Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a stark warning on the worsening Middle East conflict during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing this week, saying the world was in danger of returning to "the law of the jungle" if hostilities continue unchecked, Reuters reported.
In his meeting with Putin, Xi expanded that message into a broader geopolitical warning, framing the conflict as a test of global order. "The world is in danger of reversing into the law of the jungle," Xi said, according to Chinese state media, suggesting that unilateral military action and prolonged warfare were undermining international norms.
The remarks came as the two leaders met against the backdrop of the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran and the broader regional crisis that has disrupted energy routes and global trade.
According to Chinese state media, Xi stressed the urgency of ending the fighting. "It is imperative to stop the fighting," he told Putin, adding that "negotiation is especially important" amid the rapidly escalating conflict.
Xi also linked the war directly to wider economic instability, warning that "the cessation of the war would help reduce disruption to the stability of energy supply, international trade order".
Putin, who arrived in Beijing for the talks and a formal welcome ceremony, invited Xi to visit Russia next year, state media reported. The two leaders have maintained close political coordination throughout the Iran conflict, while both have criticised Western military actions in the region.
