BEIJING - Foreign Ministry events such as news conferences were previously considered to be the sole preserve of diplomats and journalists, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, anyone who is interested in diplomacy can now get involved.

In an online chat with Ambassador Song Zhe, head of China's mission to the European Union, on Thursday, netizens asked a wide range of questions on issues such as agricultural cooperation, youth exchanges and the environment.

They got in touch with Song through the online forum of the Foreign Ministry and Waijiao Xiaolingtong, the ministry's microblog on Sina.com