The Press Center for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) hosted a press conference in Beijing on Thursday to brief the media on China's diplomacy.

Shen Beili, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Ma Zhaoxu, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and vice minister, took questions during the conference that centered on the topic "Under the Guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, Forge Ahead and Strive to Break New Ground for Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics."

Here are some highlights from the press conference.

Groundbreaking progress

Ma recounted that China's diplomacy has overcome many difficulties over the past decade and forged ahead amid a complex and grim international situation. The key to these achievements is Xi Jinping's leadership and the scientific guidance provided by the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, he said.

China's diplomacy has made groundbreaking progress in the past 10 years – the number of countries that established diplomatic ties with China increased from 172 to 181 while the number of countries and regional organizations that established partnerships with China increased from 41 to 113, Ma noted.

China promoted the new China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, put forward the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation regarding the China-U.S. relation, and advocated building partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization with the European Union, he said.

In the face of containment efforts and interference from the outside, Ma said China consolidated the situation of the international community's adherence to the one-China principle.

With unprecedented depth, width and power, China joins in global governance and becomes the mainstay of safeguarding multilateralism, he said.

National sovereignty 

China opposes any "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and interference from external powers, aiming to further consolidate the international consensus of one China, Ma said in response to how China's diplomacy fights for safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Firmly implementing the "One Country, Two Systems" principle and helping the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, China accurately counters the irrational sanctions imposed by the U.S., he said.

"We firmly adhere to the policy of independent and peaceful diplomacy and oppose acts of hegemonism and power politics in any form," Ma said, adding that China's determination for safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests of the Chinese nation is unshakable and rock-solid.

Non-interference and mutual learning

"Non-interference into each others' internal affairs is the common consensus of political parties in all countries and basic norm of governing international relations. It's also the preconditions for political parties to maintain their independence," said Shen in response to a question from a CGTN reporter on how the Party handles the relationship between non-interference into each others' internal affairs and mutual respect. 

Mutual learning is the important motive for human political civilization to prosper and develop, she said. The CPC has shared experience in party and national governance with many political parties through various ways, deepening development cooperation on many levels including thoughts and ideas, policy planning and governance practice, she explained.

The CPC will continue to carry out exchanges over experience in governance with foreign political parties, jointly strengthen its own construction and improve governing ability, so as to enhance people's well-being and contribute more to the development of human civilization.