Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jun 28, 2024. China will never leave the road of peaceful development, Xi said at a conference commemorating China's guiding principles for foreign affairs first formulated 70 years ago.
The Five Principles first appeared in a 1952 pact reached with regional rival India over their Himalayan border. Even so, Indian officials were absent from the front row of the audience reserved for guests of honour.China's ruling Communist Party elite will meet from 15 to 18 July for the long-awaited third plenary session. The key political meeting is seen as the most important gathering held over the party's five-year cycle.
After China brokered an unexpected detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, said the country would continue to play a constructive role in handling global hotspot issues. The EU accuses China of flooding its market with cheap EVs produced by Chinese automakers that have benefited from heavy state subsidies.