by Zhou Yanan

In March 2026, tensions flared up again in the Middle East, disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and threatening global energy security.

At this critical moment, China and Pakistan put forward a five-point initiative on March 31 to restore peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East. As all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan are speaking in a joint and timely voice in response to the unfolding crisis. It is also a prime example of how developing countries take the initiative to build consensus and address hotspot issues, offering a pragmatic, feasible approach to breaking the deadlock.

This joint effort is no coincidence. It is a natural extension and practical implementation of their partnership and the shared vision of a community with a shared future. As iron-clad friends, China and Pakistan have always maintained close communication on major international and regional issues.

Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar paid two visits to China in three months, showing the regular strategic communication between the two countries, which laid a solid political foundation for the joint peace initiative. Their coordinated action, based on the principles of the UN Charter and a just position, represents a positive contribution to regional peace and answers the call of the time for greater solidarity and cooperation in responding to challenges.

The five-point initiative is designed to address the evolving conflicts in the Middle East, with each point targeting a key aspect of the crisis and underpinned by pragmatic and rational thinking.

First, it calls for "immediate cessation of hostilities" while emphasizing the need for unimpeded access to humanitarian relief supplies in direct response to the worsening humanitarian crisis on the ground. It aims to secure the essential prerequisite for peace.

Second, it urges the "start of peace talks as soon as possible" as the pathway to peace. It explicitly upholds the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran and the Gulf countries and reaffirms dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way to resolve disputes, categorically rejecting the use of force.

Third, it sets ensuring the "security of nonmilitary targets" as a humanitarian red line, aiming to prevent attacks on energy, power and other infrastructure, and to safeguard the right to life and development for the people in the region.

Fourth, it focuses on ensuring the "security of shipping lanes", highlighting the critical role of the Strait of Hormuz as an "energy lifeline" and calling for the resumption of normal navigation. This seeks to balance the common interests of regional countries and global demands for energy security.

Finally, it reaffirms upholding the "primacy of the United Nations Charter" as the fundamental principle, with a view to promoting the establishment of a comprehensive peace framework anchored by international law, and providing institutional guarantees for the long-term stability of the region.

The above five-point initiative is a set of interconnected measures designed to address both the immediate needs and the enduring stability of the region, demonstrating a long-term and holistic vision.

At a time when the Middle East is trapped in a vicious cycle of "escalating conflicts-bloc confrontation-crisis spillover," the joint voice of China and Pakistan is expected to inject much-needed elements of stability into this region.

It puts the Global Security Initiative (GSI) into practice in the Middle East, as the GSI's vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security resonates deeply with regional countries' desire for independent peace and their rejection of external interference.

It counters unilateralism with multilateralism. By firmly upholding the central role of the United Nations at a time when certain countries are stoking bloc confrontation and flouting international law, China and Pakistan are providing important guidance for the de-escalation of regional tensions.

It also illustrates how bilateral partnerships can serve global peace. By translating strategic mutual trust into a driver of regional peace, the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is playing a positive role in safeguarding international peace and stability, setting a good example for bilateral relations.

The introduction of the five-point initiative is not the end of China-Pakistan peacemaking efforts, but a new starting point for their continued commitment to the Middle East. As active advocates and pragmatic actors for regional peace, China and Pakistan are expected to further strengthen strategic communication, champion world peace, and rally more nations behind the initiative to build broader consensus for peace.

Admittedly, the journey to peace in the Middle East will be long and winding, with complex conflicts of interest playing out. Nevertheless, the initiative jointly proposed by China and Pakistan represents a constructive effort to break the impasse in the Middle East, raising hopes for resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation.

It is hoped that more countries will take the China-Pakistan initiative as an opportunity to promote peace and stop the hostilities, and jointly steer the Middle East back onto the track of peace and stability.

Editor's note: The author is a commentator on international affairs.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.