Turbulent times? China's here to steady the ship, not rock it

When Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi declares that China's diplomacy brings valuable stability to a world rife with turmoil, he applies the same principle to his yearly news conference too.

- Tan Dawn Wei

With zero room for spontaneity and surprises, this meet-the-press drill on the sidelines of the annual national parliamentary session is the one time that Beijing unleashes its foreign policy position on just about every corner of the world in one 90-minute sitting.

It's prepped, predictable and performative, designed to project the resilience and righteousness of a responsible superpower that isn't the US.

Mr Wang wants the world to see a dominant, influential nation unflustered by trade wars, unshaken by rival alliances and unapologetic about its rise.

And the messaging is clear: Beijing is ready to lead, not follow — whether it's outsmarting Washington, backstopping Moscow or wooing the Global South.

On the morning of March 7, in front of hundreds of local and foreign journalists, Mr Wang delivered a masterclass in diplomatic theatre, taking his audience on a whirlwind tour of global hot spots — US hegemony, Gaza's destruction, Ukraine's quagmire, and the Philippine skirmishes at sea.