Xi says China will work with Mideast on shipping

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China was willing to work with countries in the Middle East to protect international shipping lanes, Chinese state media reported Wednesday.

State news agency Xinhua reported that Xi made the remarks to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during talks in Cairo.

“China stands ready to work with countries in the region to safeguard the security of international shipping lanes, advance development cooperation... and eliminate the breeding grounds for conflict,” Xi said, according to Xinhua.

The remarks came as the US-Iran war disrupted maritime logistics from the energy-rich region.