China willing to be stabilizing force in dealing with hotspot issues: FM

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to be a stabilizing force in dealing with hotspot issues, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a keynote speech delivered at the "China in the World" session at the ongoing Munich Security Conference.

In his speech, the foreign minister said that China strives to explore solutions to hotspot issues with Chinese characteristics, adheres to non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and opposes imposing wills on others.

China is committed to upholding objectivity and fairness, and opposes seeking personal gains. China advocates political settlement and opposes the use of force. It believes in addressing both the symptoms and root causes and opposes short-sightedness and one-sidedness.

Thanks to China's active mediation, Saudi Arabia and Iran have achieved historic reconciliation, setting off a "wave of reconciliations" across the Middle East, which has become a vivid practice of the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, said Wang.

The recent escalation of the Hamas-Israel conflict and the rising tension in the Red Sea once again show that the Palestinian issue has always been the core of the Middle East issue, and that the displacement of generations of Palestinians without a legitimate state is one of the longest-running injustices in contemporary times, said the Chinese foreign minister.

Wang said China stands firmly on the side of equity and justice, has worked hard for a ceasefire and an end to violence, and has done its best to protect civilians.

China has worked to push the Security Council to adopt its first resolution on the issue since the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict. China also issued a position paper on the political settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Wang said.

China calls for speeding up the realization of the independent statehood of Palestine, convening a larger and more effective international peace conference so as to realize the peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel.

During the Ukraine crisis, China has never given up its efforts to promote peace.

President Xi Jinping has personally had in-depth communication with leaders of countries including Russia and Ukraine, and played a constructive role in coping with the crisis. China has also issued a position paper on the issue and sent special envoys to mediate on many occasions. Everything China does leads to one goal, that is, to build consensus on ending the war and pave the way for peace talks.

China has persistently promoted the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue. The most urgent task is to prevent a vicious circle, address the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved, and work for the situation to cool down and restore stability, Wang noted.

China has urged parties in Myanmar to sign a ceasefire agreement in Kunming, China, and firmly uphold peace and stability in northern Myanmar, and encourage ASEAN to promote the proper settlement of the Myanmar issue on the premise of non-interference in internal affairs, Wang said.

Meanwhile, China has actively offered support to inclusive and moderate governance in Afghanistan in a bid to prevent the resurgence of terrorism there, he added.

Stressing that China has a vast territory and many neighbouring countries, and that conflicts and disputes left over from history are complicated, Wang said China has always been committed to managing differences through consultation and resolving disputes through dialogue.

China is ready to work with ASEAN to speed up consultations on the code of conduct in the South China Sea, promote maritime cooperation and joint development, and build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation, Wang added.