China saying "no" to some countries' actions against Syria is a responsible move, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday.

"Being responsible means keeping to principles and saying 'no' to what is wrong," Assistant Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said at a forum held by China Institute of International Studies, adding that "China does not do things just to please certain countries."

In February, China and Russia vetoed a U.N. draft resolution that backed a plan to promote regime change in Syria.

The official said he took note of some people' s accusations against China and Russia for not being "cooperative" or "responsible."

"China never takes its cue from others or pays the bill without asking the price," Le said.

Some countries seek regime change in Syria under the pretext of "the Responsibility to Protect," but their actions are a far cry from this, said the Chinese official.

On the first day of the NATO-led multinational forces' "protection" mission in Libya last year, 64 civilians were killed and 150 were injured.

The entire "protection" mission resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 civilians and the displacement of 900,000 people without ending the violence.

Such "protection" has been likened to a "successful surgery that kills the patient," said the official, adding that being responsible means saying "no" to such "protection."

"What we need is not just 'the Responsibility to Protect' but also 'responsible protection,' " said the assistant minister.

At the forum, Le also highlighted China' s "more active, vigorous and productive" diplomacy in 2012.

The first 100 days of 2012 witnessed active Chinese diplomacy in all dimensions, he said.

China' s top leaders participated in a series of important multilateral meetings, such as the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit and the BRICS Summit, and visited a number of countries in Asia, Africa and Europe as well as America.

China also took an active part in the settlement of regional hotspot issues. China put forward a six-point proposal for the political settlement of the Syrian crisis, pushed for the resumption of talks on the Iranian nuclear issue, and maintained close communication with relevant parties on the Democratic People' s Republic of Korea' s announcement of a satellite launch.

While holding its ground on matters of principle, China made active efforts to promote regional peace and stability, thus playing the role of a major country with a distinctly Chinese approach, said the official.

"China is conducting more vigorous and productive diplomacy and engaging in more intensive interactions with the international community," he said, adding that China enjoys rising status and influence on the world stage as a result.