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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a keynote address Saturday during the 9th World Peace Forum in Beijing, China. (Yonhap News)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China today isn't the same as it was a century ago. Wang's remarks — which echo the message delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party on Thursday — can be seen as reemphasizing that China will continue its aggressive foreign policy to combat the West's strategy of containing China.

Wang called on North Korea and the US to quickly resume dialogue while emphasizing China's current approaches to the North Korean nuclear issue, which he summarized as "taking phased and synchronized actions" and "seeking parallel progress" on denuclearization and peace.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that Wang made the remarks in a keynote address at the 9th World Peace Forum, which was jointly hosted by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs on the previous day.

"China never interferes in other countries' internal affairs, and never obstructs others' development. And we absolutely do not accept meddling in our internal affairs by any country, or any foreign attempt to halt our development," Wang said in the address.

"Today's China is no longer the same country of one hundred years ago. No individual and no force should underestimate the firm determination and strong capacity of the Chinese people to uphold the country's sovereignty, security, and development interests."

In his message Friday, Xi Jinping said the era when the Chinese were dominated and bullied was "gone forever" and that anyone who attempts to "bully, oppress, or subjugate" the Chinese would bloody their heads "against a Great Wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people."

Although Xi didn't mention the US by name, Wang explicitly criticized the US on various issues, including its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue. Wang said the "most pressing task" in Afghanistan is "to maintain peace and stability."

"The United States, which created the Afghan issue in the first place, should act responsibly to ensure a smooth transition in Afghanistan. [. . .] The withdrawal must not give rise to chaos and war."

Wang went on to say that "the US' unilateral withdrawal from the [Iranian nuclear deal] and its maximum pressure on Iran are the root causes of the current Iranian nuclear crisis," adding that the US "should correct its wrongdoings" and "push for breakthroughs in the negotiations."

"The so-called 'Indo-Pacific strategy,' which is aimed at provoking bloc confrontation, [. . .] is the revival of the Cold-War mentality and regression of history," Wang said. "Dreaming the old dream of hegemony during the Cold War will not [. . .] 'build back a better world.'"

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. [. . .] To advance the peaceful reunification of the motherland is an established policy the Chinese government has always upheld. For some time, certain forces in the US have been [. . .] emboldening and encouraging the Taiwan-independence separatist elements. This is extremely wrong and dangerous!"

In regard to Hong Kong, Wang stressed the Chinese government could not sit by as "some local political elements colluded with foreign forces and blatantly clamored for Hong Kong independence, posing a serious threat to China's national security and One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong."

Wang's criticism of the US extended to the Korean Peninsula. "The US needs to reconsider its incessant military threats and pressure on the DPRK [North Korea] over the decades, and acknowledge and address [the] DPRK's legitimate concerns. Given the measures that the DPRK has taken toward denuclearization and easing the situation, the US should show its sincerity and make a response," Wang said, calling for the two sides to quickly resume dialogue.

"We always believe that dialogue and consultation and peaceful settlement is the fundamental principle, taking phased and synchronized actions is the inevitable tactic, and seeking parallel progress in denuclearization and the establishment of a peace mechanism is the right way forward," Wang said.

"In addition, the UN Security Council needs to invoke the rollback terms of the DPRK-related resolutions in due course and help the DPRK improve its economy and people's livelihood."

"The Korean Peninsula issue is a matter [on] the doorstep of China. We will, as always, continue to play [a] constructive role for the realization of enduring peace and stability on the Peninsula," Wang added.

By Jung In-hwan, Beijing correspondent

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