SPREADING THE WORD: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi speaks at a press conference in Beijing on March 6 during the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress (XIE HUANCHI)

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke to Chinese and foreign media at a press conference on March 6 during the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress.

Edited highlights follow:

Diplomatic priorities

The priories of China's diplomatic work this year are as follows:

- Serving China's domestic development. We will properly handle the external risks and challenges and create more favorable conditions for China's economic and social development to serve the primary goal of shifting China's growth model at a faster pace.

- Upholding peace. We will continue to firmly defend China's sovereignty and security, stand for handling and resolving regional and international issues, hotspot ones in particular, through dialogue, consultation and negotiation, and play a responsible role.

- Promoting cooperation. We will enhance our friendly relations and cooperation with other countries and regional and international organizations. We will work with them to deepen common interests, meet global challenges and safeguard world peace and promote common development.

In the next 10 years, favorable and unfavorable factors in the external environment of China will be interwoven. And on the whole, for China, opportunities outweigh challenges and the country is still at an important stage of strategic opportunities for development.

China will remain committed to the independent foreign policy of peace, the path of peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening up. We will continue to work with other countries to build a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity. We believe all countries should embrace win-win cooperation. This means that while pursuing one's own interests, one also needs to take into account the interests of other countries; and while enjoying one's rights, one should also fulfill its responsibilities.