A symposium on the study and research of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy was held in Beijing on Tuesday.
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's foreign minister, attended and addressed the event.
Wang said that Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is a constantly developing and open Marxist theory that always stays at the forefront of the times, answers the world's new questions, and provides powerful intellectual tools and scientific guidance for Chinese diplomacy to forge ahead courageously.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally spearheaded a series of major theoretical and practical innovations, leading China's external work to achieve historic accomplishments and undergo historic transformation, Wang said.
"We should leverage the reissue of the study outline on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy's advanced nature in driving theoretical innovation and its historical initiative in serving national rejuvenation," Wang said.
"Looking back on the extraordinary journey of diplomacy in the new era, we have become more deeply aware that General Secretary Xi Jinping's strategic guidance is our fundamental guarantee, that unwavering commitment to Chinese characteristics is the foundation of our conviction, that building a community with a shared future for humanity is our glorious banner, and that creating a favorable international environment for Chinese modernization is our mission," he said.
Wang noted that the diplomatic and foreign affairs front should make new and greater contributions to building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.
The symposium was hosted by the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy research center.
Symposium on study, research of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy held in Beijing
The Shenzhou-21 crew members aboard China's orbiting Tiangong space station had recorded their preparations for the debris-hit Shenzhou-20 spaceship before its safe landing back on Earth on Jan. 19 after its extended stay in orbit.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the return capsule touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 09:34 local time on Jan. 19, bringing an end to the extraordinary mission.
The footage released by the CMSA on Sunday showed the three astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang conducting essential procedures aboard the space station.
During their final operations, the crew packed items including the decommissioned extravehicular spacesuit B, a number of large payloads from space application systems, and other materials designated for disposal or return to Earth.
Shenzhou-20, returning unmanned, has set a record for the largest volume of cargo ever carried back to Earth in a single mission. Throughout the transfer and fixation process, the astronauts paid close attention to mass distribution and balance to maintain the spacecraft's stability during its re-entry and descent to Earth. The crew also conducted detailed checks of the docking port and hatch seals, confirming that all sealing functions were intact and the hatch was secure.
Launched last April, Shenzhou-20's planned return was postponed in early November due to concerns over damage caused by a suspected space debris impact, after the CMSA said tiny cracks were found in the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's viewport window. An alternative spacecraft was later used to transport the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission safely back to Earth.
Despite sustaining damage, the capsule withstood temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius during the re-entry process and successfully touched down on Earth. Initial on-site inspections by ground crew at the landing site confirmed the return capsule's overall appearance was normal and that the items returned inside were in good condition.
The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft spent a total of 270 days in orbit, validating its long-term docking capability, with engineers saying the follow-up work will also provide an important basis for China's space program to continually refine operating procedures.
Footage reveals preparations in space station for Shenzhou-20's return to Earth
