Xi: Ceasefire priority for restoring peace

陈小将

A woman is evacuated from the site of a direct hit by an Iranian missile strike in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Thursday. Countries around the world are taking measures to evacuate their citizens from Israel and Iran, as the conflict between the two nations entered the seventh day, and airspace in the region remained closed. ODED BALILTY/AP

President Xi Jinping has stressed that a ceasefire must be an urgent priority in the Middle East to avoid the spillover effect of the conflict between Israel and Iran, reiterating China's commitment to playing a constructive role in restoring peace in the region.

Xi made the remarks on Thursday during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they exchanged views on the Middle East situation.

Underlining that the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes, Xi said the parties involved in the conflict, especially Israel, should halt military operations as soon as possible to prevent a spiral of escalation.

The two leaders held the phone talks days after Israel launched a surprise military strike on Iran on June 13, triggering a wave of attacks and counterattacks.

The current situation in the Middle East is highly perilous, and it further proves that the world is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation, Xi said. If the conflict continues to escalate, not only will the parties directly involved suffer greater losses, but countries across the region will also be severely affected, he added.