Samuel Omang
China is “deeply worried” about Israel’s military operation against Iran that has escalated tensions in the Middle East, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday, in his first public comments on the conflict that erupted last Friday.
Xi, speaking on the sidelines of a summit with five Central Asian nations in the Kazakh capital of Astana, said China opposes any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of other countries.
“All parties should work to de-escalate the conflict as soon as possible and prevent the situation from worsening further,” Xi said, in comments quoted by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
China is ready to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East, he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry said China had begun evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran and was pushing for a ceasefire, as fighting continued for a fifth day.
Chinese authorities are in communication with Iran, Israel and various parties to promote a ceasefire, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing.
“China calls on all relevant parties, especially those countries that have a special influence on Israel, to shoulder their due responsibilities, take immediate measures to cool down the tense situation and prevent the conflict from escalating and spreading,” Guo said, without naming any countries.
On Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in Israel urged its citizens to return to China as soon as possible.
It said many had contacted the embassy asking about the resumption of airport operations and Hainan Airlines flights. However, Israeli airspace remains closed, and the Israeli government has extended a national state of emergency until June 30, the embassy said.
The notice listed several land crossing points but recommended Chinese citizens leave via Jordan.
“At present, the Israeli-Iranian conflict continues to escalate, with civilian facilities damaged and civilian casualties increasing, making the security situation even more severe,” the embassy warned in a notice on WeChat.
The Chinese embassy in Iran issued a similar evacuation notice on its official WeChat account later on Tuesday.
Iran’s airspace is still closed, and there are risks that Iran’s land border crossings will also be closed in the near future, the embassy said.
The notice listed border points for people to enter Turkey, Armenia and Turkmenistan, with travel distances from Tehran ranging from 760 to 910 km (472 to 565 miles).
Tehran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire with Iran in return for Iranian flexibility in nuclear negotiations, sources have told Reuters.
