China's foreign minister calls for ceasefire in Gulf region

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called for a ceasefire in the Gulf region as soon as possible, stressing that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Gulf countries should be fully respected, according to statements from his ministry.

Wang made the remarks in a phone call with his Kuwaiti counterpart Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Monday as Iran answered a U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign with strikes around the Gulf region.

In a separate call, Wang told Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani that China was deeply concerned about the rapidly escalating situation and would play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.