Episode Details

As President Xi Jinping wrapped up his trip to Latin America last week, observers noted that the year 2024 has been special for marking the 10th anniversaries of a range of landmark events, such as China's hosting of the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing and the founding of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Following these memorable moments, Thursday also marks the 10th anniversary of another landmark event in China's foreign policy history — Xi's proposing of the idea of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Many scholars and officials have been impressed by how Beijing has showcased distinct Chinese characteristics, style and ethos in its diplomacy, and how it has been working on building the image of a confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive major country with a global vision over the past 10 years.

In the eyes of Keith Bennett, a London-based senior analyst on international relations and co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China platform, the Chinese characteristics of the country's major country diplomacy include a number of components, such as the country's commitment to peace, dialogue, equality, mutual respect, noninterference and win-win cooperation.

"The Chinese policies are not based solely on the narrow national interest, or interest at the expense of other countries", but instead have a global vision and "are for the benefit of all of humanity," he said.

On Nov 28, 2014, Xi stated in his speech at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs that China "must have a major country diplomacy with its own characteristics".

In March 2016, the concept of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics was for the first time clearly stated in the annual Government Work Report.

Analysts said the concept has been developed in the past decade and has seen its theoretical architecture greatly taking shape and its supporting pillars being built.

The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in December last year identified the theme of China's external work as building a community with a shared future for mankind, which is also the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

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