BEIJING, Dec. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- At the end of this year, the frequent exchange of visits by Chinese and European leaders as well as the upcoming China tour by Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz put China's "pragmatic diplomacy" in the world's limelight.

    The Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was held in September this year, demanded the government "observe the world with broad sight, gain leverage in handling international affairs, become more capable of keeping exchanges with international community and firmly safeguard national security, which set forth principles for China's foreign policy in the new area."

    2004, called the "Europe Year" for China's diplomacy in some reports, is memorable for the Sino-European relations.

    Both sides have found much in common in world multipolarization, anti-terrorism, security and environmental protection through a series of shuttling diplomatic activities including Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to France, Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to four European Union member countries and later to the Netherlands to attend the Seventh China-European Union (EU) summit, as well as China visits by French President Jacques Chirac, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the latter part of the year.

    China and Russia have made milestone progress in developing bilateral relations. During Russian President Vladimir Putin's China visit in October, the two sides signed an agreement, completing the delimitation of the 4,300-kilometer-long boundary line between them.

    The high-level exchanges between China and the United States are also noticeable. From April to October, US Vice President DickCheney, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and President Pro Tem of the US Senate Ted Stevens paid separate visits to China.

    During Powell's stay in China, he reiterated the one-China policy and opposed any move that might lead to Taiwan independence. In January, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers became the highest-level US military officer to visit China since 1997.

    This year has witnessed frequent phone talks between the Chinese and US presidents, as well as the establishment of direct telephone lines between diplomatic departments of the two countries.