Foreign minister Wang Yi told a press conference in the Chinese capital that the war, which was sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, “should never have happened”.

“A strong fist does not mean strong reason. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle,” he told reporters.

He was speaking during China’s annual political gathering, which began this week, known as the “Two Sessions”.

The parallel meetings of China’s parliament and political consultative body are closely watched for clues as to the priorities of top leaders, in the face of a precarious geopolitical landscape

Wang addressed a range of issues, including a trade war with the US, regional tensions in the South China Sea, as well as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

“This year is indeed a big year for Sino-US relations,” Wang said.

‘Manage differences’

Ties between China and the US have been strained since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, followed by a trade war that saw the two countries impose tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s products.

“We observe certain countries erecting tariff barriers and pursuing decoupling and supply chain disruption,” Wang said on Sunday.

“These actions are akin to trying to extinguish a fire with fuel. Ultimately, they will backfire and harm them.”

While China and the US “cannot change each other”, he said, “we can change the way we interact with each other”.

Wang urged both sides to “create a suitable environment, manage existing differences, and eliminate unnecessary interference”.

But a wide range of disagreements remain.

Beijing has blasted US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, with which it has diplomatic and trade ties.

It has in particular condemned the killing of the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Wang also maintained that China’s relations with Moscow, which have been criticised by Western countries for sustaining the war in Ukraine, remained “steadfast and unshakeable”.

China ‘gym’

China has sought to profit off Trump’s volatile foreign policies, positioning itself as a reliable alternative to once-traditional US allies.

Leaders from France, Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom, among others, have flocked to Beijing, recoiling from Trump’s bid to seize Greenland and tariff threats against fellow Nato members.

Wang welcomed the visits on Sunday, saying “we have noticed that more and more insightful Europeans agree that China is not a competitor but a global partner.”

“We welcome our European friends to step out of the ‘small attic’ of protectionism and come to the ‘gym’ of the Chinese market, where they can strengthen their muscles and enhance their competitiveness,” he said.

In the spirit of warming relations, China has doled out visa-free travel agreements to around 50 countries, including France, Germany, and the UK.

Beijing has also agreed to reduced tariffs with Ottawa and London in their exports to China.

Red line

Wang also addressed relations between China and Japan, which have been locked in a spat after comments by prime minister Sanae Takaichi in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan.

Takaichi’s comments enraged Beijing, which views Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

Wang emphasised on Sunday that Beijing “will never allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan… from China once again”.

He warned Japan against “repeating the same disastrous mistakes”, adding that China “will never allow anyone to stand up for colonialism”, in an apparent reference to Tokyo’s actions during World War II.

The issue of Taiwan, he insisted, is “at the heart of China’s core interests” and “a red line that must not be crossed or trampled on”.