China and Pakistan's Five-Point Proposal for Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and Middle East Regions

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Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 31—China and Pakistan’s Five-Point Initiative on Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and the Middle East

(March 31, 2026, Beijing)

On March 31, 2026, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, held talks in Beijing with Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. The two sides exchanged views on the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East and proposed the following initiative:

1. Immediately stop hostilities. China and Pakistan call for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of fighting, and to do everything possible to prevent the conflict from spreading and escalating. Humanitarian relief supplies should be allowed to enter all areas affected by the war.

2. Start peace talks as soon as possible. The sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence, and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be upheld. Dialogue and diplomacy are the only feasible way to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the parties concerned in initiating negotiations, and all parties should commit to resolving disputes through peaceful means. During the peace talks, the conflicting parties should not use or threaten to use force.

3. Ensure the safety of non-military targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflicts must not be breached. China and Pakistan call on the conflicting parties to immediately stop attacks against civilians and non-military targets, fully comply with international humanitarian law, and halt attacks on key infrastructure such as energy, seawater desalination, and electricity, as well as peaceful nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants.

4. Ensure the safety of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters are important international routes for cargo and energy trade. China and Pakistan call on all parties to protect the safety of ships and crews stranded in the waters within the Strait of Hormuz, arrange for civil and commercial vessels to pass through safely as soon as possible, and restore normal navigation in the strait at the earliest opportunity.

5. Ensure the primacy of the UN Charter. China and Pakistan argue that genuine multilateralism should be upheld, and that efforts should be made together to strengthen the important role of the United Nations. They support reaching an agreement, based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, on establishing a comprehensive framework for peace and achieving lasting peace. (End)