China, Pakistan propose peace plan for West Asia
China and Pakistan have put forward a five-point proposal to end the West Asia conflict, calling for the restoration of peace and stability in the Gulf region and the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The peace proposal was put forward on Tuesday after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who undertook a one-day visit to Beijing to discuss regional developments. The two reviewed the situation in the Gulf and West Asia region, and Dar briefed Wang about his recent talks with the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to promote talks between the US and Iran to end the ongoing conflict.
Following the Dar-Wang talks, the two countries put forward five proposals on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf region and West Asia, as well as safe passage through the Strait.
The proposals included the immediate cessation of hostilities, initiation of peace talks as soon as possible, ensuring the safety of non-military targets and safety of navigation, and safeguarding the primacy of the UN Charter.
“China and Pakistan call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas,” according to a joint statement.
They called for starting peace talks as soon as possible. “Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable options to resolve conflicts,” the statement said.
They also said that the principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed.
“China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants,” it said.
The two countries also called for the security of shipping lanes, calling the Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, “an important global shipping route for goods and energy”.
“China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible,” it said.
Lastly, they called for the primacy of the United Nations Charter in ending tension.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said that Islamabad and Beijing enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, characterised by “close coordination and regular consultations” on regional development and international issues.
Dar, before leaving for China, held a quadrilateral meeting with foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in Islamabad.
He has also been in contact with China through telephone calls with Wang and meetings with the Chinese ambassador in Pakistan.
Earlier, China said three of its ships carrying oil supplies had passed through the Strait of Hormuz after coordination with relevant parties, and thanked these relevant parties for facilitation and coordination.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks during a media briefing here, without naming Iran, which is currently controlling the movement of oil shipments from the Gulf crossing the Strait.
Iran is demanding international recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz and waters nearby are an important route for international goods and energy trade. China calls for an immediate end to hostilities to restore peace and stability in the Gulf, Mao said.
This is the first time China, a large importer of Iranian oil for years despite US sanctions, spoke of its ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz amid reports that Iran is permitting Chinese ships to cross the Strait, given the close strategic ties.
Ever since the US and Israel attacked Iran, China has been calling on all countries to immediately stop military operations.
Beijing has also been calling for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, as its closure resulted in widespread disruption of fuel supplies.
While condemning the attacks on Iran, China is also preparing for US President Donald Trump’s visit scheduled for May 14-15, during which expectations are high to finalise a trade deal between the two countries.
