China has urged “restraint” amid US military buildup as the Trump administration presses Iran to make a deal on its nuclear programme.
“China is closely following the relevant situation. We urge all sides to remain restrained. The escalation of the situation serves no one’s interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday.
Mao was responding to a question about US President Donald Trump’s remarks that he was considering a limited strike against Iran if Tehran does not forge a deal with Washington.
Delegations from Iran and the US are set to reconvene in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday to resume discussions for a potential nuclear deal amid rising regional tensions and speculation of an imminent war.
US President Donald Trump has warned of military action against Iran if a deal is not reached within 10 to 15 days.
Beijing’s statement also comes as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that Washington is “keeping all options open” in its approach to Iran while urging the country to negotiate a deal.
Russia-Ukraine war
Mao also expressed hope that all parties will "grasp" opportunities for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war, which entered its fifth year.
"We support any efforts conducive to peace," she added.
In recent days, a door of dialogue has been opened in the Ukraine crisis, and various parties maintain a momentum of dialogue, she said, calling dialogue and negotiation the “only way out for the settlement of the crisis.”
"We hope all parties will grasp the opportunities and achieve a comprehensive, lasting, abiding peace deal. China is ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role in advancing the political settlement of the crisis," she added.
Mao also said that Beijing’s “position is objective and clear... we always advocate for the end of fighting," in response to a question about whether China benefited from the war.
China will "never add fuel and exploit the situation" for its agenda, and "we do not accept shift-blaming," she added.
Trump's expected visit
Meanwhile, she said that Beijing is in communication with the US on President Donald Trump's expected visit to the East Asian country.
"Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for China-US relations," she told the reporters.
Beijing and Washington are "in communication regarding President Trump's visit to China," she said, while refusing to further comment on specifics of the visit.
The White House on Friday confirmed that Trump will travel to China for a three-day visit starting on March 31.
Additional details were not immediately available from the US side, but the visit, which would end on April 2, is expected to revolve heavily around trade talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
