China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

China hopes all parties to resolve differences through dialogue, as part of efforts to promote regional peace and stability, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday.

Lin Jian, the spokesman, made the remarks at a regular briefing in response to a media query about U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations.

"China has maintained communication with all parties on relevant issues and hopes that all parties will resolve differences through dialogue, to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability," he said.

Delegations from the United States and Iran on Friday held talks in the Omani capital of Muscat, marking a renewed diplomatic effort amid heightened regional tensions.

China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

China urges all parties to resolve differences through dialogue

Global food commodity prices climbed for a second consecutive month in March, driven mainly by higher energy costs linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said in report released on Friday.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 percent from February and 1.0 percent above its level a year ago.

According to the report, the FAO Vegetable Oil Index and Sugar Price Index showed the largest increases, up 5.1 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively.

The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 1.5 percent from the previous month, driven primarily by higher world wheat prices, which rose 4.3 percent.

The FAO Meat Price Index rose by 1.0 percent from the previous month, and the FAO All-Rice Price Index declined by 3.0 percent in March, according to the report.

FAO stated that rising energy and fertilizer prices have been driving up agricultural input costs.

If the conflict stretches beyond 40 days, farmers will have to choose to farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops, according to FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.

These choices will hit future yields and shape food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and beyond, Torero said.

Global food prices rise for 2nd consecutive month in March amid Middle East conflict: FAO