From March 28 to April 1, 2016, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Czech Republic and attended the 4th Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) held in Washington D.C. of the US. At the end of the trip, Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefed journalists on the visit.

Wang Yi said that this year is the beginning year of the "13th Five-Year Plan" and also the first year of the decisive stage in finishing building a moderately prosperous society. Just after the conclusion of the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), President Xi Jinping started his visit to Europe and the US at the beginning of spring, attracting wide attention from the global community. This visit is featured by the combination of bilateral and multilateral activities with a well-organized schedule, rich contents and fruitful results. During the five-day visit, President Xi Jinping attended more than 20 events, met with leaders of many countries, extensively engaged with people from various circles, and proposed important policies and initiatives, which has promoted bilateral relations, guided multilateral process and jointly pursued cooperative security. The visit has reached the expected goals of expanding cooperation and influence and achieved a full success.

I. Lifting the positioning of China-Czech relations and promoting win-win cooperation between China and Europe.

Wang Yi said that the Czech Republic is among the first countries that recognized and established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. After 67 years of trials and hardships, the China-Czech relations have stepped into the fast lane of development. Both sides maintain close high-level exchanges and conduct comprehensive cooperation in all fields. The Czech Republic has become an important partner of China in Central and Eastern Europe, and is one of the most active European countries in developing relations with China. President Xi Jinping's state visit to the Czech Republic is not only the first visit to the Czech Republic by Chinese President since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, but also his first visit to a Central and Eastern European country as Chinese President, which is of landmark significance in the history of China-Czech relations, and injects new momentum into the practical cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe and even China-Europe cooperation at large.

The new positioning for China-Czech relations was identified during the visit. Long distance can never separate bosom friends. The visit of President Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed by all sectors of the Czech society. The Czech Republic attached great importance to the visit and treated him with the highest standard of courtesy. President Xi Jinping became the first foreign leader invited to the rural residence of President Miloš Zeman. The two heads of state jointly signed the Joint Declaration on Building a Strategic Partnership between People's Republic of China and Czech Republic so as to push the China-Czech relations to a new stage, which is the most important political result of the visit. Both heads of state guided and planned the China-Czech relations from a strategic perspective, ushering the bilateral relations into a new era. During his visit, President Xi Jinping emphasized on many occasions that the China-Czech relations have entered the best period of development. Both sides should view the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, consolidate the traditional friendship, deepen the political mutual trust and ensure the long-term, sound and stable development of China-Czech relations. President Miloš Zeman and other Czech leaders all agreed with him.

The visit promoted the new strategy alignment between China and the Czech Republic. Located in the heart of Europe, the Czech Republic, with a strong industrial base, is an important country in Central and Eastern Europe and along the Silk Road Economic Belt. Last November, China and the Czech Republic signed the inter-governmental Memorandum of Understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road. The Czech Republic is also one of the active participants and front runners of the cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European countries (16+1 cooperation). During the visit, the two heads of state reached important consensus on promoting the docking between the Belt and Road initiative and development strategy of the Czech Republic, between international production capacity cooperation and competitive industries of the Czech Republic, as well as between the "16 + 1 cooperation" and China-Czech cooperation. The two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the planning outline of cooperation on implementing the Belt and Road construction, and agreed to establish comprehensive connectivity with the opening of direct flights between the two countries as the first step, promote production capacity cooperation on the basis of manufacturing industry, and strengthen communication between both peoples by promoting traditional Chinese medicine, so as to plan and carry out deeper cooperation between the two countries. President Xi Jinping pointed out that upholding the spirit of mutual respect and assistance, mutual benefits and win-win results, openness and inclusiveness, cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European countries should ,realize the docking between the "16+1 cooperation" and the construction of Belt and Road as well as the development of China-Europe relations to make contributions to regional and world development. This is the important initiative and guideline proposed by President Xi Jinping for the "16+1 cooperation" at a macro and strategic level, and it has been actively echoed by the Czech side. The Czech side expressed that it is willing to fully participate in the "16+1 cooperation" and actively push forward the "16+1 cooperation" and the construction of four major partnerships between the EU and China so that the Czech Republic can become a safe harbor and door for EU-China cooperation.

New areas in economic and trade cooperation were expanded. In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and the Czech Republic has enjoyed rapid development. The Czech Republic has been the second largest trading partner of China in Central and Eastern Europe for years in a row, and China is the largest trading partner of the Czech Republic outside the EU. In 2015, against economic slowdown, bilateral trade volume exceeded 11 billion dollars. Great progress has been made in investment by both countries, and the manufacturing, finance, aviation transportation industry and other fields of the Czech Republic have become hot investment areas for Chinese enterprises. During the visit, the two countries signed 10 inter-governmental documents and 15 cooperation agreements between enterprises, covering a host of areas such as infrastructure, machinery, automobile, aviation, finance, nuclear energy, science and technology, people-to-people and cultural exchange, local affairs, medicine and health, and industrial park cooperation. Both sides agreed to push forward innovation cooperation in emerging fields such as e-commerce, telecommunication, smart industry, nanotechnology, and environmental protection, creating new growth points for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. At present, both countries are facing structural adjustment and transformation, with technology industry highly complementary to each other. The economic and trade outcomes of this visit will comprehensively expand cooperation in the area for better realization of bilateral complementary advantages as well as mutual benefit and win-win results, which will be welcomed by both peoples.

New people-to-people and cultural exchange results were fostered. With picturesque landscape, rich cultural heritages and talented people, the Czech Republic has bred the unique Bohemian civilization and made great contribution to the progress of human civilization in such fields as philosophy, music, literature and arts. The Chinese civilization has undergone 5,000 years of historical changes, during which it has been making constant exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations. A Chinese saying goes, when people meet, it's important to know each other, and when people know each other, it's important to understand each other. China and the Czech Republic, both boasting profound history and splendid culture, enjoy deep traditional friendship with each other. Famous artists such as Bedrich Smetana, Antonín Leopold Dvořák, Zdenek Sklenar and Jaroslav Hašek and their works are popular in China. During this visit, President Xi Jinping interacted and communicated with the Czech people from all walks of life and discussed the traditional friendship between the two countries with them. He showed the wise and amicable image of Chinese leaders through practicing public diplomacy by himself, which won active responses from all circles of the Czech society. Xi Jinping and President Milos Zeman together planted a ginkgo sapling, a symbol of the China-Czech friendship, in the hope that the bilateral friendship can be nourished with great care and grow sturdily. When meeting with young ice hockey and football players of the two countries, Xi Jinping sent his wishes to them, hoping them to make contributions to the China-Czech sports exchanges. The two heads of state agreed to expand people-to people and cultural exchanges in all fields, carry out projects that can enhance people-to-people bonds, forge tourism cooperation into a "name card" for China-Czech exchanges and cooperation, and send more overseas students to each other, so as to pass down the China-Czech friendship from generation to generation.

Wang Yi said that this historic visit of President Xi Jinping to the Czech Republic is a visit that enhances friendship, deepens cooperation and consolidates strategy docking. This visit is another vivid interpretation of the concept of a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as the core, and will lay a solid foundation and open up a vast space for future development of bilateral relations, thus exerting a positive and profound impact on the advance of the Belt and Road initiative and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe as well as the whole European region at large.

II. Promoting construction of nuclear security architecture and playing the role of responsible major country

Wang Yi expressed that the international security situation is undergoing profound changes and global terrorist activities occur frequently. The recent terrorist attacks hitting Lahore of Pakistan and Brussels of Belgium sounded the alarm for the world once again. Meanwhile, the development of nuclear energy is still in the ascendant and nuclear security risks cannot be ignored. Against this background, it is increasingly important to protect global nuclear security and prevent nuclear terrorism. President Xi Jinping's attendance at the fourth NSS in Washington D.C. upon invitation is China's major diplomatic move in the field of international security in the new situation, which presents China's close attention to nuclear security issue and reflects China's sense of responsibility as a major country for global security governance.

China's proposition of strengthening nuclear security was elaborated. In last NSS held in The Hague, President Xi Jinping put forward for the first time China's rational, coordinated and balanced "approach to nuclear security" and advocated to establish a global nuclear security architecture featuring fairness and win-win cooperation, which gained praise from all parties. In this summit, regarding how to reinforce the international nuclear security system, President Xi Jinping proposed that we should strengthen political input, step up state responsibility, beef up international cooperation and enhance nuclear security culture. The four-point proposal was widely agreed by participating countries and served as a significant guidance for the summit process.

China's initiatives on nuclear security cooperation were put forward. President Xi Jinping put forward five initiatives on promoting international cooperation in nuclear security, which include to establish the "network of nuclear security capability building", make use of platforms such as the center of excellence (COE) on nuclear security to carry out activities like personnel training, technical practice and exchanges, promote the "cooperation model for less use of highly-enriched uranium (HEU)" to assist relevant countries to modify existing miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) running on HEU, and promote the "national security monitoring system for nuclear power" to help countries in need to improve security supervision capabilities. Based on China's capabilities and needs, these initiatives provide the international community with public goods, push all countries for common benefits, and have won universal support from participating countries.

China's achievements in nuclear security were introduced. In combination with the commitments made in last summit, President Xi Jinping gave a comprehensive introduction to China's new measures and new achievements in the field of nuclear security, which include continuously strengthened construction of mechanisms and capabilities at the country level, approval of all international legal instruments on nuclear security and active promotion of international exchanges and cooperation. We also submitted the National Progress Report on Nuclear Security to the summit and set up a state exhibition booth for nuclear security achievements and a Chinese delegation press center to actively carry out introduction and publicity during the summit. It can be said that China's nuclear security achievements are "visible and tangible", which is so practical that they can stand the test of history and time, presenting China's open, confident and responsible international image.

