War in Middle East ‘should never have happened’, says China’s FM

China’s top diplomat condemned on Sunday (Mar 8) the war in the Middle East, saying it “should never have happened” and calling once again for an immediate end to hostilities.  

Speaking in a wide-ranging press conference on the sidelines of China’s Two Sessions, Wang Yi described how the region was currently “engulfed in flames”.

“This is a war that should never have happened - and it is a war that benefits no party,” said Wang, who is China’s foreign minister and the country’s top diplomat by virtue of his concurrent role as head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party.  

The conflict erupted on Feb 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Tehran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel and US interests in nearby countries, mainly in the Gulf.  

Israel has also launched fresh attacks in Lebanon after the Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah fired rockets and drones across the border.  

Beijing has previously blasted US and Israeli military actions in Iran, with which it has diplomatic and trade ties, and condemned in particular the killing of the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  

Wang repeated this refrain on Sunday, calling for an immediate end to the fighting.

“Meeting force with force will only breed new hatred and lay the seeds for new crises,” he said.  

“China once again calls for an immediate halt to military operations, to prevent the situation from escalating further and to avoid the spillover and spread of the conflict,” Wang said, adding that China stands ready to work with Middle Eastern countries to “restore order” to the region. 

Wang also called for the “right and proper solution” to resolving tensions involving Iran and the Middle East. These include respecting state sovereignty, rejecting the abuse of force, non-interference in countries’ internal affairs and a return to political dialogue rather than military force.   

“Sovereignty is the cornerstone of the current international order. We believe that the sovereignty, security and integrity of Iran and all countries in the Gulf region should be respected and must not be violated,” the veteran diplomat said.  

He also rejected the abuse of force, urging that “might does not make right” and that “the law of the jungle must not return and rule the world”.   

“Wilful use of force does not prove one’s strengths.” 

United States President Donald Trump has claimed the right to join Iran in deciding its next leader. Additionally, Trump on Friday demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, hours after Iran’s president announced that unspecified countries had begun mediation efforts.  

During his Sunday press conference, Wang emphasised that the people of the Middle East are the “true masters of the region” and that Middle Eastern affairs should be “determined by regional countries independently”.   

“Plotting colour revolutions or seeking regime change will find no popular support,” he added. 

Source: CNA

- Agencies