While Beijing has repeatedly criticized the US-Israeli attacks as illegal, Xi has made few public comments about the conflict. He will hold talks with US President Donald Trump in an expected meeting in Beijing next month.
The rule of law cannot be “used when convenient and discarded when not,” Xi told Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the visiting crown prince of Abu Dhabi, according to the official Xinhua news agency, Reuters reported..
The visit comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after weekend talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach a deal to end the war.
Since the war erupted in late February, Iran has effectively shut the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route to vessels from unfriendly nations. On Monday, the US military said it had begun a blockade of Iran’s ports.
Oil shipments from Persian Gulf States including the UAE through the strait have plunged since the war started.
Official data on Tuesday showed Chinese natural gas imports for March dropped to their lowest since October 2022, while inbound shipments of crude oil fell 2.8 percent, with Chinese vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We must not allow the world to revert to the law of the jungle,” Xi told Sheikh Khaled, the eldest son of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
Xi told Sheikh Khaled, who also chairs the Abu Dhabi Executive Council that China was willing to work with the UAE to build a more robust, resilient, and dynamic strategic partnership.