Peace, stability in Mideast require joint efforts, Chinese president tells Omani sultan

China’s President Xi Jinping on Monday called for joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East, warning against turning the Gulf region into an arena for major-power rivalry and geopolitical conflicts, according to state media.

Xi made the remarks during talks with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xinhua News reported.

Xi said the Middle East and Gulf regions should “not become a wrestling ground for major-country rivalry and geopolitical conflicts,” stressing that regional peace and stability require joint efforts by all parties.

He added that China was willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Oman, to help restore regional peace and achieve lasting stability.

In a joint statement issued following the talks, China and Oman called for disputes to be resolved through political and diplomatic means and urged the US and Iran to pursue a peaceful path, achieve a ceasefire and prevent a broader war.

The two sides urged Washington and Tehran to return to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding and resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible, with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement that also addresses Iran’s nuclear program, according to the Omani Foreign Ministry.

They also stressed the need to restore normal and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and agreed to remain in contact over developments concerning the strategic waterway, the statement said.

Oman expressed support for Chinese initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and said it hoped Beijing would play a greater role in achieving lasting regional security.

China, for its part, praised Oman’s longstanding efforts to reduce regional tensions, build mutual trust and promote peace, highlighting Muscat’s role in Gulf and Middle East issues.

On Yemen, the two countries urged the parties to prioritize the interests of the Yemeni people, resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and resume the political process as soon as possible while respecting Yemen’s independence, unity and territorial integrity.

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Haitham’s visit marks the first by an Omani sultan to China since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established 48 years ago.

It comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began in February following US-Israeli military strikes against Tehran.

‘Higher level’ in bilateral ties

On bilateral relations, Xi called for strengthening the strategic partnership with Oman to a “higher level,” saying the two countries share a longstanding friendship and increasingly strong political trust.

The joint statement said the two sides agreed to deepen coordination between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Oman Vision 2040 and expand cooperation in energy, investment, finance, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.

They agreed to deepen oil and natural gas cooperation while expanding work in renewable energy, including solar and wind power, electricity transmission and energy storage.

The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, space and investment, as well as military, security and judicial fields.

They also said a local-currency swap agreement would be used to deepen financial cooperation and facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

Haitham said China had become Oman’s largest trading partner, with direct investments by Chinese companies in partnership with the Oman Investment Authority exceeding 33 billion yuan ($4.6 billion) in recent years.

He also expressed Oman’s willingness to conclude a preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement with China.

The two countries also called for accelerating negotiations on a China-GCC free trade agreement and agreed to maintain communication on holding the second China-Arab and China-GCC summits in China at an appropriate time.

​​​​​​​Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of an agreement and 14 memorandums of understanding and cooperation protocols covering areas including satellite navigation, supply chains, green development, local-currency exchange, digital payments and digital currency.

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