy exchanges and people-to-people bonds and made continued efforts to build consensus on promoting high-quality development through the Belt and Road cooperation. We hosted an exchange activity to share how the international community pursued the Global Development Initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and organized events to celebrate the International Day of Peace so as to advance the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. Together with political parties from across the world, we uphold the common values of mankind and contribute our wisdom and strength in building a better world.

Facing a new era and new journey, the Party shoulders major responsibilities and has a lofty mission to perform in conducting its external work. This is a glorious mission with huge potential to fulfill and great results to achieve. This is all I want to say. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thanks to Mr. Guo. Now Mr. Ma will brief us.

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Ma Zhaoxu:

Comrades, ladies and gentlemen, and friends, good morning! We will soon convene the 20th CPC National Congress. At this moment, I am pleased to be here addressing this press conference.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has led us to forge ahead with Party's external work by overcoming difficulties, risks, and tests as we embarked on a historical journey of furthering the great undertaking of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era. We have achieved many important achievements. Our historical achievements have been all-around and groundbreaking. We found a new method of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and created a better external environment for realizing the Two Centenary Goals (building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and building a great modern socialist country in all aspects) and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Riding on the development trends of China and the world and pondering on the future of humankind, General Secretary Xi Jinping carried forward the core principles and fine traditions of New China's diplomacy and proactively promoted innovations in major diplomatic theories and practices. A series of new concepts, proposals and initiatives with Chinese characteristics mirroring the spirit of the times and setting the trend of human progress were put forward. These elements form Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

The 10 major subjects of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy are as follows: strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC on external work under the overarching principle of upholding the authority of the CPC Central Committee; pursuing major-country diplomacy with distinctive Chinese features to fulfill the mission of national renewal; promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind as part of the effort to preserve world peace and pursue common development; enhancing strategic confidence that is rooted in socialism with Chinese characteristics; promoting the Belt and Road Initiative under the principle of shared benefits through discussion and collaboration; pursuing peaceful development based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation; forging global partnerships while advancing China's diplomatic agenda; steering the reform of global governance based on fairness and justice; safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests with the national core interests as the bottom-line; nurturing a distinctive style of Chinese diplomacy by combining fine traditions of our external work and features of the times.

Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we have focused on serving national rejuvenation and promoting human progress. Based on the new position and direction of China's development, we have grasped the changes in the relations between China and the rest of the world and developed ourselves to help others with the well-being of the world in our mind. We have steadfastly followed the path of peaceful development, advanced the building of the community with a shared future for mankind, and advocated establishing a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice and win-win cooperation. We will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.

We have advanced China's diplomatic agenda in a comprehensive, multilevel, multifaceted way and promoted dialogues, communication and cooperation with other countries. As our circle of friends expands and our global partner network enlarges, we have established diplomatic relations with 181 countries and forged partnerships with more than 110 countries and regional organizations.

We have proactively promoted the reform and building of the global governance system, safeguarded the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law and practiced genuine multilateralism. Remaining committed to the universal value of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, we have enhanced the global efforts to battle COVID-19 and deal with climate change with concrete actions. Moreover, we have promoted sustainable development and provided Chinese solutions for and contributed to addressing the global governance deficit and tackling global challenges.

We have firmly safeguarded our national interests and dignity. We have maintained a clear position and never budged an inch on major issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, maritime territory and human rights. We have always risen to challenges and fought hard and vigorously to safeguard our national sovereignty, security and development interests.

We have implemented people-centered philosophy and focused on the central task of the Party and the state. While staying truly connected to the people, we have served national economic and social development and resolutely protected the legitimate rights and interests of oversea Chinese citizens and corporations.

Looking to the new journey, the successful convention of the 20th CPC National Congress will surely lead China's diplomacy in the new era in striving forward and breaking new ground. We will closely follow the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and boost consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We will stay confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership to write a new chapter on the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Ma. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.

