- Title: China calls for restraint on Middle East after U.S. air strike
- Date: 3rd January 2020
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG ARRIVING AT DAILY NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "China has always opposed the use of force in international relations. We advocate that all sides should earnestly respect the goals and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms of international relations. Iraq's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity should be respected. The stability and peace in Middle East gulf region should be maintained." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "We urge relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING EXTERIOR OF CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
- Embargoed: 17th January 2020 09:40
- Keywords: Middle East situation Qassem Soleimani U.S.-Iran relation air strike killed
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BUMAGJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China on Friday (January 3) called for restraint from all sides after U.S. killed top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani in an air strike at Baghdad airport.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in Beijing that the U.S. should stay calm on its relation to Iran and Iraq as peace and stability in the Middle East must be upheld.
Soleimani's killing, authorised by U.S. President Donald Trump, marked a dramatic escalation in the regional "shadow war" between Iran and the United States and its allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Iran has been locked in a long conflict with the United States that escalated sharply last week with an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq by pro-Iranian militiamen following a U.S. air raid on the Kataib Hezbollah militia, founded by Muhandis.
(Production: Wang Shubing, Fang Nanlin) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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