Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a virtual press conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, where he answered questions related to foreign policy matters from foreign and Chinese journalists.

Here are the highlights of the press conference:

On Ukraine crisis

Wang called for calmness and rationality in resolving the Ukraine crisis, stressing that disputes must be settled through dialogue, negotiation and peaceful means.

China will play a constructive role in promoting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, he added.

"China is prepared to continue playing a constructive role to facilitated dialogue for peace and work alongside the international community when needed to carry out necessary mediation," the foreign minister said. 

The Red Cross Society of China will provide emergency humanitarian assistance in the form of supplies for Ukraine as soon as possible, Wang told reporters. 

On China-Russia ties

The China-Russia relationship is based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party, Wang said. 

It is free from interference or discord sown by third parties, he added.

China and Russia will maintain strategic focus and keep deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, Wang stressed. 

On China-U.S. ties

During the press conference, Wang called for China-U.S. relations to be brought back on the right track.

Major-country competition is not the right choice and the U.S. needs to put its verbal assurances into practice, he said.

"In a globalized and interdependent world, how China and the U.S. can find the right way forward and manage to get along is both a new question for humanity and a formulation that must be worked out by China and the U.S. together," the foreign minister added.

On China-Japan ties

Wang Yi urged Japan to keep to its commitments and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties. 

"We hope that Japan will go along the trend instead of against it, decline to pull chestnuts out of the fire for others, and avoid pitting itself against its neighbors," Wang said. 

On Korean Peninsula issue

The external security threats facing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have remained unaddressed and its legitimate security concerns unsolved for too long, Wang stated. 

U.S. actions are also an important factor in the Korean Peninsula issue, he said. 

On Taiwan question

The Taiwan question differs in nature from the Ukraine issue as Taiwan has always been a part of China, Wang said.

"Some people, while being vocal about the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, have kept undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question," he added. 

"This is a blatant double standard."

On BRICS cooperation

Wang said that China will deepen BRICS cooperation and the bloc will form a high-quality partnership to drive global development. 

"We will deepen BRICS cooperation across the board, make BRICS shine brighter, burnish BRCIS credentials for South-South cooperation, and inspire hope and confidence for a joint effort by all countries to beat the pandemic and promote global recovery," Wang said in answer to a question from CGTN's Tian Wei.