China's diplomacy has overcome hardships in 2016, a year marked with "changes" and "chaos", Foreign Minister Wang Yi said when addressing a symposium on Saturday.

At the opening ceremony of the Symposium on International Developments and China's Diplomacy in 2016, Wang said China's diplomacy has become more proactive, confident and mature.

Among major achievements over the past year, the country has led the change of international governance system, maintained stable and cooperative ties with its neighbors and safeguarded its rights in the South China Sea, Wang said.

Looking into 2017, the foreign minister said among the important tasks for the ministry is to support the 19th CPC National Congress, and prepare for a summit forum on the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the ninth BRICS summit.

Also, China will strengthen communication with the new government of the United States and push forward the strategic collaboration it has with Russia, Wang added.

After the opening ceremony, experts shared their ideas on major issues concerning global security and governance, including China-US relations.

Chu Shulong, director of Tsinghua University's Institute of International Strategic and Development Studies, said even though Donald Trump may bring big swings to China-US ties within the first year after taking office, he will not be able to change the framework of the ties.

Yuan Peng, vice-president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said one should not assess Trump with traditional thinking.

He said Trump may attach more geostrategic importance to issues of the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Straits than to the South and East China Seas.

Chen Qiqi contributed to this story.