China calls for 'complete' and immediate end to Middle East fighting

BEIJING: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Wednesday for an end to hostilities in the Middle East and for the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”, during talks with his Iranian counterpart.

“China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remains essential,” he said, according to a statement from his ministry after the talks with Abbas Araghchi in Beijing.

“China hopes that the parties concerned will respond as quickly as possible to the urgent call of the international community” for a normal and safe resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Wang said.

“On the nuclear issue, China welcomes Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, while considering that Iran has the legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” he added.

China is directly affected by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

More than half of the crude imported by sea to China comes from the Middle East and mainly transits through the strait, according to maritime analytics firm Kpler.

Beijing has quietly engaged in efforts to resolve the crisis, and its diplomacy is credited with playing an important role in the fragile ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran.

China “will work harder to ease tensions and end the fighting, continue to support the launch of peace talks, and play a greater role in restoring peace and tranquility to the Middle East,” Wang said.