China on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, warning that the escalating conflict could spread across the neighbouring countries after Iran’s retaliation against US bases in the Gulf region.“The most urgent task is an immediate cessation of military operations and preventing a spread and spillover of conflict,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a news conference, urging “a resolution through dialogue and negotiation.”
Beijing confirmed that one Chinese national was killed in Tehran during the US strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mao said the foreign ministry, along with the Chinese embassy in Iran, was providing necessary assistance to the individual’s family, without revealing personal details.Ramping up its evacuation efforts, China has advised its citizens in Iran to leave “as soon as possible,” listing four land routes — to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq.More than 3,000 Chinese nationals have already left Iran, while Chinese citizens in Israel were urged to move to safer areas or cross into Egypt via the Taba border.China condemned the US-led military strikes as violations of international law, stating they were “not authorised by the United Nations Security Council.” Beijing also called for an emergency session of the Security Council, asserting that the “sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all Gulf countries should also be fully respected.”China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Sunday, also pressed for calm amid the worsening crisis.The “blatant killing of a sovereign leader and the incitement of regime change were unacceptable,” Wang said, calling for an “immediate ceasefire and resumption of talks to avoid a wider regional conflict.”China’s state-run Xinhua news agency went further in its commentary, calling the attack “brazen aggression against a sovereign nation” and “power politics and hegemony.” It said Washington’s actions were a “flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and a departure from fundamental norms of international relations.”In its Monday statement, Beijing reiterated its “deep concern over the spillover effects of the conflict affecting neighbouring countries.”The foreign ministry also warned Chinese nationals against travelling to the region as reports emerged of injuries and stranded citizens.The ongoing conflict has triggered widespread flight disruptions across the Middle East.Despite rising tensions, Mao confirmed that communication between Beijing and Washington remains active ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2, saying both sides were “maintaining communication regarding the interactions between the leaders of the two countries.”
