TEHRAN – Just after the celebration of the Chinese New Year, Iran is about to welcome its traditional New Year, Nowruz. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring,” meaning that plans should be made at the beginning of spring to set goals and directions for the year ahead. 

Today, as the world undergoes accelerating transformations unseen in a century, with escalating geopolitical conflicts, multiple crises emerging one after another, instability and uncertainty becoming increasingly pronounced, a pressing question confronts all nations in shaping their diplomatic policies for the new year: How to provide certainty and positive energy to a turbulent world? Here, I would like to outline China's foreign policy through four key concepts for our Iranian friends from all walks of life.

The first concept is “peaceful development”. Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that peace is like air and sunshine, you can benefit from it without realizing it, but you can hardly survive if you lose it. Peaceful development is the core concept of China's diplomacy and China's solemn commitment to the world. China has no gene for invading other nations. The Chinese nation has always upheld the philosophical wisdom of “harmony in diversity” and “transforming conflict into amity”. 

China's current development achievements were attained through peaceful means, and we will never go down the beaten track of “all strong countries will seek hegemony”. China adheres to resolving disputes and building consensus through dialogue and consultation, opposing the use of force or coercion in addressing international conflicts. Whether promoting a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis or advocating for ceasefires and de-escalation in the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, China consistently adopts a constructive approach to cool regional flashpoints and supports all peace-driven endeavors. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China actively participates in international peacekeeping operations and remains a pivotal force in safeguarding global peace.

“Equity and Justice” is the second concept. Upholding international equity and justice is an essential requirement for building a new type of international relations. International affairs should not be monopolized by a handful of countries, nor should development benefits be exclusively reaped by a few. Developing nations have the right to articulate and safeguard their legitimate interests, and all peoples are entitled to pursue prosperous lives. China advocates equality among all nations regardless of size, urging enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in the international system to advance the democratization of international relations. In the human rights field, China resolutely opposes double standards or even multiple standards on human rights issues.

It maintains that human rights should belong to all humanity, not serve as privileges for the few, emphasizing that rights to subsistence and development constitute the primary fundamental human rights, while balancing individual rights with collective rights. From supporting the African Union's accession to the G20, to promoting the expansion of BRICS cooperation mechanisms, China has consistently worked to secure greater discursive power for developing countries and steer global governance toward greater balance. Simultaneously, China insists that international affairs should be resolved through equal consultation among nations, unequivocally opposing interference in other countries' internal affairs.

“Win-Win Cooperation” is the third concept. As the proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” In the face of escalating global challenges, no country can thrive in isolation. Prioritizing self-interest only leads to collective losses. Nations must unite rather than engage in bloc confrontations, share responsibilities rather than pursue narrow gains. Chinese diplomacy consistently pursues win-win cooperation as its operational path, rejecting the zero-sum mentality and upholding true multilateralism.

It advocates a global governance philosophy of “joint consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits” and actively provides public goods to improve global governance. After over a decade of dedicated efforts, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has achieved remarkable progress. From railway projects to trans-sea bridges, landmark infrastructure projects have enhanced connectivity in partner countries, unlocked economic potential, and garnered widespread acclaim. Since China and Iran signed the BRI Memorandum of Understanding, China has opened “green channels” for Iranian agricultural exports, enabling Iranian specialty products and handicrafts to enter the Chinese market. 

The fourth concept is responsibility. President Xi Jinping emphasized that a big country should act like a big country and show more responsibility. An important reason for the frequent chaos in the world today is that some countries believe in the supremacy of strength and unilateralism, and refuse to assume corresponding international responsibilities and obligations. As a responsible major country, China has always taken practical actions to fulfill its international responsibilities and fulfill its commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind. China firmly upholds the authority and role of the United Nations, defends the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, respects the international rule of law.

China has never engaged in exceptionalism, let alone “use it if it works, or abandon it if it doesn't work”, provides the greatest certainty in today’s uncertain world. In response to global challenges such as climate change and food security, China has actively implemented its commitments to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, proposed the International Food Security Cooperation Initiative, and made important contributions to solving relevant problems with concrete actions.

Iran is a nation that wields significant regional and international influence, playing a distinct role in addressing regional and global affairs. As China's trusted friend and partner, the two countries, being comprehensive strategic partners and key members of the Global South, share identical or aligned positions on numerous regional and international issues. In the new year, China stands ready to work with Iran to fully implement the important consensuses reached by our leaders, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, advance the well-being of both peoples, and make new contributions to promoting peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond.