On the evening of 20 December 2009, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi hosted a New Year Reception at Fangfeiyuan, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Before the reception, he gave an interview to CCTV, Dragon TV, Phoenix TV and other Chinese media.

Q: What is the primary objective and significance of the Foreign Ministry's New Year Reception? Is there any special arrangement this time around? There is a growing public interest in China's diplomacy, so could you say a few words to the Chinese people on the eve of the new year?

A: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites foreign diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations and their spouses to the New Year Reception it hosts towards the end of each year. At this joyous gathering on the eve of the new year, we want to express appreciation for their contribution in the past year to strengthening friendship and cooperation between China and the rest of the world. Shanghai, as you know, is going to host the World Expo next year, so the Shanghai World Expo is prominently featured in this reception. You can see pictures of the Expo, and we have invited Shanghai Symphony Orchestra to give a New Year concert after the Reception. We want to use this opportunity to advertize the Shanghai World Expo and invite people from around the world to visit China and attend the Expo next year.

China's diplomacy is people's diplomacy. Every success in our diplomacy is attributable to the understanding, support and help of the Chinese people. On behalf of the staff of the Foreign Ministry, I wish to extend New Year greetings to people from all walks of life and express the hope that they will continue to follow China's diplomacy and support our work in the coming year. We, on our part, will continue to innovate and forge ahead, bring China's diplomacy to a new level and prove worthy of the high expectations of our country and people.

Q: Could you sum up the highlights and features of China's diplomacy in 2009 and share with us what to expect in 2010?

A: In 2009, we grasped the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of New China's diplomacy and focused on addressing the international financial crisis. Using multilateral summits as an important platform and innovation in diplomatic theory and practice as a driving force, we worked hard on both country-specific diplomacy and functional diplomacy, and made new and important progress on all fronts. Chinese leaders have attended an array of important multilateral summits, taken an active part in international cooperation on global issues, and played an important role in promoting world economic recovery and reform of global economic governance mechanisms, addressing climate change, advancing regional cooperation, opposing protectionism and so on. China's image as a responsible major country was burnished and won praise from the international community. China's relations with major countries moved forward in a healthy and steady manner, its amicable relations and friendship with neighboring countries further deepened, and its traditional friendship with other developing countries consolidated and advanced. We also made comprehensive headway in functional diplomacy by vigorously conducting economic diplomacy to serve domestic development, strengthening external security efforts to uphold China's sovereignty and security interests, and actively promoting public diplomacy to win understanding and support of the general public for our diplomatic efforts as well as international understanding and friendship. And by putting the people first and conducting diplomacy for them, we effectively protected the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals and legal persons overseas.

Looking ahead to 2010, we will have a full diplomatic agenda. We will closely follow the evolution of the international situation and strengthen coordination and policy planning in light of the many multilateral events next year, and strive for success in all our diplomatic endeavors. We will take an active part in international economic and financial cooperation and resolutely oppose protectionism in the interest of a favorable external environment for stability and development at home. We will further deepen relations with major countries, promote amicable and friendly relations with neighboring countries and advance all-around cooperation with other developing countries. We will strengthen international cooperation on climate change, energy security, counter-terrorism and other issues, push for the settlement of the Korean nuclear issue, the Iranian nuclear issue and other regional hotspots, and uphold general peace and stability in the world. We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and build up our capacity to protect overseas interests. And we will take solid steps to promote public diplomacy and ensure the success of foreign-related work in the Shanghai World Expo and other international events held in China, making them success stories of public diplomacy.

Q: You have drawn our attention to elements of the World Expo in this Reception. Would you also speak about your expectations for the Expo from a diplomatic perspective?

A: The 2010 World Expo belongs to not only Shanghai or China, but also the world. It is a large international event in the economic, social and cultural fields, and a historic opportunity for the people of the world to learn from each other for common development and prosperity. It will be an excellent platform to showcase the economic, scientific and technological achievements of the world, carry out cultural and artistic exchanges, and promote friendship among nations. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the preparation for the Expo. We are mobilizing all our resources and pooling wisdom from around the world to host a magnificent, successful and memorable Expo, and we will share the development opportunities and achievements brought by the Expo with all countries.

Foreign affairs related to the Shanghai World Expo will be a key priority for the Foreign Ministry in 2010. My Ministry and China's diplomatic missions abroad have been working for some time now with Shanghai and other related departments on these matters and have made important progress. In the new year, we will build on this and speed up relevant efforts. The World Expo is expected to draw over 70 million visitors from home and abroad, including leaders from many countries. We will welcome them with open arms. And we are delighted and grateful that later this evening Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will put up an excellent concert for foreign diplomatic envoys and all the friends attending the reception.