China ready to cooperate with Russia to ease Middle East tension, foreign minister says
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China's foreign minister Wang Yi (left) told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that both countries should make efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
BEIJING - China’s top diplomat told his Russian counterpart on April 5 that he is willing to work together to “de-escalate” the war in the Middle East, Beijing’s state media reported.
Mr Wang Yi told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a phone call that “China and Russia should uphold fairness on major issues of principle”, state news agency Xinhua said, noting that the call came at Mr Lavrov’s request.
Mr Wang said that “the situation in the Middle East is still deteriorating and fighting is escalating”, Xinhua reported.
He also reiterated China’s call for an “immediate ceasefire” to the fighting triggered by US-Israeli strikes against Iran that began on Feb 28.
“China is willing to continue cooperating with Russia in the UN Security Council, communicating promptly on major issues and making efforts to de-escalate the situation and maintain regional peace and stability and global security,” Xinhua quoted Mr Wang as saying.
A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said the ministers discussed ways to achieve a rapid ceasefire and “launch a political-diplomatic dialogue.”
“Satisfaction was expressed at the coincidence in Russia’s and China’s approaches on most issues on the global agenda, including the situation around Iran, related to the unprovoked aggression of the US and Israel against that country,” it said.
Beijing and Moscow are close economic and political partners, and the relationship has deepened further since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. AFP, REUTERS
