China's Middle East envoy calls for safeguarding civilians, shipping lanes

China's special envoy for Middle East affairs Zhai Jun on Thursday called for the protection of civilians and shipping lanes on Thursday, urging an immediate halt to military actions as regional tensions escalate.

"We hold the view that in military conflicts, the red line of protecting civilians must not be crossed, non-military targets related to energy, economy and people's livelihood should not be attacked, the security of shipping lanes should not be disrupted, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable," Zhai said during a meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in Manama, capital of the Gulf country.

Zhai, who is on a tour to the region, said China has always advocated resolving regional issues through dialogue and consultation and opposes the arbitrary use of force, according to a readout of the meeting released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

For his part, Zayani said Bahrain highly appreciates China's impartial and just position and welcomes the shuttle diplomacy conducted by the Chinese special envoy in the region.

He said Bahrain has always been committed to peace and dedicated to achieving regional peace, stability, development and prosperity through dialogue and reconciliation, adding that it should not come under what he said were unwarranted attacks.

Iran should heed the call of the international community, immediately cease attacks on the Gulf Arab states, and ensure the safety and unimpeded flow of international waterways, he added.

Read more: UN Security Council fails to pass resolution on Middle East ceasefire

The Chinese envoy reiterated that the current escalation of tensions in the region serves no one's interests. "The pressing priority is to halt military operations and prevent the further spread of conflict."

China takes seriously the legitimate security concerns of Bahrain and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and appreciates Bahrain for its responsible, calm and restrained approach since the outbreak of the conflict, said Zhai.

China is ready to maintain close communication and coordination with Bahrain and play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in the region, he added.

The Chinese envoy's visit to Bahrain came after he visited Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a tour to the region after the U.S.-Israeli-Iran conflict that began on February 28.

Read more:

Chinese envoy says conflict in Gulf region serves no one's interests, urges ceasefire

China's Middle East envoy calls for ceasefire as fundamental way out of current predicament

China to work with GCC to de-escalate Middle East tensions, says envoy