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Zhinews of Shenzhen Satellite TV:

During the past decade, China has actively reformed and built the global governance system. Yet some people argue that China plans to start all over again and change the rules-based international order. How do you view China's position and role in global governance? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, China has expanded and deepened the involvement of its diplomacy in global governance with unprecedented intensity. It has contributed Chinese wisdom, offered Chinese solutions and demonstrated its sense of responsibility, winning wide praise from the international community.

Bearing in mind the future and the fate of humanity, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forth, at the United Nations and other major occasions, China's global governance vision that advocates commitment to openness and inclusiveness instead of closeness and exclusion; commitment to working based on international law instead of a sense of superiority; commitment to consultation and cooperation instead of conflict and confrontation; and commitment to keeping up with the times instead of rejecting change. China's vision guides reforms of the global governance system and international system and injects positive energy into global uncertainty.

China has faithfully fulfilled its responsibility and mission as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It has sent over 50,000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations and is now the second largest financial contributor to both the United Nations and UN peacekeeping operations. China stays committed to facilitating peaceful negotiations and advocates resolving disputes through peaceful means to settle significant hotspots such as the Ukraine crisis, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iranian nuclear issue, and Afghanistan. China maintains its commitment to promoting global security and has proposed the Global Security Initiative, winning praise and support from more than 70 countries.

China was among the first countries to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals. It has taken the lead in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, accounting for over 70% of global poverty reduction. We have used China's new achievements in development to provide the world with new opportunities, contributing over 30% of global growth on average. We have proposed a Global Development Initiative, set up the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund and expanded South-South cooperation, injecting strong impetus into human progress.

China has followed through with the Paris Agreement on climate change and declared its carbon peak and neutrality targets as well as new measures for nationally determined contributions, playing a key role in the cooperation on addressing climate change. It hosted the COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity and established the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, making it a firm player in global ecological governance. We have taken an active part in global digital governance and put forth the Global Initiative on Data Security to make the global digital governance system fairer and more equitable.

Recently, we have put forth related initiatives on food security and energy security, offering Chinese solutions to the world's challenges.

Here I want to make it clear that the reform of the global governance system is not intended to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it aims to make the system fairer and more equitable. The international order can only be underpinned by international law instead of the so-called rules drawn up by a few countries and the rules of a country or an organization. No matter how the global situation might have changed, China will neither change its resolve to practice genuine multilateralism nor change its efforts in improving global governance nor change its actions in pushing multilateral cooperation. Thank you.

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CGTN:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have offered an in-depth answer to address major questions both in theory and practice, achieving another leap forward in understanding the nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We note that several important innovative ideas and initiatives have been launched in the diplomatic field, such as building a community with a shared future for mankind. How has China implemented these ideas and initiatives in its diplomacy over the past decade? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with an accurate understanding of the overarching global development trend and China's growth, has had a good understanding of China's relations with the rest of the world. The CPC Central Committee has provided answers to fundamental questions such as what a world we should build, what international relations we should develop, what diplomacy China needs, and how China carries out its diplomacy under new circumstances, making a series of major theoretical and practical innovations in the field of diplomacy.

Faced with the question of "what kind of world to build and how to build it," General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind based on in-depth thinking about the future of humanity, thus charting the course for human development and progress. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the general goal of China's diplomacy in the new era, and it has become a glorious banner leading the trend of the times.

The core of a community with a shared future for mankind is to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. China is both an advocator and a practitioner of building a community with a shared future for mankind. We uphold the concept of a global community of development with a shared future, stay committed to achieving shared growth through extensive consultation and joint contribution, and keep taking forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We have signed more than 200 documents on Belt and Road cooperation with 149 countries and 32 international organizations. Thanks to the BRI, East Africa has got its first expressway, the Maldives has a sea-crossing bridge, Laos has transformed itself from a landlocked to a land-linked country, and the China-Europe Railway Express has also become an important lifeline to ensure stable and smooth global logistics. Before the opening of the China-Laos Railway last year, Laotian students in China wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping to express their gratitude for the BRI.

