Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran arrived in Beijing on Wednesday.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, flight J267 from Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport.
Among the passengers was a small group of Chinese nationals escaping a war that began with loud explosions in Tehran, capital of Iran on Saturday.
A bus arranged by the Chinese embassy in Azerbaijan left the Astara checkpoint in southern Azerbaijan on the border with Iran early on Sunday afternoon, carrying the first group of the 76 Chinese nationals to Baku.
"The Astara Crossing is the closest one to Tehran, and the road conditions are relatively good," said Wu, a Chinese evacuee who just landed in Beijing.
The Astara Crossing is one of five land border points recommended by the Chinese embassy. Chinese nationals can enter Azerbaijan visa-free, but the group still faced delays at the checkpoint. After hours of coordination by Chinese embassy staff, they were able to cross and took a bus to Baku.
While some chose to rest in the city, others booked the first flight they could find, despite the hefty price tag. As they returned home, the conflict is still ongoing there.
"I felt very emotional when we entered the Chinese airspace. At last I was back in my home country. I felt relieved. But I'm still worried about the people back in Iran," said Ai, another evacuee.
Iran retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region, with explosions reported in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.
Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan arrive in Beijing
China welcomes all like-minded countries to join the Group of Friends of Global Governance (GFGG) and is ready to work with the international community to advance reform and improvement of global governance and jointly address global challenges, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing on Wednesday.
Mao was speaking at a regular press conference in response to a question about the Group of Friends of Global Governance, which was launched in Geneva on February 27. In September 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping formally proposed the Global Governance Initiative, contributing China's wisdom and solutions to building a more just and equitable global governance system. Since its launch, the initiative has received support from more than 150 countries and international organizations, Mao said.
"In December last year at the UN Headquarters in New York, China proposed to establish the "Group of Friends of Global Governance," which has been warmly received at the UN," she said.
Geneva is an important hub of global governance, home to many UN entities and specialized agencies that address agendas vital to countries’ development and people’s livelihood, Mao said.
"On February 27, China held the launch ceremony of the "Group of Friends of Global Governance" in Geneva. Representatives from nearly 60 countries attended the meeting, including 42 founding members of the GFGG. Parties expressed strong recognition and support for the GGI, commended China's leading role in global governance, and looked forward to the GFGG strengthening communication and coordination and promoting dialogue and cooperation on the Geneva platform," she said. The establishment of the GFGG in both New York and Geneva, and its rapid progress, reflect that the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi meet the needs of the world and conform to the will of the people, said the spokeswoman.
"As the noble cause of peace and development for humanity is confronted with severe challenges, it is more imperative than ever for us to recommit to the founding mission of the UN, uphold multilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and work for peace, stability and development. China welcomes the participation of all countries sharing the same vision, and through the launch of the GFGG stands ready to work with the international community to explore pathways for reforming and improving global governance, jointly tackle global challenges and build a community with a shared future for humanity," she said.
China welcomes like-minded countries to join Group of Friends of Global Governance: spokeswoman
