China News Service, Beijing, January 19 (Huang Yuqin) After 2020, which is dominated by "cloud diplomacy", China's diplomacy will start a "face-to-face" model in the first month of 2021.

Recently, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited five countries in Africa and four countries in Southeast Asia respectively. The two visits were only one day apart.

　　If the Foreign Minister’s first visit to Africa in the first year is a “fixed move” that China has persisted in diplomacy for 31 years, the trip to Southeast Asia can be said to be the first “optional move” of China’s diplomacy at the beginning of the year. Full coverage of contacts.

From "fixed actions" to "optional actions", coupled with frequent visit arrangements, provide a unique perspective for the outside world to observe China's diplomacy in the post-epidemic period.

　　Through the difference between "fixed actions" and "optional actions", we can see the different directions of China's diplomacy in the beginning of the year.

Despite the inconvenience caused by the epidemic to offline exchanges, China still adheres to the tradition of the foreign minister's first visit to Africa in the New Year and uses this to open up foreign exchanges throughout the year.

From January 4th to 9th, Wang Yi crossed the African continent and was invited to visit Nigeria, Congo (Kinshasa), Botswana, Tanzania and Seychelles to interpret the meaning of China-Africa "true friends" with practical actions.

　　Regarding this 31-year Chinese diplomatic tradition, Wang Yi summarized it as "the original intention remains unchanged, and the inheritance remains unchanged."

He pointed out that with this practical action, we show that China attaches great importance to Africa, shows the traditional friendship between China and Africa, shows China's firm support for the development and revitalization of Africa, and shows the important diplomatic principle that China always stands on the side of developing countries. .

　　Only one day after returning from his visit to Africa, Wang Yi opened a visit to Myanmar, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines from January 11 to 16.

Neighboring countries have always been the priority direction of China's diplomacy. This year coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. How the relationship between the two sides will be upgraded after the establishment of "Thirty Years" has attracted much attention from outsiders.

　　"China's diplomacy in the beginning of the year shows its emphasis on neighboring countries and regional cooperation." Guo Yanjun, director of the Institute of Asian Studies of the China Foreign Affairs University, analyzed that under the influence of the epidemic, the idea of ​​a community with a shared future in the surrounding area has become more popular in the hearts of the people, in order to further strengthen China The foundation has been laid for relations with neighboring countries.

　　The similarities between "fixed actions" and "optional actions" can provide a clearer perspective of the concerns of China's diplomacy in the post-epidemic period.

Whether it is a visit to Africa by the Chinese Foreign Minister or a visit to Southeast Asia, "Unity in Fighting the Epidemic" and "Cooperative Development" have always been the two clearest threads running through them.

　　In terms of unity to fight the epidemic, facing the reality that the second wave of the epidemic is still spreading globally and African countries have a weak public health foundation, Wang Yi pointed out that China will continue to provide African friends with scarce anti-epidemic supplies and send medical care to countries in need The expert group has established a cooperation mechanism with counterpart hospitals, promoted the exchange of anti-epidemic experience, accelerated the construction of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters project, and worked with G20 members to do a good job in debt relief for Africa.

　　Faced with vaccine cooperation becoming the top priority of anti-epidemic cooperation, during his visit to the four Southeast Asian countries, Wang Yi almost expressed China's willingness to strengthen vaccine cooperation at every stop.

He emphasized that China and ASEAN will hold high the banner of multilateral vaccine cooperation, adhere to the public product attributes of vaccines, strengthen cooperation in research and development, procurement and production, and jointly promote the availability and affordability of vaccines in the region and the world.

　　In terms of cooperation and development, although the epidemic has severely affected the economies of Africa, ASEAN, and China, there is still no shortage of opportunities to find new opportunities under the crisis.

During Wang Yi's visit to Africa, the Congo (DRC) and Botswana respectively signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" with China, adding luster to the "Belt and Road" circle of friends.

　　As the most successful region in the fight against the epidemic and the earliest recovery and recovery, the characteristics of East Asian crisis-driven cooperation are more obvious.

Positive factors such as China and ASEAN being each other's largest trading partners and the successful signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) have injected strong impetus into the economic recovery after the regional epidemic.

Xu Liping, a researcher at the Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that through Wang Yi’s visit, we can see that promoting the early entry into force of RCEP, deepening the integration of interests between China and ASEAN, and expanding mutual benefit and win-win results have become the common expectation of regional development under the epidemic .

　　It is worth noting that in addition to unity in the fight against the epidemic and cooperative development, the similarities between "fixed actions" and "optional actions" are also the value orientation conveyed by China.

In Nigeria, Wang Yi pointed out that Africa is a big stage for international cooperation, not a game arena for big powers.

In Seychelles, Wang Yi emphasized that equality between large and small countries is the principle of China's diplomacy.

In Indonesia, Wang Yi made it clear that the "four persistences" and "three oppositions" must be achieved in the practice of true multilateralism.

　　When multilateralism encounters "headwinds" in the world and individual major powers emphasize the return to "multilateralism," China's commitment to multilateralism and the "authenticity" of multilateralism are particularly interesting.

"Whether it is in Africa or Southeast Asia, China's practical actions to practice the values ​​of true multilateralism are by no means simply imposing its own rules on others." said Lan Jianxue, deputy director of the Asia-Pacific Institute of the China Institute of International Studies. "When the international situation enters a period of turbulent change, to ensure lasting peace and prosperity in the region, all parties need to practice true multilateralism. This is also the key voice of China's diplomacy in the beginning of the year." (End)