Chinese language Overseas Minister Wang Yi listens throughout a press convention on the sideline of the Nationwide Folks’s Congress (NPC) on the media heart in Beijing, Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Andy Wong/AP
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Andy Wong/AP
China’s overseas minister, Wang Yi, mentioned on Sunday the U.S.-Israeli battle with Iran “should not have happened” and “does no one any good.”
However whereas Wang criticized the U.S. over the Iran battle, he additionally supplied a constructive sign that an anticipated assembly between President Donald Trump and Chinese language chief Xi Jinping would possibly nonetheless go forward on the finish of this month.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an annual political assembly in Beijing, Wang didn’t affirm a gathering date however mentioned China is open to dialogue with the USA.
He mentioned the world can not afford for the 2 largest economies to interact in battle.
Here’s a abstract of what Wang mentioned on 5 key worldwide points.
1. Iran battle
China desires the preventing to cease and for all events within the Iran battle to return to the negotiating desk.
“Might doesn’t make right, and the world cannot revert to the law of the jungle,” Wang mentioned.
He mentioned the U.S. and Israel ought to respect the sovereignty, safety and territorial integrity of Iran and different international locations within the Center East.
China mentioned it’s going to ship an envoy to the area for mediation.
Nevertheless, the Chinese language are usually not neutral.
China is extra strategically aligned with Iran than it’s with the U.S. and Israel. China buys giant quantities of oil from Iran and elsewhere within the Center East – which have been affected by the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
2. Relations with the U.S. – and Europe
China says it desires “peaceful coexistence” and “win-win cooperation” with the USA.
“China and the U.S. are both big countries. Neither side can remodel the other, but we can choose how we want to engage,” he mentioned.
Chinese language diplomats typically stress that there ought to be mutual respect as a result of there’s a deep sense that the U.S. is out to suppress and comprise China’s inevitable rise.
On the identical time Wang tried to allay fears in Europe that China’s rise will come on the expense of their core industries.
Wang mentioned Europe has an incorrect notion of China as a competitor and may as an alternative be thought to be a “global partner.”
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“We are glad to see European friends stepping out of the ‘small attic’ of protectionism and walking into the ‘fitness club’ of the Chinese market to build their strength and competitiveness,” he mentioned.
3. Tariffs
Wang implicitly criticized President Trump’s international commerce tariffs, as he mentioned pursuing commerce protectionism is “akin to locking oneself in a dark room.”
“It may keep out wind and rain, but it also shuts out light and air,” he mentioned.
Not like the U.S., China has mentioned it’s opening up its personal markets to international gamers.
Beginning Might 1st, China mentioned it’s going to totally elevate tariffs on all imports from most African international locations so it could actually “help Africa access the enormous opportunities of the Chinese market,” in line with Wang.
Nevertheless, he didn’t handle the sluggishness in home demand, which was demonstrated earlier this week when China set its lowest financial development goal for the reason that Nineties, aiming for between 4.5% and 5% this yr.
4. Japan and Taiwan
China and Japan relations are at present significantly fraught, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting final yr Japan would possibly get entangled if China invades Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its personal territory.
Wang mentioned it’s as much as Tokyo to determine what the long run holds for China-Japan relations.
“Taiwan never was, is not, and will never be a country,” Wang mentioned. “Taiwan affairs are purely China’s internal affairs.”
He mentioned Japan has no proper to intrude within the Taiwan subject.
5. Gaza
Wang mentioned that China helps a two-state answer for Palestine.
“Any other arrangements or new mechanisms must reinforce – rather than undermine the two-state solution,” Wang mentioned.
He welcomed worldwide efforts to allow the ceasefire, however mentioned a lot of the laborious work lies forward.
China was invited to affix Trump’s Board of Peace but it surely has not participated.
