BEIJING (dpa-AFX) – China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has criticized the US-Israeli attack on Iran. Power does not give you rights, and the world must not return to the “law of the jungle,” said China’s chief diplomat in Beijing on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress meeting there. China is calling for a ceasefire and an end to the war. “This is a war that should never have happened and has no benefit to any side involved,” Wang said.
China had previously condemned the attack and called for an end to military operations and security in the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the global economy. Wang had now publicly commented on this at the annual press conference during the People’s Congress. This offers journalists the rare opportunity to ask the minister their questions.
China names principles for dealing with Middle East conflicts
Without mentioning the United States, Wang also called for upholding the sovereignty of countries in the Middle East, avoiding the use of force, not interfering in other countries’ affairs and resolving conflicts there politically. Planning revolutions and seeking regime change is unpopular, Wang said.
Wang, who also sits in the powerful Politburo of the Communist Party, spoke by telephone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other chief diplomats shortly after the US attack. The situation is explosive for China. With Iran, the USA attacked another economic partner for oil within a few weeks of Venezuela. Apart from sharp condemnations on the diplomatic stage, Beijing has so far not followed up with any real action or promised Iran relevant support./jon/DP/mis
