By John Liu, CNN
China’s top diplomat portrayed his country as a champion of peace and stability as the war in Iran continues, while adopting a conciliatory tone toward the United States ahead of a long-awaited summit between the leaders of the two nations.
“This was a war that should never have happened and a war that benefits no one,” Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, said at a news conference Sunday on the sidelines of the annual session of China’s legislature.
Introducing China as “the world’s most important force for peace, stability and justice,” Wang reiterated Beijing’s call for an immediate ceasefire to “prevent the situation from escalating and prevent the flames of war from overflowing and spreading.”
“All parties must return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and resolve their differences through dialogue on equal terms,” he added.
China’s growing concern about war with Iran comes as its leader, Xi Jinping, prepares to host US President Donald Trump in Beijing this month for key talks between the world’s two largest economies. The summit is expected to address a wide range of important issues, from trade tensions to Taiwan.
Adding to the imminent meeting is a new element of complexity: a rapidly escalating war in the Middle East.
Iran’s leaders have long maintained close relations with Beijing. China – like many other countries – has watched with concern the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as the rise in oil prices and the impact on the global economy caused by the escalation of the conflict.
More than a week after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, the war shows no signs of abating. Trump said Friday that there will be no deal with Iran except for “unconditional surrender,” without detailing specific demands.
Beijing has seized the moment to project an image of a reliable and responsible superpower, in contrast to the United States, which – in the Chinese view – has introduced uncertainty to the world through new wars, the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and the launch of a global trade war against close allies and against China.
Beijing has provided “the most valuable source of stability and certainty for a turbulent world, becoming an irreplaceable anchor amid global chaos,” Wang said on Sunday.
At the same time, Wang called for maintaining engagement with Washington to manage key differences, while expressing his welcome to the upcoming summit between Xi and Trump. He said the leaders of both countries have set an example by helping the bilateral relationship achieve overall stability despite the turbulence.
“What is needed now is for both sides to make comprehensive preparations, foster a conducive environment, manage existing differences and eliminate unnecessary interference,” Wang said on Sunday, in response to a question from CNN journalist Steven Jiang.
“China and the United States are both great powers, and neither can change the other; but we can change the way we interact,” he added, urging the United States to move in the same direction.
In the same scenario last year — shortly after Trump launched the first tariff offensive against China of his new administration — Wang warned the United States against a “two-faced approach” in its relationship with China and stressed that Beijing “firmly opposes power politics and hegemony.”
If last year’s message was a warning amid uncertainty, this year’s was marked by trust. China has largely resisted Trump’s tariff attacks and validated his hardline strategy, raising its global standing as the US president sends shockwaves around the world.
A number of traditionally close US allies, from French President Emmanuel Macron to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have visited China in recent months, a sign of Beijing’s successful efforts to reach out to them. Wang referenced that development.
“We have observed that a growing number of influential figures in Europe recognize that China is not a competitor, but a global partner,” he said, while urging greater cooperation and trade between both blocs.
China’s foreign minister also appeared to respond to Trump’s attempt to position his Peace Council as an alternative to the UN, promising to defend multilateralism and protect the international body.
“Attempts to bypass the UN and start over, to push for a separate system or to form small exclusive blocs and circles do not gain support and are not sustainable,” Wang said.
However, Wang’s news conference did not address many of the issues that have troubled other countries and China’s neighbors at a time of rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
China has flooded the world market with its exports and used its dominance in rare earth production as a pressure tool, threatening to cause major disruptions in the global supply chain. It has also intensified military pressure on Taiwan, as well as naval clashes with the Philippines and Japan.
Wang also did not mention Ukraine, now in its fifth year of war with Moscow, although he stressed that China’s relationship with Russia is “undisturbed by wind and rain, as stable as a mountain.”
Since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has refused to criticize Russia and has remained its key partner, acting as an important economic and diplomatic lifeline.
“China and Russia share a high level of political mutual trust. Standing back to back is a defining characteristic of the China-Russia relationship. We do not fear any external provocation or pressure,” Wang said.
CNN’s Steven Jiang and Fred He in Beijing and Chris Lau in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
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