Beijing, China - March 23, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of press briefing in progress, reporters
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhai Jun, special envoy of Chinese government on Middle East issue (partially overlaid with shot 3):
"We believe that the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters are vital international corridors for the trade of goods and energy. Maintaining security and stability in the entire region is a shared responsibility and serves common interests of the international community. During my recent visit to the countries in the region, without exception, nearly all of them expressed their concerns about the navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We once again urge the relevant parties to cease military actions first to avoid further escalation of the tensions. At the same time, we are maintaining communication with all the parties concerned regarding the current situation of the Strait of Hormuz. We hope that the tensions in the strait will be eased, as only by de-escalating the tensions and hammering out a ceasefire can the fundamental issue of navigation be solved."
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3. Various of reporters
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4. Various of reporters, press briefing in progress
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhai Jun, special envoy of Chinese government on Middle East issue (starting with shot 5/partially overlaid with shot 6):
"During my visit, I also made this request to relevant countries. All the countries said that they would protect Chinese citizens in the region as they would protect their own citizens. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind Chinese citizens again that as the conflict is still ongoing, Chinese citizens should refrain from traveling to Iran and other neighboring countries affected by the conflict in the near future. Those Chinese citizens still stranded in the region should contact the Chinese embassies or consulates in the region for assistance if they encounter problems and need help."
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6. Reporters
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7. Various of reporters, press briefing in progress

Countries in the Middle East are deeply concerned about the issue of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and only by de-escalating the tensions and hammering out a ceasefire can the fundamental issue of navigation be solved, a Chinese special envoy said on Monday after concluding his visit to the region.

Zhai Jun, the special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, told a news briefing in Beijing that he had just visited several countries in the region including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt, and had in-depth exchanges of views with their foreign ministers and the secretary generals of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States on the regional situation.

Zhai briefed the media on the views held by the countries in the region on the ongoing conflict.

"We believe that the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters are vital international corridors for the trade of goods and energy. Maintaining security and stability in the entire region is a shared responsibility and serves common interests of the international community," said Zhai.

"During my recent visit to the countries in the region, without exception, nearly all of them expressed their concerns about the navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We once again urge the relevant parties to cease military actions first to avoid further escalation of the tensions. At the same time, we are maintaining communication with all the parties concerned regarding the current situation of the Strait of Hormuz. We hope that the tensions in the strait will be eased, as only by de-escalating the tensions and hammering out a ceasefire can the fundamental issue of navigation be solved," said Zhai.

In the wake of the ongoing tensions, China activated its emergency response mechanism immediately to protect and assist the Chinese compatriots, including those from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan region, in their evacuation from the Middle East, said the envoy.

Zhai also advised against traveling to Iran and other neighboring countries affected by conflict.

"During my visit, I also made this request to relevant countries. All the countries said that they would protect Chinese citizens in the region as they would protect their own citizens. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind Chinese citizens again that as the conflict is still ongoing, Chinese citizens should refrain from traveling to Iran and other neighboring countries affected by the conflict in the near future. Those Chinese citizens still stranded in the region should contact the Chinese embassies or consulates in the region for assistance if they encounter problems and need help," said Zhai.