Head-of-state diplomacy plays decisive role in China's foreign relations: official

Head-of-state diplomacy is the highest form of China's diplomacy and has played a decisive role in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said in Beijing on Friday.

Addressing a press conference on China's V-Day commemorations, Ma illustrated how the head-of-state diplomacy contributes to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

"Head-of-state diplomacy is the highest form of China's diplomacy. It plays a decisive role in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping has personally planned and executed head-of-state diplomacy with many remarkable achievements and highlights. He has made 55 international visits, covering 72 countries spanning across five continents. He has received more than 230 visits from foreign heads of state paying state visits to China," said Ma.

The vice foreign minister said President Xi has maintained strategic communication with leaders from around the world, outlining in detail his views on how to achieve peaceful development and win-win cooperation and promote global solidarity, and providing a strong force for peace, stability and progress in a changing and turbulent world.

"President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin took the high-speed train and watched ice hockey game together. He wished Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev a happy birthday. He signed the book, 'Xi Jinping: The Governance of China,' carried by Chilean President Gabriel Boric. All of these are wonderful tales in China's diplomacy. From state visits to home-ground diplomacy, from international multilateral summits to important meetings in China, President Xi has expounded on the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity on all these occasions, further enriching this important concept and pulling international consensus," said Ma.

Head-of-state diplomacy plays decisive role in China's foreign relations: official

Head-of-state diplomacy plays decisive role in China's foreign relations: official

Head-of-state diplomacy plays decisive role in China's foreign relations: official

Head-of-state diplomacy plays decisive role in China's foreign relations: official

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.

"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.

The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.

Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar