New Journey of China’s Diplomacy
新征程上的中国外交是充满光荣和梦想的远征
By Ambassador Chen Song
驻尼泊尔大使陈松
17 March 2023
2023年3月17日
On March 7, 2023, a press conference was held on the margins of the First Session of the 14th National People’s Congress, during which State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang answered questions from Chinese and foreign media and comprehensively, explicitly interpreted China’s foreign policy and external relations.
2023年3月7日，十四中国届全国人大一次会议举行记者会，中国外交部长秦刚回答中外记者提问，全面准确阐释中国外交政策和对外关系。
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一、中国外交按下“加速键”，吹响“集结号”
The year 2023 is the first year of fully implementing the guiding principles set forth by the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The Congress outlined top-level plans for China’s diplomacy, identified our missions and tasks, and made strategic arrangements to that end.
2023年是全面贯彻落实中共二十大精神的开局之年。中共二十大对中国外交规划了顶层设计，明确了使命任务，作出了战略部署。
China will follow the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy. In particular, we will ensure the success of the two major diplomatic events that we will host – the first China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
中国将以元首外交为引领，特别是全力办好首次“中国+中亚五国”元首峰会和第三届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛两大主场外交。
China will take it as a mission to defend its core interests. We firmly oppose any form of hegemonism and power politics. We firmly oppose the Cold War mentality, camp-based confrontation, and acts to contain and hold back other countries’ development. We will resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.
中国将以维护核心利益为使命，坚决反对一切形式的霸权主义和强权政治，坚决反对冷战思维、阵营对抗和遏制打压，坚决捍卫国家主权、安全、发展利益。
China will build on our extensive partnerships. We will pursue coordination and sound interactions among major countries, seek friendship and cooperation with other countries, and promote a new type of international relations.
中国将以伙伴关系为依托，促进大国协调和良性互动，同各国发展友好合作，推动构建新型国际关系。
China will take openness and development as our objective. We will reject “decoupling”, and oppose severing industrial and supply chains and imposing unilateral sanctions. We will generate new opportunities for the world with our new development.
中国将以开放发展为目标，反对“脱钩断链”，反对单边制裁，维护开放包容的世界经济，以中国新发展为世界提供新机遇。
China will take multilateralism as the way forward. We will promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and promote greater democracy in international relations. We will offer more, better Chinese insight and solutions to help meet humanity’s common challenges.
中国将以多边主义为路径，推动构建人类命运共同体，推进国际关系民主化，为解决人类面临的共同挑战贡献更多、更好的中国智慧、中国方案。
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二、中国式现代化对世界具有重要意义
“Chinese modernisation” has become a popular phrase in the world. It offers solutions to many challenges facing human development. It busts the myth that modernisation is westernisation; it creates a new form of human advancement; and it provides an important source of inspiration for the world, especially developing countries. Chinese modernisation has at least five features:
中国式现代化已成为国际社会的一个热词，破解了人类社会发展的诸多难题，打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思，创造了人类文明新形态，也给世界各国特别是广大发展中国家带来重要启示。这体现在五个方面：
First, independence. The Chinese path to modernisation is exactly developed in China and rooted in Chinese culture and fits in well with China’s national conditions. China’s success in development also proves that every country has the right and ability to choose its own path, and to hold its future firmly in its own hands.
一是独立自主。中国式现代化立足中国大地，植根中国文化，契合中国实际。中国的成功充分证明，各国完全有权利也有能力选择自己的道路，将命运牢牢掌握在自己手里。
Second, putting people first. Chinese modernisation is the modernisation of common prosperity for all. It is about achieving both material abundance and cultural-ethical enrichment for the people. Modernisation should not serve the interests of only a few countries or individuals. People around the world should all enjoy the rights to seek development as equals and pursue happiness.
二是人民至上。中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化，让人民物质富足，精神富有。服务少数国家、少数人不是现代化，各国人民都应有平等发展、追求幸福的权利。
Third, peaceful development. Chinese modernisation is not pursued through war, colonisation, or plundering. It is dedicated to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and is committed to harmony between humanity and nature. It is a new path different from Western modernisation.
三是和平发展。中国式现代化一不靠战争，二不靠殖民，三不靠掠夺，我们坚持和平、发展、合作、共赢，坚持人与自然和谐共生，这是一条有别于西式现代化的崭新道路。
Fourth, openness and inclusiveness. Humanity’s modernisation should not be a one-flower show but a hundred flowers in bloom. It is important to respect the right of every country to pursue a modernisation path tailored to its national reality, and encourage exchange and mutual learning, so that all will flourish and prosper together.
四是开放包容。人类的现代化不应孤芳自赏，而应百花齐放，尊重各国走符合自身国情的发展道路，彼此交流互鉴，精彩绽放，美美与共。
Fifth, working hard in unity. China’s success proves that acting in disunity like a heap of loose sand will get us nowhere, and that only by striving in unity can we pool strength. We will persevere in carrying out the set blueprint until it becomes reality.
五是团结奋斗。中国发展的成功经验充分证明，一盘散沙没有希望，团结奋斗才有力量，要咬定青山不放松，一张蓝图绘到底。
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三、全球治理的中国方案、中国智慧
Amid the changes and confusion, people are wondering what’s wrong with our world and what we should do about it. Through the past 10 years in the new era, President Xi Jinping has put forward a host of major initiatives and proposals, including building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the common values of humanity, the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI). The core message of these initiatives is that countries are interdependent, mankind has a shared future, and the international community must get united for cooperation.
