Notable highlights, remarkable achievements

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi reviews Chinese diplomacy in 2009

With handling the international financial crisis as the masterstroke, multi-lateral summits as the major platform, diplomatic theory and innovation in practice as the driving force, and coordination between trans-national diplomacy and area-specific diplomacy as the guideline, Chinese diplomacy has made great achievements in 2009.
　　
People's Daily: The year 2009 is coming to an end. Looking back at the whole year, the international situation has experienced complex and profound changes. Big reforms and adjustments have taken place in international relations and the international pattern. What have been the main features of the international situation this year?

Yang Jiechi: This year has seen one of the most complex and profound changes in the international situation for more than a century. It is a "Year of Crisis" and a "Year of Change". The international financial crisis, which erupted last year, led the global economy into a severe recession. Large-scale economic stimulus measures have been taken by countries all over the world. Although these measures are paying off, the basis for the world economic recovery is still not solid, with much uncertainty. Meanwhile, this crisis has gone far beyond the economic and financial field, it has created long-term and profound impacts on the international balance of power, the evolution of the international situation and the relations between big powers. There are four main features presented.

The first feature is the rise of emerging powers has become the most significant trend and the prospect for a multi-polar world has become clearer. The international financial crisis has accelerated the rise of emerging powers. Although the emerging countries have also been hit by the crisis, in general, they still maintained rapid economic growth, with a better performance than developed countries. Their share in the global GDP keeps increasing, while the share of the traditional powers keeps dwindling. Global investment, trade and economic growth mode are changing gradually towards a pattern featuring a two-way balance between the developed economies and the emerging economies. The international balance of power continues to move in a relatively balanced and conducive to multi-polarity direction.

Secondly, breakthroughs have been made in reforming the international economic and financial system, and the international economic system entered a transitional period. The crisis, which exposed the problems of the international economic and financial system, has triggered profound changes in international systems. A landmark achievement is the emergence of the G20 summit. Since its emergence, it has played an increasingly important role and was made an official mechanism by the Pittsburgh summit held in September this year. The governance structure reform of the IMF and the World Bank has taken important steps, laying a sound foundation for further increasing the voice of developing countries in the international financial system and promoting dialogue and cooperation in global economy and finance.

The third feature is major countries strengthened adjustments of domestic and foreign policies, which led to changes in relations among them. The crisis triggered a deep reflection. Due to the crisis, the major countries began to adjust their development strategy and foreign policy to seize the post-crisis strategic high ground. As for the United States, since Barack Obama took office in January this year, he has pushed for economic recovery domestically. In terms of foreign policy, he has pursued the "smart power" diplomacy, proposing to build a "multi-partner world" and strengthen coordination and cooperation with big countries. Russia has made active efforts to eliminate the impacts of the crisis by adjusting economic structure and rectifying economic order domestically. Meanwhile, it has committed itself to strengthening and improving foreign relations. As for the European Union, it has completed the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon within the Union, and actively participated in the international agenda and international rule making. In Japan, the Democratic Party of Japan took power for the first time ever. It advocated "friendship diplomacy" and proposed to build an "East Asian Community". On the other hand, newly emerging powers are striving to maintain their economic growth and get stronger through better cooperation with each other. In general, cooperation and coordination among big countries keeps improving in breadth and depth.

The last feature is that global issues have become more prominent and relevant multilateral diplomacy has been increasingly active. Climate change continues to heat up. Low-carbon economy and green development have become key issues regarding international economic competition. Nuclear safety has become a more prominent issue. Nuclear proliferation became a new focus of concern for the international community. Issues of terrorism, energy, food, public health and safety have been more urgent, coupled with intensified interactions. The Democratic People''s Republic of Korea nuclear issue and Iran''s nuclear issue are going forward in twists and turns. The international community has conducted unprecedented intensive communication, coordination and cooperation on various global issues.

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