When the once-in-a-century pandemic hit, we always stood at the forefront of international cooperation against the virus, shared epidemic prevention and control, and diagnosis and treatment plans with more than 180 countries and international organizations, sent 38 medical expert teams to 34 countries, and provided more than 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. We carried out the largest global emergency humanitarian action since the founding of New China, in a bid to promote the building of a global community of health for all.

The building of a community with a shared future for mankind has been increasingly welcomed and supported by the international community. From China taking the lead to countries around the world joining the efforts, it has achieved great progress. When General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech titled "Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" in Geneva, over 800 guests in attendance gave more than 30 bursts of warm applause within 47 minutes. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the purpose of our practice of multilateralism is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The concept is fully demonstrated in the documents of the United Nations and other international organizations. The building of a community with a shared future between China and Africa, China and Arab countries, China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and China and Central Asian countries is also being actively promoted. Since last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, which have further enriched the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

At present, our world is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century and is entering a new period of volatility and transformation. Changes to the world, history, and our times are becoming more evident. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we need to make innovation based on what has worked in the past, unremittingly promote innovation in diplomatic theory and practice through determined endeavors, and constantly break new ground for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Thank you.

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China Daily:

As stated in the introduction, foreign political parties pay close attention to "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." How do they describe Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era? What do they focus on? Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

Thank you for your questions. Over the past decade in the new era, one of the most profound impressions in Party's external work is that more and more foreign political parties have paid attention to China and the CPC, with their focus not only on China's development achievements but also on China's path and system. When exploring the key to success in China, they have focused more on the decisive role of the CPC's leadership. Moreover, they have paid much attention to its significance to the world when focusing on the influence on China of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Many foreign political parties agree that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has "raised the theoretical outcomes concerning economic and social development to the level of the rules of the evolution of human society." They also agree that the thought has "illustrated the concrete path to achieving the grand vision of humankind," "lighted the new dream of humanity's joint pursuit of a better life," and "contributed wisdom and strength to humanity's noble cause of peace and development." Some foreign Marxist parties hold that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is "the Marxism of our times."

While speaking highly of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, foreign political parties of some countries have also put some of the ideas and policies into practice. For example, they have applied our "4+2" system, the democratic policy-making process on village affairs under the leadership of village Party organizations. ("4" means four steps: Proposals should be put forward by the Party branch, jointly discussed by the village committee and the Party branch, and deliberated by Party members, and villagers' representatives should adopt resolutions. "2" means transparency on two levels: resolutions and implementation results should be made known to the public.) They have taken the system of community-level self-governance in China directly into the practices of their own parties and have been very satisfied with the effects. Specifically, foreign political parties mainly focus on the following aspects.

First, they focus on the public products that the CPC provides to the international community in the new era. They believe that the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping mark a new starting point for the development of China and the world. Moreover, they believe the initiatives formulate a good vision for building a better world, demonstrating the CPC's care about the well-being of humanity and its sense of responsibility for the international community.

Second, they focus on the values and ideas embodied in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They believe that the people-centered approach, targeted poverty alleviation, the pursuit of common prosperity, whole-process people's democracy and other ideas are thoroughly demonstrated in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and are significant constituents of the new model for human progress created by Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC. Humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom chart the course for the future development and are very important for safeguarding multilateralism and fostering a new type of international relations.

Third, they focus on the CPC's experience in state governance. They believe that under the leadership of the CPC, the impossible has been made achievable one by one in China. These experiences have provided valuable references for political parties to resolve challenges in governance and for developing countries to overcome difficulties in achieving modernization. Therefore, they all look forward to deepening the exchange of governance experiences with the CPC.

Fourth, they focus on the charm and wisdom reflected in the building of the CPC itself. They pay close attention to the CPC's experience and effective practices in exercising complete and strict self-governance of the Party and intensifying efforts to fight corruption. Many foreign Marxist parties agree that the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with decisive significance, is the most important political achievement of the CPC in the new era. They believe that the CPC's thoughts and practices in self-reform have enhanced Marxist parties' awareness of thought, theory and action in building and strengthening the party.

Over the past decade, we have catered to these focuses of foreign political parties and strived to publicize and introduce Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We believe that political parties, especially governing parties in all countries, should independently explore their own governance based on national and party conditions. Every kind of responsible exploration deserves respect. We have focused on strengthening communication and dialogue based on voluntarism, neither importing the models of other countries nor exporting the model of China. We value mutual learning and have learned about meaningful thoughts and explorations from foreign political parties. Such communication and dialogue aims to jointly develop governance capacity and work together to promote global governance efficacy. Thank you.

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Global Times:

In recent years, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee has organized many global political parties' high-level meetings. We also see that the Party has been increasingly active and influential on the international stage. Can Mr. Guo briefly introduce the roles of the Party's external work in national foreign affairs?

Guo Yezhou:

Thank you for your concern about the major diplomatic activities of political parties. As I just mentioned in the press release, the Party maintains various forms of contact with more than 600 political parties and political organizations. A series of global high-level political parties' meetings, including the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting held in November 2017 and the CPC and World Political Parties Summit held in July 2021, are a comprehensive display of the Party's international circle of friends and also the broadest response by political parties from other countries to our Party's calls. General Secretary Xi Jinping attached great importance to and personally planned and guided these high-level dialogues and meetings to make them embody the advantages, duties and roles of our Party's external work.

General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the Party's external work is an important front of the Party, an important part of the overall national diplomacy, and an important embodiment of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party's external work has focused on the goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation and promoting the progress of humanity and made important contributions to the continuing development of the CPC's endeavors and the overall national diplomacy.

We have built extensive and close ties with other political parties and continuously promoted the development of state-to-state relations. We have enhanced communication with ruling and opposition parties of other countries to maintain and promote the healthy and stable development of state-to-state relations. In the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences, respecting, and learning from each other, we have continuously strengthened solidarity and cooperation with political parties of developing countries and enhanced exchange and communication with political parties of developed countries. All these efforts are aimed at building a new type of relations between political parties and a new form of international relations, consolidate the network of global political party partnerships, and help improve the network of global partnerships.

We maintain a correct political orientation and take it as our mission to safeguard the Party's governance security and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party has conscientiously fulfilled missions and responsibilities in conducting its external work. In response to issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, the Party has joined with political parties, think tanks, social organizations, and people with wisdom and foresight of other countries to express the voice of justice to safeguard our country's sovereignty, security, and developmental interests and work hard for a favorable external environment for advancing on a new great journey.

We keep in mind the mission of serving the people and actively support the implementation of national development strategies. The Party grounds its efforts in conducting external work in the new development stage, follows the new development philosophy, and fosters a new development paradigm in its diplomatic endeavors. The Party has further explored ways of exchanges between political parties and strengthened the alignment of development strategy, policy planning, and mechanism and platform through consultation and cooperation between political parties. With the needs of economic and social development as our compass, we have continuously enriched the content and methods of exchanges and worked hard to improve the efficiency of the Party's external work in serving the central work of the Party and country.

We are committed to promoting human progress and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. The Party's external work fully reflects its strong sense of responsibility as a major political party in a major country. It has worked with political parties of other countries to enhance communication and mutual trust and seek common ground while respecting differences. They join hands to uphold international equity and justice, advocate and practice real multilateralism, and promote more fair and reasonable development of the global governance system. They pool wisdom and strength for building a better world, and promote the progress of human civilization together.

On the new journey to fully build a modern socialist China, the Party's external work will have a big role to play and usher in a new developmental stage. Please stay tuned. Thank you.

