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The war in Gaza is “a shame for civilization”, says the head of Chinese diplomacy
Faced with an unstable and complex international environment, China will resolutely be a force for peace, the head of Chinese diplomacy said this Thursday, March 7, during a press conference.
Wang Yi, speaking as part of the annual parliamentary session of the Chinese Parliament, recalled China's support for the Palestinians and denounced “
hegemonism in all its forms
”.
The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, during the annual session of the Chinese Congress, March 7, 2024. AP - Ng Han Guan
By: Stéphane Lagarde Follow
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from our correspondent in Beijing,
Nearly two hours of press conference and 21 questions sent in advance, allowed Wang Yi, this Thursday, March 7, to sweep away all the challenges facing the second world power.
The exercise is now well established.
In the press center of the CCP Congress, located between the military museum and the former state radio and television buildings in the west of the Chinese capital, the microphones are stretched as journalists from the
Global South
arrive , guests and housed by the Chinese government in a diplomatic residence near Beijing's second ring road.
Just after the security checks on the ground floor, a barrage of questions about China's place in the world, its influence as well as its role as mediator.
Themes that recur from the start of the press conference upstairs, where forty minutes before the event the room is already full.
" New model "
It is no longer the diplomacy of “fighting wolves” defined by Wang Yi at the beginning of 2020. But the Chinese “new diplomacy” version of 2024 has lost none of its bite and aims to be just as offensive around the defense of order and equality,
affirmed Li Qiang
, the Chinese Prime Minister, during his presentation of the government's work report at the beginning of the week.
In response to the second question attributed to Russian television, Wang Yi thus immediately criticizes the "
partisans of hegemonism
" and praises the
Beijing-Moscow Alliance
, not as a new international order, but as a
"new model
»
relations between powers.
“
As major countries and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council,”
underlines the State Councilor, “
China and Russia have built a new model of relations between great powers, completely different from the old Cold War and based on on non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties
.
A model that opposes the “erroneous perception” of China by the United States, says Wang Yi while the third question attributed to the Bloomberg agency concerns Sino-American relations.
Also listen to The impossible divorce between China and the United States
“A conflict between two such large countries would have unimaginable consequences,”
assures the Chinese official who welcomes the progress made since the
“historic”
meeting of the
Chinese and American presidents in San Francisco
last November.
And this, just before using the ternary style to describe the road that remains to be taken.
“
If the United States gets anxious every time China is mentioned, where is the confidence of a great power?
If the United States insists on monopolizing the top of the value chain and only allows China the bottom of the chain, where is the fair competition?
If the United States is content to prosper without allowing other countries to develop, where is international justice?
», Slips Wang Yi.
“Shame for civilization”
In a “
turbulent
” world, China is a force for peace, stability and justice, continues the man who is both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party, the highest official of Chinese diplomacy.
A long question from Egyptian public television, welcoming
China's "fair position in its support for the Palestinians",
allows us to unfold Beijing's position on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Read alsoIn Southeast Asia, news in Gaza puts the Palestinian question at the heart of the debate
Chinese Foreign Minister reiterates call for an “
immediate ceasefire
” in Gaza and a
“two-state solution
”.
“
The fact that today, in the 20th century, this humanitarian catastrophe cannot be stopped is a human tragedy, even more, it is a shame for civilization
,” Wang Yi said in comments translated by the AFP, also repeating statements by the Chinese president during a Sino-Arab summit in December 2022 who said he was in favor of Palestine becoming
“a full member of the United Nations.
»
If the Chinese position had not been understood, the minister added.
“
The Gaza disaster once again reminds the world that the occupation of Palestinian territory can no longer be ignored.
The long-standing aspiration of the Palestinian people for independence and the creation of a state can no longer be evaded
", speaking once again of
"historical injustice"
suffered by the Palestinian people which cannot "
be perpetuated for generations, without correction
.
This same threat was also renewed in the ninth question, this time relating to… Taiwan: “
Anyone who advocates independence on the island,
he said
, will be punished by History (...) all Chinese must unite behind peaceful reunification
.”
“All lights on”
To the 8th question on the state of the China-Europe relationship asked by the Spanish agency EFE, the State Councilor began by recalling the “
fruitful
” partnerships
in rail and port matters in the east and south of the Union, welcoming “ win-win
” cooperation
and common interests: “
A strong Europe
– meaning independent of the United States –
is in the interest of China and a strong China is in Europe's interest.
»
The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, speaks in front of the Chinese Parliament, in Beijing, March 7, 2024 AP - Ng Han Guan
Without directly mentioning the tensions around
“Made in China” electric vehicles exported massively to the Union
, Wang Yi uses the road metaphor and warns against what could block trade: “
A few years ago some people stuck the three labels 'partner, competitor and systemic rival' to the relationship.
It's like coming to an intersection and all the traffic lights are on.
We could no longer move forward.
We hope that relations between China and Europe will always have a green light!
»
The 15th question is devoted to China – Africa relations.
There, obviously, the traffic is much smoother.
“For 15 years, China has been Africa's largest trading partner
,” recalls the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, who sees China as a neutral leader in a world that
“needs a development path adapted to national conditions.” ".
After a visit to Dakar in 2021, the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation (FOCAC) will return to Beijing next fall.
#China 🇨🇳 Conference by State Councilor Wang Yi
Thread 👇 Q/A https://t.co/w9SrMVQUmu
— AsiaNews (@AsiaNews_FR) March 7, 2024
“Chinese story”
Before the conference ended, a 19th question was reserved for a journalist from a Cuban media outlet who welcomed
“the phenomenal development of the Global South last year
.”
The opportunity to once again draw out the two themes dear to Chinese diplomacy
: “The
development of the BRICS
– Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – contributes to the expansion of a global front for justice and to acceleration of the multipolarization of the world",
indicates Wang Yi, before the China Daily, English-speaking state media comes to relay "
Internet users' questions
" concerning "
diplomacy in the service of the people
".
Come on, a 21st question for the road... and for a journalist from “
China Arab Tv
” who wonders: “
How can we relay a better image of China?”
» Wang Yi smiles and thanks the journalists, but also the influencers who report the
“Chinese story
” and show a “living and dynamic image
of the country”
.
Before concluding
: “Telling the story of China is first of all telling the story of the Chinese Communist Party which created one of the most fascinating miracles in the history of humanity”,
implied,
by having helped lift tens of millions of Chinese out of poverty and shape the China of today...
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