Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference on the sidelines of the first session of China's 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's national legislature, in Beijing on Thursday.

He started by highlighting four international events which will be hosted by China in 2018: The Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao summit, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the first China International Import Expo.

On Korean Peninsula issues

Wang Yi said China's "suspension for suspension" proposal on Korean Peninsula issues is “the right prescription” for the problem and has created the basic conditions for the improvement in inter-Korean relations.

On Xi's diplomacy

President Xi Jinping, as the chief architect of China's major-country diplomacy, has been personally involved in planning and conducting "brilliant" head-of-state diplomacy, Wang Yi said.

Xi will host the four major diplomatic events in China, and will attend the BRICS Summit in South Africa, the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Papua New Guinea and the G20 Summit in Argentina this year, Wang said. 

On China-U.S. relations

China-U.S. relations have gone through a lot in recent decades and there can be no alternative to the policies of dialogue and cooperation, Wang made the remark at the press conference.

"History teaches that a trade war is never the right solution, particularly in a globalized world" Wang said, saying China will make a justified and necessary response in the event of a trade war.

On China-Russia relations

China has great confidence in its relationship with Russia, but there is always room to make ties even better, Wang said. 

On China-Africa cooperation

China will step up mediation in African flashpoints and will boost cooperation with African countries on strategic threats such as terrorism and piracy, Wang said.

Africa is an integral part of the efforts to build a community with shared future for mankind, he said.

On China-ASEAN cooperation

Noting this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership between China and the ASEAN, Wang said China looks to build a closer community with a shared future with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

"Over the last 15 years, China-ASEAN cooperation has yielded fruitful results. For nine consecutive years, China has been ASEAN's largest trade partner. Last year, the trade volume between the two reached US$500 billion," Wang said.

China will continue to upgrade its strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and broaden cooperation with the bloc in more projects, the foreign minister added.