On December 15, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi had a group meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Waleed Al-Khuraiji and Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Bagheri Kani, who are in China for the first meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia-Iran trilateral joint committee, in Beijing.

Wang Yi extended congratulations on the success of the first meeting of the trilateral joint committee, and said that China always supports the people of the Middle East in independently exploring development paths, supports the Middle East countries in solving regional security issues through solidarity and cooperation, and supports Saudi Arabia and Iran in continuously advancing the process of improving relations. China is willing to take this trilateral meeting as an opportunity to inject new impetus into the realization of the good-neighborly friendship between Saudi Arabia and Iran and make new contributions to promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

Wang Yi put forward three suggestions on continuing to advance the process of improving relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. First, unwaveringly adhere to the strategic choice of reconciliation. The improvement of Saudi Arabia-Iran relations serves the interests of both sides, meets the expectations of the international community, and is conducive to enhancing the influence of the two countries in the region and the international community. Wang Yi hopes that the two sides will adhere to strategic independence and maintain strategic resolve, continue to enhance mutual trust through dialogue and consultation, and achieve lasting and comprehensive good-neighborly friendship. Second, further advance the process of improving relations. China welcomes Saudi Arabia and Iran to actively explore cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, security and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and expand personnel exchanges. China stands ready to strengthen exchanges with Saudi Arabia and Iran to help improve the relations between the two sides. Wang Yi hopes that the two sides will have more communications and consultations to clear up misunderstandings in a timely manner to avoid miscalculations. In this process, China will continue to play a positive and constructive role. Third, reject external interference. Improving Saudi Arabia-Iran relations is on the right side of history. The Middle East can no longer be an arena for geopolitical contests between major powers. The destiny of the Middle East should be in the hands of the people of regional countries in the Middle East. Wang Yi believes that Saudi Arabia and Iran have the capability and wisdom to eliminate external interference in a timely manner, promote the reconciliation process in a stable and far-reaching manner, and safeguard lasting peace and stability in the region.

Wang Yi emphasized that China supports Saudi Arabia and Iran in jointly promoting Islamic countries to form a stronger unified position on the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. China has always stood on the side of Arab and Muslim countries and supported the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The pressing task is to push for a ceasefire and end of fighting in Gaza, advance humanitarian assistance and resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Any solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should respect the will of the Palestinian people and the legitimate concerns of regional countries, should not deviate from the two-state solution, and should adhere to the general direction of "Palestinian-led, Palestinian-owned and Palestinian-administered". China is ready to work with Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Arab and Muslim countries to formulate a timetable and roadmap for the implementation of the two-state solution as soon as possible and safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.

Waleed Al-Khuraiji and Ali Bagheri Kani thanked China for hosting the meeting, and spoke highly of the achievements of the meeting in implementing the Beijing Agreement and promoting the improvement of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. They said that Saudi Arabia-Iran relations are moving forward on a positive track. The two sides will continue to strengthen cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, security and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, strive for more outcomes of reconciliation and jointly promote regional security, stability and development. The Beijing Agreement opens a new page in China's positive role in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Iran welcome and support China in playing a greater role in the development of the Middle East, and are willing to work with China to uphold multilateralism, promote regional and global development and progress, and write a new chapter in trilateral cooperation.

Waleed Al-Khuraiji and Ali Bagheri Kani thanked China for its initiatives and efforts to ease the situation in Gaza and expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation with China in bilateral and multilateral fields and push for an early, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question.