China's initiatives in interacting with other nations mean it should take more global responsibility to build up influence

A distinctive diplomatic approach should be developed, President Xi Jinping stressed at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs at the end of November.

"We should, on the basis of summing up our past practice and experience, enrich and further develop our diplomatic perceptions, and conduct diplomacy with a salient Chinese feature and a Chinese vision," he said.

That is the first time the phrase "a salient Chinese feature" has been used, and the first time that diplomacy been included in the Chinese characteristics, which signals a breakthrough in China's diplomatic philosophy.

Compared with other global and regional powers, China's diplomacy is characterized by three distinct features: it pursues a non-alignment policy and refuses any military alliance with another country; it promotes good economic ties with its neighbors even amid political disputes and confrontations; and, despite its growing comprehensive capabilities, it still faces security challenges such as the maritime territorial disputes in East and South China seas.

All three features call for changes in its diplomacy.

The non-alignment policy has helped China avoid the danger of becoming involved in an ally's affairs or having an ally intervene in its affairs, thus ensuring its diplomacy has remained independent. This was especially important during the decades of the Cold War when China was relatively weak. However, all powers in history have needed alliance systems, without which it would be impossible to influence international affairs; besides, being able to form alliance means a power shares interests with others, whether those be economic and military benefits or common values.

As China insists on adhering to its non-alignment policy, it needs to construct a new type of security relations featuring cooperation and win-win benefits, and find a way of rallying wide support and agreement in the international society. That will be a tough task for its diplomacy in the coming years.