During the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on member nations to collaborate on achieving peace and stability in the Middle East and the broader Gulf region. Xi emphasized that China stands ready to contribute significantly to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict.
Addressing the assembly, Xi noted that the geopolitical situation in the Middle East remains intricate and has inflicted severe hardships on local populations, acting against the shared interests of the global community. He urged all involved parties to commit to political resolutions and to promote a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” while also focusing on the underlying causes of the instability.
Xi identified the Palestinian issue as central to the region’s challenges, highlighting the necessity of implementing the two-state solution in relation to Israel. He stated that China intends to work closely with its BRICS partners to help secure tranquility in the area.
The remarks were made ahead of a scheduled meeting between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House later in September. China serves as Iran’s primary trading partner and a major buyer of its energy exports, giving it considerable economic leverage in the region.
These diplomatic overtures follow recent actions by the Trump administration, which last month introduced stringent economic sanctions against Iran under a initiative described as “Operation Economic Outcast.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated during the launch of these measures that Chinese entities would not be shielded from the new restrictions.
Despite the heightened tensions, economists have observed that China has played a role in moderating global energy price spikes. This stability is attributed to China’s strategic fuel reserves built up over recent years and a subsequent reduction in immediate oil procurement needs.
The BRICS coalition, originally formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as an alternative to Western-led economic structures, has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
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