What is the most important in diplomacy is continuity and without continuity there would be no innovation, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing at a press conference Saturday on the sideline of the annual session of China's top legislature.

Li made the remarks in response to a question on whether China will change its long-term diplomatic principle of keeping a low profile and awaiting for the opportune moment to accomplish something big by giving up the principle of keeping a low profile to stress, instead, accomplishing something big.

Li said he believed that one important thing in diplomacy is to seek truth from facts and keep up with the times. "Only by so doing, can we correctly size up the situation and take effective measures to secure what is good to our country and people," he said, adding that it is our consistent tradition to fix our stand based on what is right and what is wrong.

Peace and development remains the main theme of our era, the foreign minister said. But the world is not tranquil, often challenged by unexpected non-traditional threats. We have to learn to take up these challenges," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2004)