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Reuters:

Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked Chinese diplomats to have more fighting spirit when dealing with other countries. Critics say that bilateral relations have suffered as a result. Going forward, will China continue with this combative approach in the next five years? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

Safeguarding China's sovereignty, security, and development interests is the sacred mission of Chinese diplomacy. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have established a strong line of defense for defending national interests and national dignity with a stronger will, more solid action, and more powerful measures, and we have the initiative of the country's development and security firmly in our own hands.

We have unequivocally defended the one-China principle, established and re-established diplomatic relations with nine countries, resolutely fought back against provocative acts regarding the Taiwan question, and consolidated consensus on the one-China principle among the international community. We have strongly prevented external forces from interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and reinforced the sound situation of Hong Kong going from disarray to good governance. We fiercely exposed lies about Xinjiang with facts and the truth, and defeated the political scheme of "using Xinjiang to contain China." We have steadily advanced consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and maintained the overall stability of the situation in the South China Sea.

We have rejected any politicization or stigmatization associated with COVID-19, while more than 80 countries wrote letters and issued statements to oppose the politicization of the virus' origin tracing. At the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, we defeated the anti-China actions exploiting human rights issues seven times in a row, shaping a strong momentum where nearly a hundred countries supported China's just position and opposed interference with China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights. After unremitting efforts, Ms. Meng Wanzhou, who was illegally detained for more than 1,000 days, safely returned to the motherland.

When we carry out diplomatic struggles, our targets are words and deeds that harm China's national interests and national dignity, and we defend our own legitimate rights and interests. What we oppose is hegemony and bullying, and we fight for fairness and justice in the world. We use our actions to tell the world that the era when the Chinese nation had been trampled on by other countries has long gone, and there is no power to stop China's development and advance. We have the confidence to take the initiative to fight, the backbone to defy hegemony, and the great spirit to uphold justice. The Chinese nation will not be intimidated or crushed, nor will it be taken in by fallacies or tremble in the face of danger. We will never sit by and watch our national interests be damaged, and no one should expect China to swallow anything that undermines our interests. Going forward, Chinese diplomacy will continue to overcome all odds and forge ahead bravely, and will always be a loyal guard of the interests of the country and the people. Thank you.

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Channel NewsAsia:

Question from CNA. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made his first overseas trip in more than two years, attending the SCO summit and meeting leaders from Central Asia. Some observers have described this visit as China's attempt to boost cooperation to check and balance the West. What's your comment on this? Do Chinese top leaders have plans to meet their counterparts from other regions like the U.S. in person, overseas, in the coming months? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

In the middle of this month, General Secretary Xi Jinping had great success in attending the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, and making state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. General Secretary Xi Jinping stayed there for 48 hours, attended nearly 30 events, and met with leaders of 10 countries, which strongly promoted the development of the SCO and pushed relations between China and the relevant countries to a new level. As for foreign trips by Chinese leaders going forward, if there is any relevant news, we will publish it in a timely manner. Please be sure to closely follow the press conferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping took the lead in practicing and setting a personal example, and carried out a series of brilliant and fruitful diplomatic efforts with heads of states.

