BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A total of 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with China, up from 172 ten years ago, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said here on Thursday, as he hailed the country's diplomatic services over the past decade.
Ma said the country had advanced the building of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, proposed the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation for China-U.S. relations, and advocated the China-EU partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization.
It has also consolidated strategic support from neighboring countries, and embraced unity and closer cooperation with other developing countries.
China's national sovereignty, security and development interests have been vigorously protected in the process, Ma said, adding that China has now established diplomatic relations with nine countries that formerly had so-called "diplomatic ties" with the country's Taiwan region.
Over the past ten years, China's diplomatic efforts have consolidated international support for the one-China policy, stemmed external forces' intervention in Hong Kong's affairs, foiled anti-China forces' attacks and defamation against China, and safeguarded the country's national interests and dignity, he said.