President Xi Jinping said Saturday that China is willing to play its “due role” in helping bring peace to the Middle East. Xi’s comments came during his address at the ongoing BRICS summit of emerging economies.
“The war has caused serious losses to people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community,” Xi said. The Chinese leader offered diplomatic assistance earlier in the war as well.
Also in attendance are Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. The two-day conference is being held in New Delhi and hosted by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It marks Xi’s first visit in seven years to India, with which China has tensions.
The 11-country bloc released a statement on Saturday urging restraint in the Middle East conflict and criticizing sanctions not authorized by the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Washington sees more signs that Beijing has been assisting Iran’s war efforts. Chinese entities provided Tehran high-resolution satellite imagery of an American Air Force base in Jordan before a deadly attack on the facility, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing U.S. officials. That attack killed three American troops and wounded four others. Beijing denies the allegation.
The findings could worsen U.S.–China tensions ahead of a White House meeting between Xi and President Donald Trump scheduled for September 24.
An Iranian commercial vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, Iranian state media said. One person was reported dead and four wounded. The U.S. and Iran have battled for control of the waterway, which the Islamic Republic effectively closed shortly after the war began. Iran and Gulf states are expected to meet in Oman on Monday to discuss the situation in the strait, a chokepoint for the global energy trade.
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