China steps up diplomatic push for peace in Mideast

China has intensified diplomatic efforts to help defuse tensions surrounding Iran by strengthening communication with relevant parties and dispatching a special envoy to the region, at a time when preventing a wider regional spillover has become increasingly urgent.

Over the past 10 days, Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held 11 phone calls with his counterparts from Russia, Oman, Iran, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Pakistan — countries that are either directly involved in the conflict, neighboring Gulf states or major powers.

At a news briefing on Wednesday in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that from the outset of the conflict, China had called for a ceasefire, a return to dialogue and negotiations, and a political solution.

Guo said that, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a sincere friend of Middle Eastern countries, China will continue working for peace, speaking up for fairness and justice, and strengthening communication.

Zhai Jun, the Chinese government's special envoy on the Middle East issue, has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy in the region as part of Beijing's effort to create more diplomatic space.

In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Zhai met on Sunday with Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. On Tuesday, Zhai visited the UAE and met with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's deputy prime minister and foreign minister. The three hosts told Zhai that they highly appreciated and welcomed China's mediation efforts, and thanked Beijing for maintaining a fair and impartial position.

The conflict entered its 12th day on Wednesday, with mounting concern over both the humanitarian toll and the risk of wider economic disruption. More than 1,300 civilians have been killed and 9,669 civilian sites destroyed in Iran in the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel starting on Feb 28, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, said on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual two sessions in Beijing on Sunday, Wang, the foreign minister, said the conflict was a war that should never have happened and one that benefits no one. "The history of the Middle East tells the world time and again that force provides no solution and armed conflict will only increase hatred and breed new crises," he said.

Experts said China's flurry of calls with foreign ministers, its vocal appeals at the UN and its decision to send a special envoy to conduct shuttle diplomacy all stem from the same source — a consistent commitment to peace and a sense of responsibility befitting a major power.

Tang Zhichao, a researcher of Middle East studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China has avoided taking sides in the conflict in the way that some Western countries have. Tang said that the China-proposed Global Security Initiative has gained broad international recognition, particularly for its emphasis on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity and addressing the legitimate security concerns of all countries.