China willing to jointly build prosperous Middle East

China is willing to make joint efforts with Middle Eastern countries to build a peaceful, secure, developing, and prosperous Middle East, Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on Middle East affairs, said Friday in an interview.

Zhai said peace and security in the Middle East concern not only the fundamental interests of regional countries but also global stability and development. China will continue to support Middle Eastern countries in safeguarding national sovereignty and dignity, and resolutely opposes hegemonism and power politics, cliques and confrontations, unilateralism, and discrimination.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a significant outcome of multilateral diplomacy endorsed by the UN Security Council resolution. It is crucial to the international nuclear non-proliferation system, as well as peace and stability in the Middle East, he said.

"China supports the comprehensive and effective implementation of the JCPOA to safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation system, multilateralism, the international order based on international law, and peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf region," said Zhai.

He noted that the former U.S. administration unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and ignored international laws and obligations. It forced Iran to reduce its implementation with the JCPOA, led to the Iranian nuclear issue crisis, and aggravated tensions in the Middle East and Gulf region.

He said it is imperative to push the JCPOA back on the right track at an early date. "China will continue to closely communicate and coordinate with relevant parties and make unremitting efforts."

As 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the Syrian crisis outbreak, Zhai said China has always believed that Syria's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity should be respected and safeguarded. "Syria's future should be decided by the Syrian people independently, and the Syrian issue should be resolved politically."

He stressed that the international community should seek a solution that considers the Syrian conditions and the concerns of all parties, and continue to support the UN to carry out mediation to solve the Syrian issue soon.

"The evolution of the Syrian issue in the past ten years has proved that China is on the side of truth, justice, and history," Zhai said. He noted that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible, major country, China would shoulder its due responsibilities and work with the international community to help Syria and other countries in turmoil get out of the crisis and resume stability as soon as possible.