Ambassador Cao Xiaolin published a signed article on Al Jazeera titled Uniting for Justice, Safeguarding Regional Peace on April 13. Below is the full text:

The US-Israel war on Iran has caused continuing tensions in the Gulf and Middle East region, bringing a severely mounting impact to the world peace and global development. The war, which has done no good but all harm to countries involved, should not have happened.

Facing the challenging situation, China has always been standing on the side of the peace and justice, as well as the countries and people affected. Since the breakout of the war, China has firmly appeal to ceasefire and to bring all sides back to the dialogue and negotiation, insisting that conflicts be addressed through political means.

A few days ago, H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and Hon. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, met in Beijing to exchange views on the situation in the Gulf and Middle East Region. China and Pakistan put forward Five-point Initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region.

The initiative not only embodies the common position of the two countries, but also responds to the broad expectations of the international community, and has garnered extensive attention and widespread support since it was put forward. The Five-point Initiative is as follows:

First, Immediate Cessation of Hostilities. China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas. There’s no winner in the war. An immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting brook no delay.

Second, Start of peace talks as soon as possible. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes. The Middle East affairs should be decided by the people of Middle East, and external interference wins no popular support.

Third, Security of nonmilitary targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants. Refraining from harming civilians is a redline that should not be crossed.

Fourth, Security of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz can hardly stay peaceful when the war continues. The Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy. China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible. Safeguarding the security of the passage serves the common interests of all parties.

Fifth, Primacy of the United Nations Charter. China and Pakistan call for efforts to practice true multilateralism, to jointly strengthen the primacy of the United Nations, and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.

History has repeatedly shown that the use of force is not the way to resolve problems; dialogue and negotiation is the only correct path forward. A ceasefire and an end to hostilities are the common aspiration of the people, while peace and stability are what all countries long for.

China and Pakistan have voiced a rational and just appeal to the international community, calling on all nations to participate jointly, build broader consensus, and pool stronger collective efforts so as to inject confidence and momentum into the restoration of peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East.

China has consistently taken actions to promote talks for peace. H.E. Mr. Wang Yi made 26 phone calls with his counterparts from relevant countries. The Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue, H.E. Mr. Zhai Jun, conducted shuttle diplomacy across several countries to ease tensions in the region.

China has also provided Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq with emergency humanitarian assistance. China has always been a stabilizing force for peace, committed to strengthening global security governance and exploring both immediate and long-term solutions to hotspot issues.

As the conflict drags on, there can be no absolute safe haven untouched by the flames of war, and the law of the jungle is not the way for humanity to coexist. The Middle East should not be an arena for rivalry among major powers, but rather a grand stage for international cooperation. The Gulf countries should not remain the front line bearing the spillover risks of conflict, but should become a high ground for peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation.