BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday that China's diplomacy will continue to provide solid strategic underpinning and foster a favorable external environment for Chinese modernization.

Wang made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress.

According to Wang, China has so far granted unilateral visa-free entry to 38 countries and extended the transit visa-free period to 240 hours for 54 countries.

China will create more convenient channels for two-way travel, said Wang. "More countries may join our visa-free 'circle of friends,' sustaining the popularity of 'China Travel' around the world."

China will also introduce more efficient foreign affairs services, coordinate resources at different levels, innovate and upgrade the foreign ministry's signature program of presenting the provinces of China, and build bridges of cooperation in China's further opening up, said the foreign minister.

"We will work for a better business environment, steadily expand institutional opening up, advance voluntary opening up in an orderly manner, and continue unilateral opening up to the least developed countries," Wang said.

"We will further cut down the negative list, lower the threshold of market access, and keep China as the go-to partner for international cooperation," Wang added.