Xi made these comments during a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Beijing. On that occasion, he presented his proposals for maintaining peace in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
This diplomatic move by Beijing comes shortly after the first round of talks between Iran and the United States, held over the weekend in Pakistan, ended without an agreement. Recall that after the talks, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that the ball is now "in Iran's court" when it comes to ending the war.
Four Proposals for Peace and a Sharp Message on International Law
The state news agency Xinhua reported that the Chinese president emphasized "China's principled stance aimed at promoting peace and encouraging negotiations," reiterating Beijing's readiness to continue its constructive role.
According to reports from state broadcaster CCTV, his comments include four key proposals for establishing peace in the Middle East.
"The sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf countries in the Middle East must be sincerely respected," Xi conveyed.
He also issued a fairly clear critique of double standards in global politics: "Upholding the authority of international rule of law cannot mean a rule of 'apply when it suits you, discard when it doesn't.'"
Although he did not elaborate extensively, Xi underscored the necessity of preserving the world order based on the United Nations, as well as the importance of coordination on security and development issues.
Diplomatic Offensive in Beijing
That China is becoming an increasingly important hub for resolving global crises is also confirmed by the current diplomatic activity in Beijing. On Tuesday, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in the Chinese capital, hoping to advance cooperation regarding the Middle East conflict and discuss bilateral matters.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously announced that Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi would discuss the situation in the Middle East. This meeting is a direct follow-up to their phone call at the beginning of the month, during which they agreed to work together on de-escalating tensions in the region.
In addition to Russian and Vietnamese officials, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is also visiting China this week. Although his trip is primarily focused on strengthening bilateral trade ties, Sanchez stated in a press conference on Tuesday what many in global diplomacy currently think: China can play an "important role" in resolving the Middle East crisis.