China: no country should dictate the fate of others

China on Wednesday reiterated its call for an immediate halt to military operations against Iran, saying no country has the right to dominate international affairs, dictate the fate of others, monopolize development advantages or impose its will on the world.

“China upholds that mutual respect and equality among all countries, large or small, are what progress throughout history demands and also the fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter,” said Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress, at a press conference before the opening of its annual session.

He made these statements when asked about the international community’s concerns regarding the collapse of the global governance system and the weakening of the role of the United Nations, in a context of increasing unilateralism and the use of force in international relations.

Lou said China is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and emphasized that its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity must be respected.

“China demands the immediate cessation of military operations in order to avoid further escalation of tensions and the resumption of dialogue and negotiations to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East. To this end, China will continue to play its role as a responsible great power,” he added.

The spokesperson noted that in the face of an ever-changing and turbulent world, peaceful development and win-win cooperation are the only way out.

According to Lou, China’s proposed Global Governance Initiative emphasizes the need to uphold sovereign equality, respect international law, practice multilateralism, uphold a people-centered approach and focus on taking concrete measures.

“This is a Chinese solution to make the global government system more fair and equitable,” he said.

“As one of the world’s leading countries and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China stands ready to work with all countries to firmly uphold the authority and status of the UN, firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practice true multilateralism to make greater contributions to the reform and improvement of global governance, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity,” Lou said.

Originally published by China Daily on 03/04/2026