Beijing calls for Iran peace talks, says military means will not solve root of conflict

China on Monday (March 30) urged an immediate cessation of military operations in the Iran conflict, stating that military means cannot resolve the root problems.

Speaking at a news conference, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized the need for peace talks to avert a greater humanitarian catastrophe, responding to a joint statement released by G7 foreign ministers last Friday (March 27).

The G7 ministers, meeting in France, called for an immediate halt to attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the war. The group also stressed the importance of mitigating the conflict's impact on regional stability, civilian populations, and critical infrastructure, according to the statement.

The ministers further highlighted the necessity of maintaining safe and unrestricted freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route.

The G7 members are the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, along with the European Union.

-Production: Xiaoyu Yin/Reuters