Chinese special envoy urges return to diplomatic means in resolving Middle East tensions

China calls on the international community to uphold its commitment to peace, actively promote peace talks, and push for a return to diplomatic means in resolving disputes, a Chinese special envoy said on Monday after concluding his visit to the Middle East.

Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, told a news briefing that he elaborated China's position to regional countries during the trip.

This is a war that should not have happened, he said, noting that while the people of Middle East countries aspire to peace and stability and the latest round of Iran-US talks were going on, the United States and Israel abruptly started a war, undoing all the diplomatic efforts. This is deeply regrettable and disappointing to everyone committed to peace, he said.

Zhai said the ins and outs of the crisis are clear. The US and Israel attacked Iran without the authorization of the UN Security Council. This is a blatant breach of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law; China firmly opposes and condemns such acts. Any discussion of how to solve this crisis must be based on an understanding of the root cause and provide a full picture of the conflict.

He said efforts must be made to prevent the spread and escalation of hostilities. The war seriously undermines security and stability in the Middle East, deals a heavy blow to the security of the global economy, energy and shipping lanes, and threatens the well-being of all countries, he continued. The Arab states, in particular the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, are suffering a disaster not of their own making. Under no circumstances should the red line of protecting civilians in military conflict be crossed; nor nonmilitary targets such as energy, economic, and livelihood facilities be attacked; nor the security of the Strait of Hormuz and other international shipping lanes be undermined. China condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets.

Noting that the priority is to realize a ceasefire, Zhai said the scale, intensity and duration of this war have exceeded that of the 12-Day War last year. The Middle East has seen more than enough turmoil. The countries and peoples in the region hope for nothing more than peace and tranquility. The relevant parties should immediately halt military operations and prevent the situation from further escalating and spiraling out of control, he said.

Calling for dialogue and negotiation offers the fundamental solution, Zhai went on to say, adding that both the past and the present tell us that dialogue and negotiation provide the only solution to disagreements and disputes. He said military means cannot solve fundamental issues and that the use of force should never be a first choice, noting that China is calling on the international community to uphold its commitment to peace, actively promote peace talks, and push for a return to diplomatic means in resolving disputes.

Zhai said unilateralism must be firmly resisted. Might does not make right, he said, adding that a major country should not use its military strength to attack other countries at will. The international community should together say no to any act that violates international law and oppose attempts to reduce the world to the law of the jungle. The UN should function as the main channel for mediation, help build trust, bridge differences, and restart negotiations among the relevant parties.

Middle East countries 'deeply concerned'

Countries in the Middle East are deeply concerned about the impact of the war and are calling for an immediate ceasefire, said Zhai.

During the recent trip, he visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt, and had in-depth exchanges of views with their foreign ministers and the secretaries general of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States on the regional situation. Zhai said he also had a thorough discussion with the Iranian side.

Noting that his visit took place as the war was escalating and spilling over, he said the regional countries stressed that nonmilitary targets, especially livelihood and energy infrastructure, must not come under unwarranted attacks and that the life and safety of ordinary people must be protected.

"All sides oppose the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. All sides believe that the strait is vital to global energy security and supply chain stability. Its continued closure will bring unbearable consequences to all," he said.

The regional countries recognize that Iran is a neighbor that cannot be moved away, and they welcome the statement Iran once made that it would not attack neighboring countries and call for resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation, he said.

The regional countries highly commend China's just position on the current situation and its sustained diplomatic mediation since the conflict broke out, Zhai said, adding that they expect China to play a greater role in bringing about de-escalation.

China's policy of promoting reconciliation and peace

As long as the conflict continues, China will not rest its diplomatic mediation efforts, said Zhai.

Chinese people value peace above all else, and the foundation of China's policy toward the Middle East is to promote reconciliation and peace, he said.

Noting that the war has caused more than 21,000 casualties, Zhai said that as the flames of war continue to rage across the Middle East, global trade and economy are coming under great strain.

"Once the Pandora's box is opened, it will do huge damage. More fighting will produce no winner, only immense suffering for the people of the region," he added.

Zhai said that, as a responsible major country and a sincere friend of regional countries, China will maintain close communication and coordination with the parties, help reduce tensions, pave the way for a ceasefire, build bridges for the resumption of dialogue, and make unremitting efforts for peace and stability in the Middle East.

(With input from Xinhua)