Proactive?

? The world has seen China step up diplomatic efforts in addressing security issues such as the South Sudan peace process, the Iran nuclear issue, Afghanistan and Syria, and is expected to be more active in tackling the Korean Peninsula Nuclear Issue and tensions in South China Sea.

? China's naval fleet continues with its anti-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean, and helped evacuate thousands of Chinese and foreign nationals out of warn-ravaged Yemen and sent emergency water supplies to Maldives.

? Chinese medical staff fought tough but triumphant anti-Ebola battles in West African nations. Many doctors and nurses are still in African countries on rotating missions.

? Economically, at a time of downturn pressure and sluggish global trade, China's engaged with many countries in building two massive economic corridors linking Asia with Europe and Africa. That initiative, in the name of "One Belt, One Road", aims at building modern day land and sea Silk Roads to cater for shared needs of modern infrastructure. With inter-connectivity, one can anticipate joint-efforts to solve development bottlenecks and combine development ambitions of participating countries working to create opportunities. In line with that, trade and investment, job-generation will be promoted, hence capacity cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

? Same with the newly-established Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Bank and several other new financial institutions – all leading to busy businesses and busy diplomacy.

And there are many more examples. In short, China's busy diplomacy means more engagement, closer cooperation and greater constructive efforts to jointly tackle problems, to create and share development chances and to share the benefits of cooperation.

Yes active diplomacy. That's a major task of the Chinese government set for this year. As Premier Li Keqiang puts it in his government report, China needs to "carry out a new round of high-quality opening up and work to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation."

Measures outlined in the report are as follows --

? To secure solid progress in pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative,

? Achieve greater industrial-capacity cooperation with other countries,

? Develop innovative ways to promote foreign trade,

? Make better use of overseas investment, and

? Accelerate implementation of the free trade zone strategy.

Meaning: more talks, more deals, more projects. For that end, there must be pro-active diplomacy of engagement and cooperation for mutual benefits. And has to be constructive in solving trouble, creating opportunities and achieving win-win results, instead of diplomacy of zero-sum games, for we are in the boat, faced with same tidal waves.

2015 saw China busy at diplomatic events. With diplomacy assigned with five big tasks, 2016 will see the country even busier.