From combatting global climate change, promoting South-South cooperation, and contributing to global poverty alleviation, to supporting reforms of the WTO and UN, establishing China-UN peace and development funds, and putting forward multilateralism cooperation mechanisms like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative, China's determination to protect multilateralism has diverse expressions.

No matter whether countries are small or large, with respect to diplomatic relations, China will treat them similarly. For example, Monaco. During President Xi Jinping's visit in Europe in March, though Monaco is a small country, it plays an important role for presenting Xi's thoughts on diplomacy. 

Why is Xi's visit to Monaco an example of friendly exchanges? Robert Lawrence Kuhn discusses the matter with Sourabh Gupta, Resident Senior Fellow, Institute for China-America Studies.

According to Sourabh Gupta, although China's determination to promote multilateral cooperation is viewed with skepticism, China won't engage in predatory behavior just because of its size. Gupta says President Xi's trip to Monaco demonstrates that irrespective of size and strength, China adheres to the principle of equality and mutual benefit and interacts with every country on equal footing.

In Gupta's view, President Xi's visit to Monaco sends a strong diplomatic signal that China needs relations with many European countries, like the establishment of 16+1 format in Eastern and Central Europe.

Gupta also said that he didn't see many leaders of big countries who can do this. Whatever the political or trade relation with the country, China will treat it in the same way and thus help build a multilateral world.