When General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Russia in March 2013, he proposed for the first time to promote the establishment of a new type of international relations. He proposed the Belt and Road Initiative during his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in the fall of 2013. In 2015, he proposed jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind at the UN General Assembly. In 2017, he systematically elaborated on the profound connotations of and path to jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). When he attended the General Debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly and the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, he proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, respectively, to provide Chinese solutions for strengthening global governance.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has said that actions hold the key to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made 42 visits abroad, covering 69 countries on five continents, and received over 100 heads of state and government at home. He once made four overseas visits in a month and chaired 70 bilateral and multilateral events in a week. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Secretary Xi Jinping has actively carried out "cloud diplomacy." He made 181 phone calls with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations and participated in 78 major diplomatic activities via video link. This February, China successfully hosted the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. We have carried out Winter Olympics diplomacy. General Secretary Xi Jinping hosted over 20 bilateral events with visiting world leaders who all found their trips to Beijing pleasant and satisfying. This June, General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired the 14th BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development via video link. This has steered high-quality development of the BRICS to a new era and taken solidarity among emerging markets and developing countries to new heights. General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, "frequent overseas trips may be exhausting, but we are repaid with a broader network of friends." Chinese netizens said, "we are seeing the world by following President Xi." All of these have demonstrated the irreplaceable role and strategic value of head-of-state diplomacy.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has made friends all over the world and shared with them the stories of China. He has kept a 30-plus-year-long friendship with his friends in the state of Iowa in the U.S., setting an example of the Chinese saying "only from hearts can friendship lasts forever." General Secretary Xi cited the changes taking place in Liangjiahe village as an example of the historical achievements that the Party has made over the past century. He used the metaphor "whether the shoe fits or not, only the wearer knows" to explain that China has adopted the development path suited to its national realities, which helped the international community to better understand China. These demonstrated General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership and charisma, positioning him as an approachable leader who values integrity and friendship. It also showcased his international vision of "developing ourselves to help others with the well-being of the world in our mind." Thank you.

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Phoenix TV:

How does the CPC carry out exchanges with ruling parties of socialist countries and other left-wing political parties such as Marxist political parties? What progress has been made in exchanges and interactions? Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

Thank you for your question. It is known that political parties are the principal players in political life in most countries. They are the source of the policy decision-making process, influencers of public opinions, and representatives of social consensus. The special and important position of ruling parties in socialist countries has determined the vital importance of exchanges and dialogues among these parties. The commitment to communist parties' leadership and exploring socialist development paths suited to respective national conditions are the defining features of exchanges between the CPC and ruling parties of other socialist countries. We have carried out multi-level exchanges with ruling parties in DPRK, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba, such as high-level visits, sending special envoys, briefing on major issues, making exchanges between party organizations at all levels and relevant departments, and institutionalizing theoretical seminars. These high-level exchanges were held in various forms, covering a wide range of topics and had a profound influence, of which the top-level strategic exchanges provided defining political guidance for state-to-state relations.

Our Party has also actively carried out exchanges with other left-wing political parties, including Marxist political parties across the world. We held the seminar commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth and the CPC and World Marxist Political Parties Forum, among others. We conducted theoretical exchanges and policy dialogues so as to uphold our original aspirations and keep our missions in mind.

We have carried out dialogues and exchanges with ruling parties of other socialist countries and Marxist political parties in order to support the development of state-to-state relations, deepen the friendship between our peoples, and push forward the progress of human civilization. These dialogues and exchanges will help us enhance our understanding of governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society. During dialogues and exchanges, we respect the independent  explorations of all Marxist political parties. We never interfere with the internal affairs of other parties through exchanges and dialogues, nor the internal affairs of other countries through party-to-party exchanges. Through dialogues and exchanges, we strive to jointly explore the development paths of socialism in light of our respective national realities, and ways to adapt Marxism to our national conditions and our times. In the meantime, through dialogues and exchanges with ruling parties of other socialist countries and Marxist political parties, we feel more strongly than ever that Marxism is full of vitality and that socialism enjoys a promising future. Thank you.

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Xinhua News Agency:

I would like to learn about the exchanges between the CPC and the political parties in developing countries, especially neighboring countries, and what achievements have been made through these exchanges? Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

This also involves the Party's foreign exchanges. We are connected with neighboring countries by mountains and rivers. China and its neighbors are geographically linked, our peoples are connected by kinship, and our cultures enjoy a natural affinity, which is an outstanding advantage for China to have exchanges and dialogues with the political parties in its neighboring countries.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has upheld the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and implemented the important consensus on developing bilateral ties reached by top leaders through various forms, including visits of delegations, exchanges of correspondence, and other online and offline activities. The Party's external work has covered almost all neighboring countries and their political parties, writing a new chapter for the CPC and parties from China's neighboring countries to enjoy mutual respect, deepened friendships, mutual learning, and mutual support.

