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CHINA has called on all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to “create conditions for starting truly meaningful and sincere peace talks,” as international concern mounts over escalating tensions and the broader implications for global security and energy markets.
“The pressing priority is to actively promote peace talks, seize the opportunity of peace and promote the cessation of the war,” said Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, during a routine briefing when asked about ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Reuters cited on Thursday that the remarks followed comments from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, who expressed cautious optimism about “a glimmer of hope for peace” after signals emerged suggesting potential engagement between Washington and Tehran.
Earlier this week, Iran denied holding any negotiations with the United States, following President Donald Trump’s decision to delay a threatened strike on Iran’s power grid, which he said came after productive discussions with unidentified Iranian officials.
Iran’s foreign minister has stated that while the country is reviewing a U.S. proposal to end hostilities, it has no intention of holding formal talks.
China has not disclosed whether it has independent knowledge of negotiations but has actively urged all sides to seize opportunities to initiate dialogue. In a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday, Wang encouraged all parties to “seize every opportunity and window for peace, and initiate the process for peace talks as soon as possible.”
“The situation in the Middle East is changing rapidly, with both the U.S. and Iran releasing signals about negotiations, offering a glimmer of hope for peace,” Wang said in a separate conversation with Egypt’s foreign minister. “As long as talks begin, there is hope for peace.”
The calls for dialogue come as foreign ministers from the world’s leading Western democracies convene in France against a backdrop of ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, economic uncertainty, and growing unease over unpredictable U.S. foreign policy.
The two-day meeting at the restored 12th-century Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay, southwest of Paris, brings together ministers from the G7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States – alongside the European Union.
Experts say cohesion among the G7 has been strained since Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, with abrupt policy shifts on trade, Ukraine, and now the Middle East viewed by European officials as destabilising.
Thomas Gomart, director of the Paris-based French Institute of International Relations, warned that “The U.S. attitude is an element of destabilisation of the international system for all players, not only for members of the G7, but also for China, and for many, many countries in the world.”
Amid these discussions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to brief allies on the U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, the status of potential diplomatic channels, and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted nearly a fifth of global oil supplies.
Ministers from Brazil, India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia are also attending, highlighting the critical alignment of major economic powers on issues of global security, energy, and diplomacy.
European officials indicated that they would press Rubio for clarity on the Iran situation and emphasise that any unfavourable peace deal for Ukraine would be unacceptable, advocating instead for stronger sanctions on Russia and preparations for a prolonged conflict through the next winter. - March 26, 2026
