After US-Iran talks fail, China proposes four-point plan for Middle East peace

China on Tuesday outlined a four-point proposal for lasting peace in the Middle East, with foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning sharing details of remarks made by President Xi Jinping.Xi made the proposal during a meeting in Beijing with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The development comes after an initial round of talks between the United States and Iran concluded without any agreement. According to Chinese state media, Xi said China would continue to play a “constructive role” in advancing peace talks in the region.State news agency Xinhua News Agency reported, "Xi Jinping stressed China's principled stance of promoting peace and urging talks, and reiterated it will continue to play a constructive role on this."In a post on X, Mao said the proposal focuses on principles such as peaceful co-existence, sovereignty, international law and balanced development. She wrote, "President Xi Jinping made four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East."The first point stresses the importance of peaceful co-existence among Gulf nations. "Stay committed to the principle of peaceful co-existence. The Gulf states in the Middle East are close neighbors that cannot move away. It's important to support the Gulf states in improving their ties, work to build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture of the Middle East and the Gulf region, and consolidate the foundation for peaceful co-existence," the pointer said.The second point calls for respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Stay committed to the principle of national sovereignty. Sovereignty serves as a foundation for all countries, especially developing countries, to survive and thrive, and it must not be violated. The sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should be earnestly respected, and the safety of their personnel, facilities and institutions vigorously safeguarded."The third proposal highlights adherence to international law and the United Nations system. "Stay committed to the principle of international rule of law. It is important to firmly uphold the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order based on international law, and basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter," the pointer read.The final point underlines the need to balance development and security. "Stay committed to a balanced approach to development and security. Security is a prerequisite for development, and development serves as a safeguard of security. All sides should work to create a sound environment for and bring positive energy to the development of the Gulf states. China stands ready to share with the Gulf countries the opportunities through Chinese modernisation, and work with them to nurture a fertile ground for regional development and security," the pointer read.