ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s leading role in facilitating peace talks in the Middle East, with China cooperating with Islamabad behind the scenes, has elevated the global south to the forefront as the credible broker of peace and facilitator of stability in the world.
China’s President Xi Jinping’s participation has lent his voice to efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war between Israel, US against Iran.
The Chinese leader submitted four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, calling for peace and working for stability among the warring sides.
He also urged them to commit to peaceful coexistence and to demonstrate respect for international law. The war has had a ripple effect on the world, which has worsened, especially after the recent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an artery for international oil shipments to the rest of the world, but also a source of conflict between the global south and north. Although the Strait was opened after Iran let selected oil tankers pass through it, many countries are still reeling from high fuel prices caused by the blockade.
The on-off peace talks mediated by Pakistan are set to resume amid tension between the two camps. China has played a key role, along with Pakistan, to initiate a peace plan, a five-point initiative designed to bring lasting peace in the Middle East.
The plan is an outcome of a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing on March 31.
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