8 takeaways from China’s top diplomat Wang Yi at the ‘two sessions’

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday sought to present China as a source of stability to the world amid what he called turbulent times where “certainty is becoming a scarce resource”, saying Beijing would fight for peace and stability while staunchly defending its interests.

Wang, who was facing the world’s media at a press conference during the “two sessions”, spoke highly of China’s “resilient” ties with Russia while warning the United States that Beijing would resolutely respond to Washington’s attempts to contain Chinese development.

In the 90-minute press conference, the top diplomat also laid out Beijing’s positions on a range of issues including the Ukraine war, the Middle East, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.

This year, Wang fielded 23 questions, more than the 21 answered last year. Here are some of the key takeaways.

1. US-China relations

Wang spoke about the US multiple times throughout the press conference, calling out Washington’s “suppression” of China’s development on several occasions.