President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with Chinese diplomatic envoys to foreign countries, who are in Beijing to attend this year's work conference for overseas envoys, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Dec 29, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

President Xi Jinping has called on Chinese ambassadors and other diplomats based overseas to forge broader and deeper friendships, urging them to be more loyal, more skilled and more disciplined in their efforts, and to champion the national cause.

He warmly greeted the Chinese officials, who were in Beijing to attend an annual work conference for envoys, at the Great Hall of the People on Friday morning, evoking a resounding round of applause.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waved to the diplomats, exchanged pleasantries and posed for group photos.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech during the meeting with Chinese diplomatic envoys to foreign countries, who are in Beijing to attend this year's work conference for overseas envoys, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Dec 29, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The last time the president received the nation's envoys in a similar fashion was in 2019.

The past few years have witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating suppression and containment of China by some countries. This has "brought exceptional challenges" to the country's diplomacy and the envoys "have endured exceptional tests", Xi said.

He sent warm greetings to the envoys and other diplomats, praising them for "sacrificing their families for the sake of common good".

Chinese diplomats should "use internationalized language and methods to tell China's story better", engage in exchanges and communication between China and the rest of the world, and link the past and the present, in order to "enable the world to better understand China in the new era", Xi said

Speaking of professional skills, Xi asked the officials to "be adept at making broader and deeper friendships" and come up with more practical measures to solve difficult problems. Efforts to win people's hearts and minds should be made during official occasions and also at the community level, he added.

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Chinese diplomats should "use internationalized language and methods to tell China's story better", engage in exchanges and communication between China and the rest of the world, and link the past and the present, in order to "enable the world to better understand China in the new era", Xi said.

When talking about the diplomats' original aspirations and missions, Xi emphasized that they should be loyal to the Party, the country and the people. "No matter where you go, you must never forget why you started," he said.

He noted that the over 1.4 billion Chinese people form a strong support base for the whole diplomatic mission, and that diplomats should deliver warmth to every Chinese citizen abroad.

On defending national interests, Xi urged the envoys to bolster their-confidence, stay clearheaded, and "resolutely guard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests".

President Xi Jinping (front row, center), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for group photos with Chinese diplomatic envoys to foreign countries, who are in Beijing to attend this year's work conference for overseas envoys, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Dec 29, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Chinese diplomats should make good use of multilateral mechanisms and rules, and engage the international community extensively for understanding and support, he said.

From Wednesday through Thursday, another major meeting for the nation's diplomacy — the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs — convened in Beijing.

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Xi said the conference has set out the goals, principles and basic tasks of the work for foreign affairs, and all diplomats should earnestly carry them out and make new achievements.

He called on diplomats to hold high the banner of building a global community with a shared future, and "continuously break new ground for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics".