On the morning of April 14, President Xi Jinping met with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, who is on a visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The two sides exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region. President Xi Jinping stressed China’s principled position of promoting peace and facilitating talks, and reiterated China’s readiness to continue playing a constructive role in this regard.

President Xi Jinping made four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

First, stay committed to the principle of peaceful co-existence. The Gulf states in the Middle East are close neighbors that cannot move away. It’s important to support the Gulf states in improving their ties, work to build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture of the Middle East and the Gulf region, and consolidate the foundation for peaceful co-existence.

Second, stay committed to the principle of national sovereignty. Sovereignty serves as a foundation for all countries, especially developing countries, to survive and thrive, and it must not be violated. The sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should be earnestly respected, and the safety of their personnel, facilities and institutions vigorously safeguarded.

Third, stay committed to the principle of international rule of law. We should safeguard the authority of international rule of law, reject selective application, and prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle. It is important to firmly uphold the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter.

Fourth, stay committed to a balanced approach to development and security. Security is a prerequisite for development, and development serves as a safeguard of security. All sides should work to create a sound environment for and bring positive energy to the development of the Gulf states. China stands ready to share with the Gulf countries the opportunities through Chinese modernization, and work with them to nurture a fertile ground for regional development and security.