Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that his country was willing to work with countries in the Middle East to protect shipping, Beijing’s state media said, as the US-Iran war upends maritime logistics from the region.
– “China stands ready to work with countries in the region to safeguard the security of international shipping lanes, advance development cooperation… and eliminate the breeding grounds for conflict,” Xi told his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during talks in Cairo, state news agency Xinhua reported.
– Xi Jinping also told his Egyptian counterpart that “external interference” in the Middle East should be opposed, Beijing’s state media reported.
– “We must uphold the principle that the people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs, oppose external interference (and) support regional countries in strengthening dialogue on peace and security,” Xi told al-Sisi, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.