China vows support for Iran, calls for peace in West Asia
By Delaram Ahmadi
Staff writer
China has invariably opposed “hegemonic aggression, sanctions and coercive pressure,” and thrown weight behind Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and national dignity, Chinese Ambassador to Iran Cong Peiwu said Tuesday.
Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Cong said history had repeatedly shown that “there are no winners in wars and conflicts” and that peaceful coexistence was the right path.
“As Iran’s comprehensive strategic partner, China has always upheld a just and fair position,” he said.
China supports all efforts conducive to peace and backs Iran in improving relations with Persian Gulf countries and other states in the region, Cong said, adding that Beijing was ready to continue providing assistance in its own way and play a constructive role in restoring peace and tranquility to the West Asian region.
Cong also said Beijing attached great importance to the development of China-Iran relations and was ready to work with Tehran to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
He said these efforts would help ensure the “steady and sustained growth” of bilateral relations.
Chinese Defense Attaché Hu Xiao, who later addressed the ceremony, recalled witnessing what he described as the “extreme ferocity” of last year’s 12-day war and this year’s 40-day war while serving at the Chinese Embassy in Tehran. “I witnessed the extreme ferocity of the war and the tenacious resistance of Iran,” Hu said. He also said he had seen Iranians gathering every evening and waving national flags in support of their government’s resistance against aggression. “It is precisely through these experiences of staying the course during two wars that I have come to appreciate more deeply Iran’s remarkable national resilience and its spirit of defiance unto death, as well as the profound sense of duty that a defense attaché must bear,” he said.
Hu said the 40-day war “should never have happened,” and that China deeply empathized with the suffering inflicted on the Iranian people by the aggression.
“China has consistently advocated for promoting peace talks and facilitating negotiations, and has called for a comprehensive ceasefire,” he said.
“China supports Iran and the United States in resolving their disputes through dialogue, so as to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Hu also pledged to further deepen military cooperation between China and Iran. “In recent years, under the guidance of the leaders from both sides, the strategic partnership between China and Iran has been steadily moving forward,” he said.
With the strong support of the Iranian Armed Forces, cooperation in bilateral visits, joint exercises and personnel training had continued to deepen, he added. “We will try our best to strengthen military cooperation between China and Iran to a new level,” Hu said. Brigadier General Mohammad Ahadi, deputy for international cooperation at Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces, also took the podium, praising the Chinese government’s efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting global and West Asian security.
He expressed confidence that these efforts would contribute to security at both the global and regional levels.