China, ASEAN Call for De-Escalation in Middle East and Deeper Energy Cooperation

China and ASEAN foreign ministers issued a joint statement on July 24 on the impact of Middle East developments on the region and on strengthening regional energy cooperation. The statement, released on China's Foreign Ministry website and covering a meeting held in Manila on July 22, called for diplomacy, restraint and an immediate halt to hostilities on all fronts in the Middle East, according to Jiemian News. The ministers welcomed ongoing diplomatic contacts, including talks between the United States and Iran mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, and urged all parties to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and ceasefire terms, while protecting civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian access. They also reaffirmed support for freedom of navigation under international law and, under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, called for safe and uninterrupted transit through international straits. On energy, China and ASEAN agreed to explore a cooperation mechanism for policy exchanges and practical cooperation, strengthen regional energy security and resilience, and expand work on power-grid connectivity, supply chains, clean and renewable energy, energy technology innovation and civilian nuclear power. The statement also backed the ASEAN Energy Cooperation Action Plan (2026-2030) and said both sides would look for financing support from ASEAN bodies, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions and the China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund.