Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented a briefing on January 9, 2024, outlining the diplomacy his country will follow in 2024.[i] Wang Yi emphasized that they will try to create a favorable global environment to build a new development and security model which states China will resolutely protect its sovereignty, security and development interests. In fact, Wang Yi’s foreign policy vision for 2024 is a continuation of the principles that China has traditionally followed.
The reason behind this is Beijing emphasizing that it has always followed a principled foreign policy and has never sought hegemony as the West. Regarding this issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated in a previous statement that his country has never started a war, occupied another country’s territory, engaged in proxy wars, joined military blocs or established any military blocs since its establishment in 1949.[ii]
China follows the principle of “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” in its foreign policy. These principles were first formulated by China’s former Premier Zhou Enlai as “Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty and acceptance of each other’s borders by countries, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.” Also, these principles form the basis of Articles 1 and 2 of the United Nations Charter.
When we look at the crises in different geographies of the world today, we can say that China is trying to maintain an officially neutral stance. Thus, it is known that China takes a cautious approach in the UNSC decisions to be taken regarding current and possible crises such as Myanmar, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Syria, Kosovo and Iran and recommends a long-term approach to resolving the crises.
The diplomacy principles determined for 2024 are a continuation of the policies followed in the past. Wang Yi said that China will remain committed to openness and inclusiveness and strengthen and expand the network of global partnerships.[iii] Stating that China and the USA will implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state in San Francisco, Wang Yi also stated that they will increase their high-level contacts and strategic communication with the European Union (EU).
Emphasizing that the country will continue to increase friendship and mutual trust with its neighbors, Wang Yi said that they will also continue to unite with BRICS countries and encourage the construction of a new international policy. More importantly, the Chinese Foreign Minister called on all countries to jointly support the aims and principles of the UN Charter. This stance reveals that China does not differentiate its policy towards Russia from other countries. In other words, China wants Russia’s war in Ukraine to end and declares at every opportunity that it is ready to conduct diplomacy for this purpose.
Wang Yi stated that China will continue to pursue win-win cooperation in 2024; will actively promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits everyone; will resolutely oppose all forms of unilateralism, protectionism and anti-globalization; He said that he would continue to promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment and, finally, that he would strive to solve structural problems.[iv] These give clear clues about China’s new diplomacy and what kind of global system it envisions It aims to act with its policy and to keep the world, especially neighboring countries, free from conflict. In this context, China attaches great importance to eliminating potential crises that prevent the healthy development of the world economy and disrupt the stability of global industrial chains. With this, China aims to continue its economic growth and take leadership in the global economy from the mid-2030s.
Washington, on the other hand, is trying to make the world bipolar by increasing its allies in the Asia-Pacific. In this context, China can see that the USA is preparing for a new war in the region. That’s why China focuses on calming regional actors through dialogue and building a multipolar world. As a result, China has made an important move that can leave the USA behind in the global system with its new diplomacy in 2024. This strategy could accelerate the decline of so-called American hegemony in the global system.
[i] “China’s Top Diplomat Presents Diplomatic Goals For 2024”, Xinhua, https://english.news.cn/20240109/591dc358da534fc19e81f2f1a1adc9a6/c.html, (Date of Access: 10.01.2024).
[ii] “Chinese FM Elaborates On China-Proposed Global Security Initiative, Stresses Nation Will Always Be The Backbone Of Guarding World Peace”, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202204/1260149.shtml, (Date of Access: 21.10.2023).
[iii] “China’s Top Diplomat Presents Diplomatic Goals For 2024”, a.g.e., (Date of Access: 10.01.2024).
[iv] Ibid.
