2014 is a year of bumper harvest for China's diplomacy

BEIJING - China has experienced a bumper harvest of diplomacy in 2014, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday at the New Year Reception 2015.

"China has actively forged a partnership network across the globe, establishing different partnerships with 67 countries and five regional organizations, showcasing China's diplomacy concept of forging partners but not alliances," Wang said at a reception for diplomatic missions to China.

More than 50 countries along the ancient Silk Road have voiced willingness to participate in the "One Belt and One Road" initiative put forward by China to foster common development between China, Europe and Asia, Wang said.

The framework refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visits to Central Asia and Southeast Asia last year.

Twenty-two Asian countries willing to join Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as founding members signed a memorandum of understanding on its establishment in October, agreeing to equip the bank with 50 billion U.S. dollars.

The latest development came in November after President Xi Jinping announced China would set up a Silk Road fund worth 40 billion U.S. dollars to support infrastructure, resources, industrial and financial cooperation and other projects related to connectivity for countries along the "One Belt and One Road."

China has successfully hosted the annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November, at which the members agreed to start a joint strategic study on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), marking the official launch of the FTAAP process.

"China has left a profound mark on maintaining regional peace and security and promoting Asia-Pacific cooperation," Wang said.

Outlining China's diplomacy in 2015, he said China would continue to build a new model of major-country relationships with the United States;keep the high quality of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination; deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with Europe; strengthen practical cooperation with India, Brazil, South Africa and other emerging markets as well as fostering a community of shared interests and destiny with neighboring nations.

In 2015, the world will commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory of World War II and formulate the post-2015 development agenda while China will observe the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and advance comprehensive reform and rule of law, Wang said.

"We will firmly safeguard world peace and development. We will work with the international community to safeguard justice and post-war order and oppose any words and deeds that attempt to reverse history," he said.

He added China would help promote a post-2015 development agenda that complies with the common interests of all nations, with that of the developing countries in particular.