Wang Yi meets with Saudi, Iranian deputy foreign ministers in Beijing

Beijing: Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has put forward three suggestions for continuing to advance the process of improving relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Wang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made the suggestions during a meeting with Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani, who are in China for the first meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia-Iran trilateral joint committee, CGTN reported.

First, Wang called for unwavering adherence to the strategic choice of reconciliation. It is hoped that the two sides will continue to enhance mutual trust through dialogue and consultation, and achieve lasting and comprehensive good-neighborly friendship, he said.

Second, Wang suggested further progress in improving relations. China welcomes the two sides to actively explore cooperation and expand personnel exchanges in such fields as economy, trade, security, and people-to-people exchanges, and stands ready to strengthen exchanges with the two sides to help improve their relations, he said.

Third, Wang said that the two sides should reject external interference. The destiny of the Middle East should be in the hands of the people of regional countries, he said. China has always stood on the side of Arab and Muslim countries and supported the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, Wang said.

During the meeting, Wang also said China always supports the people of the Middle East in independently exploring development paths, supports Middle Eastern countries in working together to solve regional security issues, and supports Saudi Arabia and Iran in continuously advancing the process of improving relations.

China is willing to take this trilateral meeting as an opportunity to inject new impetus into the good-neighborly friendship between Saudi Arabia and Iran and make new contributions to promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, he added.

Elkhereiji and Bagheri Kani thanked China for hosting the meeting, saying Saudi Arabia and Iran welcome and support China’s greater role in the development of the Middle East.

During the trilateral meeting, Saudi Arabia and Iran expressed their commitment to the full implementation of the Beijing agreement. The Chinese side stressed that it will continue to play a constructive role and support Saudi Arabia and Iran in continuing to take steps to strengthen relations. The three sides discussed trilateral cooperation in various fields.