当今世界变乱交织。世界怎么了？我们该怎么办？新时代十年，习近平主席相继提出了构建人类命运共同体、共建“一带一路”、全人类共同价值、全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议等重大倡议和主张，这些理念的核心，就是世界各国相互依存，人类命运与共，国际社会要团结合作。
Yet the path to global governance is far from smooth. Global governance should be promoted in accordance with the law and the principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter; equity and justice must be upheld while hegemonism and selfish interests must be rejected; solidarity must be defended while division and confrontation must be abandoned. Developing countries account for more than 80 percent of the global population and more than 70 percent of global economic growth. People in developing countries are entitled to a better life, and developing countries are entitled to greater representation and a louder voice in international affairs.
迈向全球治理的道路并不平坦。全球治理要守法，要遵循联合国宪章所体现的国际法精神；要秉持公平公理，反对霸权私利；要坚持同舟共济，不搞分裂对抗。发展中国家占世界人口总数的80%以上，对世界经济增长的贡献率超过70%。发展中国家的人民有过上更好日子的权利，发展中国家在世界事务中应该享有更大的代表性和发言权。
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四、寻求健康稳定的中美关系
On the China-US relationship, a recent episode in bilateral relations is the unmanned airship incident. It is entirely an accident caused by force majeure, and its facts and nature are crystal clear. Even the United States did not believe it posed a physical threat. However, in violation of the spirit of international law and international customary practices, the US acted with a presumption of guilt. It overreacted, abused force, and dramatised the accident, creating a diplomatic crisis that could have been avoided. In this case, the US perception and views of China are seriously distorted. It regards China as its primary rival and biggest geopolitical challenge.
前段时间中美关系发生了无人飞艇事件。这完全是一起因不可抗力导致的偶发意外事件，事实和性质都很清楚，连美方也认为不构成现实威胁。然而，美方却违反国际法精神和国际惯例，过度反应，滥用武力，制造了一场本可以避免的外交危机。从偶然中可以看到必然，那就是美国对华认知和定位出现了严重偏差，把中国当成最主要对手和最大地缘政治挑战。
As President Xi pointed out, whether China and the US can handle their relationship well bears on the future of the world. Getting the relationship right is not optional, but something we must do and must do well. China will continue to follow the principles put forth by President Xi, namely, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, to pursue a sound and stable relationship with the US. We hope the US government will listen to the calls of the two peoples, rid of its strategic anxiety of “threat inflation”, abandon the zero-sum Cold War mentality, and refuse to be hijacked by “political correctness”. We hope that the United States will honour its commitments and work with China to explore the right way to get along with each other to the benefit of both countries and the entire world.
习近平主席指出，中美能否处理好彼此关系，攸关世界前途命运。中美关系不是一道是否搞好的选择题，而是一道如何搞好的必答题。中方将始终按照习近平主席提出的相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢的原则致力于推动中美关系健康稳定发展，我们也希望美国政府认真倾听两国人民的声音，消除“威胁膨胀”的战略焦虑，摒弃零和博弈的冷战思维，拒绝“政治正确”的无端绑架，兑现承诺，与中方相向而行，共同探索出既有利于两国、又造福世界的中美正确相处之道。
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五、反对所谓乌克兰危机的“中国特殊责任论”
Coming to the Ukraine crisis, it has a complex history and reasons. In essence, it is an eruption of the problems built up in the security governance of Europe. China always makes its own judgment independently based on the merits of the issue. Between peace and war, we choose peace. Between dialogue and sanctions, we choose dialogue. Between lowering the temperature and fanning the flames, we choose the former. China did not create the crisis. It is not a party to the crisis, and has not provided weapons to either side of the conflict. Why on earth the blame, sanctions and threats against China? This is absolutely unacceptable.
乌克兰危机有着复杂的历史经纬和现实原因，本质是欧洲安全治理矛盾的大爆发。中方始终根据事情本身的是非曲直，独立自主作出判断。在和平与战争之间，选择和平；在对话和制裁之间，选择对话；在降温和拱火之间，选择降温。中国既不是危机的制造者，又不是危机的当事方，也没有向冲突的任何一方提供武器。凭什么向中国甩锅推责，甚至制裁、威胁？我们绝不接受！
Less than two weeks ago, China issued China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. It offers 12 propositions, including respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, and resuming peace talks. The core stance is to promote talks for peace. The Ukraine crisis has come to a critical juncture. Either hostilities stop and peace is restored and the process of political settlement begins, or more fuel is added to the flames and the crisis further expands and spirals out of control. Conflict, sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem. What is needed is calmness, reason and dialogue. The process of peace talks should begin as soon as possible, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected. This is the right way to achieve durable security in Europe.
前几天，中方发布了《关于政治解决乌克兰危机的中国立场》文件，提出尊重各国主权、摒弃冷战思维、停火止战、启动和谈等12条主张，核心就是劝和促谈。当前，乌克兰危机到了紧要关头，要么停火止战，恢复和平，走上政治解决的轨道，要么火上浇油，扩大危机，拖入失控的深渊。冲突、制裁、施压解决不了问题，现在需要的是冷静、理智、对话，和谈进程应尽快开启，各方合理安全关切都应得到尊重，从而找到实现欧洲长治久安之策。