China stands ready to work with Pakistan to continuously promote peace and advance dialogue, and keep making efforts for the early restoration of peace, stability and development in the Middle East, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Dar briefed on the situation of the first-phase memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached between Iran and the United States, expressing gratitude to China for maintaining close communication with Pakistan over the past few months and providing valuable support for Pakistan's mediation efforts.
The Pakistani side looks forward to continuing communication and coordination with the Chinese side, maintaining the current momentum of peace talks, and jointly playing a positive role in achieving lasting peace and stability in the region, Dar added.
Wang congratulated Pakistan on facilitating the first-phase MoU between Iran and the United States, and stressed that working for peace is an international responsibility shared by all countries, including China and Pakistan.
As long as there remains hope for peace, every effort is worthwhile, he said.
Since the outbreak of the war, China has engaged with all parties and actively promoted a ceasefire and peace talks, Wang noted. From the very beginning, China has firmly supported Pakistan and emphasized to all parties that Pakistan is a trustworthy mediator, he said, adding that China has also engaged separately with Iran and the United States in its own way.
Quoting a Chinese saying, "For a journey of a hundred miles, reaching ninety is only half the task," Wang noted that the current consensus is far from the end point but a new starting point, and lasting peace in the Middle East and the Gulf region still requires sustained efforts from all parties.
It is foreseeable that, compared with the first phase of the talks, the second phase will be even more difficult. However, China believes there must be no turning back, still less any return to the use of force, he said.
The international community should further support the Iran-U.S. talks, and multilateral institutions, including the United Nations Security Council, should also play a greater role, said Wang.
China has consistently advocated that regional countries should take their future and destiny into their own hands, and hopes to explore, through dialogue and consultation, a peace and security architecture that is jointly participated in by all countries in the region, he said.
Once the door to peace has been opened, it should not be closed again, said Wang, adding that the Middle East has been deeply scarred by war and its people deserve peace.
China to continue efforts with Pakistan for early restoration of peace in Middle East: FM
A senior official of the World Economic Forum (WEF) has commended China's economy as highly competitive and full of potential for partnerships and growth.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Gim Huay Neo, managing director and chair of Greater China at the WEF, said global business leaders are showing strong interest in China's development and cooperation prospects ahead of the 2026 Summer Davos.
Officially known as the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, this year's edition will be held in Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province from June 23 to 25.
Themed "Innovating at Scale", the event will bring together more than 2,000 leaders from business, government, civil society and academia, as well as top innovators and members of the media, from more than 90 countries and regions, making it the largest edition ever.
The event will focus on how stronger institutions, increased capital flows and forward-looking policies can transform innovation and technological potential into economic progress, jobs and new business opportunities.
Noting this year marks the 20th anniversary of the WEF's Beijing office, Neo said the organization is always committed to deepening cooperation with China.
"China is a very important partner for the World Economic Forum. In fact, this year, we celebrate our 20th anniversary of the Beijing representative office in China, because even as China started its reform and opening-up efforts in the 1970s, there was a lot of interests from global business leaders to see how they can participate and contribute to China's development and growth. This year is also the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. And obviously, there is a very strong appetite to look at where there are opportunities for global businesses to partner with China as it embarks on its new phase of growth," she said.
Neo also highlighted China's progress in green energy, urging other economies to draw from its experience.
"China is a very good example of how it has invested into looking at new sources of energy, whether it is in renewable energy or in battery storage, technologies integrating AI as part of a green management system to create new sources of competitive advantage. And this could also unlock new sources of growth for the economy. So there are definitely areas that we can learn from," Neo said.
Regarding foreign investment in China, Neo said there is immense potential for cooperation and consumption within the vast Chinese market.
"The Chinese economy is a very competitive economy. It also has many opportunities for partnerships and growth. So, for businesses who are looking to invest in China, I would say that there are still many areas in which there can be very positive win-win partnerships that can be forged to create a business opportunity. It is also one of the largest consumer markets that is fast growing and expanding," she said.
Chinese economy highly competitive with rich partnership opportunities: WEF official