Through exchanges with political parties in neighboring countries, we have actively stepped up the implementation of major concepts and initiatives put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in China's neighboring countries and advanced the building of a neighborhood community with a shared future to a new level. Through inter-party exchanges, we have facilitated the accurate dovetailing of development strategies between China and other countries and promoted cooperation on key projects, so as to improve people's livelihoods. We have worked to create a synergy between the BRI and development strategies of other countries, advanced the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and tightened the bond of interests between countries in the region. We have exchanged governance experience on issues of common concern, such as Party building, economic development, and poverty reduction and alleviation, so as to jointly improve our respective governance capabilities. We have also actively explored close cooperation under bilateral and multilateral dialogue mechanisms to promote a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, thus improving regional and global governance.

Exchanging with the political parties of developing countries is an important pillar of our Party's external work, accounting for over 75% of the total number of foreign parties regularly exchanging with the CPC. China faces similar historic opportunities and development tasks, and has a similar desire for regional and international peace and security with other developing countries. We also share many common topics. The principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith as well as the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping have resonated deeply with parties of developing countries.

In our exchanges with political parties in other developing countries, we have always supported each other in exploring development paths suited to our national conditions and conducted in-depth discussions on issues of common interests, such as targeted poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, and green development. Through political party, we have promoted practical cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, boosted regional development, jointly coped with the challenges facing the world economy, and followed the path of common development and prosperity. We have shared experience in party and state governance and discussed ways to address global challenges, through various forms of dialogue between political parties as well as dialogue mechanisms between political parties in China and the ones in Africa, Latin America (CELAC), Central and Eastern Europe, Arab countries, Central Asia, and Pacific island countries. The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, the concept of global governance, and the new security outlook put forward by the general secretary have won widespread approval from political parties of developing countries.

At last, I would like to say that China will always be a member of the team of developing countries. The CPC will always be a good friend, good brother, and a good partner to political parties of developing countries.

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N Video from Southern Metropolis Daily:

As more and more Chinese citizens and companies go abroad, their first thought is the motherland and seeking help from Chinese embassies and consulates abroad when they are in trouble. I would like to ask, how does Chinese diplomacy deliver on the commitment of "diplomacy for the people" and protect legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens overseas? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

Since the 18th National Congress, as people-to-people exchanges and China's overseas interests have constantly expanded, the duties and responsibilities guided by the commitment of "diplomacy for the people" have become heavier and heavier. We have always adhered to the CPC's fundamental tenet of serving the people wholeheartedly, providing safe havens for overseas compatriots. The motherland will always be the strong backing of the Chinese people.

We have actively supported the construction of the new development paradigm and continuously facilitated exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel. We have efficiently coordinated relations between epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, overcome difficulties brought by the epidemic, established "fast tracks" for necessary personnel exchanges, and built "green channels" for the transportation of emergency materials.

We have constantly improved our consular service network to effectively address people's needs and worries. More than 280 embassies and consular agencies around the world have provided consular services to overseas Chinese citizens. We have further promoted the transformation and upgrading of consular services, significantly reduced fees for Chinese citizens to obtain relevant documents, innovatively conducted overseas remote video notarization, and comprehensively launched the mobile application "China Consular Affairs." We have rolled out a set of convenient services, such as online processing of overseas passports and travel permits, online verification of consular certification, and online appointment of marriage registration, to free people from going on errands through wider use of online services. The Chinese passport has become increasingly useful, making it easier for Chinese citizens to go abroad to visit family members and relatives, travel, or conduct business. According to some netizens, a Chinese passport not only leads you to a wider world, but also brings you home safely.

