Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held separate meetings with his counterparts of Bahrain and Indonesia on the sidelines of a UN Security Council high-level meeting on Tuesday.

During a meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Wang called for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in the Gulf region.

Wang said that China, as a good friend and partner of Gulf countries, sincerely hopes that the Gulf region and the Middle East will return to peace and tranquility at an early date.

The conflict, which should not have happened in the first place, has no reason to drag on, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"The top priority is to push for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire," said the top Chinese diplomat. "The international community should double its efforts to promote peace and jointly work toward de-escalation, and in particular, oppose actions that fan the flames or escalate tensions."

China supports the mediation efforts of Pakistan and other countries and is ready to coordinate closely with Bahrain and other Security Council members to ensure that the council remains on the right track toward a political settlement and to make joint efforts for lasting peace in the Middle East, Wang said.

Al Zayani said his country appreciates China's active efforts to promote a ceasefire and peace in the Middle East and the Gulf region and hopes that China can play a greater role.

China, Indonesia to deepen multilateral collaboration

Wang on Tuesday also met with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, and the two sides agreed to intensify high-level exchanges, strengthen multilateral collaboration and promote further development of bilateral relations.

Wang said that as representatives of emerging economies and major developing countries, China and Indonesia have the obligation and necessity to strengthen cooperation, jointly uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, inject stability into a world rife with change and turmoil, and make greater contributions toward addressing global challenges.

With the goal of building a community with a shared future, China stands ready to work with Indonesia to intensify high-level exchanges, strengthen joint planning for cooperation, deepen multilateral coordination and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.

Sugiono said Indonesia attaches great importance to its relations with China and stands ready to strengthen exchanges at all levels, deepen pragmatic cooperation across various fields and jointly implement the consensus reached on maritime development.

Indonesia will provide a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises, work together to enhance cooperation in sectors including energy and mineral resources, continuously elevate the level of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and promote regional peace, stability and inclusive development, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues, including the Middle East situation.

Wang is at the UN headquarters in New York to preside over a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

(With input from Xinhua)