Wang Yi spoke on the phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal.

On the 2nd of January, Wang Yi, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had a phone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal as scheduled. Faisal briefed Wang on the latest developments in the Middle East situation, expressing that the conflict in Iran has had a serious impact on regional and global countries. The Saudi side values the important role played by China in international affairs, cherishes the high-level strategic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China, and hopes to strengthen communication and coordination with China on platforms such as the United Nations to jointly promote de-escalation of the conflict and bring it to an end. Wang Yi expressed concern over the month-long delay in the Iran conflict, which has caused huge casualties and losses, impacting the security and stability of Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. China and Pakistan recently jointly issued a five-point proposal for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East, including safeguarding the sovereignty and security of Gulf countries, ending attacks on civilians and non-military targets, and ensuring the safety of navigation channels. The issue of passage in the Strait of Hormuz is an overflow of this conflict. With the conflict ongoing, the strait is not safe. The top priority is to focus on achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible. The actions of the United Nations Security Council must avoid escalation of confrontation and not legitimize unauthorized military actions, or else there will be endless troubles, especially for small and medium countries. China commends Saudi Arabia for its efforts to promote peace and cease-fire and is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to make efforts for the early restoration of peace in the region.