As the year is drawing to an end, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing accepted the exclusive interview given by People's Daily reporters Zhang Liang and Wang Li, during which he talked freely about the new characteristics of the international situation this year and about the achievements gained in China's diplomatic work, and looked forward to China's diplomatic work next year.

Reporter: Would you please say something about the new characteristics of the world situation this year?

Li Zhaoxing: The international situation this year remains stable as a whole, but uncertain and unstable factors are on the increase. The world situation this year has more or less the following characteristics:

Firstly, the multi-polarity trend has undergone new development. After experiencing the Iraq war, the international community has more deeply realized that solving major world issues needs international cooperation and cannot be achieved without multilateralism or without a multilateral system with the United Nations as the center. Dialogs and cooperation among various main forces have been strengthened to some extent, but contradictions and struggles centered on future international order have continued to develop.

Secondly, the international security situation has become more complicated, regional hot issues, in particular, have cropped up one after another, terrorist activities have gone rampant, non-traditional security issues have become more prominent.

Thirdly, the world economic situation looks promising as a whole, economic globalization and regional cooperation are developing in-depth, international trade investment has become more active, but international competition has intensified, and energy and resources problems have turned to be more striking.

Reporter: What are the main achievements gained in China's diplomatic work this year?

Li Zhaoxing: In the face of the intricate and complicated international situation, in China's diplomatic work guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of the "three represents", we, under the leadership of the central authorities, have centered closely around the fundamental task of serving the endeavor to build a relatively affluent society in an all-round manner, worked hard to carry out the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee and the 10th Conference of Diplomatic Envoys stationed abroad, striven for a peaceful and stable international environment and a surrounding environment, an equality and mutually beneficial cooperation environment and an objective and friendly public opinion environment.

Conscientiously carrying out the principle of "treating neighbors with goodwill and coexisting with neighbors as partners" and the policy of "bringing harmony, security and prosperity to neighbors", we have advanced and guided East Asia regional cooperation and brought China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations into a new stage. We have spurred Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to develop all-round and substantive cooperation. We have played an active, constructive role on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula. We have properly handled peripheral, sensitive problems and comprehensively carried forward mutually beneficial cooperation with the vast number of Asian neighbors.

We have worked hard to develop ties with big powers. We have generally maintained stability and development in our relations with the United States. During President Hu Jintao's meeting with US President George W. Bush at the APEC Leaders' Conference held in Chile last month, the two sides had positive evaluation of Sino-US constructive cooperative relationship and reached an important consensus on furthering Sino-US ties in the next four years. China's strategic cooperative partnership with Russia has further deepened, through repeated meetings between heads of state and government, the two countries have thoroughly settled the boundary issue left over from history and have formulated long-term plans for the development of bilateral relationship. The connotations of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the European Union (EU) has been steadily substantiated, the two sides have achieved significant development in their cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology and international affairs.

We have comprehensively strengthened ties with the developing countries in general. President Hu Jintao and other Party and state leaders have on many occasions visited Asian, African and Latin American countries, which has thus forcefully promoted unity and cooperation between China and other developing countries. We have conducted dialogs with Brazil, India, South Africa and other big developing countries, set in motion the "China-Arab Cooperation Forum", carried forward the achievements of the Second Ministerial Conference of the China-African Cooperation Forum, China has become an observer of the Latin American Parliament and the Organization of American States (OAS), and has reached a consensus with the Latin American side on the establishment of a "China-Latin American Cooperation Forum".

This year's multilateral diplomatic work is rather active. We have supported the authority of the United Nations, initiated multilateralism, promoted the democratization of international relations, constructively participated in the solutions of international hot issues such as that of Iraq, and Darfur of the Sudan, China has for the first time sent out contingents of civil policemen to participate in the UN peace-keeping operations and has thus made contributions to the defense of world peace and the promotion of common development. Our country has played important roles in APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) and other occasions. We have been resolutely carrying out struggles against "Taiwan independence" in the international arena and, with the support of justice-upholding countries, have repeatedly foiled Taiwan's plots to "return" to the UN and to squeeze into the WHO (World Health Organization) and once again destroyed some individual countries' attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs at the UN human rights meeting, thus safeguarding the country's core interests and national dignity.

Reporter: What work has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs done this year in implementing the principle of "exercising power in the interests of the people"?

Li Zhaoxing: "Exercising power in the interests of the people" and "doing diplomatic work for the people" are the purposes of diplomatic work.. We always keep the interests of the people at heart, and try every possible means to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons abroad. Party and state leaders are concerned about the safety and well-being of overseas Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots, and have given concrete instructions. Under the coordination of departments concerned, the Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have carried out work in time and have properly handled events occurred in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Africa, the United States and Britain that endangered the personal and property security of Chinese citizens. We have also strengthened mechanistic and capability building, we have established an inter-departmental joint conference system for the work of security and protection of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions and a foreign emergency coordination handling mechanism, and we have intensified work related to the release of consular information.

Proceeding from serving the overall situation of national development, we have vigorously strengthened economic diplomacy, promoted foreign economic and trade cooperation, and constantly raised the level of making diplomacy serve domestic economic and social development. We have actively developed cultural exchanges, the "China-France Culture Year" and other activities have enhanced friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese people and people of various countries around the world. Internally, we have paid great attention to public diplomacy, and frequently introduced China's foreign policy and practices to the masses, drawing nourishments from the masses for enhancing our work capabilities and thus receiving more and more understanding and support.

Reporter: Finally, please say something about the prospect of next year's diplomatic work.

Li Zhaoxing: We will continue to push forward good neighborly and friendly cooperation featuring equality and mutual trust, and cooperation and a "win, win" effect, stabilize and develop ties with developed counties, deepen and strengthen unity and cooperation with other developing countries. We should continuously heighten our abilities to cope with change in the international situation and to handle international affairs, render better service for building a relatively prosperous society in an all-round way and for realizing the great cause of the reunification of the motherland, we will do more good and practical work for the people and make greater contributions to the defense of world peace, to the promotion of common development and to the advancement of mutual benefit and cooperation.

Text of the above interview, carried on page 7 of People's Daily on December 15, 2004, was translated by People's Daily Online