In the year of 2005, China, in the face of the complex and volatile international situation, has made substantial achievements in its diplomacy.

In an interview with People's Daily, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing analyzed the international situation throughout the year and reviewed China's major achievements in diplomacy and shared his expectations for the 11th Five-Year Plan Period (2006-2010).

Reporter: Please first sum up the characteristics of the international situation this year.

Li Zhaoxing: In 2005, the international situation, generally speaking, has been relaxed and stable, but destabilizing and uncertain elements have shown a new development. It has been a common choice of more and more countries to seek peace and development through cooperation.

Multi-polarization and economic globalization, interacting with each other, are pushing profound changes in the international relations and the structure of international interests. Multi-polarization is accelerating and the competition for world order is intensifying. Economic globalization is constantly deepening while countries grow more and more interdependent with mounting cooperation and coordination.

Non-traditional security threats are standing out. Terrorism takes on a spreading tendency; disasters, such as tsunami, hurricane, earthquake and bird flu, have occurred frequently, incurring huge losses to human beings. It has increasingly become a consensus among all countries to tackle global challenges through global cooperation.

The world economy has overall maintained a growth but risks and challenges affecting world economic development are also increasing. How to maintain a stable, balanced world economy and its sustainable development has become a task facing all countries. The particular difficulties in front of developing countries under the tendency of globalization have received attention.

Reporter: Against a complex and volatile international situation, what achievements have China made in its diplomacy this year?

Li: Since the beginning of the year, under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and with the support of all the Chinese people, we have strengthened the awareness of serving the people and that of the overall interest, dealt with the changes of the situation with a sober mind, properly handled focal issues, exploring earnestly and striving to contribute more to the nation's socio-economic development and the grand cause of the reunification of the motherland.

We have made new progress in the good-neighborly friendship and cooperation with neighboring countries.

We have enhanced the mutual trust and cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). We have promoted the practical cooperation within Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). We have made it for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to accept China as an observer. On the nuclear issue of the Korea Peninsula, China continued to play a constructive role, promoting the Six-Party Talks to make important progress with a joint declaration reached.

China's relations with various powers have maintained a stable development.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush held meetings, exchanged letters and held telephone talks many times, and both leaders agreed to enhance exchange and mutual trust, and expand consensus and cooperation so as to promote the Sino-US constructive cooperative relations in all all-round way. China signed and issued with Russia China-Russia Joint Statement on 21st Century World Order, initiated the mechanism of negotiation on strategic security, held successfully their first joint military exercise -- their strategic cooperative partnership has been boosted to a new level. China and the European Union (EU), at the opportunity of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties, further consolidated and enriched the all-round strategic partnership.

China's friendly cooperation with developing countries has been constantly deepened.

Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the Asia-Africa Summit and the golden jubilee of the Bandung Conference and put forward suggestions on further building a new type of strategic partnership between Asia and Africa. He also announced at the United Nations (UN) China's concrete measures to support developing countries, which received wide appreciation. China continued deepening collective dialog and cooperation with developing countries, constantly pushing cooperation forward under the framework of China-Africa and China-Arab cooperation forums. China also deepened its relations with regional organizations of Latin America.

Multilateral diplomacy was conducted in a pro-active manner.

In the process of UN reform, China has made efforts to promote the reform to develop towards a correct direction. Chinese leaders attended Russia's commemoration for the 60th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, the meeting between G8 and developing countries, Summit on the 60th Anniversary of the UN, the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders informal meeting, the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) as well as a series of leaders' conferences between ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), expounding China's domestic and foreign policies and demonstrating to the world China's will and faith in the path of peaceful development.

Fruitful economic diplomacy.

China makes every effort to ease trade frictions and deepens mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries. There have been more countries acknowledging China as a complete market economy. China actively participated in multilateral economic mechanisms and the formulation of international rules. China for the first time hosted successfully G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

China adheres to safeguarding state sovereignty and security.

China for the 13th consecutive times and the 9th time respectively foiled the attempt of Taiwan to "return" to the UN and to join the World Health Organization (WHO). The National People's Congress (NPC) adopted the Anti-Secession Law, which won the universal understanding and support from the international community. Grenada, Senegal resumed diplomatic relations with China. China carried out the principle of "doing the diplomatic work for the people", maintaining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons abroad. By now, China has handled in accordance with law more than 20, 000 cases of consular protection concerning Chinese citizens subject to abduction, robbery, labor disputes and unfair treatment.

China actively conducted diplomacy for public, introducing to people at home the nation's diplomatic policy and practice, winning wide understanding and support. In the meantime, China learned earnestly from the general public to improve its diplomatic work.

Reporter: "China crave" was aroused around the world this year, how do you view such a phenomenon? What's your comment on China's role in international affairs?

Li: As the world's largest developing country, China has maintained a steady and fast development for years, which has been beneficial to both its nationals and peoples of other countries. An overwhelming majority of countries support and welcome China's development, regarding China as an opportunity.

The basic connotation of China's peaceful development is seeking development and harmony internally while promoting peace and cooperation externally. China will strive to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries to realize its own development, and better maintain world peace with its own development so as to promote the advancement of human beings.

Under the background of global development and deepening interdependence among all countries, China in its foreign policy firmly safeguards its own interest while actively seeks the common interests of all countries; consider its own concerns but not overlooking other countries'. China is always a force of maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

Reporter: The year of 2006 is the first year in implementing the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), and China will be in an important strategic opportunity period for quite some time, what will be China's mid-and long-term diplomatic blueprint.

Li: A blueprint was mapped out at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) (held in Oct. 8-11 this year) with requirements for China's diplomacy. The central task of our diplomatic work is to well maintain, make good use of and strive to extend the important strategic opportunity period to create a peaceful and sound external environment for our modernization drive, making as many friends as possible. In our diplomatic work, we should continue to carry out the scientific outlook on development, hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace, keep pace with times, expand friendship and cooperation with other countries, properly handle differences and devote ourselves to achieving mutual benefit and an all-win situation. We should, through our substantial and effective work, serve the country's building up a well-off society in an all-round way and constructing a harmonious society, and make more contribution to promoting a new international order featuring long-lasting peace and common prosperity.

The interview on the seventh page of People's Daily on Dec. 20, is translated by People's Daily Online