Q&A: FM on diplomacy, global situation

Question: China and the EU marked the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2020. Within Europe, there is a debate on maintaining strategic autonomy versus seeking closer ties with the United States. What experience have China and the EU gained in growing their relations? How would you characterize the EU's role in the process toward a multi-polar world and the future of China-EU ties?

Wang Yi: As you mentioned, the year 2020 marked the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and the EU. Throughout the years, our relationship with the EU has withstood the profound changes in the world. It has on the whole focused on dialogue, cooperation and mutual benefit, and demonstrated strong vitality by progressing with the times. For the two sides:

The most important experience is to stay committed to peaceful coexistence, open cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue and consultation. The most important conclusion is that our cooperation and common understandings far outweigh competition and differences. China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, not systemic rivals. The most important mission is to jointly tackle global challenges, promote a multi-polar world, economic globalization and greater democracy in international relations, and inject more stability and certainty into a turbulent and changing world.

In 2020, China and the EU made new progress in their relations despite COVID-19. China became the EU's largest trading partner for the first time. The two sides signed the agreement on geographical indications, and decided to establish two new high-level dialogue mechanisms on environment and climate and on digital cooperation, and build partnerships for green and digital cooperation.

President Xi Jinping and European leaders have jointly announced the conclusion of negotiations on a China-EU investment treaty, adding fresh, strong impetus to China-EU cooperation. It is also great news for the struggling global economy. This is a clear example of how, by working together in the spirit of mutual understanding, mutual accommodation and equal consultation, the two sides can open up broad prospects for China-EU cooperation.

In this volatile and changing world, China will remain a supporter of European integration, greater strategic autonomy of the EU, and a bigger role of the EU in international affairs. The multilateralism that our two sides advocate must be dedicated to unity and cooperation rather than group politics. It needs to transcend systemic difference rather than draw lines along ideology. China is prepared to enhance coordination with the EU to keep our relations on the right track.

Question: The year 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. What hopes do you have for the future development of China-ASEAN relations?

Wang Yi: The ASEAN member states are China's friends and close neighbors. We are connected by mountains, rivers and seas, and we share close affinity. Since its launch, China-ASEAN cooperation has always been results-oriented, pioneering and responsive to the trend of the times. It has become the most successful and vibrant example of regional cooperation. Over the years, China-ASEAN relations have created many "firsts". China was the first major country to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN, and the first major economy to form a free trade area with ASEAN. The two sides became each other's largest trading partners for the first time in 2020. We jointly pushed for the signing of RCEP, which gave birth to the world's most promising free trade area with the largest population and biggest economic aggregate. This is a historic breakthrough in China-ASEAN cooperation.

Facing the onslaught of COVID-19, China and ASEAN came to each other's aid and took the lead in joint COVID-19 response and cooperation on reopening the economy. We helped turn East Asia into an example in the global fight against the virus and an early bird in achieving economic recovery.

China and ASEAN will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their dialogue relations in 2021. We look forward to the new opportunities it will bring for enhancing China-ASEAN ties and stand ready to work with ASEAN to further enrich our strategic partnership and usher in a new era of peace, development and cooperation for the region.

First, we need to work together to defeat COVID-19. We must continue to step up collective response and cooperation on vaccines, upgrade our public health cooperation, and jointly set up a regional reserve of emergency medical supplies and a liaison mechanism for public health emergencies to strengthen crisis response capacities.

Second, we need to do our best to bolster regional economic recovery. Here is what we can do: expand the scope of "fast tracks" for travel and "green lanes" for cargo transportation in a well-thought-out way; work for an early entry into force of RCEP to deepen regional economic integration; and seize the opportunities for developing new forms and models of business and cultivate new growth drivers such as tech-innovation, e-commerce and smart cities.

Third, we need to stay committed to sustainable development. Further steps will be taken to implement the Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, with priority given to cooperation in poverty reduction, disaster prevention and relief, climate change and environmental protection. We also need to make the China-ASEAN Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation a success, promote people-to-people exchanges, and advance the building of a Partnership on Blue Economy.

The 30th anniversary is a milestone for China-ASEAN relations. We believe that the relationship will demonstrate greater maturity and confidence in the years ahead, and together we will take more solid steps toward a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.