China reaffirms commitment to multipolarity

As Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany and engaged in a series of meetings on the sidelines, observers said that Beijing has underlined the consistency of its policies and its commitment to offering certainty in areas such as China-U.S. ties and building a multipolar world.

While delivering a speech on Friday at the "China in the World" session of the 61st Munich Security Conference, Wang said that China maintains a stable and consistent policy toward the United States and does not readily flip-flop or reverse the policy. This demonstrates China's "strategic resolve as well as international credibility as a major country", he said.

"If the U.S. insists on suppressing and containing China, we will play along to the end, firmly counter any unilateral bullying actions by the U.S., and resolutely defend China's state sovereignty, national dignity and its legitimate right to develop," he said.

Noting that it is unrealistic to attempt to change or upend each other's political system, Wang said global challenges need to be jointly addressed by China and the U.S., and this is an international responsibility that both sides should shoulder.

Wang referred to Beijing's longstanding position on ties with Washington, which is to build "a stable, healthy and sustainable bilateral relationship" based on the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

Urging Washington to find the right way for the two major countries to get along, Wang expressed his hope that the U.S. "will move in the same direction as China".

During a meeting on Friday with Graham Allison, a professor of international politics at Harvard University, Wang said that China will work with like-minded countries to promote a stable and orderly multipolar world as well as inclusive economic globalization that benefits all. He also reiterated that "China maintains a consistent and stable U.S. policy".

Allison expressed his hope that the U.S. and China, as two major countries, can engage in effective cooperation and play a key role in addressing international and regional hot-spot issues, including the Ukraine crisis.

During a panel discussion at the conference in Munich, Fu Ying, a former vice-foreign minister of China, stressed that over the years, Beijing has maintained consistency in its principle of developing ties with Washington.

"The U.S. has launched this 'strategic competition' with China, but you don't hear China talking about accepting or defining our relationship with the U.S. as competition," she said.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies and director of the university's Institute of International Affairs, said, "The foreign minister's comments have made clear how Beijing will respond if Washington persists in suppressing and containing China."

"A major country should resolutely reject seeking a zero-sum game, and should not fail to match its words with actions," he added.

While the organizer of this year's Munich Security Conference has focused on the world's multipolarization, the Chinese foreign minister also elaborated on China's four key views regarding multipolarization in his speech — advocating equality among nations, respecting the rule of international law, practicing multilateralism, and upholding openness and win-win cooperation.

The multipolar paradigm must not be in a state of disarray, said Wang Yi, adding that "without norms and standards, one may be at the table yesterday but end up on the menu tomorrow".

"Major countries should take the lead in upholding integrity and the rule of law," he said, adding that China actively fulfills its international responsibilities and obligations, and "never practices exceptionalism, still less cherry-picking".

Noting that protectionism is not the way out and that the abuse of tariffs will benefit no one, Wang Yi said it is essential to adhere to openness and cooperation, and to support equal and orderly multipolarization of the world through universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

China is willing to promote the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the European Union's Global Gateway initiative, empowering each other and the world, he added.

Wang Huiyao, president of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization, attended the events in Munich, and said that during his recent trips to several European countries, he noticed that "there is growing interest in advancing cooperation with China and expanding investment".

"China surely will move steadily on its path and work on building its circle of friends, working together to meet challenges posed by uncertainties," he said.