A few comments on Xi's speech at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference that was just held in Beijing.
A Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference is an important meeting to "unify thought" among all actors in the Chinese bureaucracy involved in foreign affairs. The last such meeting was held in November 2014.
In addition to Xi, speeches were made by Li Keqiang, Yang Jiechi, the propaganda department, the international liaison department, the MFA, NDRC, the CMC's joint staff department, the commerce ministry, Guangdong province and the PRC embassy in Washington.
One of the big themes was "to plan as a whole the domestic and international situations [统筹国内国际两个大局]," an important reminder of both the role of internal factors in China's foreign affairs.
Xi's speech also noted 10 components of the "diplomatic thought" of "socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era." At the top of the list was underscoring the party's leadership of foreign affairs, then the "great revival" of the Chinese nation.
Upholding "core interests" as the bottom line for safeguarding sovereignty, security, and development interests was ninth -- important, but not at the top of the list and not stressed over other goals.
The fourth component was improving China's "strategic self-confidence," while number eight described leading / looking forward to (引领) the reform of the system of global governance in a fair and just way.
Also, now familiar references to "one belt one road,""the path of peaceful development," "the community of common destiny," etc.
Look for commentary in the coming days to flesh out details of Xi's speech. /END
