Reporter’s Diary: Fast trains and China's global track

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The Two Sessions media center was the hottest ticket in Beijing on Thursday morning as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed Beijing’s willingness to mediate in regional conflicts and warned that a trade war was in the interests of no country.

Fielding questions from journalists at a briefing on the sidelines of the National People's Congress, Wang gave insights into China’s global role and predicted that the “sincerity” of the key players in the Korean Peninsula dispute would soon be tested.

CGTN's Tian Wei with John Goodrich. /CGTN Photo

As CGTN’s Tian Wei said during a livestream ahead of the press conference, this is a new era for China – and through a mix of precise answers and vivid turn of phrase, the foreign minister indicated that the country was set to take a greater role on the world stage.

In a press conference short on surprises but featuring a scattering of nuggets, Wang said China “has its do’s and don’ts” in foreign policy and will always take a peaceful, justifiable and constructive approach.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. /CGTN Photo

“We are ready to play our part. Indeed, the world expects no less from us.”

Using evocative phrases – dragons, elephants, ice, sea foam and trains featured -- he pressed home his points while walking firmly on the safe side of the diplomatic line.

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Wang’s wisdom

On the Korean Peninsula: "Of course it takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice… There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it will not be all smooth sailing ahead of us.”

On China-US relations: “Trade war is not the right solution. In a globalized world, it harms the initiator as well as the target country… China would have to make a justified and necessary response.”

China’s sharp power? “As China grows, the ‘China collapse theory’ has collapsed and become an international laughing stock. Meanwhile, the China threat theory, with its various sensational versions, is losing market. It’s time the China threat theory was laid to rest.”

On China and Africa: “African brothers and sisters are welcome to get onboard China’s fast train of development and take a front seat… China will step up mediation in regional flash points as well as cooperation with African countries to tackle unconventional security threats.”

On Belt and Road Initiative: “Everything is in the open. No country is dominating the process, every party has an equal say. There’s no backroom deal. Every step is transparent. There’s no winner takes all, every project delivers in win-win results.”

On China-India relations: “The Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant must not fight, but dance with each other.”

On the US Indo-Pacific strategy: “There’s never a shortage of headline-grabbing ideas. They’re like sea foam in the Pacific or Indian Ocean – they may get some attention, but will be short-lived… Stoking a new Cold War is out of sync with the times. Inciting bloc confrontation will find no market.”

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China’s development is “unstoppable” and it is “fundamentally wrong” to describe its relationship with the US as a rivalry, the foreign minister said.

“The truth is, the more China develops, the more contribution China will be making to the world. China is on a long march to modernization. It has no need or intention to displace America.” But any move towards a trade war would lead to a “justified and necessary response.”

The DPRK and the US should hold talks “sooner rather than later,” and the Chinese suspension-for-suspension proposal has been “the right prescription” to facilitate improving inter-Korea relations.

CGTN's John Goodrich and Jane Kiyo. /CGTN Photo

One of the more intriguing responses came to a question posed by CGTN Africa’s Jane Kiyo, who was among the lucky few reporters called by Wang. The foreign minister revealed that China was prepared to “step up mediation in regional flash points” in Africa.

“Now I know it's such a big deal!” Jane said afterwards, as we reviewed the briefing in a livestream.

Wang’s dapper, controlled stance was punctuated by occasional emphatic gesticulations – motions which pressed the battery of cameras lining the room to click into harmonic action.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang. /VCG Photo

A question about China’s alleged “sharp power,” for example, drew a withering response and a shrug of the arms. “It’s time the 'China threat theory' was laid to rest.”

As the briefing wound down and photographers toyed between rushing forward for a last close-up and beating the lunch queue, one reporter made a desperate attempt for one final question -- to the amusement of a smiling Wang.

“I’m afraid our time is up.”

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