China backs talks, not war: Top diplomat meets Saudi minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud in Beijing on Tuesday. He reaffirmed China’s strong support for negotiations in the Middle East and called for sustained dialogue despite a fragile ceasefire. “Talking is better than fighting, and dialogue is better than confrontation,” Wang said, according to a statement released by China’s foreign ministry later that night. On the evolving regional situation, Wang said the current priority was to uphold the ceasefire and push for a political solution. He did not specify which parties or conflicts he was referring to.