Takeaways from Foreign Minister Wang Yi at China's 'two sessions'

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives at a press conference on foreign policy and external relations during the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, China, March 8. China holds two major annual political meetings, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held alongside each other and collectively known as the “Two Sessions”. EPA-Yonhap

Foreign Minister Wang Yi faced global media on Sunday morning to outline Beijing's positions on key issues, ranging from the expanding crisis in Iran to China's deepening dispute with Japan.

The annual briefing, held as part of the annual "two sessions", came as China sought to project its leadership and influence amid mounting global instability and manage its strategic rivalry with the U.S.

This year, the top Chinese diplomat fielded 21 questions in a briefing that lasted nearly 90 minutes.

Here are some key takeaways.

'Big year' for US-China relations

Wang offered a rather positive outlook for U.S.-China relations, just weeks before US President Donald Trump is expected to make a landmark visit to China.

He said Trump and China's President Xi Jinping had brought the bilateral relationship "back to an even keel after ups and downs". Wang added that this year would be a "big year" for ties with high-level exchanges on the agenda.

He said Beijing and Washington needed to establish a "positive atmosphere", properly control their disputes and remove "unnecessary disruptions".

"It is crucial that the U.S. work in the same direction [as China]," he said, adding that the two countries could achieve a consensus that is welcomed by the world.

Asked if Beijing would accept a "Group of Two", or G2, dynamic with the U.S., Wang dismissed the idea, saying that China sought a multipolar world.

Iran crisis

As the conflict in Iran intensified, Wang urged a cessation of military action, calling it "a war that should not have happened".

He said past conflicts in the Middle East had shown that "force provides no solution and armed conflict will only increase hatred and breed new crises".

Outlining Beijing's position on the crisis, the foreign minister stressed that the sovereignty of states should be respected, the use of force should be rejected and there should be non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

"Might does not make it right. The law of the jungle must not return and rule the world," he said.

This photo taken on April 7, 2023, shows the rocket force of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) transferring a missile before the combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan. Xinhua-Yonha[

The 'core of China's core interests'

Wang, asked about a timeline for Beijing's reunification with Taiwan, stressed that the self-ruled island "never was, never is, and never will be a country".

He said, "Any attempt to create two Chinas - or one China, one Taiwan - is doomed to fail."

Wang added that Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party had undermined peace across the Taiwan Strait.

"The Taiwan question is China's internal affair. It's at the core of China's core interest, a red line that cannot be crossed or trampled on," he said. "We will never allow any individual or force to separate Taiwan from China again."

Thawing ties with Europe

Against the backdrop of Europe seeking to recalibrate ties with China amid unpredictability from the White House, Wang stressed that the stability of Beijing's relations with Europe stemmed from cooperation.

"We are more than happy to see European countries step out of protectionism and come to the Chinese market to improve their competition capabilities," he said.

'Crunch time' for South China Sea

As China and the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) approach a deadline to conclude the long-delayed code of conduct for the South China Sea, Wang said discussions had reached "crunch time" and that countries were looking towards "wrapping it up this year".

"Together with parties, China has the confidence and resolve to remove interference [and] bridge differences," he said.

The Philippines - Asean's rotating chair this year - must show a sense of responsibility and promote regional stability and peace, Wang said.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting at the Diet in Tokyo, Dec. 9. EPA-Yonhap

China's growing dispute with Japan

Wang said the evolution of China-Japan ties would hinge on Tokyo's choice, as the row between the two Asian neighbours deepened following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan last year.

Takaichi in November suggested that Japan could deploy its military forces in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, as it would constitute a survival-threatening situation for Tokyo.

Wang said a country only had the right to practise self-defence if it was under military attack.

"Taiwan is a part of China. Under what situation can Japan use this right?" he added.

Rise of the Global South

Amid growing efforts by China to frame itself as a leader of the developing world, Wang highlighted the rise of the so-called Global South, saying its share in the global economy had grown rapidly and that it had become a "key driver of multipolarity" and an "emerging positive force for good on the international stage".

"Right now, hegemonism and power politics are asserting themselves and dealing a heavy blow to international order," he said, adding that Global South economies could work together to expand the space for independent development.

"China's heart is with the Global South. China's root is with the Global South," he said.

China as a force for peace

At multiple points in the press conference, Wang stressed that China was an important force for global peace and stability. China's diplomacy, he said, provided "the most needed stability and certainty in a world of turmoil".

His remarks came as Beijing sought to portray itself as a defender of the international order and multilateral system amid what appeared to be Washington's retreat from the world stage.

At one point, Wang said globalization was facing a backlash and equated protectionism to "locking oneself in a dark room, which protects one from rain and wind but also shuts out light and air".

Wang said China and Russia should firmly defend the victory in World War II and steadily oppose unilateral bullying.

Read the article at SCMP.