China has gone all out to assist citizens stranded in Middle East: spokesperson

BEIJING -- China attaches high importance to passengers being stranded in the Middle East and has gone all out to provide relevant assistance, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday in response to a related query.

Spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press briefing that the ministry has activated emergency response mechanism at the earliest opportunity, and held urgent consultations with the Civil Aviation Administration and other competent authorities for the early resumption of flights while ensuring safety, adding that positive progress has been made with the joint efforts of various parties.

Mao noted that on the night of March 4, nearly 300 Chinese nationals arrived safely in Guangzhou from Dubai on a foreign airline flight. Starting March 5, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines have successively resumed round-trip flights to the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

"We once again caution that the current situation in the Middle East remains complex and severe with high uncertainties," said Mao. She also urged Chinese nationals to avoid traveling to countries and regions affected by the military conflict, and advised those already there to closely follow relevant information and leave promptly while flights are available.