Foreign minister on China's 2005 diplomatic performance

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing reviewed China's diplomatic performance in 2005, saying that the country has made substantive achievements on diplomatic stage despite complex international environment.

"China has made new progress in promoting relations with neighboring countries," Li said in an interview with People's Daily.

He cited China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying that China has improved mutual trust and cooperation with the ASEAN.

Meanwhile, China has enhanced pragmatic cooperation with members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and was granted the observer status by the South Asian Association Regional Cooperation, he said.

Speaking on the six-party talks, Li said his country has played a constructive role in pushing forward the negotiation process.

On Sept. 19, the six parties adopted a joint statement, the first ever since their talks on the Korean peninsula nuclear issue started.

On China-US relations, the minister said President Hu Jintao and President Bush have met several times over the past year and the two also kept contact by mail and phone call.

He said the two presidents have agreed to improve exchanges and mutual trust between the two countries to improve consensus and cooperation and jointly push forward the constructive relations between the two countries.

On China-Russia relations, Li said the strategic partnership between them was upgraded to a new level this year.

On July 1, China and Russia issued a joint statement on a new world order in the 21st century, setting forth their common stand on major international issues, such as UN reforms, globalization, North-South cooperation, and world economy and trade.

The two countries also successfully held their first joint military exercise in 2005.

Li also mentioned the China-EU relations, saying the two sides have taken steps to further deepen and enrich the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership this year, when the 30th anniversary of China-EU official ties was marked.

Moreover, Li said China's friendly cooperation with developing nations has also improved greatly.

On Sept. 14 this year, Chinese President Hu Jintao announced at the UN summit that China would take more aid measures for developing countries to promote universal development to achieve common prosperity. The measures included according zero tariff treatment to certain products from all the 39 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) having diplomatic relations with China and expanding aid programs to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) and LDCs.

Li said China will continue to enhance collective dialogue with developing countries and expand cooperation with African and Arab nations under the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and the China-Arab Cooperation Forum and take more measures to promote relations with the Latin American countries.

On the multi-lateral stage, Li said that Chinese leaders have attended a series of multi-lateral meetings this year including the UN summit, the 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and East Asia Summit, and made full illustration of China's peaceful development.

The connotation of peaceful development is to boost domestic development and harmony and boost external peace and cooperation, Li said.

Li also emphasized that China's determination of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, saying that Taiwan's attempt to join the United Nations and the World Health Organization was defeated for the 13th and ninth time respectively this year.

Meanwhile, Caribbean nation Grenada and Africa's Senegal resumed diplomatic ties with China in this year, Li said.