Xi Says All Hostilities Must End Immediately In West Asia

BEIJING, May 20 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said that the situation of the Gulf region in West Asia is at a critical juncture between war and peace, and all hostilities must end immediately, reported Xinhua.

Xi made the remarks when holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is on a state visit to China.

Xi pointed out that renewed fighting should be avoided, and most importantly, negotiation should continue.

An early end of the conflict will ease disruptions to the stability of energy supply, the functioning of industrial and supply chains and the international trade order, Xi said.

"I have put forward four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East to further build international consensus, and help deescalate the situation, end hostilities and promote peace," Xi added.

On China-Russia relations, Xi has called for driving the development and revitalisation of China and Russia through their comprehensive strategic coordination of even higher quality.

Xi, who made the remarks at the Great Hall of the People, said the international situation is fluid and turbulent. "Unilateralism and hegemonism are resurging, yet peace, development and cooperation remain the aspiration of the people and the prevailing trend of our times," he noted.

"As permanent members of the UN Security Council and important major countries in the world, China and Russia should take a strategic and long-term perspective, drive the development and revitalisation of our respective countries through comprehensive strategic coordination of even higher quality, and work to make the global governance system more just and reasonable," Xi said.

Both countries agreed on Wednesday to further extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation. 

China and Russia signed the treaty 25 years ago, establishing by law the institutional foundation of long-term good-neighbourliness, friendship and comprehensive strategic coordination.

Since then, the bilateral relationship has achieved leapfrog development, Xi added.

Today, the international landscape is undergoing momentous changes, and the world risks returning to the law of the jungle, Xi said, adding that against this backdrop, the China-Russia treaty of good-neighbourliness and friendly cooperation has further proven to be advanced, scientific and relevant.

China supports the further extension of the treaty, said Xi, adding that China will work with Russia to jointly honour the spirit of the treaty and firmly advance China-Russia back-to-back strategic coordination.

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA