BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- China calls on the international community to uphold its commitment to peace, actively promote peace talks, and push for a return to diplomatic means in resolving disputes, a Chinese special envoy said on Monday after concluding his visit to the Middle East.
Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, told a news briefing that he elaborated China's position to regional countries during the trip.
First, this is a war that should not have happened. While the people of Middle East countries aspire to peace and stability and the latest round of Iran-U.S. talks were going on, the United States and Israel abruptly started a war, undoing all the diplomatic efforts. This is deeply regrettable and disappointing to everyone committed to peace.
Second, the ins and outs of the crisis are clear. The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran without the authorization of the U.N. Security Council. This is a blatant breach of the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and international law, China firmly opposes and condemns such acts. Any discussion on how to solve this crisis must be based on an understanding of the root cause and full picture of the conflict.
Third, efforts must be made to prevent the spread and escalation of hostilities. The war seriously undermines security and stability in the Middle East, deals a heavy blow to the security of the global economy, energy and shipping lanes, and threatens the well-being of all countries. The Arab states, in particular the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, are suffering a disaster not of their own making. Under no circumstances should the red line of protecting civilians in military conflict be crossed; nor nonmilitary targets such as energy, economic and livelihood facilities be attacked; nor the security of the Strait of Hormuz and other international shipping lanes be undermined. China condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets.
Fourth, the priority is to realize a ceasefire. The scale, intensity and duration of this war have exceeded that of the 12-Day War last year. The Middle East has seen more than enough turmoil. The countries and peoples in the region hope for nothing more than peace and tranquility. The relevant parties should immediately stop military actions and prevent the situation from further escalation and spiraling out of control.
Fifth, dialogue and negotiation offers the fundamental solution. Both the past and present tell us that dialogue and negotiation provides the only solution to disagreements and disputes, military means cannot solve fundamental issues, and the use of force should never be a first choice. China calls on the international community to uphold its commitment to peace, actively promote peace talks, and push for a return to diplomatic means in resolving disputes.
Sixth, unilateralism must be firmly resisted. Might does not make right. A major country should not use its military strength to attack other countries at will. The international community should together say no to any act that violates international law, and oppose attempts to reduce the world to the law of the jungle. The U.N. should function as the main channel for mediation, and help build trust, bridge differences, and restart negotiation among the relevant parties. ■