We have constantly strengthened the implementation of the "Peaceful China Initiative" overseas and strived to ensure the safety of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions. The Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Foreign Ministry has provided round-the-clock assistance to overseas citizens. Consular protection will follow Chinese citizens wherever they go. Over the past decade, we have organized more than 10 emergency evacuations of our overseas citizens. In just a few days after the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, we have opened "life passages" and safely evacuated more than 5,200 Chinese citizens. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have distributed "Spring Festival packages" and "health kits" to overseas compatriots in more than 170 countries and helped more than 4.6 million overseas Chinese citizens get vaccinated through the "Spring Seedlings Initiative." After receiving a letter for help from a Chinese student with disabilities, the Chinese Embassy in the United States immediately delivered "health kits" to him. The student was so moved that he shed tears and thanked his motherland in sign language.

We will shoulder serving the people as the abiding mission of Chinese diplomats and put it into practice, and make every effort to safeguard the security and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions. Thank you.

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Beijing Youth Daily:

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "to understand China today, one must learn to understand the Communist Party of China." We all know that telling the story of the CPC is an important task of the IDCPC. Can you give us a brief introduction to this work? Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

Thank you for your question. As China has moved closer to the center of the world stage, a series of major theoretical and practical accomplishments of the Party has got a lot of attention from the international community. In particular, foreign political parties want to know the thoughts and actions of the CPC. They have more observations and deep thoughts about the CPC's governance of China and want to hear more from the CPC. In this context, it is the responsibility of us, the international department, to perform duties, leverage our strengths, respond to concerns, and provide more information as well as better tell stories about CPC to the international society. These are integral principles and responsibilities of the Party's external work.

We tell stories that follow in the footsteps of the general secretary. Among the CPC stories, the most important ones are those of General Secretary Xi Jinping. In recent years, at the request of foreign political parties and dignitaries, we have invited many foreign political leaders to visit places, either online or in person, where General Secretary Xi Jinping once worked or personally paid attention to, such as Shibadong village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan province, Xiaqi village in Ningde city of Fujian province, and Liangjiahe village of Yanchuan county in Shaanxi province. In this way, foreign political leaders can see for themselves the whole process of how the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era came into being, developed, and was put into practice.

We tell stories in response to the needs of the international society. We listen carefully to the concerns of foreign political parties and leaders to understand their interests in the CPC and strive to provide the information they need in their areas of interest. For example, in response to the need of foreign political parties to understand CPC's major political agenda, we have held hundreds of briefings around the 18th and 19th CPC National Congress, as well as plenary sessions of the CPC Central Committee. In response to the needs of developing countries who want to know CPC's experience in governing the country, we have held a series of thematic briefings in cooperation with relevant provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions), focusing on targeted poverty alleviation, common prosperity, new development philosophy, supply-side structural reform, and other topics of interest to foreign parties. We not only introduce what we think but also show how we have done it, what results have been achieved, and what needs to be improved.

We tell stories about community-level governance. The Chinese people working hard to realize their dreams under the leadership of the Party is the most exciting chapter in the story of the CPC. Foreign political parties and leaders pay attention to the top-level political design of CPC's governance of the country, as well as the day-to-day governance practice at the community level. To this end, we broadcasted live globally the meetings of the standing committees of the county party committees and the villages' representative assemblies. We invited village branch secretaries of the CPC, ordinary Party members, and ordinary villagers to tell their stories, demonstrating the CPC's democratic and scientific decision-making process and how farmers got rid of poverty. It also helps foreign political parties and leaders understand why the CPC is capable of governing the country and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works.

Under the leadership of the CPC, historic achievements and changes have been made in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The past decade in the new era has been extraordinary. The CPC has numerous great and exciting stories. The IDCPC will continue to work hard for the Party's external work and better tell these good stories. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Guo and Mr. Ma, and thanks to all reporters. Today's press conference is concluded. Goodbye!

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Duan Yaying, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, Wang Yanfang, Xu Kailin, Yang Xi, Yuan Fang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Cui Can, Zhang Tingting, Wang Yiming, Qin Qi, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.