Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be maintained.
Xi made the remarks during a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
Xi pointed out that China attaches great importance to developing relations with Saudi Arabia and has always adhered to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.
Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia, Xi said China is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to seize this opportunity to deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, and enhance exchanges at all levels, so as to continuously expand the breadth and depth of bilateral relations and set as an example for advancing relations between China and Arab countries.
On the current situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, Xi stressed that China calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, supports all efforts conducive to restoring peace, and remains committed to resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means.
Xi said that the normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community, adding that China supports regional countries in building a common home marked by good-neighborliness, development, security and cooperation, mastering their own future and destiny, and promoting long-term peace and stability in the region.
Mohammed, for his part, said that Saudi-China relations are strategic and developing relations with China is vital to his country, noting that the current conflict in the Middle East undermines the security of Gulf nations and severely impacts global energy supply and economic operation.
Saudi Arabia, committed to resolving disputes and differences through dialogue, hopes to prevent the situation from escalating, he said, adding that China, as a responsible major country, has consistently upheld fairness and justice and supported good neighborliness, dialogue and cooperation among countries in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is willing to enhance communication and coordination with China to preserve the current ceasefire, prevent a resurgence of the conflict, ensure the safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and jointly seek ways to achieve long-term peace and stability in the region, said Mohammed.
Xi says normal passage through Strait of Hormuz should be maintained
Xi says normal passage through Strait of Hormuz should be maintained
Xi says normal passage through Strait of Hormuz should be maintained
Israel has wiped out entire villages and destroyed crucial infrastructure in southern Lebanon during conflicts with Hezbollah.
According to local media reports, the Israeli military has bombed every bridge over the Litani River last week. It means that major cities like Tyre are now isolated. Vehicles have no way to get through to deliver urgent medicine, supplies, or food. Even the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which monitors the violations and attacks happening in south Lebanon, can no longer have a direct connection of supply to its forces.
Hassan Dbouk, president of the Union of Tyre Region Municipalities, condemned Israel's destruction, saying it has been wholly disregarding international law and following the same calamitous pattern seen in the Gaza Strip.
"Israel doesn't respect international law. It's destroying everything, mosques, religious places, schools, clinics, the vicinity of hospitals -- even when it doesn't directly hit a hospital, it targets its vicinity, which puts it out of service. As for the infrastructure, last time, it bombarded the central water facility, and electricity always gets affected. To me, the situation in Lebanon is following the same pattern as in Gaza," he said.
He further noted that Israel is destroying villages along the Blue Line, a border demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel established by the United Nations in 2000.
"They said that they are destroying the Blue Line, which is the first line of villages on the border, and the second line, and they're calling for the occupation of the third line and therefore its destruction. They want it to be a buffer zone, which means an uninhabitable place with no population or houses, and this is getting implemented," he said.
Ali Khreis, a Lebanese parliament member, said that Israel is trying to prevent people from returning home as a form of political pressure, but Lebanon will not surrender.
"They want to prevent people from going back home. This is a type of political pressure. Israel is doing this so that Lebanon will yield to its demands. Despite what is happening, we can't give in to the Israeli pressure, whatever the cost. There is no crossing point between Tyre and the rest of the territories now. The main bridge was destroyed, and before that, another bridge was destroyed. This was the only remaining crossing," he said.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time, following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump.
However, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Saturday that it had struck militants approaching a "Yellow Line," which marks the northern edge of the "security zone" established by Israel in southern Lebanon, over the past day.
Israeli attacks destroy infrastructure in southern Lebanon
