Editorial | Wang Yi offers stability to world at time of growing uncertainty
Foreign minister makes it clear China is a responsible power, champion of the global order and willing to cooperate against risks
Rising uncertainty amid the tumultuous early days of the Trump administration and its isolationist policies can make China appear a force for stability.
The foreign minister’s once-a-year world press conference, on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) was therefore a timely opportunity to articulate China’s foreign policy and strategic thinking – to project the certainty that is scarce but fundamental to global peace and stability.
It has become even more important now that the premier no longer gives a press conference after the NPC. The foreign press asked many questions relating to rising uncertainty.
Foreign minister Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat and a member of the powerful Politburo, took the opportunity to project the country as a stabilising force, a responsible power and the champion of the world order, collective security and justice system, and pledged that China would cooperate to jointly guard against the uncertainties.
A key strategy is to deepen cooperation with the Global South. In this regard China is to host a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, of which it is rotating president, followed by a military parade to commemorate the end of the second world war, which led to the creation of the global governance system.
Wang talked about expanding the Brics grouping of the world’s leading emerging market economies – an acronym of founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – and deepening the Belt and Road Initiative for global infrastructure development.