China said on Wednesday it welcomed a ceasefire in the Middle East, underscoring its role in brokering an agreement between the United States and Iran to cease hostilities for two weeks.
Tehran has agreed to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which most of the world’s oil, gas and waste passes, easing concerns about the battered global economy.
The announcement came just before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened to annihilate Iran if it did not negotiate.
Trump told AFP on Tuesday that he believed China, which has sought to mediate in the conflict since it erupted, had a hand in bringing Iran to the negotiating table.
“China welcomes the relevant parties to announce that a cease-fire agreement has been reached,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Wednesday, without directly addressing Trump’s comments.
See also: China says US and Israeli attacks on Iran are ‘main cause’ of Strait of Hormuz blockade
“We have repeatedly presented the efforts made by China,” she said, noting that Foreign Minister Wang Yi had held 26 phone calls with counterparts from the respective countries, while Beijing’s Middle East envoy had “navigated through the war-torn region.”
Beijing will “continue to make efforts to ease the situation and achieve a complete end to the war.”
Under the ceasefire, the United States will suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks, while Tehran temporarily reopens the Strait of Hormuz, according to Washington.
Israel has said it supported Trump’s decision to suspend its bombing of Iran, but maintained the ceasefire “does not include Lebanon”.
Meanwhile, Iran has proposed a 10-point plan to ensure an end to the war, which Trump said was “workable”.
