China has condemned the military strikes launched by Israel and the United States against Iran and has called for an immediate halt to hostilities, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in a phone call on Tuesday, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Forces cannot truly solve problems. Instead, they often create new problems and leave serious long-term consequences. The real value of military power lies not on the battlefield but in preventing war,” Wang Yi reportedly told Saar, according to Reuters.
Wang emphasized that China advocates resolving international and regional disputes through dialogue and negotiation and pledged that Beijing would continue to play a constructive role in easing tensions.
This call followed three similar conversations Wang Yi held on Monday with the foreign ministers of Iran, France, and Oman, in which he urged Persian Gulf states to unite against foreign intervention.
However, Wang has not spoken to U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio since Saturday, when the U.S. and Israel began airstrikes on Iran, reportedly killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei among others.
The strikes targeted Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday, triggering global market turbulence due to fears of prolonged disruption to energy supplies as a result of the U.S.-Israeli military action.