China's ideas were incorporated into the summit outcomes. China's nuclear security concept put forward by President Xi Jinping was supported by all participating countries in the summit. The communiqué adopted by the summit incorporates China's major principles and propositions including "approach to nuclear security" and establishment of international nuclear security architecture. We also promoted the summit outcome documents to reiterate the core role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the international nuclear security system. The issuing of the China-US Joint Statement on Nuclear Security Cooperation during the summit turned out a highlight. The Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security in China co-built by the two countries has been successfully completed and put into operation, popping up as the most advanced nuclear security exchanges and training center in the Asia-Pacific and even the world. All these reflect that cooperation between China and the US in global governance issues such as nuclear security is effective, which has provided a crucial driving force for the success of the summit.

During the summit, a leaders' meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue among the six parties was specifically held to summarize implementation of the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. President Xi Jinping gave a speech in the meeting, elaborating on China's principles and propositions on issues related to Iran's nuclear programs and providing political guidance for follow-up implementation of the comprehensive agreement.

During the summit, President Xi Jinping met with President Barack Obama of the US. This was the first meeting between the Chinese and US heads of state this year and has attracted wide attention. Both heads of state had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on a wide range of issues of common concern and reached a series of important consensus. Both sides thought positively of and highly affirmed China-US cooperation in areas such as nuclear security and climate change, issued joint statements on nuclear security cooperation and climate change and agreed that the cooperation between China and the US has played an important demonstration role in coping with global challenges. Both sides agreed to enhance coordination in macroeconomic policies, and work together with the rest of the international community to promote world economy for robust, sustainable and balanced growth. Both sides agreed to arrange contacts and institutional dialogues at various levels between the two countries in the next stage, continue deepening practical cooperation in various sectors and managing and controlling disparities in a constructive way, and constantly push forward the construction of the new model of major-country relationship between China and the US. President Xi Jinping expounded China's position on issues concerning China's core interests such as the Taiwan issue. Both sides exchanged in-depth views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, maritime situations and other issues. Barack Obama reaffirmed that the US welcomes the rise of a peaceful, stable and successful China and considered enhancing cooperation between the two countries a vital factor to solve global hotspot and thorny issues. This meeting was positively-toned and constructive, releasing positive signals to the rest of the world that China and the US are committed to better communication, coordination and cooperation and laying a sound foundation for healthy and stable development of China-US relations in the coming period.

President Xi Jinping also extensively contacted other foreign leaders attending the summit and met respectively with leaders such as President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Denmark and President Mauricio Macri of Argentina, reaching new consensus on enhancing bilateral relations and conducting international and regional cooperation.

III. Introducing China's Domestic and Foreign Policies and Demonstrating Bright Prospects for Future Development

Wang Yi said that China's development draws increasing attention of the whole world. Prior to President Xi Jinping's trip, the annual sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC had just adopted the outline of the "13th Five-Year Plan", drawing a blueprint for China's economic and social development in the coming five years. One important reason for the focus of the international community and public opinion on this trip is their hope to explore China's future development trend through this diplomatic move of China's top leader.

During his trip, in response to the outside world's concerns, President Xi Jinping took advantage of various occasions including talks, meetings, conferences, visits and roundtables to elaborate on China's development concept in plain language with full and accurate facts and data, showing the world China's bright prospects of economic and social development, passing on confidence and hope and boosting understanding of all parties.

In terms of China's economic situation, President Xi Jinping emphasized that China's economic structure enjoys continuous optimization and upgrading, and economic development constantly accumulates new momenta. He pointed out that China's economy will remain positive in a long run, and China will still make great contributions to world economic growth. President Xi Jinping's confident statement has enhanced the outside world's positive expectation on China's economy.

Regarding the "13th Five-Year Plan", President Xi Jinping put forward goals, missions and measures in combination with the Plan. He emphasized that China will make great efforts to adjust itself to and get hold of the economy's new normal, and transform development pattern under the guidance of development concept transformation. He pointed out that the "13th Five-Year Plan" will create more favorable conditions, a broader market and more diverse business opportunities for other countries to participate in China's economic and social construction. The media said that President Xi Jinping's introduction makes China's future development direction and path clear to the world. China, like a giant ship, will surely sail to the bright other shore with dream and hope.

Wang Yi concluded that President Xi Jinping's visit and attendance at the summit further improve China's diplomatic layout, promote China's international status, and draw up a new charter of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. This year we will further study and carry out the important diplomatic ideas of General Secretary Xi Jinping, actively put the concept of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics into practice under the guidance of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and centering on the big picture of the CPC and the state, promote the "Belt and Road" to yield more fruits and spare no effort to hold successfully the home-court diplomatic event of the G20 Hangzhou Summit, so as to offer forceful guarantee for the smooth startup of the "13th Five-Year Plan" and create a better external environment for building a comprehensively well-off society.