The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, today called for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue to resolve the crisis in the Middle East, in telephone conversations with his counterparts from Kuwait and Bahrain.
Wang indicated in the conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Yarrah Yaber al Ahmad al Sabah, that the current conflict “constitutes a war that should never have broken out and that does not benefit either party”, according to a statement published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Chinese diplomat stressed that the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran without authorization from the UN Security Council and while negotiations between Washington and Tehran were still ongoing, which constitutes a “violation of international law”.
Wang said the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Gulf countries must be fully respected, while stressing that any attack against civilians or non-military targets “must be condemned.”
“The immediate priority is to stop military operations and prevent the conflict from spreading further,” the minister added.
The head of Chinese diplomacy also stated that several Gulf countries have advocated resolving tensions through dialogue, a position that Beijing appreciates, and reiterated that China will continue to promote diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region.
Wang indicated that the Chinese Government’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, is already in the region to carry out mediation efforts and will maintain contacts with the countries involved.
The Chinese minister lamented, in a conversation with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdulatif bin Rashid al Zayani, that “the situation in the Gulf has deteriorated drastically” and that the security of the island country “has been compromised”, a situation that “deeply worries” Beijing.
Wang told Al Zayani that the Chinese special envoy will visit Bahrain during his trip to the region, which already took him to meet with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Sunday.
Bahrain’s foreign minister declared that the country “has always stood for peace” and “should not be affected by illegal attacks,” according to the Chinese statement.
The Kuwaiti minister told Wang that the country was “not part” of the war, although “it has been affected” by the repercussions, and stressed that the Gulf States “remain committed to resolving disputes through dialogue”, although “they do not renounce their legitimate right to self-defense”.
The diplomats assured Wang that they will continue to take measures to guarantee the safety of Chinese institutions and citizens in their territories, after Iran responded to bombings by Israel and the United States with attacks on countries in the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
China, Tehran’s main trading partner and largest oil buyer, has repeatedly condemned attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel for “violating the sovereignty” of the Persian country.
Chinese authorities have also defended in recent days the “maintenance of the security of maritime routes”, considering that 45% of the oil imported by China arrives through the Strait of Hormuz.
Lusa
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