China and Pakistan push for early Hormuz access, unveil Middle East peace plan

An early passage through the Strait of Hormuz, along with a slew of other initiatives, have been announced by China and Pakistan together to restore “peace and stability” in the Middle East. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to review the situation in the Gulf and Middle East amid the escalation of the regional conflict. A statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry revealed further details.

The five-point initiative announced by Pakistan and China, calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the start of peace talks as soon as possible, protection of non-military targets, security of shipping lanes, and respect for the UN Charter.

The initiative comes as Pakistan facilitates indirect talks between the US and Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East. highlighting the necessity for an immediate cessation of hostilities and maximum efforts to prevent the war from spreading. The two sides further urged that humanitarian assistance be allowed to all war-affected areas.

China and Pakistan’s message to parties involved in the conflict

Both China and Pakistan have called on parties to the conflict to “immediately” stop attacks on civilians and non-military targets, and to fully adhere to international humanitarian law. They have further urged all countries to stop attacking critical infrastructure, including energy, desalination, and power facilities.

The two sides have urged parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. To deescalate the situation, allow early and safe passage of civilian and commercial vessels, restoring normal transit through the strait as soon as possible.

Multilateralism key to Strengthen the Role of UN

The two foreign ministers also called for efforts to practice multilateralism, to strengthen the role of the UN, and support an agreement to establish a comprehensive peace framework based on the UN Charter and international law.

Over the weekend, Pakistan had hosted foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia for a quadrilateral meeting as part of its ongoing efforts to push the US and Iran towards negotiations.