China calls for negotiations with US as Middle East war escalates
Illustrative photo: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (Getty Images)
Dialogue between the United States and China is "vital" to prevent global miscalculations, stated Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to Reuters.
The Chinese foreign minister’s statement came ahead of the long-awaited summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, which is expected to take place this month.
"Failure to engage between the two nations would only lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments, escalating toward confrontation and harming the world," Wang Yi said at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing.
As the agency notes, while Trump is focused on the war in Iran, analysts are watching for signs of preparations for his visit to meet with Xi Jinping.
It is noted that China had not previously announced a March summit between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
"The agenda of high-level exchanges is already on the table. What the two sides need to do now is to make thorough preparations accordingly, create a suitable environment, manage the risks that do exist, and remove unnecessary disruptions," Wang Yi said, without providing further details.
Analysts note that Beijing has become more assertive in its region over the past year.
It has held large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, escalated a diplomatic dispute with Japan after remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that a Chinese attack on the democratically governed island could trigger a military response from Tokyo, and repeatedly clashed with Philippine vessels in disputed areas of the South China Sea.
However, the foreign minister sought to present China’s economy as a stabilizing force in contrast to what he described as Trump’s military aggressiveness.
"A strong fist does not mean strong reason. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle. Willful use of force does not prove one's strengths.," Wang Yi stressed.
China's position on the war in Iran
Recall that China has firmly opposed the war in the Middle East.
The Chinese government called on the parties involved in the Middle East conflict to "cease military actions, prevent further escalation of tensions."
Beijing even sent a special envoy to the Middle East to mediate the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran in an effort to stop further escalation in the region.
At the same time, the Chinese government ordered its largest refineries to suspend exports of diesel fuel and gasoline, as the war in the Middle East threatens to disrupt global energy supplies.
