China: There is no point in continuing the war against Iran

JAKARTA - The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that there was no point in continuing the war against Iran amid the momentum of Chinese President Xi Jinping hosting US President Donald Trump in Beijing.

"There is no point in continuing this conflict, which should never have happened in the first place," the spokesperson said when asked if Trump and Xi discussed Iran and how Beijing's position on the war.

The spokesperson stressed that China proposed that the parties involved should find a way out as soon as possible to resolve the situation of common interest, not only for the US and Iran, but also for countries in the region and the whole world.

After the door of dialogue is open, the door should not be closed again. He also urged efforts to maintain the momentum of de-escalation and encourage political settlement, as well as dialogue and consultation to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also stressed the importance of reopening shipping lanes as soon as possible in order to respond to the appeals of the international community and jointly maintain global supply chains stable and unimpeded.

"It is important to immediately reach a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, restore peace and stability to the Middle East and the Gulf region as soon as possible, and lay the foundation for the development of a sustainable regional security architecture," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Meanwhile, on Thursday (14/5), Trump said in an interview with FOX News that Xi wanted to see a deal reached.

"He (Xi Jinping) said, 'If I can help, I want to help. Whoever buys that much oil obviously has certain ties, but he wants to see the Strait of Hormuz open," Trump said.

Trump's visit to China comes amid an ongoing Middle East conflict, triggered after US and Israeli forces launched an attack on Iran on February 28.

Iran then retaliated by attacking Israel and US allies in the Gulf region and closing the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, an indefinite ceasefire is in effect.